Steven T. Jones and Kid Beyond are driving to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, stopping by Burning Man on the way there and back, reporting on the intersection of the counterculture and the national political culture.

By Kid Beyond

For one week, Burning Man -- pop. 50,000 -- is one of the largest cities in Nevada.

It's a frontier town. Wagons circled, cut off from the outside world, its residents brave the elements together, relying on each other to survive. You get to know your neighbors. You sit on your front porch and greet passersby. You bring food to the folks across the way. A kindly soul fixes your bike, no charge. You smile and say hi to strangers on the street.

Small-town values. It's a conservative's wet dream – sort of.

Marry my daughter or else!

By Tim Redmond
I feel sorry for the kids.

Sarah Palin's daughter is 17. Her boyfriend is either 17 or 18, depending on which reports you read. The New York Post, bless it, has the scoop on the dad: According to his MySpace page, Levi Johnston

boasts, "I'm a f - - -in' redneck" who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes.

"But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s- - - and just f - - -in' chillin' I guess."

He also claims to be "in a relationship," but states, "I don't want kids."

Too late now, Levi. If you weren't screwing the daughter of a woman who wants to be vice president, perhaps there would be other choices. Abortion is legal in Alaska, whatever Gov. Palin thinks, and there are plenty of pregnant 17-year-olds who choose to give babies up for adoption. There might have been a chance for you to go to college, go on with your life.

But not now. These two kids will be forced to get married whether they want to or not, because that's what the Republican Party needs them to do.

You think that happy marriage is going to last? Family fucking values.

My brother, who runs a small construction company in Putnam Valley, New York, just called with his thoughts on the Palin nomination.

"It might not be that stupid after all," he told me. "She hunts, she fishes, she has a pregnant 17-year-old daughter, her husband has a DUI and her brother in law tasered his 11-year-old kid ... So she's got the redneck vote. And there are a lot of them."

That, of course, is what McCain was thinking -- solidify the base, and try to attract working-class people in heartland and southern states who have been badly hurt by Bush but might have trouble relating to a Harvard-educated African American.

There's really no secret about the strategy here: The GOP has used race-based and culture-based fearmongering for years.

By Tim Redmond

I think Randy Shaw is right that Dianne Feinstein won't run for governor. I don't think the prospect of her entering the race is having much of any impact on Gavin Newsom right now (except for the possibility that some donors will hold off to see if Feinstein, who they would fear snubbing, is a player or not).

But there's another element to this: As long as Feinstein is talking about the race, her presence will probably keep some other candiates, especially other women, on the sidelines. If Feinstein has a favorite -- her dear friend Rep. Ellen Tauscher?) -- she might be able to hold someone like Jackie Speier, who clearly is interested in the job, out of the race for a while.

So there are games aplenty here.

You know why some School Board members and top administrators are walking around with tote bags emblzoned with a pic of Jimi Hendrix?

School Sup. Carlo Garcia, it turns out, has a theory about the district's new Strategic Plan. As one person who received a bag told us, "He said reading the plan is like the first time you ever hear a Jimi Hendrix song -- you don't know whether you like it or not, but you realize it's something totally amazing. And after you hear it a few times, you really come to appreciate it."

Gentle Blythe, the district's spokesperson, confirmed that that was the theory behind the bags. "He's said it various different ways, but you have it basically right," she said.

If you try to think about Arlene Ackerman ever doing or saying something like that, you get a sense of how different (and how much more upbeat) the school administration is under Garcia.

Newt Gingrich, that great three-times-divorced defender of family values, has made a new ad for Prop. 8. I wonder who the Yes on 8 people think ol' Newt still appeals to.

by Amanda Witherell

After we ran an article on the remarkable coincidences between opponents of the Clean Energy Act and people who take money from PG&E, reader J.J. Hollingsworth sent the following anecdote. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Hollingsworth wrote:

"Regarding Eric Jaye’s comment, “They’ve pledged enough to educate every voter in San Francisco.”

On August 19th, I received a call from Focus Point Marketing Group which promised to pay me $100 for two hours of my time provided I call back for an interview in order to be a part of a group seminar on August 21st which would address social issues.

I called the lady back and asked what the social issue was about.

