Local politics, your chance to have a voice in the community. Just don't listen to the liars.

I have been reading the Union and some of the local  blogs this week and for the life of me I cannot understand  the angst exhibited by some folks here.  We have a number of local races as usual, each race has a set of personalities.  I actually think that the politics here in Nevada County is really mild in comparison to the days of yore.

I read the Union article today about the "It's Miller Time" sign on a privately owned property in Grass Valley.  The sign is a attempt to use a slogan most of us know, to advertise a candidate in the District Three Supervisor race.  This has set off a firestorm of protest by Jeff Pelline and his five posters at his blog.  He has done a number of posts and I read a couple.  They are just plain funny!  For a guy who constantly uses a "saying" that "local politics is so nasty because the stakes are so small" I just laugh.  If he thinks things are so small, why all the ink?  We have two candidates, probably equally matched in their desire to win yet both are being fairly civil.  I think this is making Pelline mad.  He wants blood in the streets and Miller and Lamphier are being gentlemen. 

The Chamber of Commerce is in the building where the business of the property owner also resides.  Why would this cause a problem if the "journalist" Pelline is a free speech guy.  Pelline made a comment about Miller Brewing should be notified their trademark is being used.  My goodness, the candidates name is Miller.  If the sign said "DRINK Lamphier Champagne, it is time" I bet Terry would use it.  It is fun!  The attempts to start pitting the candidates against each other, even for the smallest and dumbest of reasons, seems to be a Pelline forte'.  I saw him do it in the Diaz/Pruett race and some others.  This season is very calm here and I for one think that is very civilized.

When I ran for County Supervisor thirty year ago this year, things then were really nasty.  I actually researched personally the incumbents voting records for her three and a half years she was a Supervisor.  I used here own voting records in a couple of mailers to the voters.  All I did was list here votes and that drove the opposition nuts.  They called me a dirty player!  Hell, it was her votes!  No commentary.  Then when I legally had poll watchers and also people legally more than 100 feet from the polling places handing out flyers, I again was attacked.  They called what I did "Chicago Style" politics.  Nasty tactics they said.  They even got the Elections official to issue 100 foot strings to make sure if it was ever done again that the 100 foot was not encroached upon.  Then when the opposition could not think of a legal way to deal with me they started a number of whisper campaigns.  The lies they told were shocking but they did not work.  I walked and worked and called and I won twice.  I stayed above the bullshit and it paid off.

Though there were many in the opposition who acted like Pelline does now, the tactics failed.  Hard work and a hearty handshake worked then and I think it still works now.  But after many years of the lies the opposition tries to foist on the people, Nevada County voters usually separate the wheat from the chaff.  The only time it failed though was during the "Gang of Four" years.  Lies and fibs prevailed then and I still can't understand how that happened.

Nevada County is better than the BS shoveled out by the Pelline's of the world.  He is the local purveyor of crap that we get nationally by the Associated Press (I call it the Obama Press) and the Sacramento Bee and LA Times here in California.  They spread their bias and have all of my life.  Now we have alternatives like Rush Limbaugh, other talk radio hosts and FOX News.  We have blogs galore as well and I try to read many of them.  I read the left and the right and all the ones in between.  It is wonderful to have so much choice.  I have tried to stay out of local politics and endorsements since I last ran for office.  I want people to make up their own minds and this also forces candidates to run hard.  If a candidate sits on his/her ass and does not do the work, they will not win here.  So, disregard the tripe about the chambers and the candidates that Pelline and his liberal cohorts write about and make up your own minds based on input from many sources.  Be smart about your precious vote.  Whether it is local state or national, every vote is important.  You voters out there need to cast that vote and not make stupid excuses why you didn't.  You want a good county, state and nation?  Exercise your vote.  If you don't then just shut up and accept your consequenses.  You will get a whole lot more Yee's and Calderon's.