Comments on: Oakland’s Election 2008: Who cares?

By: TheBoss

TheBoss — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:35:28 +0000

Well, as you know, I don’t vote in Oakland. But my wife and I are both smitten by Frank Rose.

I find it interesting that you worked so hard on Sullivan’s campaign. I hadn’t realized that. It would be interesting sometime to discuss the various issues. I’m amazed you think the sorts of things he’s proposing will do much to help.

By: V Smoothe

V Smoothe — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:48:56 +0000

Poor Boss, I don’t think you’re ever going to find someone you really want to vote for in this town!

By: below580

below580 — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:52:40 +0000

Thank You for this column. I have been telling my husband for a couple years that we need to exit California because someone is going to have to pay the higher taxes coming our way and as usual it will be us, the shrinking middle class.

By: TheBoss

TheBoss — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:07:19 +0000

It’s all a matter of frame of reference. I realize that to many Sullivan and Nadel seem very different. This is because, frankly, Sullivan offers a coherent liberal plan, while Nadel’s plan is just bizarre nonsense.

Realize, however, that to a conservative, the differences appear far smaller, owing to both candidates’ strong left tilt.

As for the youth shelter, that’s very nice. But it probably won’t surprise you that I question the value and efficacy of such efforts.

I have actually said people should vote for Sullivan. The endorsement is necessarily tepid. This is because I do not believe government can solve many of Oakland’s ills.

What government needs to do is get out of the way and let Oakland gentrify.

By: V Smoothe

V Smoothe — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:03:42 +0000

Sean Sullivan is the director of Covenant House, which provides job training to youth in Oakland, and shelter and transitional housing to homeless youth in Oakland. He built a multi-million dollar youth shelter without a penny of City money, and has made public safety, increased police staffing, and the incorporation of new technologies that have proven successful in other cities the main points of his campaign. His platform is data-driven and based on providing real, measurable results, rather than endless excuses. Considering most of what you’ve written previously, I find it very odd indeed that you would suggest that he’s basically a newer version of Nadel. His business attraction plan is based on tax holidays, for goodness sake!