She said it was about the administration of public utilities in San Francisco. We established a rapport and I said that the subject would interest me and I checked my schedule and indeed was available for the two-hour seminar at 450 Sansome on August 21st from 6-8 p.m. The pay at $50 per hour was intriguing.

I proceeded with the interview which was a question tree about if I’m registered to vote, how likely I am to vote in November, etc. When we got to the part about whether I consider myself conservative, moderate, or liberal. My answer was, “I guess I’m liberal.” She said something to the effect of, “Well, you are in San Francisco where people are liberal, but unfortunately I can’t sign you up.”

Still intrigued by the $100, I said something to the effect of “Well, let’s mark me down as ‘moderate’ because some people out here think I’m conservative on certain issues.” So we proceeded with the interview. The next question was “What political party are you affiliated with?” I told her that I registered with the Green Party over twenty years ago. (It’s not easy being green and my voting record does not always concur with the Green Party line.)

The sweet lady at the other end of the phone replied, “Ma’am, I can’t win for losin’ here.” And so we left it cordially, and with humor – I could not attend the August 23rd ‘party’ and go home with $100.

My main point here is that despite all the fundraising bravura, I believe PG&E considers at least some of the population here in San Francsico uneducable."

Image from SF Party Party

By Steven T. Jones

San Francisco's latest plan for Halloween, which falls on a Friday this year, is a ridiculously naive recipe for disaster. Even worse, mayoral flak Nate Ballard is still trying to peddle the ludicrous assertion that creating a police state and ending the Castro party early by turning water hoses on the costumed participants is sound civic policy, telling the Chronicle: "We're optimistic this strategy will deliver a peaceful Halloween for the second straight year."
I got news for you, Nate, Gavin Newsom, Bevan Dufty and the rest of the nervous nellies who are afraid to throw a decent party: occupation isn't the same as peace. And it's certainly counter to San Francisco's values and economic interests. These people earlier this year hired Laura Fraenza at a ridiculously high six-figure salary to come up with a plan for Halloween and all they could do is propose a no-name concert in the baseball stadium that will appeal to none of the people who are drawn to the Castro each year. Lame, lame, lame.
Between trying to cancel the plan to issue identification cards to city residents, including those without immigration documents (which Newsom has no authority to do under the charter given that the Board of Supervisors created the program on a veto-proof 10-1 vote) and his efforts to end San Francisco's Sanctuary City status, Newsom's flirtation with running for higher office has made him scared of his own civic shadow. Toughen up, Mr. Mayor, because we don't intent to sacrifice San Francisco's most laudable initiatives and best civic gatherings on the altar of your political ambitions.

By Steven T. Jones and Meghann Myers

San Francisco’s bars and clubs often live in a delicate balance with their neighbors, who can be quick to complain about noise and other nuisances. Bar managers and event promoters say that balance could either be upset or strengthened by legislation coming before the Board of Supervisors in coming weeks.

Groups such as the Entertainment Commission and Outdoor Events Coalition are working on legislation to write the right to party into the city charter (a previous plan to take it to the ballot has been jettisoned in favor of doing it legislatively later this month). But club owner and Entertainment Commission member Terrance Alan is equally worried about another well-intended measure that he fears could have disastrous impacts on nightlife.

The Board of Supervisors will tomorrow consider amending San Francisco's health code to further restrict smoking in public. If passed, the law would ban smoking in owner-operated bars and restaurants, prohibit smoking within 20 feet of entrances of commercial buildings, and prohibit patrons from smoking on outdoor patios of bars and restaurants.

The result, Alan tells us, could be to send chit-chatting smokers further from the clubs and closer to neighbors who already have the police on speed dial, just waiting for another reason to file complaints.

Folks in Sacramento are telling me that the state may be without a budget for another month or more. Of course, it's largely due to the fact that California requires a 2/3rds majority to raise taxes -- which means a handful of Republicans, who have signed pledges never to raise taxes, can hold the entire state hostage.

Robert at Calitics has a good line on the need for reform -- but there's no way a Constitutional amendment will happen before 2010. So until then, the Democrats are over a barrel, and eventually will probably have to agree to borrow money to cover the deficit -- with no new taxes.

The problem is that, whatever the columnists and critics say, the Republicans have no incentive at all to accept a budget that raises taxes -- and they have every incentive not to. Thanks in part to skillful Democratic gerrymanders, the GOP districts tend to be very conservative. And any Republican who breaks his or her pledge and agrees to raise taxes will be targeted for extinction.

It's an ugly situation, and even Schwarzenegger can't get the members of his party to move an inch.

How bad will it have to get before the public demands reform? Pretty bad.

By Sarah Phelan

So, maybe the pen IS mightier, after all? Palin's budget vetoes.

Forget about using Wikipedia to find out the truth about GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin.

As online reports have noted, a sockpuppet called “Young Trigg” scrubbed the entry for Alaska’s first female governor the day before McCain publicly announced his VP pick.

That story should be a wakeup call for those tempted to rely on doctored or poorly researched online articles, in trying to find out who Gov. Sarah Palin really is.

The good news? There are plenty of other online resources that provide valid insights into Palin’s political priorities.

Consider, for instance, Governor Palin’s vetoes of Alaska’s FY 08 and 09 capital budget.

This shows that Palin vetoed a $350,000 statewide school substance abuse education and prevention program.

She also vetoed funding for wireless access and laptops in Alaskan community schools, including those in the North Pole district. (Guess Santa can spring for those, right?.)

And she eliminated funding for several native community projects, including the Kluti Kaah community recreation and learning center in the Interior Villages, the Jilkaat Kwaan cultural heritage center and Bald Eagle observatory in the Southeast Islands, and the Ilisagvik College Workforce Development program in the Artic.

Palin also vetoed a snow fence in the Bering Straits, a Zamboni blade sharpener for the Homer Hockey Association, statewide boy scout camp upgrades.

Oh, and she vetoed the Anchorage Police Department’s $17. 5 million request to expand its headquarters, for the second year in a row, along with a number of fire department's requests for emergency safety equipment.

This summer, Alaskan lawmakers argued for a robust capital budget, which they said would help build the state and boost its economy. But Palin disagreed, saying she wanted to limit spending to public safety, health and infrastructure, and angering some representatives, by not giving them a chance to defend programs which either fell entirely victim to, or were halved, as Palin made $268 million worth of cuts, leaving Alaska with a $3.6 capital budget.

Here are Palin’s views on the line-item veto, taken from KTUU's site.

"Well, you know, that's the beauty of our system here -- is checks and balances, provide for that tool to be used, if they deem that necessary, those who hold the purse strings and that's the lawmakers if they want to override," Palin said.

In addition to vetoing a $100,000 KTOO Government Transparency Project, Palin also axed a $50,000 community development center’s video project that was to have been called, “Alaska Teen Talk Show.”

The project aimed to produce pilot talk shows written and produced by the students, with students advised to audition several prospective hosts, rating each one on poise, intelligence, personality and looks.

“You should ultimately base your choice on a host’s familiarity with your show’s theme," states the application." If you hire the most attractive but vapid interviewer to host a political talk show and they don’t know anything about the presidential race, viewers will know it and change the channel.”

Sadly, I'm not at all convinced that viewers do change channel, just because a good-looking host is vapid. And while I don’t know why this particular project didn't get funded, I can’t help imaging that whoever wrote this grant application must be wishing that they’d chosen some other example, when applying for this grant.

More or less, that is.

This is the best thing I've read today, I think (with the possible exception of the story on polyamorous speed dating).

By Steven T. Jones

The 2007 mayoral campaign of outsider arts impresario Chicken John Rinaldi is the target of a random audit by the San Francisco Ethics Commission, which last night voted unanimously to authorize issuing subpoenas against the campaign after the candidate failed to respond to initial inquiries.

But after a long and frustrating battle with the Ethics bureaucracy to win public matching funds for his campaign, a quest that fell just short, Rinaldi said he has no intention of cooperating with the agency, which can levy daily fines for non-compliance.

"I'm not giving them a fucking thing. I'm not cooperating with those fuckers," Rinaldi told the Guardian this afternoon, blaming the Ethics Commission for arbitrarily denying him matching funds after making him spend valuable time and money jumping through their hoops. "At the very least, they're going to have to work for it."

