All Together, Now - Mansoor, Mansoor...
This morning our young jailer/mayor presented the world with a commentary published in the Daily Pilot in which he attempts to rebut Chief Dave Snowden's excellent recent commentary in the same paper. Snowden laid the blame for the current crime situation squarely at the feet of the mayor and his council majority. Byron de Arakal on his blog, Itchingpost.com, does a masterful job of analyzing the mayor's pathetic attempt to put spin on Chief Snowden's commentary. I suggest you slide your cursor over to the right and click on his blog.
Before you do that, though, just a few thoughts about the mayor. For months, ever since he launched his bogus immigration screening scheme, he's been telling us that he only wanted to get "dangerous illegal alien felons" off our streets. Now that his hand has been called by Sheriff Mike Carona and the Board of Supervisors, who approved an agreement with ICE to train 24 jailers as immigration screeners, Mansoor finally tipped his hand with this commentary and showed us exactly what he's had on his mind all along - to sweep the City of Costa Mesa of anyone with a Latino surname, illegal or not.
This guy is absolutely shameless as he lies at the drop of a hat. He's been lying about his plan since last December, when he quick-pitched it to the council without any kind of a study session or public input. Every single time he's addressed it in public he's lied about it, claiming he only wanted to capture and deport "dangerous illegal alien felons".
Mansoor also lies about just who ICE will deport. He, as a jailer himself, should well know that ICE will not deport those arrested for misdemeanors, even if they are in this country illegally.
The mayor and his running mate have continued their journey through Obfuscation Land as they distribute campaign literature boldly misstating their opponent's position on crime. More lies. I've been watching these two closely, expecting their noses to grow any time now.
For the past two years residents of this city have become increasingly apprehensive about the majority on the council, unsure about what their next bit of trickery might be. They have proven to be untrustworthy. If Mansoor and his running mate are elected on Tuesday this will continue, except that the occasional voice of moderation expressed by veteran councilman Gary Monahan will be gone. His seat would be warmed by Leece, a guaranteed vote with Bever and Mansoor without the filter of reason.
It's time for truth and trust to be returned to City Hall.
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 11/03/2006 08:41:00 AM
7 Comments:
I don't think it was fair to have Mansoor in the Daily Pilot. In fact it was unethical given that we only have a few days before election day. The Pilot should have allowed someone like Jim Gilchrist, Berry or Eric (a private figure) to rebut Snowden's comments, but not Mansoor. Not a good decision from the editors of our local newspaper.
Anonymous at 9:40,
I disagree.
While the timing is unfortunate because the Pilot has decided that today, Friday, is the last day for political commentaries and letters until after the election next week, I'm actually glad they published Mansoor's letter. There, on the pages of the most widely read newspaper in this community, he exposed himself (so to speak) for all to see. He finally told us what his real plan has been all along.
I suppose, if I were a Mansoor supporter, I'd be unhappy with his commentary because he, at the last minute, has managed to shoot his campaign squarely in the foot. To those of us who have written about this for many months this is pure poetic justice. It's a classic example of giving a guy enough rope... well, you know the rest.
Thanks for writing.
Geoff and I find ourselves in agreement on being glad that the Pilot published Mansoor's letter in the Pilot. He might find it hard to believe but Mansoor supporters are happy with his comments. Look at the Pilot's informal Poll, he and Bunyan have a significant lead over all the others - in fact, programmer Bunyan's lead may be artificial according to a General Manager of the paper putting Leece in second place, right behind Mansoor. Of course, it isn't scientific but the broad cross-section of Pilot readers in our city suggests a happy ending to this race. Shoot himself in the foot? No, I don't think so. He is working to continue the recent improvement we have seen in Costa Mesa and with his re-election and that of Wendy Leece, it will be an important step to make this a better place for all.
Witty/2,
As always, it's about viewpoint. You're a supporter of the mayor - I am not.
Don't be fooled into reading anything into that Daily Pilot poll. It's unscientific and provides you with the opportunity to vote for only one person, while the actual election gives the voter two choices. It's likely that Chris Bunyan has lots of computer literate supporters, and perhaps some who know how to "work" the system. The only poll that counts is the one that ends roughly 50 hours from now.
In his letter the mayor showed his true intent. Of course, in his letter today Mike Carona showed us all what he thinks - that the mayor's plan is ill-advised and redundant. If the mayor persists he will further demonstrate that he has no regard for the physical or fiscal well-being of the residents of this city. To spend more than $200,000 in start up costs for training Costa Mesa "screeners" and divert precious, scarce law enforcement resources from real police work to perform the administrative minutia of immigration screening seems much more than simply a bad idea - it's irresponsible and reeks of pure politics.
As always, I appreciate the comments. Divergent viewpoints enhance the debate. Thanks for writing, with or without the "h".
Bunyan's total is not accurate. While I carry enough respect not to manipulate and distort the polls, I can say with a certainty that if I wanted to I could. It is not that difficult to make those polls not recognize you the second time you come.
Like Anonymous says, it is simple to distort the totals in the Pilot's informal, unsientific poll and I too, choose not to do so. Bunyan jumped out to a giant lead right after the poll started and as the candidate most likely to come in last it it obvious to most of us that his totals are distorted. On the other hand, I have monitored these votes and all the other candidates totals climbed in a more reasonable manner. I think these are a good representation of the people that look at the Pilot on-line in Costa Mesa. I am going over to see my parents today and to help them with their absentee ballots will suggest they register their votes in the Pilot poll this afternoon. They read the Pilot on-line but probably haven't added their vote there. Yet. I was very surprised to see Goeff assert in his comment that he wasn't a supporter of the Mayor. Who would have suspected? And to explain the Witty/2 and Whitty/2 these are both me. Sometimes, at 1:30 AM after a glass of Whine I devolve from my standard Witty/2 into Whitty/2.
W/2,
Thanks for that. If your parents haven't sent their absentee ballots in by now they're going to have hand-deliver them somewhere or they won't count. Deadline is 8 p.m. tomorrow - postmark doesn't make any difference.
Thanks for the thoughts about the poll.. the only one that counts will be concluded in less than 28 hours. Keep on reading and writing - your participation is appreciated.
Post a Comment
<< Home