Ted Lieu with the Power (Socialist) Fist?

State Senator Ted Lieu with Socialist Fist (Source: Twitter.com/tedlieu

Civil liberties and force are incompatible. If we want to be free, that status must include freedom from coercion.

Apparently, State Senator turned Congressional candidate Ted Lieu  (D-Torrance) does not agree. He supported tripling of the state car tax, and "the power to tax is the power to destroy". A massive voter reprisal forced him to pull the measure before he could introduce it for consideration. From the outset of his tenure in the state legislature, Lieu has passed micromanaging legislation, from banning tanning salons for youth to outlawing private puppy sales and protecting bears from hunting dogs, all while ignoring the pension crises and hostile regulations hurting California's economy.

Posing for a photo with the liberal activist group 99% Rise, Lieu retweeted:

Retweeted by Ted Lieu 99Rise @99rise  ·  Jul 2

@tedlieu Thank you so much for your support! One person, one vote! Money out of politics! #SACsitin #wethepeople
What?! This group claims to support one person one vote, yet at the same time represents itself with the Socialist Fist? Government power fights against individual liberty, and even when the right to vote exists, government coercion attempts to curb or corrupt the vote (consider the suspect voter turnout in Mississippi following the US Senate primary run-off).

Socialist Fist

Then I looked up "Socialist Fist" on Google, and the striking similarity between the fist on the poster and throughout the Internet demonstrates a disturbing connection with Socialism.

Like other statist political philosophies, socialism depends on government force and coercion to enforce "equality", which in fact turns into an equitable poverty, contrasted with a minute, elite minority taking advantage of everyone else. For a group which claims to represent the 99%, 99 Rise is actually promoting the very agenda which they claim to oppose.

State Sen. Lieu wants to overturn Citizens United, yet he has ignored the Tea Party backed candidate, David Brat in Virginia, who overcame a well-financed incumbent's campaign war chest, one which exceeded Brat's financing ten times over.

Let us also not forget that EBay CEO Meg Whitman and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina spent a combined $187 million for California statewide offices, and lost. Money in politics is neither as persuasive nor powerful as Lieu and 99 Rise would suggest.

Speaking of moneyed influence in politics, when will Lieu discuss getting union money out of politics? With the donations he takes in from public sector unions (coerced membership, forced dues, nothing about liberty here), including the violent, anti-liberty SEIU? He praised the Supreme Court decision which extended Fourth Amendment protections to our cellphones, yet he said nothing about Harris v. Quinn, which will force this labor group to return millions of forced dues to non-members.
While liberal groups rely on fists and force, the Supreme Court (and advocates for liberty and equality of opportunity) rely on reason and truth. Perhaps Sen. Lieu should associated less with bullying socialism and advocate individual liberty based on limited government. Otherwise, Lieu has no business serving in government.

Democrats Discriminate Against Democrat Lieu

LA Times reporter Jean Merl reported on the rescinded endorsements of six state senators following State Senator Ted Lieu's move to shelve efforts to reintroduce state-sponsored discrimination into

Democrats Are Discriminating Against Lieu
Because He Won't Support Discrimination

post-secondary education.

California voters in 1996 supported the end of state-sponsored discrimination in the public workforce, not just in higher education, but in all public agencies regarding employment, access, and acceptance.

One state senator wanted to amend the constitutional amendment with SCA5, which would have removed the restrictions.

Because Lieu responded to pressures from other immigrant groups, including Asian-Americans, plus demands from gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly, six state legislators have rescinded their support for Ted Lieu's bid to replace Congressman Henry Waxman.

The six legislators (senators Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens, Norma Torres of Pomona and Holly Mitchell of Los Angeles;  Assembly members Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego, Anthony Rendon of Lakewood and Jose Medina of Riverside) expressed the following:

"As lifelong Democrats, we support the core democratic values of inclusion and diversity and we expect the candidates we support will share these values. Our constituents depend on us to take even the most divisive issues and use our leadership to help bring people together and guide the path toward progress.