The case is already catching the attention the growing cadre of critics of how Ethics operates (particularly with its tendency to audit campaigns that run against powerful incumbents and institutions), who see Rinaldi as the latest target. Rinaldi echoed many of their concerns. "They made damn sure I didn't get the matching funding," he said. "The Ethics Commission's sole purpose on the planet is to make sure nobody runs for office."

"Let 'em fine me," Rinaldi, who is currently living in New York City building junks boats that run on gasification technology, told us. "They're not going to get a penny out of me because I have nothing."

By Marke B.

Guess what? He's still running.

So. Triple-horned Republican mind-fuckery. Let's all panic!

"Oh shit, we're gonna lose this thing!" was my mantra for the past few days, until my bf snapped me out of it with a quick verbal slap to my dim wits. I know I am definitely not alone in this, and commenters in the "liberal blogosphere" from Jezebel to Slate to HuffPo and beyond have been jangling off the hook with similar jitters at the Palin and "Maverick" switcheroo the Rovians have, admittedly geniusly (although clumsily), just pulled on us.

"Shut the fuck up, Marke," my sweetie admonished. "Are you that ready to fall into despair?"

Hell, no, lover. But still, we've been thrust into Bizarro World, where suddenly we're the sexist, conservative, race-card-playing prigs. Um, and Washington is liberal, choice is a decision only the daughters of anti-abortionists can make, and a Bridge to Nowhere is bad -- but keeping the money for a road to a Bridge to Nowhere is "tearing down the establishment."

It's hella weird right now, and nervous tension is at a boil among us progressives who're voting for Obama. A fact, I suspect, that led well-meaning but often toothless NYTimes columnist Bob Herbert to pen his actually pretty bracing liberal pep talk in today's issue. Thanks, Bob!

"Any excuse not to vote for a black man!" is something I've said in my head a million times, especially as the fabulously unreliable polls have continued to tip in McCain's favor. But that's too easy, maybe. "She's 'red meat' to my relatives in the Midwest!" That's true to a point (and snobbish, yes) -- but when I've actually taken time to talk to my relatives and reflect on how much I know them, it's so much more complicated than that. And they resent being pigeonholed by anyone, from either party. And, come to think of it, if I can't remember their birthdays, how do I know who they're voting for?

So here's the thing.

Sifferman confirms that San Francisco will contact ICE about undocumented juveniles.

On the eve of the seventh anniversary of 9/11, San Francisco's Chief Probation Officer William P. Siffermann announced that it is now the policy of the City's Juvenile Probation Department, “to inform the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in every case where a person is in custody after being booked for the alleged commission of a felony and is suspected of violating the civil provisions of the immigration laws.”

Sifferman’s report on the City’s juvenile probation policy marks a pronounced rightward shift away from San Francisco’s original Sanctuary City policy. And while his report is dated August 26, immigration rights advocates confirm that the City has been cooperating with ICE since July, when Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that he was exploring a run for Governor.

But beyond appearing to make gubernatorial hopeful Newsom look tough on crime, this policy shift means that authority has been taken away from San Francisco's Juvenile Court system, without so much as please or thank you.

And then there's the unfortunate reality that this policy will likely make undocumented persons who witness, or are victims of crime, go deeper into the shadows, giving gangs like MS-13 even greater impunity.

If you don't believe me that this new policy raises some seriously red flags, consider the following extract from Siffermann's report:

“In determining whether there is reasonable suspicion [my italics] that a person is present in violation of the fedeal immigration laws, the On-Duty officer shall take into consideration a combination of objective factors including but not limited to…presence of undocumented persons in the same areas where arrested or involved in the same illegal activity, affiliation with a criminal street gang known to be comprised of undocumented persons, [my italics] and court or criminal history information showing a prior ICE hold or proceedings.”

Wow, that sounds pretty all-encompasssing.

Or how about this:

“Promptly after [my italics] notifying ICE, the assiged Probation Officer shall make reasonable attempts to inform the person’s parent, guardian or other responsible adult of the referral to ICE.”

