tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post116300118172452715..comments2023-09-24T07:31:17.721-07:00Comments on Oakland Focus News | Oakland News Online Blog: Aimee Allison, Don't Feel Bad, Try Again - 827 Vote DifferenceZenniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05815765335808809176noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163106949185686602006-11-09T13:15:00.000-08:002006-11-09T13:15:00.000-08:00I think another thing that needs to be explored is...I think another thing that needs to be explored is that this election was the first oakland election I know of to have felt the impact of blogging. I puruse as many oakland blogs as i can--I'm a media junky--and I saw how ideas pitched and questions asked in blogs ended up making some sort of impact (good or bad, who knows?). Aimee's SUV is the most obvious example, I think-- started as a blog entry at the East Bay Express blog and was in a Pat K hit piece within 2 weeks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163101758575843242006-11-09T11:49:00.000-08:002006-11-09T11:49:00.000-08:00Hey Jerome, I was a municipal official. Google my...Hey Jerome, I was a municipal official. Google my name. Also, I do agree about SF's unaffordability fueling Oakland's population change. In fact, I wrote so.Zenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815765335808809176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163101370676553882006-11-09T11:42:00.000-08:002006-11-09T11:42:00.000-08:00I'm the anonymous above. I didn;t write my name b...I'm the anonymous above. I didn;t write my name because I thought I had to get the whole Blogger registration thing and just wanted to skip it, but here I can just put a name, so I'll do it. Don't worry, I have nothing to fear.<BR/><BR/>I don't think star quality is what Oakland needs, and District 2 voters seemed to agree. We had one star mayor--our current Attorney General-elect--and now we have another star mayor, Ron Dellums. I'm not convinced that this star power translates into anything substantive, but using the old "fool me once, shame on you" addage, I'm in a wait and see mode on Dellums. Aimee has had plenty of time to get involved in concrete ways in the community, but all she's been able to do is campaign and come before the Council as a shill for the Wayans Brothers (a "big out of town developer," by the way). I cannot possibly see how Aimee could be more branded than she already is. The orange army, the artists, the bikes, the kids, the mixed-race angle. Plus the "businesswoman" and the Stanford grad. I mean, she can just about be molded into anything (and was). Sadly, she couldn't be branded as having done anything. For that, you just need to put in work.<BR/><BR/>I think it's clear that having a record of accomplishment means something to District 2 voters. You can laugh and say Pat got elected for Trader Joe's, but anyone who would laugh at that seems to have no understanding of what being a City COuncilmember actual entails. If that's a marginal accomplishment in your view, perhaps you don't want to be a municipal official, which is fine. I'm not alone in suspecting that Allison has bigger electoral fish to fry, anyway.<BR/><BR/>As far as Oakland vs SF, I have a family, so SF is no place for me. Oakland's just great it so many ways. I've grown up in cities all my life, and I don't necessarily think the absence of entrepeneurial energy/unending dollar chasing is necessarily a bad thing. SF's a great example of how incredible amounts of money and lots of business activity do nothing to lift people out of poverty. They just end up being pushed out. As we know, black outmigration rates in SF and Richmond are significantly higher than the same rates in Oakland. <BR/><BR/>What's also somewhat ironic is the very unaffordability of SF is what has driven some of the hipsterization of District 2. And we know the hipster contingent is the shock army of gentrification. Aimee hates gentrification, but certainly doesn't hate her own voters, so that's another, uh, "challenge," to use a kind word.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163087938997678612006-11-09T07:58:00.001-08:002006-11-09T07:58:00.001-08:00east 17th near 5th.I picked the spot for all the d...east 17th near 5th.<BR/><BR/>I picked the spot for all the different folks. And the Lake. <BR/><BR/>I love Oakland.<BR/><BR/>I have been ejoying your blog during the election.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163087906253934542006-11-09T07:58:00.000-08:002006-11-09T07:58:00.000-08:00east 17th near 5th.I picked the spot for all the d...east 17th near 5th.<BR/><BR/>I picked the spot for all the different folks. And the Lake. <BR/><BR/>I love Oakland.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163056615649925902006-11-08T23:16:00.000-08:002006-11-08T23:16:00.000-08:00I don't know which area of Oakland you're in, but ...I don't know which area of Oakland you're in, but I've actually heard that before. But for some reason it reads like you're in either East or West Oakland.Zenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815765335808809176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163053593473830152006-11-08T22:26:00.000-08:002006-11-08T22:26:00.000-08:00The racial divide in Oakland drives me nuts. It is...The racial divide in Oakland drives me nuts. <BR/><BR/>It is worse than it was in Baltimore, & it was damn bad there. <BR/><BR/>I think the street crime, begging & the perception of young Black men as criminals is part of the white side of it, but I get the impression in my neighborhood that as a White man, I am a non person, except to the neighbors I have known for many years. <BR/><BR/>I don't get that vibe from the Asian or Latin folks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163031705544059792006-11-08T16:21:00.000-08:002006-11-08T16:21:00.000-08:00Actually, my text indicates that SF and Oakland ar...Actually, my text indicates that SF and Oakland are changing. Not that SF is perfect, but it is becoming more mixed. There are areas that have a long way to go, but it's getting there. <BR/><BR/>What rankles me is that Oakland seems to have more and more places where if I look around I'm the only black person male or female. Part of this is demographic change -- but only a small part. <BR/><BR/>In my view a city has to make a sound commitment to policies that foster the growth of a diverse population. <BR/><BR/>In Oakland's history this has happened by accident. But one impact of Jerry Brown's "10K" plan was to "push" more whites to settle in Oakland. <BR/><BR/>Now, that's not a bad thing, in fact it's something I wrote -- in The Montclarion ten years ago -- needed to happen. But what was lacking in the 10K plan was an admission that what was going to happen did occur and the question "How do we have this happen and yet cause Oakland to maintain a population mix that at one point had it as the only city in America with NO census tract with a dominant racial or ethnic group.