Can you vote in Oakland?

by NotJohnnyDamon on Jun 5, 2006 4:03 PM PDT Comment 30 comments

If you're a registered voter, a resident of Oakland, and an A's fan, I implore you to vote for De La Fuente for Mayor.

In a letter that De La Fuente sent me he stated, "The A's are an asset to the city and, with a lease extension, there should be time to work out a plan for the new stadium".

He likes that WolffCo wants to build a community around the stadium, and will use little public money to get it done.

Since this is a A's forum and not a political one, I'll leave it at that. Support the guy who supports the A's in Oakland.

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De la Fuente is the A's best chance in Oakland.

Even though I'm not a die hard Oakland supporter, if Oakland stays in play it certainly helps the teams chances of staying in the bay. If I could vote I would, but I can't, so I recommend.

I miss Bill King :(

by gojohn10 on Jun 5, 2006 6:52 PM PDT reply actions

Ron Dellums has made very clear

That keeping the A's is important to him -- and he will do what he can, so long as he doesn't sacrifice the city's future, to keep the A's in Oakland.

I will say nothing more about the candidates/election, except that anyone who thinks that the sum total of the issues worth considering in such an important election is germane to a sports blog is probably a tad short sighted.

Devo's newest project And his blog

by devo on Jun 5, 2006 7:34 PM PDT reply actions

Dellums is a chump.

"No matter what I talk about, it always gets back to baseball." ~Connie Mack

by AinOz on Jun 5, 2006 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions

I appreciate your thoughtful,

well considered comments, but will still be voting for him.

Devo's newest project And his blog

by devo on Jun 6, 2006 12:57 AM PDT up reply actions

the a's staying in oakland

shouldn't be a top priority in elections. read up on the canindates and decide.

so much on my mind, i just can't recline -respiration watch out for bears

by ucla kid on Jun 5, 2006 8:22 PM PDT reply actions

I don't think any of the candidates care.

Not to the point that any of them have presented a real plan to make it happen. I don't vote in Oakland, so it doesn't much matter to me, but based on what I've read about keeping the A's in Oakland (which I would like to see), I can't see how any one candidate is better than the other.

"The first night, we were right there," Bradley said. "All we needed was a couple of touchdowns, and we would have had them."

by jeepers on Jun 5, 2006 8:40 PM PDT reply actions

What an offensive reply.

by NotJohnnyDamon on Jun 5, 2006 10:52 PM PDT reply actions

Gosh! Isn't this a political diary?

I think I'm going to be highly offended now, since the content of this diary could end the blog as we know it.

After all, someone could get offended. And we couldn't have that now, could we?

DMt

by DMtShooter on Jun 5, 2006 11:12 PM PDT reply actions

As our resident thin-skinned member

I'm deeply offended both by this diary and your comment.

I can't remember what I was going to say, but I assure you, it was brilliant!

by oblique on Jun 6, 2006 7:09 AM PDT up reply actions

Inappropriate Diary

Comments or diaries that "bring politics into AN" are a violation of the community guidelines.

IMO any diary that says "vote for X" clearly violates this rule. I hope that Blez removes this diary ASAP.

That does not mean that these issues cannot be discussed. A nonpartisan diary that presents both Dellums' and De La Fuente's statements about keeping the A's in Oakland would be informative, relevant, and within the guidelines. In contrast, this diary presents only half the story (it says nothing about Dellums' views or commitments) and reaches a clearly political conclusion.

There's also an interesting question about how far a municipality should go in trying to keep a team. I'd want my city to work with a professional sports team, but not to break the bank for a stadium deal. Whatever else you may think of the the Giants and PacBell, er, AT&T Park, I think SF's refusal to buy the Giants a stadium is extremly admirable.

FWIW, I don't live in Oakland (or even in California). And I'll keep my opinions about who would be a better mayor of Oakland off this blog.

T.S. Eliot got it wrong: May is the cruelest month.

by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 6, 2006 8:33 AM PDT reply actions

I disagree

Ballpark advocacy is both political and yet clearly allowed, as many diaries have done. It's not a diarist's obligation to present all sides of an issue. When they do it builds credibility (which this diary lacks IMHO), but that doesn't make it out of bounds.

The conclusion the diarist reaches is political for reasons specific to A's baseball. I don't happen to agree, but precedent suggests the diary meets the baseball-related threshold, just as one questioning the merits of civic funding of stadiia would.

Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jun 6, 2006 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions

I disagree ...

I think a discussion of the merrits of a ballpark and how the candidates feel about it is certainly germane. In a diary that actually talked about anything except the election, a subtle endorsement wouldn't necessarily even be a big deal. I think it's pretty clear that the endorsement is NOT allowed by the CGs but if it were couched in enough worthwhile stuff, that could be overlooked. Lacking that, he/she may as well have simply put up an ad for DLF.

Devo's newest project And his blog

by devo on Jun 6, 2006 9:37 AM PDT up reply actions

I have no problem with ballpark advocacy

...or with diaries that suggest that we should do everything to get Oakland to fork over money for a stadium (though, as I've already indicated, I disagree with that point of view). I also have no problem with diaries that discuss these issues in the context of a particular political race.

This diary, on the other hand, is explicitly asking ANers to vote for a particular candidate. And it doesn't even bother to make a comparative analysis of the candidates in the race regarding their attitudes toward the A's or a ballpark. Such an analysis would, IMO, be the minimum necessary to come to a baseball-relevant conclusion that one should vote for one candidate over another. This diary is just De La Fuente electioneering with a single line about the A's thrown in as cover

Would a diary that simply said "George W. Bush was a former baseball owner, so he deserves our support!" be acceptable on AN? I think not. The mere mention of a baseball-relevant subject in a diary should not overcome the AN presumption against politics.

Needless to say, whether or not this diary is acceptable is obviously not my call...these comments are just my $.02 as a concerned community member.

T.S. Eliot got it wrong: May is the cruelest month.

by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 6, 2006 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Intent versus Content

I don't see anything in the CGs or the precedents which ban candidate endorsements, any more than a diarist advocating a Yes vote on a ballpark funding bond. If a poster was convinced that the state of baseball is the paramount national issue of our day, and wrote a diary saying "George W. Bush was a former baseball owner, so he deserves our support," to me with my (admittedly broad) baseball-themed standard that would be both allowable and ludicrous. There's no CG against inanity.

The diary at hand does not just throw in A's issues as cover for an IDLF plug; A's issues are the diarist's main theme. Just because it may be foolish to base one's vote solely on a ballpark doesn't mean it's a forbidden suggestion, nor is the diarist obligated to cover the positions of other candidates. Doing so could help raise the appraisal from silly to substantive, but that's in the eyes of the reader, and not of relevance to a CG determination. For me, anyway...the Beria-Hoxha-Ashcroft-Ahmadinejad committee may see it differently (I kid, I kid).

Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jun 6, 2006 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions

The CGs are pretty clear:

The following are simply not acceptable on AN (excepting, in some cases, for obvious humor between people with an existing rapport); they violate AN's Community Guidelines, and are subject to sanction as outlined below:
5. Comments that bring politics into AN

Devo's newest project And his blog

by devo on Jun 6, 2006 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions

Neither enforced nor enforceable

C'mon...your very signature line includes links to two political organs. And given that the personal is political, AN can no more seperate political thought which is relevant to baseball any more than it can get rid of ass appraisals (also relevant to baseball). Nor should it, as poster Nick (GreenandGoldJerseyite?) among others eloquently stated in the last official CGV discussion thread.

Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jun 6, 2006 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions

True ...

It's certainly not enforced ... case and point, this diary ... though it absolutely is enforceable. In his wisdom, Blez has chosen not to take too hard of a line on the issue, as this diary of evidenced of. Regardless, as written, this diary is clearly a violation of the CGs.

My preference is for leniancy -- let the rule exist so that it can be enforced if and when there is a need, but, until then, let well enough alone.

This diary, however, is a different story.

It leads with the line: If you're a registered voter, a resident of Oakland, and an A's fan, I implore you to vote for De La Fuente for Mayor.

That's not a discussion of the merritts of a ballpark or the need for civic cooperation -- it's politics, plain and simple.

The fact that anyone who makes any voting decisions based on a single campaign mailer alone is pretty clueless aside, the A's are pretty clearly the secondary theme in a generally worthless diary supporting DLF.

Devo's newest project And his blog

by devo on Jun 6, 2006 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

and yes, I realize that should be

case in point

Devo's newest project And his blog

by devo on Jun 6, 2006 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

And it should be "merit"

Unless you're proposing a new ballpark resting atop an infilled Oakland lake.

