Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Clark vs Jager. Left vs Right?

Chris Kerrigan is terming out as Eureka city council member representing the 4th Ward. Man, those 8 years went fast!

Long time Eureka Business owner George Clark is running for the position. George is a liberal who fits the label of a local "progressive" Berkley type Democrat. I am sure he will have the resources to run a good campaign, and I think he will be tough to beat. I have not heard enough to judge his agenda yet. Back in 2000 he had a claim against the city of Eureka. Anyone out there remember what that was about? Is this one of the reasons he is running?

Frank Jager is the likely challenger for this position. He is currently leads the Humboldt County Coroners Office, but is retiring this year. He was a Eureka Councilman from 1992 to 1998. What does he think he can do now differently from what he did last time? Don't know what his agenda is yet either.

I realize this is a "non-partisan" position, but I have come to the conclusion there is no such thing in Humboldt County anymore.

Liberal vs Conservative. Democrat vs Republican. Environment vs Business. Left vs Right. Let the games begin.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jager is a nice guy, but he's too close to the good old boy, Dave Douglas, crowd in the EPD. We need a city council with new ideas and a fresh perspective. George Clark will make a fine councilmember.

Rose said...

And here you had a chance to do something to stop the madness, Richard. Having been a victim of it, you could have done something, right here, right now.

Instead you are buying into it.

So are we to replace the word democrat now with 'progressive'? Are you going for a name change?

Or is there now a third party?

samoasoftball said...

Rose: I have had my war with fellow democrats and have made some of them unhappy with my politics. But, that being said, I am still a democrat. Elected by fellow Democrats to be on the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee. We do not just sit around agreeing with each other over all issues. On the contrary, we argue quite a bit. Come on by, Rose. Second Wednesday of each month at 7pm across from Denny's in Eureka. Open to the public.

samoasoftball said...

Rose: Good question.

Progressives are Political people who are moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; opposed to retrograde. Improving. Promoting or favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods. Favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are.

Now you have to decide who best fits that mode. There is where the arguments start.

Anonymous said...

I believe that George Clark had a beef with the city over the sewer lift pump station that is located near his house on Vista Drive in Cutten. He bought it 1998 and didn't realize that he would have to listen to the pump and smell the sewer. Interesting to note that he still lives in the house. Was anything done to abate the problem? Was the claim settled? I don't know. Why don't you ask George, Richard?

Carol said...

Progressives are Political people who are moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; opposed to retrograde. Improving. Promoting or favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods. Favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are.


That is the best definition of a progressive that I have read, Richard ! Thank you.

Carol said...

Regarding Clark vs. Jager: both are very responsible citizens, and I like both of very much. It is too bad they don't live in different wards, as I think they both would be great on E.C.C. But the voters of Eureka will have that decision to make.

Anonymous said...

No offense Richard, but how can a Sand Dweller be a duly elected member of a committee when your 'people' are not even technically human?

Rose said...

BY YOUR DEFINITION NONE OF THE PEOPLE CALLING THEMSELVES "PROGRESSIVE" ARE.

UNLESS YOU MEAN IT IN ORWELLIAN TERMS.

Rose said...

Sorry, didn't realize caps lock was on. BUT caps work, Honest to God, man, after the way they burned you, I am stunned.

Anonymous said...

If you want Rob Arkley to have his way on the Balloon Track, by all means vote for Jager.

samoasoftball said...

I have nothing against Frank. And I certainly did not s--- on him. Seems nice enough. I am waiting to hear more from both. Way early.

Rose, if I stayed upset at every person that had done me wrong, my list of friends would be small. I do forgive people who have targeted me unfairly. And I hope my friends forgive me when I do wrong to them. Give and take.

I only have one life to live. I would rather let go of anger than dwell on it.

Anonymous said...

This post eliminated by the Terminator .

Rose said...

Somehow, Richard, I have a hard time imagining you doing someone wrong.

Joel Mielke said...

"...I do forgive people who have targeted me unfairly. And I hope my friends forgive me when I do wrong to them."

Amen.

Anonymous said...

Nice song and dance Richard. No taker here on that phony BS. You are indeed shit'n on Frank every time you spout the crapola HCDCC party line or let a cull get away with the "he's just an Arkley kiss butt". Have some balls man and adress that type of crap. I don't know Clark but won't talk bull shit about him. You wanna be a real political player? Grow some and quit being a well trained lap dog. You are better than that.