So, even before guilt is established, and long before undocumented juveniles have a chance of having their alleged felony charges dropped or reduced, ICE will be alerted? Double Wow. Hardly the kind of situation that will make their undocumented mommas and papas want to visit them at Juvenile Hall any time soon.

Ron Stueckle of Sunset Youth Services perhaps summed it up best when he voiced his feeling that it was “morally wrong” for the San Francisco to be helping ICE in this way.

“I’m not talking about harboring felons and fugitives or letting terrorists hide in the caves of Twin Peaks,.“ Stueckle said. “I’m talking about youth who are trying desperately for survival.”

By Steven T. Jones

San Francisco's usable open space will increase significantly for a few hours this Sunday as dangerous, polluting automobiles give way to bicyclists, pedestrians, dancers, roller skaters, frolicking children, and all manner of people-powered people. Sunday Streets, a rare collaboration between Mayor Gavin Newsom and the city's carfree advocates, will close down the Embarcadero between Bayview and Chinatown from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (an ending time that's way to early for late-rising San Franciscans, IMHO).
Newsom, who has lately been focused more on his political ambitions than improving San Francisco, deserves credit for pushing this idea past the expected business community and pro-car critics. The first event on Aug. 31 was a success and an even bigger turnout is expected this Sunday. But the question for Newsom and every other political leader in the city is: what's next? How can San Francisco build on this concept to encourage more carfree spaces in the city? It's something to ponder during this heated political season.

by Amanda Witherell

PG&E is so desperate to stave off any threat of public power they'll proffer a 100 percent renewable energy pilot program to Marin county. And all we get is a bunch of Asian kids paid off by PG&E to spread No on H propaganda. Where's the love?

Marin Clean Energy, a plan for the county to go 100 percent renewable through Community Choice Aggregation, has slowly been making the rounds of the ten cities who would be part of the power-buying co-op. Marin County supervisors have already approved the plan and so has Fairfax, but the other cities like Ross, Mill Valley, etc. have to buy in to make it feasible.

The plan would allow the county to purchase and provide 100 percent renewable energy for customers, delivered through PG&E's lines. PG&E hates it because: 1. it makes them look not so green, and 2. it's the first step toward a publicly owned utility that puts PG&E out of business.

So, according to an article in the Marin Independent Journal, failed assembly candidate Joe Nation and current assemblymember Jared Huffman's ex-aide are now working for PG&E, talking up a 100 percent renewable pilot program. They've already got Sup. Charles McGlashan, who has been a leader on Marin Clean Energy, saying it might be a win-win. Sure, it may lead to an overall increase of renewable energy overall, but does anyone else find this incredibly cynical? Isn't it interesting that PG&E can't pony up any more renewables until a significant number of customers threaten to leave?

My nine-year-old son and I just finished reading Jack London's White Fang together, so I'm particularly vulnerable to stories about wolves, and this ad is especially grisly If you want to help Defenders of Wildlife air it in markets where it might help, there's a donation link included.

By the way, Robert Haaland has put together a nice set of links on Palin's record here.

The SF Weekly is usually against anything we're supporting (they love to bash the left over there, and particularly like to bash us), but to my astonishment, along with his typical snide comments, Benjamin Wachs actually has some intelligent comments on the Clean Energy Act:

The city has the right -even the duty- to plan responsibly for its future, and then follow-up. Prop H shouldn't even need to be on the ballot, it should be standard practice. Yes, let us evaluate our options and pick the best one. I wish the city would run its economy, law enforcement, and housing offices the same way. To be clear: anyone who is against Prop H isn't against public ownership of utilities - they're against planning.

Randy Shaw's on the case, too. He's a little dubious about the political hopes for Prop. H, since it doesn't fit his own rule of "Keep it Simple," and he suggests that the measure may get buried in the PG&E propaganda and the flood of other stuff on the ballot. The problem is, you can't make a serious clean-energy initiative simple; there's just too much policy involved. And if it were simpler, PG&E would call it "a simplistic solution."

We all knew from day one that PG&E had endless money and would spend whatever it thinks is necessary to defeat Prop. H. But Shaw acknowledges that

With Mark Leno, Susan Leal, and Bevan Dufty taking high-profile roles in backing Prop H, the initiative has a broader and more diverse base than its similar predecessors.

