Results tagged “election2008”

Jessica Lawless and Sarah Ross: We started this project more than a year ago. We were thinking about how the stakes had changed so much since the 2000 elections. Folks who are far left had abandoned any discussions of third party candidates and were putting their hopes in Obama or Clinton. What does it mean when those of us who remember that the Clinton years were supposed to be some sort of renewed belief in “the system,” that he was supposed to be “our” JFK, but what happened was “don’t ask don’t tell” Monica Lewinksy, and corporate globalization. It was under his tenure that the international anti corporate globalization movement took shape. We were interested in the idea of being both excited and skeptical at the same time. And we were interested in the idea of “political depression” that Feel Tank, an artists group in Chicago, was addressing after the 2004 elections. We felt putting faith in an electoral system was a desperate but necessary action. We thought, is it possible for desperation to be a place to act from to create change?

This ad is the first Yes on Prop 5 spot and is entitled "Warden." It features Jeanne Woodford, former warden of San Quentin State Prison and former Director of the California Department of Corrections. Against a backdrop of images of San Quentin, she speaks of her 25 years working at the prison, where she began as a prison guard. "Let me tell you," Woodford says, "too many of the men I dealt with started out as kids with drug problems. But California doesn't have treatment for kids." She goes on to say that the youth treatment provisions of Prop. 5 are one of its main draws for her. "I can't tell you how good I feel," Woodford says, "when I think of all those kids who will never wind up in prison."

Whether you're sitting in front of your absentee ballot or you're readying yourself for voting in person on November, you're looking at national and local elections as well as a slew of California ballot propositions -- 12 to be exact. Well, over the course of this election cycle, LAist writers have posted about 10 of the 12 propositions. We present to you our posts on each proposition, for a more empowered decision on your part. In addition, we provide links to several voter guides put together by California organizations, for your perusal.

Alicia Dwyer, a filmmaker from Los Angeles who has directed, edited and produced an Academy award winning documentary and an Emmy-award winning series, recently travelled to Ohio not to film a documentary but to direct and produce advertisements. She produced ads for Local Voices for Obama, an innovative campaign to broadcast local ads featuring local voices and attitudes in swing states. LAist sat down to talk to Alicia Dwyer about her experience.

, Republican Presidential Candidate and POW-Tourrette's sufferer John McCain has selected Alaska Republican Governor Sarah Palin to be his Vice Presidential running mate. During weeks of intense media speculation that can only be described as "compulsory", "not as relevant as the interest in Obama's decision", or "barely interesting", McCain played coy, leading on a number of would-be veeps, apparently even seriously considered choosing his BFF, Droopy Dog Palpatine himself, before waiting literally until the last minute to choose a 1 term governor he’d met exactly twice before, and about whom next to nothing was known.

Today will be historic. Throngs of voters will get out and vote NO on Proposition 98, a not thinly veiled attempt to destroy rent control and tenants rights. Of note, Los Angeles has the highest average rents (over $1500) of any city in the Western United States -- even higher than San Francisco. In what direction will allowing the passage of Proposition 98 lead us?

Though it’s not as high profile as the magical adventures we had on Super Tuesday, there’s an election tomorrow and it’s of critical importance for everyone in the State who isn’t a landlord or a massive corporate entity. In addition to various local elections, there are two propositions on the ballot tomorrow competing for your vote on seemingly the same issue - Prop 98 and Prop 99.

         

There's a primary afoot and, if reports from all over the country can be believed, voter turnout in every state has consistently exceeded expecations. That ought to come as no surprise, considering that we're still talking about it, instead of fending off the latest iteration of Swift boating. Ordinarily, by this point in the game the remaining primaries would be mere formalities, Kabuki performances held mainly to support the pretense that the people who bother voting after Super Tuesday actually matter. Because, you know, democracy and freedom and the greatest country on earth and so forth. Then we just kind of sit around until the convention, which is generally more of a coronation than an actual ratification process. With hookers. Later, the Democrats lose because good is dumb.

Crazy super Tuesday. So excited. I showed up at my polling place, Emerson Junior High School around 10am today. No crowds, I took the day off of work and took my time getting over there. I went inside to find 5 voting officials with a cumulative age of 496 yakking to each other and paying absolutely no attention to me, the ballots, or the voting booths. There was a middle aged woman there in a wooly hat, a face mask and dark sunglasses who was livid that her polling place had been changed. She kept insisting that she vote the junior high school, even though her name wasn't on the list and her sample ballot had a different address for a polling place. Numerous arguments such as "I live right up the street!" and "I've voted here for 12 years!" were not swaying the voting officials. In the midst of her screeching whining chaos, no one was paying any attention to little ol' me. Some woman who had clearly lost her hearing about 26 years ago handed me a ballot without checking that I'd signed in or registered. Great. I could be a terrorist.

