Bird's Flighty Reason For Reelecting Muratsuchi

This kind of fawning politicization is unjustified and unconscionable.

PVE Councilmember
George Bird

Palos Verdes Estates Councilmember George Bird, a registered Republican, and an elected Republican in a Republican stronghold, opted to endorse a Democrat for the state Assembly in 2012, despite the strong credentials of the Republican candidate, and the unprecedented severity (and deleterious consequences) of the 2012 election.

In the Friday, February 14 edition of the Daily Breeze, Bird's letter was published regarding Assemblyman Muratsuchi's decision to run for reelection instead of seeking higher office this year:

Reward Muratsuchi for not seeking a higher office

Re “Muratsuchi says he’ll run for re-election” (Feb. 7):

How refreshing to see a member of the Assembly choose to stay and continue to serve those who elected him instead of jumping at the first opportunity to run for the state Senate.

There is nothing refreshing, let alone remarkable or significant, about a politician choosing to run for reelection. How is this refreshing, again? Such rhetoric defies definition, requires explanation.

Al Muratsuchi has placed the citizens of the 66th Assembly District before his self-interest by not running for the next office. Al Muratsuchi has well served the interest of the 66th District during his freshman year. The experience he gained will serve him well during his next term.

How did Assemblyman Muratsuchi serve his constituents by signing onto legislation which would permit illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, a measure which violates the United States' immigration laws, as well as the United States Constitution?

Muratsuchi was not serving the South Bay business community by agreeing to a minimum wage increase, which will only force out entry level workers, including young, minority employees seeking to enter the job market, especially during these difficult economic times.

Local leaders have criticized Muratsuchi's reticence to vote "Yea" or "Nay"  on a number of bills. Not much integrity there. He sponsored an aerospace forum, which very few businesses attended. Not much leadership there, either. He waffled on the minimum wage increase by asking for the legislature to remove language which would tie the increase to the rate of inflation. Still, he assisted hurting small businesses even more in the state of California.

And what leadership has Muratsuchi demonstrated on comprehensive pension reform, or tax reform, or the reduction in regulations?

He also supported AB 1266, legislation which will permit students of decided gender (transgender students) to enter the bathroom of their choice with other students. This unseemly law motivated local leaders to promote an initiative to vote down this outrageous legislation.
 
The constituents of our district recognize that the personal integrity of the candidate and his demonstrated ethics are more important than whether he or she is a Republican or a Democrat. Let’s elect good people, not political opportunists.

With all due respect, Muratsuchi had indeed shown some interest in seeking higher office. Even though the Los Angeles Times and later the Daily Breeze covered for the Democratic lawmaker, there is no hiding the fact that Muratuschi was looking for any opportunity not to run for reelection in a district with a rising Republican resurgence, in which the Democratic brand has been tarnished not just by a tax-and-spend liberal supermajority in Sacramento, but also a distant, hyper

Bravo to an individual who recognizes that we elected him to do a job and we don’t expect him to always be looking for his next higher political office.

Muratsuchi deserves no bows, Bravos, or applause for warming a seat, sought and paid for by public sector unions. Even if Muratsuchi had intended to serve exclusively as an Assemblyman for this election, no one can tell whether this lawmaker will seek higher office or not. State Senator Ted Lieu has demonstrated twice before his first interest in seeking higher office (and serving his interests at the expense of the public interest.)

If we ignore the self-interest of Muratsuchi, we certainly cannot ignore the pandering from Mr. Bird. Is he looking for favors from Assemblyman Muratsuchi? Have Republican leaders become convinced that the only way they can accomplish anything is to acquiesce to Democratic dominance in the state of California? Rhode Island and Massachusetts are facing unprecedented budget an pension shortfalls, with a mass exodus of residents tired of taxes, regulations, and a fraudulent Democratic political hegemony which has bled businesses and wealth dry while enabling dependence and poverty.

Now more than ever, Constitutional conservatives, respect for the limited government and fiscal discipline, and most importantly the proper domains of the state regarding the identity of students an their liberty to learn free from social engineering, are values worth fighting for. Muratsuchi does not fight for these values.

While the former school board member advertised himself as a moderate in comparison to a Tea-Party backed conservative (Huey was not a Tea Party candidate, another leftist smear), Muratsuchi has tilted, or rather fall in line with the out-of-touch liberal leanings of the current state legislature. He is indeed too extreme for the South Bay, and should not seek reelection to any statewide office.

Let’s reward the lack of self-interest and the lack of self-promoting by someone who puts us before him, by re-electing Al Muratsuchi to the Assembly.

Once again, there is nothing commendable about a candidate choosing to run for reelection for his current office instead of seeking higher office. This kind of compliment is akin to thanking people for obeying the law, or congratulating people for getting dressed before they leave their homes for work.


— George Bird, Palos Verdes Estates

The voters in Palos Verdes Estates should ask their Councilman why he continues to support a politician whose values clash, rather than complement, the values of the South Bay, particularly registered voters in the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

I emailed Mr. Bird the following:

As a registered Republican in the South Bay, why did you endorse Democrat Muratsuchi for election in 2012, and reelection in 2014?

David Hadley has announced and mounted a sizeable campaign to represent the 66th Assembly District.

Your letter gave the impression that you are seeking a higher office with Muratsuchi's help.

