Board of Supes Election: Libertarian Reasoning
I receive a letter from Virginia Bass a few days ago. Actually, not directly from her. It was one of those exploratory letters asking for support and donations for her upcoming campaign for a seat on the Board of Supervisors. So, I guess it's not too early to bring up next year's election.
I've said here and elsewhere I might well stand aside in this race as I don't see any compelling reason from a libertarian standpoint to support any of the candidates that have already announced their intentions to run.
I'll admit to Virginia Bass being my favorite if only because I've met her and I can't imagine anyone meeting Virginia and not loving the gal. But, as I've mentioned before, bad things have happened in Eureka during her and fellow candidate Jeff Leonard's terms on the city council- mandatory garbage service and outdoor smoking bans being two that come to mind. As a libertarian, would I want that sort of stuff to expand to the entire county?
Then there's incumbent Bonnie Neely. I'm sure I've had issues with her over the years. I suspect most of it just involves what appears to be pandering to the county's Left. Not sure that I can come up with anything to hold against her right now, at least from a libertarian standpoint.
So, we can use this thread for you out there to point out libertarian reasons for supporting any or all of the announced candidates for Humboldt County Board of Supervisors next year. This might be difficult for some of you as I know we have at least a few authoritarian types that visit this blog.
To further confuse the issue, I'm not sure just where land use policy falls within my reasoning from a libertarian standpoint. In other words, I wouldn't necessarily hold Neely's support of Citizen's for Real Economic Growth against her simply for that support alone, although pandering to the efforts of those opposed to the Marina Center I might well.
So, here's your chance to convince me to support your favorite candidate, but you have to at least come close to making a libertarian argument to do so. Ok. Let's hear it.
Labels: elections, Humboldt County Government
posted by Fred Mangels @ 6:58 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
So... who are the announced candidates again?
Bonnie Neely, Virginia Bass, Jeff Leonard, and Estelle Fennel? Is that right?
I'd like to make the libertarian case to vote for somebody else, whoever that may be.
I don't believe I've heard anything about Fennel running. She ran last time and I don't believe she's in the right district. The only other name I've heard (unsubstantiated rumor via Capt. Buhne) was Kaitlin Sopoci- Belknap.
So it's Neely, Bass and Leonard, as far as we know so far.
Please, not Bonnie again!
Kaitlin Bellhop? What a freaking nightmare that would be. She's about the most unapproachable, unfriendly and extremist local politician I can think of.
I don't often agree with Neely, and totally disagree with Bass, but at least I can have a civil conversation without the sneering bullshit from the DUHC cult.
Reasons to vote against Neely:
Falor Payoff: $300,000
Redevelopment: $500,000
Tooby Ranch: $2,000,000
Plan Update $10,000,000
Results: 0
There you go Fred, 12.8 million reasons.
Ok, but didn't all the other supes support the same things? And can you say for certain either of her opponents wouldn't have done the same thing?
I was giving you libertarian reasons, items 1 and 2 have to do with integrity and government expansion, 3 and 4, control of private property. they all need to be tossed out. ask yourself this: in the 20+ years bonnie has been in there has she done anything to limit the power and role of county government?
And again: You're assuming Bass and Leonard hold different views on those issues. I've seen nothing to indicate that, so far.
I haven't thought about it much and it would probably take some research to confirm, but I can't think of anything on the city level that either of them have done that would amount to moving toward less government. In fact, of the two things I can think of, smoking bans and mandatory garbage service, they seem comfortable in more government on the local level.
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