DISQUS

Dave in Alamitos Beach · 1 year ago

Laura is very lucky that her travails have become so ridiculous. She's almost gone from being Deadbeat Laura to Wacky Laura, and it's harder to hate someone who seems so bumbling and clueless.

My problem with Laura is that her style seems to be not to do anything until it's a crisis. That's no way to run your personal finances, and it's definitely no way to run Congress, though unfortunately surprisingly in style these days.

So what do we know of this man Dibs?

LB Serious · 1 year ago

I'm not too sure that LR should be blamed for the condition of the home today. She hasn't leved there in almost a year. The home changed hands a couple of time over the last several months, and it was unclear who the owner was until a couple of weeks ago. Not to defend Laura, but the nuisance complaints from the City of Sacramento seems like unfortunate timing to me. Surely Laura will find a renter, and probably absorb a significant loss.

As for Dibs and Mathews, I'm not buying into the angry mob fervor cooked up by those trying to sell news (sorry DW). Neither of those guys are qualified or fit to serve in the U.S. Congress. Like her or not, Laura is a strong, competent representative who can deliver for Long Beach.

Duke · 1 year ago

LB Serious- is that uyou, Laura? Why you MIGHT have a point about the state of the Sacramento house, it is absolute bullshit to then say " Laura is a strong, competent representative who can deliver for Long Beach." Until now, I have ye tto use such language anywhere I post but there's no way I could abide that statement. She's a freakin' embarrassment to Congress and our community. What else does she have to do, LB Serious, do make you question her integrity, competency and ethics? She's already stiffed local businesses for payment, and then only paid them when the debts became public, businesses that make up her constituency mind you, defaulted on all three homes, strong armed a bank to retrieve at least one of them contrary to all settled law in that area, and drives the most expensive vehicle in Congress, even after all the other crap has been made known. She's a criminal, and should be treated as such.

Duke · 1 year ago

Sorry for all the typos, but for anyone to claim Richardson is a strong, competent representative makes me type too fast in anger.

howardx · 1 year ago

glad to hear it, i hate to see anyone run unopposed. a simple recitation of the events of the last few months ought to be the only campaign speech dibs needs.

LB Serious · 1 year ago

Duke,
You shouldn't let your emotions get you carried away. My point about Richardson being strong and competent are based on the fact that she has held elected office for the past eight years. She has legislative and political experience, and a track record of accomplishments. And most importantly, she has developed relationships in Long Beach, Sacramento and Washington D.C. that are necessary to be effective in getting the job done.

I agree, her personal finances are a mess, and she is to blame. She made quite a few ill advised, irresponsible and risky decisions to win her elections. But when I weigh what's best for the greater good of my city and community, I wouldn't risk my vote on a neophyte substitute teacher (a republican with too much time on his hands) or on a suspcious snake oil salemans who has been running for the same office for almost twenty years. Laura still has my vote for now!

JuanPardell · 1 year ago

LB Serious.... Are you being "serious"? You are stating that Long Beach should consistently accept low standards because it is the norm. Well, that's what is wrong with Long Beach. The 37th Congressional District, was a gerrymandered location in order to appease political parties and ethnic groups. This being the case, Laura's actions reflect poorly on the constituent base that continues to support her. Hopefully, in the next few years, an individual of high character, such as Dr. Felton Williams, who can offer a "serious" challenge to Laura, will emerge as the representative of that district.

Duke · 1 year ago

Sorry, but strong and competent, much less track record of accomplishments, don't go into the same paragraph about Richardson, messy finances or not. What has come to light about the way she operates has been common knowledge among many Long Beach insiders if you will for sometime now. Simply because the general public is now only recently learning about her foibles doesn't mean she's just begun to behave this way. What has come light is indicative of a pattern of behavior that has gone on for several years now. I could cite you to ther things not yet made public, but without being able to substantiate them here, it would only be my word without anyone knowing who I am or what I based my claims on, which is how it will have to remain. However, enough has been made public to suggest what she's been revealed as doing isn't something that just suddenly happened. I had some hope there would be a local investigation, but apparently that possibility died.

The shame of it all is that she's unopposed this November with the exception of write- ins. She's nothing if not lucky. Just the same, I'd MUCH rather have a wacky substitute teacher than her. Hell, I'd rather have Bill Pearl run, but he's too busy being wacky in his own write.

Joe Weinstein · 1 year ago

Yes, Laura sure is known now in Sacramento. And in DC, indeed Steny Hoyer and the rest now know all about her fiscal abilities. And yes, Laura is known well in Long Beach, and sure will deliver ... first for Laura first, and second for the LB establishment - more pollution, more poverty-pimping programs, whatever it takes.

[By the way, I recall how her avowed mentor Juanita's fliers used to brag about federal bucks brought to this area - and had nothing to say about whether her proposals and policy votes were any good (or made any difference) for the state or nation or world at large - or for that matter whether the extra local federal bucks were really financing useful stuff for us, as versus more port pollution.]

I remember one of Laura's great performances - zeniths for some, nadirs for the rest of us - in the LB Council, where she went to great lengths to stop a resolution by Bonnie et al on the proposed LNG terminal that merely declared a presumption that is already written into law, namely that a farther-away LNG terminal would be safer for us than a nearer one. Laura made sure that the resolution would simply say that the Council was concerned about safety - whatever that could mean.

Yes, the real issue is indeed the greater good of the community. That's why we can be very glad we have a choice now.

Yes, Dibs had a summer break from school and decided to use it to do this bit of civics. Bravo!

Yes, unlike Laura, Dibs has many articulate and evidently sincere and unmasked opinions. One is bound to disagree with some. For instance, I greatly disagree with his pseudo-progressive party-line on Iranian nukes. Just because other countries have nukes, and moreover the Bush regime has systematically lied and warmongered, does NOT make the Iranian regime noble (or even fit for this millennium), or their nukes a good or even very tolerable idea. It's the Iranian chief of state who has openly said he wants Israel destroyed (not vice versa). His govt. already sponsors hoodlum regimes in S. Lebanon and Gaza, featuring suicide killers that - even without nuclear weapons yet to hurl - are not impressed by the kind of deterrence that kept the Cold War from getting hot.

So Dibs is not an ideal alternative. But, at least he was able to rethink a lot of former opinion to change from Republican, while retaining one of the few virtues Republicans used to focus on, fiscal sobriety. Presumably he retains the ability to rethink further while staying fiscally sober.

Done with your Party · 1 year ago

So now we have a choice between a crook and a wacko positioning himself somewhere to the left of Hugo Chavez. What progress. Good luck Long Beach, you'll need it.

LB City Girl · 1 year ago

If you read Dibs' statements on LBReport it's hard to think that he's a wacko.
He says some pretty commonsense things...and I think that's what our city and country really need: common sense.
Makes me wish I was in the 37th District side of town so I could vote for him.

Embittered Constituant · 1 year ago

I will vote for this man wholeheartedly. Richardson is a disgrace to the district. If you can't keep your own house(s) in order, how can I honestly expect you to be able to represent me in the House in Washington?

But, of course, short of Richardson being caught on camera eating a live infant, nothing is going to change, the status quo will be upheld, and Laura will be our representative for life, until she dies in office, like our last Rep.

There are too many people in this world utterly disinterested in politics, yet they continue to mark the boxes labeled (D) and (R) out of force of habit.

Andy · 1 year ago

Who the hell draws these Districts anyhow? Can I move in with someone on Ocean Blvd for a couple months just so I can vote against Rohrabacher?