Please explain your insistence on supporting a liberal Democrat who had advertised himself as a moderate, especially since you are a registered Republican.

Bird certainly owes his constituents an explanation for his flighty reasons for supporting Assemblyman Muratsuchi's reelection.

Muratsuchi Mum About Roderick Wright (and Bob Filner)

S

Muratsuchi: See no evil. . .

Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) wanted to run for state senate earlier this month, convinced that party leaders would allow him to jump out of his not-so-safe Assembly seat nestled in the heart of the South Bay. At least taking on a state senate seat, connected with more progressive voting blocks throughout the Santa Monica Bay, would let him play out all his liberal leaning.

State Senator Ted Lieu laid the ground work for a more liberal voter constituency, yet Democratic Party Leaders told Muratsuchi to stand down and run for reelection in his own seat.

Muratsuchi has pedaled back, bracing for a major challenge to his incumbency

Yet even though Muratsuchi has given up on a state senate run, he still has nothing  about convicted felon Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood), who remains in the state senate, even though three Republicans have called for a vote to expel him.

Roderick Wright has been convicted on eight counts of voter fraud and perjury, as he listed his legal address within his district, yet he actually lived outside the district. Big problem.

Muratsuchi has said nothing about his convicted felon Democratic colleague.

In 1994, state senator Frank Hill (R-Whittier), following a conviction for bribery, was forced to step down from committee assignments, then the state senate government committee voted to expel him. He left office. There is no excuse for state legislators to remain silent as Roderick Wright stays in the state senate.

Then again, Muratsuchi has chosen to "see no evil" before, as when resigned, disgraced San Diego Mayor Bob Filner of San Diego had harassed a number of women in his staff, yet no one in the state Democratic delegation demanded that Filner step down. San Diego Republicans launched a recall effort, but Filner finally stepped down, and later paid a settlement to his accusers.

The South Bay should not send Muratsuchi back to Sacramento in 2014. Muratsuchi has no business serving in the state legislature as long as he insists on remaining silent in the face of one felony politician after another.

Muratsuchi Running for State. . .Assembly (Promise!)

PHow about that?

Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) took in less money over six months than GOP candidate David Hadley (R-Manhattan Beach) in four months.

Not only that, but Muratsuchi attempted to bolt from his Assembly race and run for state senate.

The Los Angeles Times gives the full story on the rush for Ted Lieu's state senate seat:

State Sen. Ted Lieu’s announcement that he is running for an open congressional seat has sparked interest in his Senate seat from a crowd of possible contenders, including Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi and former Assemblywoman Betsy Butler.

Betsy Butler lost her seat in the new assembly district which included Santa Monica and Malibu, in part because she helped kill SB 1530, which would have made it easier to get rid of perverted teachers in the classroom.

Is Muratsuchi worried about the onslaught he will face in 2014.

In spite of his projected interest in the seat, the LA Times retracted its (or Muratsuchi's) story:

"I AM running for reelection in AD-66"
(The Party Bosses Told Me So!)

Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) said Thursday he will run for reelection rather than join a crowded field of contenders for a state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Ted Lieu.
His reason for staying in the 66th, according to the LA Times?:

Muratsuchi said he and his family love living in the South Bay and serving the 66^th Assembly District.

Right. Of course, let us never forget that the California Democratic Party takes it very seriously about the chain of command, and that candidates need to get in line with the party leadership before choosing to run for office.

Ted Lieu jumped into the Congressional race, and the Dems in California already know that they will see millions go up in flames in a 33rd intraparty blood bath, and that will happen before the June Primary!

If two Dems advance to the general election, the Dems will have Berman-Sherman Part Deux!

Certainly Democratic Party bosses want to avoid as much blood-letting as possible.

Then Muratsuchi declared:

“After years of budget cuts and partisan bickering, California is coming back,” he said in a statement. “ I look forward to continuing to fight for good jobs, good schools, safe neighborhoods and a clean and healthy environment.”
Muratsuchi believes that California is coming back, even though businesses are fleeing the state, and the local schools in his assembly district are still operating on a shoe-string to get through every year.

He wants to fight for good jobs. . .Here is the LA Times take on his attempt to keep aerospace jobs in the South Bay:

By the slimmest of margins, aerospace giant Boeing Co.'s largest union approved a controversial contract proposal that cut benefits in exchange for decades of work in Puget Sound on a new jetliner.

Washington State union locals were willing to relent on pensions and benefits to keep their jobs in the state. "An injury to one is an injury to all" has given way to "look out for yours, and forget about theirs."

Unions must realize that they have to compete with each other now, since businesses can move their operations to "right-to-work states", of which twenty-four were vying for Boeing's business.


Muratsuchi's resigned response:

"Obviously, California would have loved to bring the 777X program home," said Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), chairman of the Assembly's Select Committee on Aerospace. "But we'll continue to reach out to Boeing to try and bring manufacturing jobs to Long Beach."

 It's funny that Muratsuchi wants to bring business to Long Beach, even though he represents the South Bay. Why is it that he stumps about commerce outside his own district so much? Maybe it's due to the fact that he gets most of his dwindling resources from oustide the district in the first place. . .

Muratsuch is running for reelection, yet the political landscape, both nationally and locally, is looking nasty for Democrats and liberals, especially as local leaders are pooling their resources and pulling their energy behind one candidate to take down Muratsuchi and end the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento.