Category: Politics

by Julia Shotwell /The Point – lomabeat.com

Since Trump’s inauguration, America has witnessed both feminist pro-women marches in the streets and pro-immigration protests at airports. The result is that these demonstrations have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Not everyone likes the idea of people walking around with signs and shouting into the void.

After I walked through Downtown San Diego for the Women’s March, I experienced the people I am closest to telling me that my marching was stupid and my signs were silly.

* Friends of the OB Library to Hold Booksale – Sat. Feb. 25th
* Kellogg Beach Developer’s Connections to OB
* Surfer Rescued off Sunset Cliffs – Sat, Feb. 18th
* Almost a Million Bucks for That?
* Starbucks Sign Routed Non-Customers to Other Businesses
* DId LA Times Foodie Just Diss Ocean Beach?
* OB Puffery from New York Times
* Fish for Free
* Roberto’s Shows Solidarity with Immigrants
* Point Loma Has a New Book Store
* Voltaire and Chatsworth Changes?
* Shuttered Hospital Lot Transformed into Outdoor Gathering and Green Space
* Props for Dog Beach
* Choral Group Performs “Slave Narratives”
* Power Outages Hit Point Loma and OB

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He’s the Democratic Congressman for District 52 – the Congressional District that includes Ocean Beach and Point Loma – and his name is Scott Peters. Last night at the Islamic Center of San Diego, there were so many people crowded into the large room, that he called it the largest town hall meeting he’d ever seen – all because of Trump, he said.

Estimates of the crowd range from over 200 to about 150 – and included several OBceans at least – but whatever the number, the town hall meeting at Eckstrom Avenue in San Diego was lively as Peters fielded questions from the audience on immigration, Trump’s border wall, the EPA, and how to deal with the Trump administration.

By Murtaza Baxamusa / San Diego Free Press

There were about 185 thousand union members in San Diego, based on surveys by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016. About 110 thousand of these workers are in the private sector. There are additionally 20 thousand workers covered by union contracts in the region. The continuing employment recovery in the last two years contributed to an increase in union membership.

By Geoff Page

Concerns about the homeless problem continued to dominate the discussion at the Midway/Pacific Highway Community Planning Group’s regular monthly meeting Thursday, February 15, 2017. According to the board’s chair, Cathy Stanton, this subject is a regular topic for its meetings.

The chair announced that they want to devote the entire April board meeting to a discussion of the homeless issue. She said they want to include Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and Mission Beach in the discussion as well as having city representatives there. Bruce Williams, representing Councilmember Zapf’s office, said they are supportive of the meeting and mentioned getting the mayor’s “homeless czar,” Stacie Spector, to attend.

By Jim Miller

While most of us were busy watching the Trump administration and their crack team of “populist” millionaires light the world on fire, a new study released by Thomas Piketty, Facundo Alvaredo, Lucas Chancel, and Emmanuel Saez underlined the fact that the steep costs of our historic level of economic inequality are being borne by those at the bottom of the economic system, particularly here in the United States.

As the Market Watch story on this new research outlined:

In the U.S., between 1978 and 2015, the income share of the bottom 50% fell to 12% from 20%. Total real income for that group fell 1% during that time period.

San Diegans are holding a March in Solidarity with Immigrants on Saturday, February 18th. It kicks off with a Rally at Waterfront Park (1600 Pacific Hwy), then after speeches, a march to the Federal Building – for more speakers – and finally a march through downtown to the Mayor’s Office.

(As of this posting, 1,700 have pledged to attend, with another 4,900 interested in attending.)

From their facebook:

Rain or Shine! We are calling on all people to unite and march in support of Immigrants and Refugees.

While San Diego has the busiest border crossing in the world and has one of the largest immigrant and refugee populations in the country, San Diego Mayor Faulconer has taken no action to protect immigrants against Trump’s policies.

As part of a set of actions at courthouses across the country, San Diego lawyers and legal workers rallied in downtown San Diego today – February 17 – in front of the Federal Courthouse on Front Street, all in solidarity with the proclaimed General Strike Against Trump on F17.

Several dozen brave folks made their voices heard and presence known in front of the red-bricked buildings, as the wind kicked up and the skies promised rain. Additionally, there were courthouse rallies in at least 17 other cities nation-wide.

On February 17th a wide array of concerned citizens and organizers from across the United States are calling for a national General Strike Against Trump, and are asking people not to go to work or school, or participate in economic and peaceful actions.

In solidarity, progressive lawyers and legal groups in San Diego have called for a Friday morning rally, part of a nation-wide coordinated effort where lawyers are rallying at courthouses in at least 18 cities.

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Egypt Also Excluded – Major Recipient of U.S. Military Aid

By John Lawrence

Why did Trump try to impose tighter vetting on 7 nations in the Middle East without including Saudi Arabia and Egypt? Could it be that it’s because Saudi Arabia which is a hotbed of terrorism is also an ally of the US and an enemy of Iran?

Fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers were Saudis. Osama bin Laden was a Saudi. The machete wielding attacker at the Louvre recently was Egyptian. Neither Egypt nor Pakistan nor Afghanistan were included on the so-called President’s list. Pakistan harbored bin Laden. Afghanistan is the home of the Taliban. If Trump had wanted to keep terrorists out of the US, surely he should have included these countries in his ban. But terrorism is more about U.S. alliances than it is about morality or human rights.

Tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 15th, there are 2 meetings of Indivisible San Diego, one in North Park and one in Point Loma.

Indivisible San Diego Central will be bringing together people from all five local districts at Queen Bees, 3925 Ohio St, San Diego, CA 92104, (619) 255-5147 – at 6:30. This would be an opportunity for OBceans and Point Lomans to participate in the exploding Indivisible movement and networks. OB and Point Loma are in Scott Peters’ 52nd Congressional District.

For San Diegans who reside in the 53rd Congressional District of Susan Davis, there is an Indivisible San Diego East District 53 meeting at the Loma Riviera Clubhouse, 3115 Loma Riviera Dr, Point Loma (CA 92107). It begins at 6:30 PM.

In an upfront effort to replicate the effort by folks up in Ocean Beach of San Francisco to spell out the word “RESIST”, locals are now organizing a similar move here in Ocean Beach, San Diego.

In a definite move to up the ante, San Diegans want to spell out the word “IMPEACH” on the beach just north of the OB Pier on Saturday, March 4th.

The plan is to march up the beach from Dog Beach and in a ‘putting your body where your mouth is’ kind of thing, spell out in hundred foot letters the word “Impeach”.