And the Yes on H campaign is only really starting.

If this wasn't going to be close, PG&E wouldn't already be pulling out all the stops.

Peter Camejo, one of the nation's leading progressive voices, died Saturday at the age of 68. We at the Guardian mourn this brilliant, compassionate man who we came to know well and admire during his runs for governor and president. Camejo was a truly unique leader, marrying a consistently progressive worldview that has changed little since his 1976 presidential run as a socialist with a proven record as a socially responsible investor who made millions and showed the pursuit of wealth needn't come at the expense of people or the planet. May we all long remember the lessons he taught us.

Editors note: This is something I have supported and written about in detail. Marc makes the case nicely -- T.R.

By Marc Salomon
San Francisco's future as a creative and diverse progressive beacon is at risk due to the Planning Department's Eastern Neighborhoods plan. The planning staff has decided the city's need for luxury housing is so significant that it has set the development bar too low, allowing big builders to cash in on market rate housing.

Planning staff has labored to produce an inelegant community benefits and affordability model that has so many unproven moving parts it might barely work for current conditions but cannot be counted upon to provide for changing circumstances in the future.

But there is an existing successful city policy, passed by the voters in 1986 to control office sprawl, that can serve as a model for harnessing the insatiable demand to build profitable luxury housing, both for the benefit of existing San Franciscans as well as those of the non-rich who would seek refuge here in the future as so many of us did in the past.

Proposition M imposed a 950,000 square foot annual limit on office space. When applications to build exceed that cap, developers may offer up additional sweeteners to increase the chances of their projects being permitted.

The Western SoMa Citizens Planning Task force broke off from Eastern Neighborhoods planning process in 2004, and is nearing completion on its democratic, participatory, community-based plan. One policy that has caused consternation among the development types, who expect to run planning processes unhindered, has been a proposal to replicate Prop M, but this time, applied to housing.

Photos and text by Sarah Phelan.

Unjust immigration laws destroy families and harm workplaces, said protesters at today's anti ICE rally at City Hall.

If you are part of San Francisco’s immigrant and/or transgendered community, chances are you’ve figured out that a three-pronged attack on the protections that this City offers is in full swing.

If you are not, then today’s rally at City Hall helped people connect the dots.

1. ICE raids have intensified. (On average, San Francisco has one a year, but there have already been two in 2008. The first was May 2 at El Balazo Taquerias. The second was September 11 at a residential residence.

2. The City’s Sanctuary Ordinance is under attack following a series of embarrassing leaks ( under investigation by the Public Defender’s Office) about how San Francisco has been handling undocumented juveniles felons.

3. Mayor Gavin Newsom says implementing the municipal ID legislation, which the Board of Supervisors has already approved, isn’t a priority.

My lovely and extremely talented significant other missed the Tina Fey as Sarah Palin tour de force this past weekend on Saturday Night Live. So she did what millions of other young Americans have done: she went to You Tube to check it out. But there was a problem, which she shared with me this morning. The first half dozen, maybe more clips on the ubiquitous video upload site are not full-length excerpts from Saturday Night Live. They are, instead , outtakes from a Fox News broadcast covering the story.

A good portion of these clips are taken up by Fox News commentators yacking about the show. (AKA: shoot me now, please.) They then switch to an extremely abridged version of the SNLsketch, about half a minute or so out of what I believe was a five minute bit. And as more cynical (or seasoned) observers might have already guessed, the part of the sketch Fox chose to feature makes our potential "Pitbull with Lipstick" Veep look downright reasonable. Meanwhile, Amy Poehler's Hillary Clinton gets all the laughs as she practically demolishes the podium out of pent-up jealousy.

In other words: if, like untold millions of people, you only saw the sketch via the Fox News upload on Youtube there's a damn good chance you came away thinking SNL was bashing Hillary instead of poking fun at Palin. Never mind that the other four a half, five minutes of the sketch savagely lampooned the Alaska Gov.

I know NBC won't let Youtube post any of its content. But still, how did Fox News' coverage come to dominate the search results like this? Anyone else detect the distinct odor of the McCain campaign here?

Here is one of the offending Fox uploads: