BUSY WEEK FOR OAKLAND LAWMAKER; LITTLE ACCOMPLISHED IN GOP-DOMINATED HOUSEBy Steven Tavares Many Democrats are unhappy about the deal struck with House Republicans late Friday night which averted a shut down of government services. The most liberal member of congress,… Read More ›
congress
Alameda County Administrator Expects Triple Digit Deficit
BAD BUDGET NEWS FLOWS DOWNHILL FROM WASHINGTON TO STATE TO COUNTY TO CITIESBy Steven Tavares OAKLAND – County department heads spent hours Tuesday explaining the sorry shape of their respective budget forecasts while a dazed Alameda County Board of Supervisors… Read More ›
Kerry In S.F. Backs Obama’s Libya Plan; Skewers Republicans
GOP IS IN FAVOR OF ‘GOV’T OF THE ONE PERCENT, BY THE ONE PERCENT, FOR THE ONE PERCENT’By Steven Tavares Sen. John Kerry SAN FRANCISCO – Sen. John Kerry continued support for President Obama’s foray into Libya Friday saying it… Read More ›
Lee Criticizes Obama’s Decision To Bomb Libya
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640 Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy LEE WANTED OBAMA TO ALLOW CONGRESS TO VOTE OF MILITARY ATTACKPresident Obama should have allowed Congress to debate and vote on military intervention in Libya, Rep. Barbara… Read More ›
East Bay Political Clout Lessens As Population Shifts Inland
CENSUS: BAY AREA IS GROWING FAR LESS THAN THE REST OF THE STATEBy Steven Tavares The East Bay along with the entire San Francisco Bay Area is seeing an unprecedented change in its ethnic demographic, according to U.S. Census figures… Read More ›
Shutting Down Government Ain’t A Bad Idea
A shut down of the federal government set for this Friday was averted with an extension to March 18. By Nicholas Terry Government. Shut. Down. Those three words, together, excite many. They are scare tactics for others. We are… Read More ›
Lee: ‘Enough Is Enough’
ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: LIVES ARE AT STAKERep. Barbara Lee on MSNBC last Thursday says the possible government shutdown March 4 will hurt those in need the hardest.
Stark Defends President Over DOMA Decision
Rep. Pete Stark addresses constituents Thursday night at the Fremont Senior Center. CONGRESSMAN ON RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF MARRIAGE: “I DON’T CARE ABOUT THAT”By Steven Tavares Rep. Pete Stark said Thursday night he supports the Department of Justice’s decision this week… Read More ›
McNerney Dodges And Weaves Over Patriot Act
BAY AREA’S ONLY REP IN FAVOR OF EXTENSION MAY BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE EAST BAY’S FUTURE REALITYBy Steven Tavares Rep. Jerry McNerney Rep. Jerry McNerney’s 11th District is one of the Bay Area’s most confusing for political navigation. His western… Read More ›
San Leandro Goes For Broke In Washington
CITY DELEGATION TO LOBBY FOR 7 PROJECTS; APPROVES LOAN FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSINGBy Steven Tavares San Leandro’s portion of the $32million East Bay Greenway project is $11 million. There may not be any earmarks to speak of in Washington, but that doesn’t… Read More ›
Lee To Reintroduce Bill Helping 99ers
HOUSE BILL WOULD ADD 14 WEEKS OF BENEFITS FOR CHRONICALLY UNEMPLOYED Lee’s HR 6556 was first introducedlast December. Financial assistance for the much-maligned group of long-time unemployed Americans known as 99ers could soon be a topic of discussion on Capitol Hill… Read More ›
House Bill Aims To Cut Defense Spending
EAST BAY DEMS WANT TO TIE DEFICIT REDUCTION TO FUNDING LESS FOR NOTORIOUSLY BLOATED DEPARTMENTBy Steven Tavares Defense Secy. Robert Gates saysPentagon may need to cut over$23 billion from its budget. Despite his 79 years, Stark has been far more… Read More ›
What! Pete Sides With GOP
REVIVAL OF ‘DEATH PANEL’ RHETORIC COMING; STARK AGAINST BOARD REGULATING MEDICARE SPENDINGRepublicans on Capitol Hill vowed to dismantle health care reform one piece at a time since acting to repeal the law is politically impossible with a Democratic Senate and… Read More ›
With Tea Party Absent, Stark Rings Conciliatory Tone
STARK ADMITS HEALTH CARE REFORM IS MORE GOVERNMENT IN YOUR LIFE; BUT NEEDED IN THIS CASEBy Steven Tavares Civility came easy Saturday morning for Rep. Pete Stark. The sun was shining on the beginning of a beautiful January weekend, but… Read More ›
Stark Votes Against GOP Repeal Of Health Care Blll
REFERENCES PREGNANT CASTRO VALLEY WOMAN WHO INSURERS DEEMED HAD ‘PRE-EXISTING CONDITION’House Republicans voted to repeal President Obama’s health care reform bill, but without the entire California Congressional delegation. Three Democrats voted for the appeal today. The bills heads to the… Read More ›