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From New Hampshire to South Carolina, Democratic poll workers are noticing a trend grounded in passion and a thirst for new executive direction: record turnout.

• "A very, very good night for Barack Obama just got better," the LA Times said after it reported that the winner of the South Carolina Primary was on the receiving end of two Kennedy endorsements; Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama this morning in the NY Times and Sen. Ted Kennedy issued his endorsement later in the day.
• Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton moved on from South Carolina and defended critics of her husband's campaigning, saying, "everybody just needs to take a deep breath. We need to be focusing on what's important in the lives of Americans."
• The Federal Government isn't making too many friends these days and a new rule along the borders might not change that. People crossing the border must now prove they are a U.S. citizen, eschewing the long standing policy of orally declaring your citizenship. I fear this does not spell the end of those fabled Tijuana donkey shows.
• "I'm in a totally happy place," said former Dodger Mike Lieberthal explaining why he decided to retire yesterday. The Dodgers declined the option on the two-time all star and valley boy who was last year's back up to Russell Martin.
• Good news, foodies: the Daily News found that the number of restaurants who have received a C from the Department of Health has declined dramatically since inspections began a decade ago, while the number of eateries with an A have increased 40 percent from last year. I'm sure this doesn't include taco trucks, but, hey, ignorance is bliss.
• Rains continued Sunday, dumping as much as 4 inches on the Southland. Downtown record about 10 inches, eons more than the 1.65 inches Downtown received at this time last year. Don't freak out, L.A. drivers, the storm might taper off by this evening, forecasters say.
• In case you missed it, LAist had a big week. A few highlights: the Neighborhood Project continued with a look at Country Club Park;
• To Catch a Predator bait Dani Miura was interviewed and;
• The Roman Catholic Archdiocese has sold off their 3424 Wilshire Boulevard Archdiocesan Catholic Center to Jamison Properties for $31 million to raise money for the hundreds of outstanding sexual abuse lawsuits. An interesting debate in the comments section ensued.
• We have a big week ahead with some big name interviews, great music reviews and continued news, politics and art greatness

There are less than two weeks to go until OMG Tuesday!, when almost half of America will likely decide on what Democratic nominee will butt heads with the next Republican nominee.

There is no doubt that California's role in the outcome of the presidential race is extremely important. The next two weeks leading up to the primary election, Super Tuesday, are going to be crazy and pivotal.

The results from the Nevada Caucus are in and all the major news organizations have crowned Hillary Clinton the winner, with 51 percent of the vote. This marks the second win in a row for Clinton, who teared herself to a New Hampshire primary victory last week and hopes to ride this wave of momentum to next Saturday's South Carolina primary.

While the presidential election is the sexy supermodel on the Feb. 5 California Primary ballot, there are seven propositions on the ballot this year with issues ranging from transportation funds and community college funding to term limits and gaming.

With exactly three weeks to go until the Tuesday of Destiny, John Edwards will stop by Los Angeles tomorrow. Though he has to stand on 37 crates to equal Sen. Hillary Clinton's footing in California, according to the latest L.A. Times/CNN/Politico California poll, John Edwards will visit the city to stump for votes and reinforce his standing as a man of the people.

Fresh off her New Hampshire Primary win Tuesday night, Democratic presidential candidate and New York Senator Hillary Clinton will be in Los Angeles today stumping for votes in anticipation of California's Feb. 5 Primary.

While the presidential election is the sexy supermodel on the Feb. 5 California Primary ballot, there are important propositions asking you to say Yes or No when you walk in to that polling place or mail in your vote.

While the presidential election is the sexy supermodel on the Feb. 5 California Primary ballot, there are three important propositions asking you to say Yes or No when you walk in to that polling place or mail in your vote.

With less than seven weeks to go until the California Primary, Hillary Clinton still has a substantial lead in the polls among likely Democratic voters. However, her closest rival, Barack Obama, is starting to make this more of a contest than the front-runner might have anticipated, making this a murky race whose puzzle will be completed Feb. 5.

Momentum in California is with Barack Obama, who finished 2nd with 30 percent, his strongest showing to date, in nine SurveyUSA pre-primary tracking polls. Clinton led by 37 points two months ago. Today, she leads by 19 points. [SurveyUSA]

Supporters of Hillary Clinton willing to shell out $250 a plate can dine at the Democratic Presidential candidate-hopeful's only Los Angeles stop before the Iowa caucuses, a last minute campaign and fundraising event to be held this Monday night. The swank gathering will take place at Social, which is legendary restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow's toney eatery located in the landmark Hollywood Athletic Club. KCBS-2 is reporting that there will be a VIP reception as well as...

Now that the 2008 race is underway, the young idealist masses are flocking to grassroots campaigns and meetings- one of which is being held tomorrow, Tuesday night, when the Los Angeles Barack Obama for President group will have its February meet up.