I am torn on whether I should vote for Matsui or Padilla...

[fleabert]

anyone care to share their views with me?

I'd really like to make an informed decision, and moved here less than a year ago, so I don't know much of Sac's history. I have heard of some shady history with Doris Matsui and flood control land deals, but haven't heard anything about Julie Padilla except what her own people are putting out there.

Where do they really differ, and what is pushing you to vote for either one of them?

[Zeke]

1. Matsui. Matsui. Matsui.

I live in Auburn; have since 1972.

Matsui can hit the ground running representing the distrct.

Plus with her husband's name, all doors will open for her
in the Dem Party.

A vote for any other Dem candidate helps the Republican gain ground.

This Sacramento seat cannot be lost giving the GOP another seat!

Vote Matsui.

[ailsagirl]

3. I've got to agree-- Doris Matsui

[fleabert]

6. for the same reasons, or do you have others as well?

thanks for your input!

[ailsagirl]

7. Pretty much for the same reasons...

[fleabert]

5. that is my main concern with not voting for Matsui,

I thought it might split the Dem vote and give an edge to the Repub's. But, what do you know about this land deal issue? Flood control and the massive suburban sprawl in North Sac?

I am leaning matsui, but HATE suburban sprawl, seeing what it has done to Austin and San Antonio firsthand.

Thanks for your response!

[genius]

2. What issues matter to you most? War, civil rights, whatever.

Make a list of your five most important issues and call their offices and ask for their positions. Let them know you are a Democrat so they will more likely open up. Don't trust cagey responses. Then vote for the person who agrees the most with you.

[fleabert]

4. good advice...

I'd also like to hear what each office says about the other candidate. thanks for your input.

[AP]

8. One through five for me: A Democrat winning the seat.

[Xithras]

9. I dislike dynasties. Vote for Padilla

Matsui is a pro-business, pro-growth candidate with questionable land dealings in her past. She has never been elected to office, has no appreciable government experience outside of a few short-term, low-level political appointments, and her political statements tend to reflect a locally oriented mindset even though she's running for a federal office. Her ONLY qualification for office seems to be that she was married to a congressman...she was a "Washington Wife". Big flipping deal.

Padilla, on the other hand, is a genuine leftist who directly calls for repealing the Patriot Act, getting rid of free trade laws that offshore our jobs, legalizing homosexual marriage, implementing universal healthcare, and everything else that Democrats are supposed to stand for.

Your choice on March 8th is to vote for the business loving centrist, or the progressive Democrat. Choose wisely!

[fleabert]

11. these are exactly the reasons I am torn...

but I don't want to help split the vote among two Dems and end up giving an edge to a Repub. does Padilla actually have a chance or could we end up with a righty winning with 34% of the vote?

[LeftyMom]

10. Based on Doris Matsui's history as a lobbyist

I can't bring myself to vote for her. It smacks of influence peddling to have the spouse of a congressman lobbying other politicians. That she isn't more sensitive to that perception makes me question both her judgement and her ethics.

If her name was Doris Jones, nobody'd vote for her. I don't think she's a very good canidate and it frustrates me that her canidacy keeps more qualified people off the ballot.

[fleabert]

12. that is compelling, although

there have been many cases of spouses taking a post after a death, without a vote even. I don't know much about her lobbyist history, I guess I will get to googling who and what she lobbyied for and against.

My husband and I were talking, and he basically feels that a spouse probably will fall at least 70% in line belief-wise, and no one has anything negative to say about her husband...so why not vote for her? I don't think that's enough for me though.

Is there someone else in particular you wanted to see on the ballot instead of Matsui?

I still haven't decided. thanks very much for your input.

BTW: how're you doing? :-)

[LeftyMom]

13. Deborah Ortiz was thnking about running

Her name recognition isn't bad. I think Padilla's a good canidate, in terms of her positions, but as we learned in the recall in a short race name recognition counts for more than one's politics.

If it helps any, this link has some of the companies Mrs. Matsui represented. I can't seem to find a list of all of them. http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/CNBCTV/Articles/TVReports/P57479.asp

I'm doing okay. My neck's getting better, I just have to remember not to pick LK up too much, the kid must weigh a ton. :) LeftyDad got a job much closer to home, so I'm getting plenty of help while I heal up.

Sis is doing okay, she's still trying to decide where she wants to transfer to when she finished her general ed, the main criteria seems to be that it has to be far enough away that she has to live at school. Dad's campaigning for her to go to Davis and commute, she's talking about Berkley. Mewanwhile, my aunt and uncle ate staying with them so she's got another woman in the house. We'll see how that goes, I anticipate a blowup in a week or two.

How're things going for you?

[fleabert]

14. Very interesting, thanks for the link...

we are fine, things at Mr. F.'s work are getting busier, as your sis knows... it will be crazy soon. Makes for a less scheduled life for us both, but will settle sometime in June. Not much else going on, some of my family is coming to visit in March, to go skiing, that should be fun.

Great to hear that you are getting some help, healing is rough when you need to rest and have to take care of a kid!

Keep in touch, we should do coffee and thrifting before the election and talk about all this stuff! :-) At least Matsui didn't lobby for Exxon or anything!