Saturday marked the annual Flag Day celebration by the Teamsters Union and some of their political allies at the Teamsters Local 952 Hall in Orange. The event was emceed by Ray Cordova and dominated by the beaming presence of Assemblyman Jose Solorio, who spoke at the event, presented the awards, and was inserted into a variety of photos with award recipients including Fullerton Mayor and 65th Assembly District candidate Sharon Quirk-Silva. (More on Solorio’s and Quirk-Silva’s remarks is likely to come later in the week.)
The room was dominated by the portion of the Labor movement that supported Tom Daly in last week’s 69th Assembly District primary. Daly, who had substantial report from the Republican Party in the race, will go on to face either unfunded Republican Joe Moreno in the primary — or, if he picks up votes in this week’s canvass of mostly provisional ballots — against the more broadly supported union candidate Julio Perez
Daly spoke for about two minutes at the event — substantially less than his political patron Solorio — but used the occasion to take a swipe at the patriotism of Republicans (although not all Republicans, as he said that he loved the ones in the room), and to lavish praise on the fifth-place candidate in the race, Orange Juice contributor Francisco “Paco” Barragan, whom he called “cool, cool,” “honorable, focused,” and “the embodiment of patriotism.”
We have a full program today and I want to make sure that we have enough room to honor all of the people who are receiving awards. I do want to thank the Teamsters, and Ray Cordova, and Jose Solorio, and 72nd A.D. activists who helped put this program on. It’s important for us to embrace our flag – not let the Republican Party be the party of patriotism. WE are the party of patriotism. [APPLAUSE]. And I knew there are a few Republicans in the room, and we love you also. You’re Americans. And a few of them are Buffalo Soldiers, who we love. Nevertheless, nevertheless I’m gonna thank the organizers of this event. It’s important to mark Flag Day. And I want to thank everyone who’s worked so hard on the campaigns.
A good point was made: we honor ALL the people who run for office. Every person who runs for office is sacrificing, paying the price, and a tribute to our democratic process. Paco Barragan is a person that I hardly knew until I ran for the 72nd [sic] Assembly District – and what a class act, what a cool, cool person, honorable, focused – you talk about patriotism and that’s the embodiment of patriotism right there. And it makes me proud as a citizen to participate with folks like Paco. And I mean it from the heart. I see his sincerity and I want you to know that it means a lot. You’re a great guy. [APPLAUSE].
So with that I want to thank Brother Ray for giving me a chance to speak and thank all of our sponsors today.
Daly’s focus on a large part of his speech on Paco, a veteran in attendance whom many people would like to see take on Carlos Bustamante for Santa Ana City Council this November — and, interest declared, your correspondent here is among them — was an unexpected bit of flattery. His slashing attack on Republicans as a less patriotic party than Democrats may have come as a surprise to Republicans who supported Daly and to the Orange County Party who refused to endorse Joe Moreno over Barragan in the primary — opening the door for the possibility of a come-from-behind victory by Julio Perez this week.
It is sad to say that daly doesn’t even know which district he is running for, he stated 72nd twice. Wow, I am sure he will take the time to care abou the people within his district.
Lets just be thankful that the voters have the chance to elect assembly members twice a year, but I will vote for Morneo over daly any day, because daly wont take the time to learn the people that live in his district, the 69th.
He only messed up once. The Flag Day event is sponsored in part by the 72nd District Dems in West County. So the first time he was right to thank them. This number apparently stuck in his head in the later part of the speech.
@ Its the 69th:
I agree with Greg, Tom Daly was thanking the organizers of the group the 72nd, and I think this is what got stuck in his head…many of us have made little “mistakes” like that.
For instance, you made a simple little “mistake” too . . . you said above,
“the voters have the chance to elect assembly members [TWICE A YEAR ],
We know what you meant, that assembly members are elected EVERY TWO YEARS, and NOT TWICE a year.
Just like we know what Tom meant, he meant the 69th AD in the second part of his speech.
The real issue is that Tom Daly and Jose Moreno (if he ends up holding the 2nd place) will need to put forth their ideas with details . . . so voters can know what their platforms and ideas are for:
1) Improving education and making it affordable and accessible.
a) How will they address non-compliance with federal requirements that puts Billions for education at risk;
b) How will they address operational improvements;
c) how will they go about reviewing the 20 plus necessary education reforms; and
d) How will they ensure that money goes to classrooms and teachers vs administrators and boardrooms.
2) Helping in Job Creation . . . How?
3) What are their specific Tax Policies and Tax Reform ideas?
Do they believe in raising taxes? YES or NO?
Under what circumstances and what specific areas?
4) Budget priorities and how they intend to work with others to have a balanced budget and rein in out of control spending.
5) Pension REFORMS.
What specific reforms do they believe in?
Do they believe that the current structure is unsustainable or not?
6) Healthcare – to make it accessible and affordable. Do they believe in Single Payer or not? YES or NO?
7) Insurance reform? – Do they believe that the Insurance Commissioner should have power over Insurance rate changes or not? YES or NO?
8) Prop 8 – what is their stance on it?
Do they support it or not?
What are their views on DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)?
9) What is their stance on Abortion?
Do they believe women are the ultimate deciders? YES or NO?
Do they support Roe vs Wade? YES or NO?
10) What is their stance on SB 48?
do they support it or nor?
11) What is their stance on High Speed Rail?
Do they support it? Yes or No?
12) What is their view on California’s Regulatory environment?
Are there specific regulations they would implement or remove?
13) What is their stance on off-shore drilling, and the taxing of it ?
14) What do they think or realignment, and the shifting of resources to local jurisdictions?
15) Do they believe in TERM Limits yes or no?
Would they work to overturn prop 28, which was voted on to extend Assembly from 6 to 12 years, and Senate from 8 to 12, and which was written in a deceitful manner?
16) Do they believe in Bailouts like the one that happened in Anaheim of $158 million? Yes or NO?
17) How will they help advocate for our returning veterans and the many issues that they will be facing?
18) Do they agree with the significant cutbacks that the CA DOJ suffered under Gov Brown as political retribution?
19) What kind of infrastructure investments are they ready to make?
20) Do they support Comprehensive Immigration Reform or Not?
21) Do support AB 131,which was passed this year, and which gives PUBLIC funds to undocumented AB 540 students?
This is different from AB 130 which allows PRIVATE scholarships to undocumented AB 540 students?
22) What are their views on laws like Arizona’s SB 1070?
23) Do they believe in drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants? yes or no?
24) Do they support Citizens United or oppose it?
Do they believe in Finance campaign reform? Yes or No?
What would they change?
Paco Barragan
Paco,
I hope you still run for office in Santa Ana. You would make a great elected official.
And the difference between me and Daly making mistakes is that I am not running for office or dog catcher, if I make mistakes no one cares.
Paco, please run for Santa Ana city council or for the community college district, I hear there are a couple of open seats with the ward elections.