• Criminals,  Politics

    France Riot Watch: France to Impose Curfews to Quell Rioting

    November 7, 2005 /

    Firefighters extinguish a fire in a burning car in Gentilly, south of Paris, early Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2005. French President Jacques Chirac promised arrest, trials and punishment Sunday for those sowing ‘violence or fear’ across France.

    The ASSociated Press has France to Impose Curfews to Quell Rioting

    France will impose curfews under a state-of-emergency law and call up police reservists to stop rioting that has spread out of Paris’ suburbs and into nearly 300 cities and towns across the country, the prime minister said Monday, calling a return to order “our No. 1 responsibility.”

    The tough new measures came as France’s worst civil unrest in decades entered a 12th night, with rioters in the southern city of Toulouse setting fire to a bus after sundown and pelting police with gasoline bombs and rocks.

    Outside the capital in Sevran, a junior high school was set ablaze, while in another Paris suburb, Vitry-sur-Seine, youths threw gasoline bombs at a hospital, police said. No one was injured. Earlier, a 61-year-old retired auto worker died of wounds from an attack last week, the first death in the violence.

    Asked on TF1 television whether the army should be brought in, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said, “We are not at that point.”

    French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin reads his notes in French TV channel TF1’s studio in Paris before the evening news November 7, 2005. Villepin’s TV intervention occurred after more than a week of rioting around Paris and in other regions. Rioters shot at police and torched more than 1,400 cars in the worst violence since unrest erupted in France’s poor suburbs 11 days ago, and a man beaten by a youth became the first fatality on Monday.

    And this photo says it all:

    French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin (right) and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy have so far failed to figure out how to stop the rioting.

    Pitiful response by French government officials.

    And they criticise the United States foreign policy?

    Stay tuned…….

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Bear Flag League,  California,  Politics,  Proposition 77,  Special Election 2005

    California Special Election Watch: Proposition 77 – FLAP Says Vote YES

    November 7, 2005 /

    Steve Poizner, Chair of the Yes on Proposition 77 campaign at a Wednesday news conference in Van Nuys, California.

    Previously on Flap California Special Election Watch: Mobilize.org – “What Are YOUR Boundaries?” RV Tour in support of Proposition 77 Continues

    Dave from Mobilize.org writes this open letter to the voters of California:

    Dear Friends and Family,

    I’m not sure if you know that I’ve been on the ground in California for the past three weeks. I have been touring the state and over 15 college campuses in an RV, a little bit of Road Rules meets the West Wing. Our team of 5 has blitzed campuses, concerts, and communities, and we’ve met thousands of young voters interested in learning about the Special Election and encouraging them to support Prop 77. It has been an amazing experience and one that I will never forget. You can read the chronicles of our adventures at www.mobilize.org/prop77. There are pictures and a daily blog that will allow you to share in our exciting journey. However, this entire voyage ends tomorrow at the polling booth. I am asking you to join me and draw the line on November 8th by voting YES on Prop 77.

    You might support Governor Schwarzenegger or you might strongly oppose his initiatives and this special election. Either way, I want to draw your attention to Proposition 77 – The Voter Empowerment Act. This is an important piece of reform that makes sense and transcends partisan ideology. It is simply about fair and competitive elections.

    Currently, elected officials draw their own district lines, allowing them to choose the voters they feel will vote for them. This has resulted in a 100% incumbency rate and not a single seat changing party hands since the bi-partisan gerrymander in 2001. Yes, Republicans and Democrats joined forces to keep the people out and ensure they had safe seats throughout this decade. It is time to stand up and create a government that works with us, for us, and puts people over politics. Our society is based on democracy in the marketplace and at the ballot box. When a corporation monopolizes an industry it hurts the economy and is broken up for the good of the nation. We, the voting public, must mobilize to bust the political monopoly in Sacramento.

    Some say that this measure is not perfect and others claim it is a power grab. I agree that there can be additions to this measure to make sure the independent panel that will draw the boundary lines will be truly representative of the people (these provisions are already being drafted for next year, but we need to pass Prop 77 first). Yet, in the 1970s and 1990s when the legislature could not come to an agreement, judges stepped in and drew lines that made sense and increase competition throughout the state. Additionally, the 90s saw the largest increase in minority and women representation as they were not locked out of the system by their preceding politicians. In terms of a power grab, the only one gaining power when we pass Prop 77 tomorrow is the people. Ohio has a similar measure being voted upon on Tuesday, so let’s join our brothers and sisters in reform and pass Prop 77. We will finally have a choice on Election Day and be able to choose leaders that represent us.

    I know you are busy and probably have watched hundreds of ads about this proposition and the others. I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow is Election Day and this is your opportunity to play a role in shaping our government. I urge you to join me, our all-partisan coalition of organizations, every major newspaper in the state, our brothers/sisters in Ohio voting on a similar reform measure there, and good government advocates everywhere and vote YES for Prop 77!

    The latest polls have us behind by a few points. I ask that you forward this email to 5 of your friends in California and include a personal note encouraging them to join YOU in voting Yes on Prop 77.

    For more information about your polling location and the other propositions (we have a great non-partisan, pocket sized guide ready for download), please visit www.mobilize.org. Thank you for your time and for participating in this great experiment that is democracy.