Anonymous said...

Jager would be just another Arkley yes person. Like Leonard. Like Jones. Like Bass. Is that really what we want on the City Council? Jager is also a holdover from the Nancy Flemming cabal of the 1990s. Look how bad they effed-up this city.

Anonymous said...

There is a fine line between a complete utter fool and a saint. And a saint you are not Richard.

samoasoftball said...

5:38pm-You are right, I am no saint. But I am not a fool. A fool is a coward that posts anonymously. And you are also a wiener! So there.

Joel Mielke said...

"Have some balls man..."

from a guy who posts anonymously, to a guy who posts under his own name.

Irony never sleeps.

Anonymous said...

I have no toast, but I do have toe jam!

I'm the stinky cheese man!

Heehee.

Uh oh... crap... my pajamas just caught on fire.

Dude.

samoasoftball said...

Ok. This Thread was not about me. It was about George and Frank. What exactly has Clark or Jager done for the community? Let us focus on posting what each had accomplished in helping enhance Eureka. George was a businessman, and Frank has been a public servant.

I will monitor "extreme" comments the best I can as a full time blue collar worker who does a blog part time.

Rose said...

Don't worry, Richard. If the "progressives" get their majority, you won't have to worry about the workin' man schtick. You'll be looking for tent space in kateascot's free homeless campground. Though who's gonna be payin' for that no one quite knows since that would require that SOMEONE have a job.

Anonymous said...

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Jager been on a government salary most of his career? First a cop, then the coroner?

George Clark, on the other hand, is an entrepreneur who self-started and operated a successful small business for what, 15 years?

Wouldn't you rather have someone with Clark's business experience on the City Council? I know I do.

Anonymous said...

HA,Ha,ha. You sure weren't singing that line when you attacked Virginia Bass Jackson. So now your for private enterprise? Ya,sure!

Anonymous said...

The stinky cheese will dominate you all!

You will be my servants!

I will rule the galactic spectrum! From A to Zinc! All hail stinky cheesy Centrum!

Oh crap... just realized that my pajamas caught on fire again!

Anonymous said...

Hey:

Frank is the nicest sweetest man there is. George is a nice guy too. I have known both for years (although I have known Frank longer.) Frank would do wonderful and has done wonderful. He actually was on the city council in the mid 1990's and did super for Eureka. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a democrat, but why is it that anyone who doesn't do the goose-step with the HCDCC is automatically considered a right wing conservative Arkley-ite who wants to ruin everything and do bad to everyone.

Richard - I am tired of this dem v rep., blue v red, enviro v. business mode that many of my fellow dems (including you) have gone for. This is a damn non-partisan race for a city council person. If we truly want a harmonious community, we need to be reaching across the isles, listening to each other, not ridiculing and cutting the "other side" out (so to speak.)

Frankly, it is damn detriminetal in such a small community. I actually think a well rounded council with diverse opinions on all issues is positive and something to strive for. Much better than a loaded red council or a loaded blue one. (or a loaded green one.

samoasoftball said...

4:29pm- Good points, but like I said before, in Humboldt County there is no such thing as non-partisan. The lines have been drawn. I didn't make up the rules but have witnessed them personally.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes there is Richard. I'm non-partisan. I belong to no political party, and have never been a public servant. So if I ran for office, what would I be classified as?

samoasoftball said...

6:58am-If you ran for office locally against either Dem or Rep your classification would be "no chance."

Anonymous said...

Man richard if that is the way you feel (the "its our way or the highway") then you folks area about as "un" democratic as it goes.

I mean that philosophy is horrible and wrong and offensive.

Anonymous said...

Richard doesn't make the rules. He's just telling it like it is. Anbody involved in politics at the local level knows what's talking about.

Anonymous said...

I think you are wrong Richard. I think a non-partisan candidate could win a seat on the City Council; however, anyone that would want that thankless job has to either have a huge ego or be out of their mind in the first place.

Anonymous said...

Richard, your 1:13 pm comment shows how narrow minded you are.

samoasoftball said...

*:31am- Not narrow minded. Honest.

Anonymous said...

Opinions are neither honest nor dishonest, so your response is meaningless. However, it does reflect your inflexibility and narrow mindedness. Too much party line thinking is clouding your brain.

Anonymous said...

Yeah right, CPR Joel Mielke, Mr. Forgiveness. Not that he doesn't despise the alternative media and takes pot shots at them at every opportunity.