Why did the Sierra Club allow themselves to be hijacked by Republican Steve Francis?

[cascadiance]

Steve Francis is running a very scary campaign here in San Diego for mayor. So much so that even some of the Democratic flyers here have endorsed the pretty crappy incumbent more moderate Republican Jerry Sanders instead. Personally, I voted for old Dem Floyd Murrow, but realistically he doesn't have much of a chance to win at all or get into the runoff.

But what is disturbing is that this Francis guy who's spent more on this campaign as well as the last special election for mayor campaign as just about anyone ever has on running for this office. And he's doing it MASQUERADING as some sort of huge progressive reformer, when he's anything but that. But there's hardly ANY Democratic Party funding an opposition candidate that would contend with this image that he's painting himself. I'm sure that the lazy San Diegans won't see through these details and will get hoodwinked into voting for Francis! I really fear what will happen once they discover what sort of monster they let in to City government here.

But in my book, what is inexcusable is for the Sierra Club to give this guy any kind of leverage in this propaganda he's feeding the public. They should be seeing through this snake oil salesman's pitches and stay away. Instead they endorse him and perhaps seal him at least being one of the finalists if not winning this week!

http://www.redcounty.com/sandiego/2008/05/sierra-club-endorses-steve-fra/

[slackmaster]

1. I have a real problem with the local SC leadership

I haven't participated actively in the club for many years because of it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Unfortunately this is a matter of which of the two REPUBLICANS is better

given the SD Union Trib endorsed Jerry, I will be voting for Francis...

At this point if the SD Union Trib endorses a candidate, it means that candidate is in the pockets of the usual suspects. Especially LOCALLY

I hate the choices, but Jerry has done damage to the city and the SC allowed itself since Francis has a better environmental plan, at least on-paper.

What i have to ask is why is anybody spending the amount of money they are for a job that pays what it pays?

[cascadiance]

4. And the Democratic Party also endorsed Sanders in one of its flyers too...

Francis is a worse snake in disguise, and with this election where there's no party affiliations publicized, Francis, with all of the money he has can make himself look like whatever he wants. Take my word for it. If you followed the last election when he campaigned more HONESTLY as a Republican, he looks to be FAR WORSE than Sanders.

I still vote for Floyd Morrow, even though he's probably not got a shot to get into the "finals". Vote your conscience at this stage. Vote for the better of two evils later if you have to. If one of these bums gets over 50%, I don't even think we do get a second chance at voting for them in the Fall. All the more reason to vote for one of the other candidates here.

Why do they spend all of this money on this election you ask? Look at the bribe money the developers funnel into these guys campaigns. You can bet also that people like Francis have means of financially benefitting from their success too. It's all a big shell game.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I have paid more than close attention to local politics

and to me the lesser is Francis, not Sanders.

After all you probably don't know this but the problem we have with the retirement funds... that you can thank CHief of Police Jerry Sanders....

Yet it goes back to HIS tenure as Chief of Police.

There are other things in his closet that have not come out in either of the two campaigns... but Sanders IS a snake oil salesman

As to the dem party pushing Sanders.. not surprised given how they actually didn't help Donna Frye. Some of the folks on the local board are blue dogs of the worst kind.

I pay way too much attention, I know, I plead guilty, and yes we TRIED to take it away from the usual suspects to no avail

These days, after I went indie (a major trend in Cali), I have "no voice" in local democratic politics... but have seen it close up and personal and it is dirty.

[bemildred]

3. Sierra Club makes a point of being non-partisan as far a possible.

That is, they like to stick to conservation advocacy as opposed to getting into Dem-Repub politics. I would wager the logic runs along those lines.

[slackmaster]

6. The SC does a far better job of being non-partisan than the local non-profits do

Having worked this election (my first as a "serious" involved party), I can tell you that some of the charitable organizations, non-profit business consortia, churches, etc. are as corrupt as any group you can find in San Diego.