<BR/><BR/>That's something I've always been proud of. <BR/><BR/>In fact, I was so distressed over the 10K plan that I called Albert Ratner at Forest City in Cleveland and asked him to send 12 copies of the Cleveland Downtown Plan, which he did.<BR/><BR/>I then distributed the plan around the Oakland Economic Development office. Everyone agreed its a direction we should go in, but no one could get Jerry to pay attention.<BR/><BR/>The Cleveland Plan has housing in mixed-income settings, an open space plan (which we don't have), a transportation element (which we don't have), and a land use location element (which we don't have).<BR/><BR/>Now please don't point to the General Plan for Oakland as that's different from a downtown plan. The last real downtown plan Oakland has was created and approved in 1985.<BR/><BR/>The 10K "plan" was really a collection of housing developments in search of a plan. A big mess. <BR/><BR/>I pointed this out politely to Jerry in one of the first 10K meetings -- alas.Zenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815765335808809176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163025213699975252006-11-08T14:33:00.000-08:002006-11-08T14:33:00.000-08:00I think comparing Oakland to SF is so often apples...I think comparing Oakland to SF is so often apples to oranges (I've lived in both, and I like both for different reasons), but I'm surprised you find people in SF "mix" more than Oakland. After living in Noe Valley for 10 years and working in the financial district for 16, SF seems culturally very white (I'm white--if you haven't guessed) and even after 6 years I notice how mixed Oakland is when I'm out and about in restaurants, bars, walks around the lake, etc. We have different perceptions!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163014292956723052006-11-08T11:31:00.000-08:002006-11-08T11:31:00.000-08:00Hi Steve,Actually, I've been here for 32 years. I...Hi Steve,<BR/><BR/>Actually, I've been here for 32 years. It's not the bars and restaurants I'm talking about, it's the way Oakland doens't mix. It's not as diverse in that way. It's too prone to racial divisions and indeed is dividing that way unlike I've ever seen before. It's becoming more like San Francisco used to be, and now I find SF more interesting. <BR/><BR/>Also part of my personal change has to do with being in the private sector and running a firm. There's more energy in SF than here. Moreover, the flavor that Oakland has because of it's African American culture is giving way in part because of Black out-migration. <BR/><BR/>So I say Welcome to Oakland young man, but it's not the Oakland I grew to love. It's rather boring.Zenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815765335808809176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163012513601458342006-11-08T11:01:00.000-08:002006-11-08T11:01:00.000-08:00It seems to me the divided community you mention c...It seems to me the divided community you mention came about primarily from Aimee Allison and her supporters (especially those from outside District 2), but I have confidence that Ron Dellums can bring Oakland together more, at least I hope he can. Four years is a long time, and I doubt she has enough interest in community activism to be involved on that level for four years--but maybe she'll surprise us. <BR/><BR/>On another note, my observation about Oakland is opposite of yours. After six years of living in Oakland (Adams Point) I finally spend more time here than in SF. There are a lot of new restaurants, bars, music venues, and theater in the area with the promise of more to come. It just seems like there's more activity in general, at least downtown and around the lake, and in Temescal and Rockridge.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163008496173030442006-11-08T09:54:00.000-08:002006-11-08T09:54:00.000-08:00I totally reject this. First, 827 votes out of a ...I totally reject this. First, 827 votes out of a total of over 8000+ is a manageble number to turn. It was not a landslide win for Pat. <BR/><BR/>Second, Aimee has star quality; it's just a matter of the proper branding. So I think you're way wrong.<BR/><BR/>Also, why not identify yourself? What do you fear?Zenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05815765335808809176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19805669.post-1163008260873281962006-11-08T09:51:00.000-08:002006-11-08T09:51:00.000-08:00Aimee Allison has lost three times in the same dis...Aimee Allison has lost three times in the same district. I don't think suggesting she try again is either a good idea or very kind. She obviously worked very hard, but was still unable to convince enough District 2 voters that she would be a good choice.<BR/><BR/>In a local election, 827 votes is significant, especially with her people saying that the election was so close that it would be decided by "dozens of votes." Yeah, 68 dozen!<BR/><BR/>What I would suggest Aimee do is actually do something other then run for office in Oakland. She and her supporters could very well start a group or policy initiative or something to make Oakland a better place. Just good ideas has been shown three times now to not be enough.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com