East Bay Has Seen Vitriol Evident In Arizona
Opponents of Rep. Pete Stark, like the man standing above, talked down the congressman July 24 in Hayward. STARK HAS BEEN FREQUENT TARGET OF PASSIONATE RIGHTBy Steven Tavares When shots rang out in front of a Tucson Safeway last Saturday,… Read More ›
Putting Out The Fire With Gasoline
Sarah Palin and rightwing pundits like Glenn Beck have faced renewed scrutiny after the shootings in Arizona. LEFTY MEDIA, POLITICIANS CONTINUE THE DOUBLE STANDARDBy Nicholas E. Terry Soon after the unfortunate attacks in Tucson this weekend, the founder of The… Read More ›
Stark Reminds GOP Leader Elvis Is Really Dead
…Or, is he? Ask Eric Cantor OFFICE SAYS CANTOR IS ARGUING BASIC MATH Republicans took over control of the House of Representatives today, but instead of moping about the capitol, Rep. Pete Stark’s office took a playful jab at comments… Read More ›
Dems Get Talking Points To Fight Health Care Repeal
STARK SAYS GOP’S ‘NO CARE’ PLAN WILL LEAVE 32 MILLION WITHOUT COVERAGEA clash of political will over health care reform is looming over the House of Representatives and set to engage as early as next week. Democrats now in the minority are moving fast to… Read More ›
Republican Senators Place Hold On Stark’s Bill
BILL WOULD STRENGTHEN PUNISHMENT OF INSURERS WHO DEFRAUD MEDICAREBy Steven Tavares Rep. Pete Stark took one last shot at Republicans and health insurance companies before Congress wrapped up business for the year. Stark had unkind words for a group of… Read More ›
Stark: GOP Is ‘Dangerous To America’s Health’
REPORT LAYS OUT GAME PLAN AGAINST CONSERVATIVE REPEAL OF HEALTH CARE REFORMBy Steven Tavares In a report released today by Rep. Pete Stark ominously titled, “Dangerous to America’s Health: The Republican Plan to Dismantle Health Care,” the East Bay congressman… Read More ›
Stark Cannot Support Obama’s Compromise on Tax Cuts
‘REPUBLICANS SUDDENLY FOUND RELIGION ON THE DEFICIT,’ SAYS STARKPresident Obama put himself in a precarious political position this week by reaching a compromise on the extension of all the Bush tax cuts. The deal, which some Democrats believe is skewed towards… Read More ›
Chabot Students Rally in Defense of Immigration Bill
‘I SHOULD HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS ANYONE ELSE. I AM AMERICAN’ Chabot College students urge Congress Wednesday in Hayward to pass the immigration bill known as the DREAM Act (PHOTO Steven Tavares/EBC) By Steven Tavares Karina Lara does not… Read More ›
As Dems Lose Congress, Stark Takes Last Shot at Health Insurers
STARK TO INSURERS: SHARE YOUR PROFITS WITH CUSTOMERSBy Steven Tavares Rep. Pete Stark won re-election to the House last week, but control of Congress and its powerful committee chairs were wrested away by Republicans. The 19-term lawmaker, whose health subcommittee… Read More ›
Despite Unwanted National Attention Stark Poised for Re-Election
VICTORY WOULD SEND STARK TO WASHINGTON FOR THE 19TH TIMEThe Golden Gate Minutemen will not grab the scalp of their enemy Rep. Pete Stark. The long-time congressman from the East Bay, though, may take a slight electoral hit by the… Read More ›
Election Day Questions
‘THE BROADUS EFFECT’ ON PROP. 19; THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRST PLACE VOTES IN RCV; YOUNG GOES FOR TWO STRAIGHTBy Steven Tavares By the end of the night, voters in San Leandro will not know the name of the person elected… Read More ›
Baker’s Libertarian-Leaning Ethos
STARK’S CHALLENGER SAYS NATION’S PROBLEMS ROOTED IN STIFLED CAPITALISMForest Baker, the Republican challenger to Rep. Pete Stark’s congressional seat appeared on The Bob Zadek Show last Sunday saying the federal government is standing in the way of capitalism and favors… Read More ›
Pareja Becomes Official Write-In Candidate for Congress
Chris Pareja’s late run for inclusion on the November ballot fell about 4,000 signatures shy last month, but his campaign announced Monday he has received official status by the Secretary of State’s office to oppose Rep. Pete Stark and the… Read More ›
Blogger Pete
EXCLUSIVE: STARK GOT A GREAT DEAL ON CAMPAIGN SIGNS IN ’86, USES ONE EVERY TWO YEARS!Get Pete Stark an account with Blogger! The long-time East Bay congressman has not one, but two published opinion pieces in today’s papers. Stark celebrated… Read More ›
Insurers Tussle with Government, Stark over Rising Premiums
STARK, INSURERS GIVE EACH OTHER LESSONS IN ECON 101 By Steven Tavares The landmark health care reform bill passed by Congress this year is Rep. Pete Stark’s baby. Beware insurance companies, don’t mess with Pete’s baby! Stark, who is one of the… Read More ›