    GO VOTE!

    Dave

    ***************************************

    More than 30 of the country’s leading national advocacy organizations believe in the Youth Policy Action Center. You will too! Please visit http://www.youthpolicyactioncenter.org

    ***************************************

    David B. Smith
    Executive Director

    “Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. In the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.” – Robert F. Kennedy

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    Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page

  • General

    California Special Election Watch: Proposition 75, The Paycheck Protection Initiative in DEAD HEAT – Latest Polls

    November 7, 2005 /

    Polimetrix has Schwarzenegger Propositions Still Trailing

    Three of four ballot initiatives backed by Governor are behind and Proposition 75 is now in a dead heat. Support for both prescription drug initiatives falls.

    The four ballot initiatives supported by Governor Schwarzenegger are still struggling. In the final Polimetrix survey of California voters, none of the Governor’s Propositions had a clear lead. A week earlier, Polimetrix found only one of the Governor’s Propositions (Proposition 75 which would restrict the use of union dues for political contributions) ahead, but the lead for Proposition 75 was reduced to a statistically insignificant one percent in the latest poll.

    Proposition 75 the “Mother’s Milk” Initiative (Paycheck Protection) continues to be within striking distance in all late polls. The Real Clear Politics Poll summary is here.

    Will the Governor be able to win one? Or has he already won the election?

    Stay tuned……..

    Update #1

    The latest SurveyUSA exit poll (of absentees)

    The latest Stanford/Knowledge Networks online poll

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    Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page

  • Criminals,  Politics

    France Riot Watch: New Riots Monday Night

    November 7, 2005 /

    Youths listen to Claude Dilain, the mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois, a suburb east of Paris, during a gathering to call for an halt to urban violence, Monday, Nov. 7, 2005. The urban unrest that is sweeping through France began Oct. 27 in this low-income Paris suburb after the deaths of two teenagers of Mauritanian and Tunisian origin. A 61-year-old man hurt in the violence died of his wounds, the first fatality in 11 days of unrest that has shocked the country, police said Monday.

    The ASSociated Press has Rioters Set Fire to Bus in Southern France

    Rioters in the southern city of Toulouse set fire to an empty bus Monday evening, then pelted police with firebombs and rocks, an official said. A 61-year-old man died of wounds sustained in the spreading violence, the first fatality in 12 days of civil unrest that has shocked the country.

    The rioters stopped the bus and ordered the driver to get out, then set the vehicle afire, said Francis Soutric, chief of staff at the regional prefecture in Toulouse. No passengers were inside. Clashes broke out when riot police arrived on the scene and officers responded with tear gas, he said.

    The new violence came after rioting by French youths spread to 300 towns.

    As urban unrest was reported in neighboring Belgium and Germany, the French government faced growing criticism for its inability to stop the violence, despite massive police deployment and continued calls for calm. One riot-hit town in suburban Paris said it was preparing to enforce a curfew.

    An enforceable curfew seems to be a reasonable response prior to a declaration of Martial Law.

    Where has the French government been?

    Firemen tackle a burning car that had been set alight in Strasbourg’s northern suburb of Cronenbourg November 7, 2005. Rioters shot at police and torched more than 1,400 cars in the worst violence since unrest erupted in France’s poor suburbs 11 days ago.

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Bear Flag League,  California,  Politics,  Proposition 74,  Proposition 75,  Proposition 76,  Proposition 77,  Special Election 2005

    California Special Election Watch: “Don’t Buy into those Scare Tactics,”

    November 7, 2005 /

    California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger waves to suporters as he leaves a stop in Anaheim Calif., on his campaign bus tour of southern California Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005, to drum up support for the special election.

    The ASSociated Press has Schwarzenegger Makes Last Pitch to Voters

    Nearing the end of a bitterly fought campaign, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday accused his rivals of trying to frighten voters by depicting him as “a dictator” while distorting the intent of his slate of ballot proposals.

    “Don’t buy into those scare tactics,” the Republican governor said in a televised forum, referring to millions of dollars of union-funded TV ads critical of his four initiatives. “They want to scare you. They don’t want you to make changes.”

    But Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez — speaking separately at the hourlong KTTV-TV forum — said Schwarzenegger wanted to use Tuesday’s special election to push through laws that would hurt California workers.

    Schwarzenegger wants power “without checks and balances,” Nunez, a Democrat, said. “I think that’s too much power.”

    The appearance on Fox TV’s Los Angeles affiliate — the final television forum of the campaign — provided voters with ample evidence of the sharp differences that have marked the campaign.

    Nunez said the governor was determined to become “a king” who would crush all dissent in Sacramento.

    But Schwarzenegger said Nunez and his labor allies want to protect a statehouse where politicians and union bosses are rewarded at the public’s expense.

    “I don’t want more power,” the governor said. “I don’t need more power.”

    Flap cannot help but think that Campaign 2006 will be a continuation of “CONFRONTATIONAL POLITICS”.

    Will the RIGHT unite behind demonstrations against Angelides or Westly?

    Will the LEFT have any money remaining for extensive television campaigns?

    Stay tuned…… California Special Election Tomorrow……..

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    Cross-posted to the Bear Flag League Special Election Page