Pinko Correctness and Judging Politics
October, 2012

Oh no. It’s football season and the players are wearing their pink “awareness” fashion accessories again. Last time I complained about tough guys dressing in little girl’s colors, I got blasted for being politically insensitive. Better change the subject.

Then, I got ripped in this space for researching and reacting to local politicians. Hello. People who get into politics pay big money for reactions like that. They put themselves on the stand and implore the media and everyone else to be judge and jury – to love them all the way to City Hall and sentence their lying, vanquished adversaries to the oblivion of private life.

There is one notable exception. Fearless Leader-From-Behind, President Obama, was the only candidate I can recall who ever skated through an election without being mercilessly vetted, until last week when he was punked by Governor Romney. Obama is still adored by the media and the less informed, many of whom backed the Man from Nowhere, not because he was qualified but because he was “historic,” or because they were told to. I bet this paper and others will nevertheless endorse Mr. Obama rather than look his disappointing performance in the eye, or admit they may have been mesmerized into politically correct groupthink. That’s okay, they can’t help themselves, endorsing Democrats is just what they do. Personally, I’m voting for competence over history. Romney honors the constitution, totally gets free markets and job creation, has exemplary family and service credentials, and I doubt he would bow down to foreign potentates. And I like the guy.

Back to local politics, we’re all invited to the election forum sponsored by thecalifornian.com on October 18th at the Steinbeck Center. This ought to be good, especially now that we’re all experts at evaluating political debates. We’ll be able to spot the brilliant from the banal, the smart from the less smart, and the concerned from the conceited. Californian pundit, Jeff Mitchell, has already lowered expectations by suggesting that none of the candidates walk on water, so don’t expect the Savior of Salinas to show up, just a bunch of regular Salinans, some with arrest records and financial problems. If they’re smart, they’ll find a way to turn those difficulties into assets many here can relate to. Regardless, will the mean streets and municipal mismanagement continue no matter who gets elected? Will school kids be any smarter or gas any cheaper? I doubt it but we’ll see.

I love Jeff’s money question for the forum: ‘how will you bring together the two Salinases — the Alisal and the rest of the city?’ The question suggests that the Eastside wants to be brought together with the rest of town and vice-versa, so it may well be a false, typically lib, premise. What if people are just fine with where they are and how they live? If not, we might propose a flag exchange. How about if we fly Mexican flags on Southside cars and American flags on Eastside cars? That should make everyone feel multicultural and united. How about a lowrider/pickup show and shine? Or a holiday food exchange? Trade you a tamale for a turkey sandwich.

As for Measure E, to make permanent a half cent sales tax they said would be temporary, you know, for libraries and cops (it’s always for libraries and cops). Why is it that whenever a government, large or small, goes broke we have to pay for their blundering ineptitude? It’s a sorry cycle. I’ve noticed whenever people actually get to vote on having less money, they don’t want to. Our dear leaders then mandate more tribute to make sure they get even more of our money to squander, for our good of course, and threaten to turn the city over to the gang bangers if we don’t like it. Sometimes I wonder if they’re not in cahoots.

It’s enough to make a tough guy wear pink.