I agree with you on the benign neglect practice as the best way to go, generally speaking.

Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jun 6, 2006 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions

<benignly neglects FSU>

I thought you were a promiscuous gal from Oroville. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jun 6, 2006 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions

I thought you were in the vanguard

of the floating stadium movement.

Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jun 6, 2006 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions

"links to two political organs"

Are they work-safe?

I thought you were a promiscuous gal from Oroville. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jun 6, 2006 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions

Again, the personal is political

So they're at least as work-safe as promiscuous Orovillians.

Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jun 6, 2006 11:29 AM PDT up reply actions

Blemonge!

"the reason why hitting the ball on the "sweet spot" of the bat feels so good is that the ball is contacting at the bat at a vibrational node." - salb918

by McFood on Jun 6, 2006 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions

Do you mean...

blancmange?

T.S. Eliot got it wrong: May is the cruelest month.

by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 6, 2006 4:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Skyron!

Perhaps I meant blancmange, or perhaps I meant this.(the one on the right)

Look, I'm an artist, and as such I reserve the right to use creative license in my spelling, and I don't appreciate all this pressure you're bringing to bear on me for such a simple matter. I think you need to take a really hard look at yourself and try and figure out what's causing you to react in such a hostile manner, cause it's quite evident to me, and I'm sure everyone else who's reading that you've got SERIOUS ISSUES!!!!!!!

YOU! YOU! NOT ME ME ME ME MEME MEME MAAAHHHH!!!

Btw, thanks for the tip. :)

"the reason why hitting the ball on the "sweet spot" of the bat feels so good is that the ball is contacting at the bat at a vibrational node." - salb918

by McFood on Jun 6, 2006 5:54 PM PDT up reply actions

LOL! (I think....?)

FWIW, I have something of a blancmange obsession. And it's not just the Python routine.

A couple years ago, we had a group of friends who'd get together once a week to watch a film noir. One time we were watching a 1940s British film rented from Netflix (I can't remember the title). The DVD was seriously scratched. After coughing and weezing at various points earlier in the film, it became completely inoperable during a scene in which the protagonist's mother says to a friend "You wouldn't turn up your nose at my raspberry blancmange." The DVD played this scene over and over and over again. After trying two laptops in addition to my DVD player we gave up and sent the DVD back to Netflix for a replacement. Needless to say when we gathered to watch the new DVD, I made raspberry blancmange for everyone.

T.S. Eliot got it wrong: May is the cruelest month.

by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 6, 2006 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Good story!

I wish I had a blancmange story, but I got nothing. So, I'll just steal yours... :)

"the reason why hitting the ball on the "sweet spot" of the bat feels so good is that the ball is contacting at the bat at a vibrational node." - salb918

by McFood on Jun 7, 2006 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Returning to the point...

an article that jlaff posted in today's link dump had this to say:
"De la Fuente and Nadel, while maintaining they haven't given up the fight, have steadfastly maintained no public money will be available to finance a new park in downtown Oakland. Dellums, on the other hand, has said there might be a chance of some public assistance but also has conceded that at this stage, there is nothing the city can do to stop Wolff from leaving if he strikes a better deal elsewhere."

It doesn't sound to me like De La Fuente is any more committed to keeping the A's in Oakland than the other candidates. It's become increasingly clear that Wolff isn't interested in any Oakland sites unless he gets massive public subsidies, and none of the candidates is going to promise that. Nor should they, given the state of Oakland's finances these days. On the other hand, it sounds like all three would like the team to stay, and are willing to work with Wolff if his Fremont/San Jose plans fall through, which is probably more than you could say about Jerry Brown.

Knucklehead over there is second or third in the league in home runs. - BB

by andeux on Jun 6, 2006 11:48 AM PDT reply actions

Re: Wow, etc.

Keeping the A's is important to Oakland, both economically and culturally. It goes beyond "professional sports" to the health of the city itself.

So, to answer your "question", yes. It is at the forefront of issues. If not, it should be. And yes, Oakland has other issues, primarily crime and education. But this is important too. I don't see how you could miss that.

Hey bud, what's your problem? -- Jeff Spicoli to Mr. Hand

by 66th Hegenberger on Jun 6, 2006 2:34 PM PDT reply actions