Editorial Travesty

Don't believe the rumors -- BlogaBarbara is very much alive and kicking!

I have to admit, Travesty Factswrong kind of stumped me there for awhile. The notion that Hannah-Beth Jackson would be campaigning for ultra right-wing Tom McClintock for Lt. Governor so she could run for the Senate seat she already decided against -- after much deliberation, according to news reports -- combined with the declaration that somehow Salud Carbajal will be our next Congressman, was just a wee bit too much.

But today's piece, in which Factswrong embarrassingly tries to "draft" Dr. Dan Secord to run against The Slugger for mayor, is much too worthy of comment to stay silent! Here is the gist of his incredibly compelling argument:

"The News-Press encourages Dr. Secord to consider running for mayor in the November election. Santa Barbara needs him in office because of his level-headed approach to city finances."

Factswrong is very upset by the fact that the Council has had to dip into reserves, and he can't understand why that might be happening when these are "hardly rainy days." Nevermind the state's ongoing budget crisis, including a projected $8 billion shortfall this year, or a four-year-long national recession that Bush's insane economic policies are making worse by the minute. You're right, Travesty, things are fabulous, and it's just a coincidence that cities across California are struggling with the exact same issues.

"In any case, Dr. Secord as mayor could use his office to begin a real discussion about the city living within its means."

Yes, I think the hundreds of people who are currently struggling for survival in Santa Barbara, under the crushing weight of low-wage jobs and high-cost housing, would agree that replenishing our reserves is the single most important issue facing our great city!

But lame arguments aside, the editorial fails on the most basic level. Dr. Secord did consider running for Mayor, but apparently decided against it after doing what potential candidates do: asking around to people who may support you and finding out what they think about your possible run.

It's funny that Factswrong is so desperate to have a warm body in the Mayor's election simply for the sake of a "competitive race," when everyone knows full well The Slugger's got it locked up:

"Mayor Secord? If not, is there another Santa Barbaran who will run so there's a competitive race?"

For people so supposedly concerned about fiscal responsibility, isn't it a tad hypocritical that the News-Oppress would be advocating such needless spending?