Guardian forum: The candidates on the issues

09.19.11 - 11:14 am | Tim Redmond |

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Don't miss the final Guardian forum on the mayor's race -- featuring the candidates. It's going to be fun -- so far, eight candidates have confirmed, and we're going to ask them to talk about the progressive agenda that we've developed over the summer. Among other things, we're going to ask the candidates whether they support some of the key elements of the program -- and an independent blue-ribbon all-star panel of experts (not including me) will judge whether the would-by mayors answered yes, answered no -- or waffled.

We'll see you there.

6 p.m., Wed. Sept. 21, at the LGBT Center, Market and Octavia.

Election 2011

Comments

Facebook event page for the

Facebook event page for the forum can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=286442511372369

Posted by Guest on Sep. 19, 2011 @ 2:11 pm

Too bad you can't Live Stream

Too bad you can't Live Stream it, or whatever it's called.

Posted by Pat Monk.RN. on Sep. 19, 2011 @ 5:17 pm

Could you question Adachi on who's funding his mayoral campaign?

And I'm sure the voters would like to know if he's planning to go after city workers' health care next. He has alluded to this. Please pin him down on it and ask for specifics.

Adachi has also mentioned that he has other ideas for generating savings. What specifically does he have in mind?

Does he have any plans to confront his wealthy benefactors and demand that they pay their fair share of taxes? Finally, does he agree with this item in the progressive agenda~ "Support progressive taxes that will bring in at least $250 million a year in permanent new revenue." If so, what steps will he take to accomplish this goal?

Posted by Lisa on Sep. 21, 2011 @ 5:05 pm

Don't hold your breath, Lisa

I'm sure all the candidates will carefully tailor their comments to their audience, as they always do. They'll say things here that they won't say to the chamber of commerce.

But for every "progressive" vote they gain by promising to raise taxes by a massive quarter of a billion a year, they risk losing nine votes from the silent majority who clearly have no truck with that idea.

And that's essentially the problem the left always has. Even in SF, there quite simply aren't enough lefties to make a difference in city-wide elections. So the candidates have a clear choice - do they garner impeccable liberal credentials and lose? Or adopt a centrist position and have a shot at winning?

And that dilemma continues even if they do get elected. Both Clinton and Obama discovered that, once in power, they have to compromise, so they end up being far more right-wing that their ideological supporters ever imagined. Obama continued the ME wars, rejected the public option in ObamaCare and continued W's tax cuts for the rich. Who'd have thunk it?

So, do you want political correctness or power? You can't have both at the same time.

Posted by PaulT on Sep. 21, 2011 @ 5:47 pm

The one thing about standing on principle

Is that the people who do it are all self selected.

The SEIU pays people to lobby for more and more, you like Arthur must be a paid shill.

Posted by meatlock on Sep. 21, 2011 @ 7:48 pm