"At this point, we cannot in good conscience endorse a candidate who does not share that perspective."

Merl points out that this letter does not indict Lieu directly for blocking Sacramento's efforts to reintroduce discrimination, but the fact that six lawmakers would pull their support for Lieu so soon after the end of SCA5 should raise more than eyebrows.

Conservatives should take heart. The division among different ethnic groups on "affirmative action"  may draw groups like Asian-Americans away from the Democratic Party to the GOP, the party which supports family values, business sense, a work ethic, and a need to strengthen communal ties -- but not on through the government.

The Democratic Party supports tolerance and diversity in skin color, maybe, but not diversity of thought or ability, or freedom to succeed and fail, for which the Republican Party will well-known (perhaps too well-known through the divisive "mainstream media").

Inclusion should not exclude talent or academic excellence. Inclusion does not preclude the power of culture, bearing, and upbringing in the lives of youth. Chinese-Americans in particular, such as senator Lieu, and Asian-Americans in general have a stronger attachment to values such as family and education, and the children who excel in these cultures should not be punished for their excellence with fewer opportunities to enroll in post-secondary education.

Lieu did the right thing blocking the reintroduction of state-sponsored discrimination, and it is a disappointing shame that his fellow Democrats are hypocritically criticizing him for not supporting discrimination.

Ted Lieu Voted Against Discrimination

In 1996, with the help of Ward Connerly, the state of California voters approved proposition 209, which ended "affirmative action", which in reality was negative discrimination, or state-sponsored racism.

This past year, Fast-forward. State Senator Edward Hernandez introduced SCA-5, an amendment which would have removed the language in the initiative relating to post-secondary education . Senator Hernandez and the senate Democrats endorsed state-sponsored discrimination by passing the bill in January.

State Senator Ted Lieu was one of the state senators, however, who helped shelve the legislation.

The Democratic Party is splitting apart on state-sponsored discrimination, even though the majority of voters approved legislation which would prevent California's public institution from taking into account race, ethnicity, and gender when awarding acceptance to universities or public sector jobs.

Senator Ted Lieu responded to public pressure, including vocal opposition from the Asian-American community as well as gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly and other immigrant groups in the state of California.

We need state senators to reject all forms of government sponsored discrimination, especially in connection with education and employment in the state of California.

Let us hope that Senator Lieu will move for ending other types of discrimination, like the favoritism which permits two indicted and one convicted state senators to retain their salaries even though the state senate has suspended them.

Lieu Votes
Against SCA5 Discrimination

Sumers Report on Lieu's Dem Endorsements -- So What?

Political reporter Brian Sumers reported on 33rd Congressional District Democratic Party officials' decision to endorse State Senator Ted Lieu instead of former City Comptroller and Mayoral
candidate Wendy Greuel.                                       

State Sen. Ted Lieu of Torrance has won the Democratic Party endorsement in his race for Congress, a seal-of-approval that could give him a boost in June’s primary election.

Or will it? Or will Democrats find themselves divided along a number of issues, which the mainstream media insists on ignoring, while playing up the divisions now actually fading away among the Republican Party?

Lieu received Democratic Party endorsement
So what?

In the quest to succeed Democratic veteran Henry Waxman in Congress, Lieu earned the nod over former Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel and former Bill Clinton administration official and radio host Matt Miller. Lieu was the choice of Democratic activists within the district who met during the weekend at the California Democrats State Convention.

Lieu currently represented state senate district 26, which includes 80%  of the 33rd Congressional district. He is a nice fit, to the extent that he has vetted voters and worked with city leaders up and down the district. But with all the other Democrats running for a seat, plus the division between South Bay Democrats and West Los Angeles liberals, the vote could be split inconveniently, and in favor of a conservative.

“This is a huge deal,” Lieu said. “It shows that I have the backing of the Democratic Party and this is in a congressional district that is heavily Democratic. It also shows that I have the support of the grass-roots Democrats.”

No it does not. No matter what a politician says about his support, there is no certainty that grassroots voters will get behind a state senator who has passed laws regulating all kinds of issues, while trying to triple our car tax.

How much the endorsement affects the race remains to be seen. Lieu immediately will be able to start advertising that he has the party endorsement. The party could also spend money on his behalf, but that is a decision that will be made later, a Democratic Party spokesman said.

Sumers' statement is accurate. Plus the fact the Wendy Greuel's campaign can argue that the Democratic reps voting for Lieu are focused primarily on their own interests, while ignoring the outreach from the former mayoral candidate.

“Campaigns and candidates have fought fiercely for the party’s endorsement,” party spokesman Tenoch Flores said. “The party’s endorsement is something that matters to rank-and-file Democrats throughout California.”

Sean Clegg, a Greuel strategist, said the campaign fought for the endorsement but will be fine without it. He said that Greuel already has strong name identification among Democrats because of her 2013 run for Los Angeles mayor. Clegg said an internal campaign poll conducted in February among likely voters put Greuel up by 13 points with Democrats against Lieu. Clegg also noted that Greuel has been endorsed by two prominent Democrats holding statewide offices — Attorney General Kamala Harris and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The division between local Democratic leaders vs. statewide Democratic representatives is interesting. Are local leaders, no matter what their party affiliation, starting to recognize that Sacramento simply does not understand the needs and views of individual districts? Local control is making a comeback in the Democratic Party?

“The process is what it is,” Clegg said. “It is a really Sacramento-centric caucus process. We’re going to focus on where we have a big advantage, which is with Democrats living in the district.”
A spokesman for Miller, probably the least known among the three Democrats, declined to comment.
A fourth candidate, Marianne Williamson, is an independent and was not eligible for the endorsement. In interviews, however, Williamson has called herself a progressive and said she shares many positions with the Democratic candidates.

Marianne Williamson may pose more of a threat than Democrats realize. She announced her interest in the seat long before Congressman Henry Waxman decided to retire (er, retreat) from office. Will she be able to leave enough of a mark to press into the general election? She may peel away enough Democratic votes to force a greater split for a Republican (a conservative?) to get into the top-two general election.

The only Republican mounting a serious campaign is Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Elan Carr.

The top two candidates, regardless of party, in the June 3 primary will move on to the general election on Nov. 4.

In the general election, the Democratic Party endorsement might be less helpful to Lieu, said Jack Pitney, professor of American Politics at Claremont McKenna College. That’s because while a Democrat is favored to win the 33rd Congressional District race, only about 44 percent of the district’s voters are registered Democrats, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. About 28 percent of voters are Republicans, while about 22 percent decline to state a party.

Thank you, Mr Pitney. Let us not forget, either, that a Republican is back in the mayor's seat in San Diego, even though the city has been trending Democratic over the past few elections. Then there's the Vidak race in 2013, where the Republican cherry farmer from Hanford won by nine points in a two-to-one Democratic district in the Central Valley.

Registration, strictly speaking, means nothing. Democrats are tearing each other up over union power, school choice, "affirmative action" (really stat-sponsored discrimination), and even gun rights may become a focal issue.

The Republican and independent votes will be important in November, Pitney said. And those voters probably won’t be swayed by the Democratic Party endorsement.

Duh!

“The 33rd District is not as heavily Democratic as many others in the Los Angeles area,” Pitney said in an email. “Greuel could build a coalition of Republicans, independents and moderate Democrats.”

The same lady who lambasted Kevin James as some kind of right-wing extremist. Really? Sadly, though, former Republican LA Mayor Richard Riordan has endorsed Ted Lieu. What a shame.

 

Wright and Calderon on Paid Leave

State Senator Lieu:

Yes, you voted against a referral of a resolution to expel Wright.

But Wright is still in office.

And as for Ron Calderon, he has gone on paid administrative leave.

He  wants to challenge the charges and see the evidence against him first.

Sen, Ron Calderon:
Indicted on paid leave.

The President of the State Senate, Darrell Steinberg, has pressured Calderon to resign.

He was only indicted for corruption.

Yet Wright was already convicted of eight counts.

Eight!

Sen. Roderick Wright:
Convicted, on paid leave.

Senator Lieu, I am well-aware that you voted against the referral of the resolution to expel.

But the work is not done yet.

And will not be done until both Wright and Calderon no longer "serve" in the state senate.

I will continue to ask you and your colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, to move to remove these two state senators. They should not be drawing a salary, and if Calderon is convicted as well, then neither of them should be receiving a pension, either!

One good vote, so far. . .
But they remain on paid leave. . .

Lieu Votes with GOP -- Steinberg Says Nothing

State Senate President Darrell Steinberg has pressured the indicted Ron Calderon (D-Bell) to resign, yet says nothing to convicted felon Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood). This double-standard is disgraceful. Because of Calderon and Wright’s tarnished records, they should both be expelled.

State Senator Lieu
Voted with GOP
To Move to Expel Wright

Three Republican state senators, Joel Anderson (Alpine), Stephen Knight (Palmdale) and recently elected Andy Vidak (Hanford), submitted a resolution to expel Wright. Only one Democrat joined them: State Senator Ted Lieu (Torrance).

Thank you, Senator Lieu. Shame on every other senator who voted otherwise.

Daily Breeze reporters have documented rising allegations of corruption in a local school district (Centinela Valley). Analysts reported on growing financial liabilities (or lack thereof) in key cities (Torrance), and editorials have condemned the unwholesome shenanigans of city managers in the South Bay (Manhattan Beach).

Now The Daily Breeze, and every voter, should pressure the California state senate, including Senate President Steinberg, to hold every senator accountable.

State Senate President Darrell Steinberg:
Still Says Nothing About Wright

Lieu Votes With GOP on Wright Expulsion

I have to write this.

This is good news for everyone who lives in State Senate district 26 - so far.

State Senator Ted Lieu voted with the state senate Republican minority to move for Roderick Wright's expulsion.

Lieu Voted to Expel Wright

Finally, the legislators are listening.

The story came out today in the LA Times.

Here's one quote:

A resolution by three Republican Senators to expel Wright was referred by Democrats to committee, where it is expected to languish until a trial judge acts May 16 on a request by Wright to overturn the jury verdict.

Then:

The Senate voted 21 to 13 largely along party lines to shelve the resolution. Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) voted against the referral.

Finally, political pressures on our representatives is paying off.

Milton Friedman always shared: "It's nice to get the right people in office. It's best to get the wrong people to do the right things."

With Lieu's decision to vote to expel convicted felon Roderick Wright, one has to wonder if his chances of making the Top Two after the June 3 primary for the 33rd Congressional District will improve or fail.

At least we can rest in the knowledge that as more people hold their legislators accountable, there will be more pressure on the state senate to expel members whose records are tarnished, who have been indicted or convicted of serious crimes.

Ted Lieu Comes to Redondo Beach Pharmacy

Everyone!

State Senator Ted Lieu will be at:

Odette Leonelli, Pharmacist - Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy, 310 371-7541

-------

2860 Artesia Blvd
Redondo Beach, CA 90278

--------------
He will be there today -- 2-28 - at 5pm

 Voters need to confront him and demand to know:

1. Why he says nothing about convicted felon state senator Roderick Wright
2. Why Lieu tried to triple our car tax.

3. Why he cares about tanning salons and pets instead of human taxpayers.
Please read and share the following:

http://www.lagopclubs.com/4/post/2014/02/democrats-support-south-bay-convicted-felon-state-senator-taxpayers-deserve-better.html

http://tedlieuwatch.blogspot.com/2014/02/lieu-stil-silent-on-roderick-wright.html

Thank you for your time!

Sustainable Sea Food with Ted Lieu -- Really?

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/439245050132721664

Before arriving at Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy in Redondo Beach, State Senator Ted Lieu was dining on sea food at an event promoting environmentalism in sea food consumption:

W/ LA Councilmember @mikebonin at LA Food Policy Council's Sustainable Seafood Solutions event. pic.twitter.com/IBmzC1cOcs

One of the comments request to know why Lieu was promoting sustainability regarding sea food, yet at the same time he had voted against legislation which would ban using shark fins for ethnic delicacies.

Lieu shared with me that he voted against the legislation when I spoke with him at a Humane Animals convention in Studio City last year. The article reporting on his vote informed us that Lieu voted against the bill because of his concerns that Chinese ethnic cuisine would suffer.

While it is commendable that Lieu voted against that one bill, it still became law. He also supported legislation which has protected puppies, bears, and abandoned ships.

But nothing on school choice.

Nothing on easing the tax burden in the state of California.

Nothing which will make life easier for the two-legged creatures, the human beings, in our state.

Senator Lieu wants to investigate means of production and distribution of sustainable sea food.

What about promoting a state economic and political environment which sustains freedom and prosperity for all Californians?

Lieu at the Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy, Feb 28

Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy:
Redondo Beach, CA

Odette Leonelli, the head  Pharmacist of Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy, hosted State Senator Ted Lieu at her pharmacy last Friday.

Mark Tilford of Redondo Beach had sent out a flyer informing everyone in the are that State Senator Lieu would be in the area.

I wanted to make sure that I got there, so that I could confront him about State Senator Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood), a legislator who has been convicted of eight felony counts, including voter fraud and perjury.

I got to the pharmacy a few minutes early, just in time to see the pharmacist, Ms. Leonelli.

Then Sen. Lieu showed up. He just waved at me, then entered the pharmacy.

I tried to take a few pictures of the state senator with some of the staff, but sometimes Ms. Leonelli tried to block my view.

I understand that she was uncomfortable, and wanted to make a good impression, but every constituent has the right to meet and greet and confront his or her legislator regarding key issues.

She had welcomed many of her patients to meet with the state senator, too. To the back corner of the store, she provided a few chairs and some pastries. A man with a camera began taking pictures. Then more people showed up.

Ms. Leonelli started talking about all the costs she was incurring because of a group of pharmacy benefit managers, like intermediaries, otherwise called PBMs, I mentioned right away the potential problems caused by Obamacare.

Right away, Ms. L cut me off:

"We are not here to discuss the Affordable Care Act."

I find it fascinating that individuals want to discuss bringing in more red tape and regulations instead of finding ways to get the government out of health care. The more government intervention which our legislators and voters permit into any system, the more compelled our legislators will be to bring in more government.

She was vehement that I did not bring up anything controversial, it seems.

Still,; the more that she described all the rules and red tape that she had to deal with in order to serve her customers, the more I felt for her plight. Now more than ever, individual medical professionals face greater pains to provide a direct and warm service to local customers. A letter in the Daily Breeze lamented the closing local pharmacies in the region, including a  historical fixture in San Pedro area was closing after 125 years!

Along with Sen. Lieu, the pharmacist  also had a lawyer, an elderly gentleman from a law firm in San Anselmo.

I was kind of surprised that that an attorney from the Bay Area was speaking with a pharmacist and her customers here in Redondo Beach.

As I was questioning Senator Lieu, Dr. Leonelli interrupted me a second time, rebutting:

"We are not here to discuss politics".

"Leonelli didn't want to talk politics
with me, a politician. . ."

Then I countered:

"But we are. You have here State Senator Lieu. . ."

She quickly changed the subject again.

The discussion at length spoke about the gouging practices of pharmacy benefit managers. I asked the lawyer and also Sen. Lieu to share what they would do to stop the gouging which the pharmacies face.

Leonelli, Sen. Lieu, and the attorney were all dead-set on the notion that more rules and regulations would stop the pricing out of local pharmacies.

Many people in the store spoke very highly of Dr. Leonelli, that she provided excellent customer service, that she would take the time and trouble to contact individual doctors and make sure that her patients were getting the best care.

Yet because she does not have the time or money to work with the insurance companies directly to get the proper funding for her patients and the medications, she and all other individual pharmacies must work through the PBMs, and these firms receive the monies from the insurance companies, yet reimburse the pharmacies pennies on the dollar for the medications which they provide.

Leonelli is going broke providing for her customers, and she gets only one-third, at most, reimbursed for the costs of providing her customers the drugs that they need.

I really feel for her. I do not believe, though, that more regulations are going to do any good. I tried to make this point a number of times, but I was interrupted by either Ms. L, or one of the customers, who was dead set on more regulations.

The attorney present at the Pharmacy, Lynn Carman, made frequent allusions between the PBMs and the Pacific Railroad in California during the late 1800s.

Currently, there are six PBMs operating in California, and I have read about the slow demise of independent Pharmacies. Yet just as the Pacific Railroad lost its monopoly hold over the transportation system in California, so to these PBMs can lose the supposed stronghold on independent pharmacies.

I also asked the lawyer and then the state senator if any medical professionals had shared their views on the subject. They did not know. I certainly was not thrilled with the idea that Senator Lieu would sit down with a group of lawyers to come up with legislation.

At the end of the presentation, I pressed state senator Lieu about Roderick Wright:

"Lieu voted to move a resolution to expel me?
Uh Oh!"

"Senator Lieu, there is a convicted felon in the state senate, Roderick Wright, and your silence on this is unacceptable."

All while I was trying to address the state senator in front of everyone in the Pharmacy, Ms. Leonelli tried to interrupt me by handing my some pastries (I had taken a few already).

She then told me that I had no right to be discussing such issues in her pharmacy.

I reminded her that I have a first Amendment right to speak to my state senator.

Lieu then shared with me that he voted with the Republicans to expel Wright.

I was actually very glad to hear this.

I then shook his hand, then pressed him to get other Democrats to vote the same way.

Later on, I spoke with the state senator outside of the pharmacy, and I pressed him on Ron Calderon, and the state senator told me that Calderon would announce on Monday (3-3-2014) what he was going to do.

It was an interesting evening, to say the least. I am beginning to believe that if individual voters work together and pressure their state senators, like Lieu, we will start seeing them make the right decisions and cast the right votes. I am also aware, though, that state senator Lieu is running for Congress, and would very much like for the issue regarding his silence on Wright to be silenced as a campaign issue.

Lieu Still Silent on Roderick Wright

Today (February 10, 2014), State Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) was racking up all the endorsements which he has received from California Democratic Party officials.


"I'm sorry. . .are you waiting for me to say something?"

He also has said nothing -- not one thing -- about the current status of convicted felon state senate colleague Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) who is still "serving" in Sacramento, even though prior examples of convicted felon legislators resigned their seats, or at least a committee moved to expel the member from the chamber.

At this point, other candidates for the 33rd Congressional District should also consider demanding that Lieu show some independence and leadership, and demand that he move for the expulsion of Roderick Wright from the state senate.

Lieu's silence on this issue is deafening, demeaning, and demoralizing to say the least.

His Sacramento office released the information earlier today that  Lieu has issued no press release on this matter. There is no excuse. Three Republican state senators, the independent candidate running for California Secretary of State, and

For a legislator who cared about abandoned ships, domestic pets, the welfare of bears and adolescents in tanning salons, who wanted to end the cruel practical joke of
swatting, one wonders why he would to also move to maintain the integrity of California's state senate?

Lieu wants to represent the Santa Monica Bay in Congress. Why should voters trust him with higher office when he refuses to maintain the integrity of his office or the chamber in which he currently serves?

Contact State Senator Ted Lieu, and tell him to join the chorus of legislators, newspapers, and voters in his district to demand the resignation or expulsion of convicted felon Roderick Wright.

"Please, Ted, don't say anything!"