Our district needs real local representation, not someone from Bay Area

We need real local representation

Josh Harder may say he’s a local guy, but his actions say otherwise. Here’s what we know: Harder didn’t even vote in a local election until he decided to run for Congress. In addition to this, most of his campaign funding comes from the Bay Area. I certainly didn’t see any other “local” candidates hosting a fundraiser in Oakland this week. If you were truly “for the Valley and of the Valley” you wouldn’t run to the Bay Area to raise more money from liberal democrats.

I’m not big fan of name-calling but #BayAreaHarder seems to be spot on. We need a truly local candidate to represent our Valley.

Was this just a political trick?

I attended the Latino Community Roundtable where a woman, unknown to the Josh Harder staff or Progressive Democrats club, yells to Jeff Denham: “What about your Mexican wife?” Was she talking about the wall? Immigration? What?

A few days later, The Bee publishes three letters from people who don’t appear to have attended the LCR demanding Harder apologize for this “racist” remark. Harder’s staff probably appreciated the Progressive Democrats’ peaceful protest, but they have never condoned racism. The comment by this young woman, whoever she is, is not the problem. The problem is this “Trump-like” trick where you stir up news with unimportant events.

Denham is supporting the Delta tunnels to send water to Southern California. He said there will be no immigration bill passed by the Republican-controlled Congress before the elections. He said he supported ACA, but voted against it. The Republicans’ plan includes a list of pre-existing conditions that will allow insurance rates to be raised.

Denham doesn’t want us thinking about the issues. If we do, most of us will vote for Harder.

Build hatcheries, not bullet trains

Scrap the bullet train, build more fish hatcheries. I think Jerry (Moonbeam) Brown should look at the State Water Resources Control Board’s plan to significantly increase the water flowing down the tributaries of the San Joaquin River to increase the salmon population by a few hundred fish a year. It will cripple the Valley’s economy, farms and communities.

There are eight hatcheries in California that raise salmon and steelhead. The Mokelumne hatchery broke a record of 18,000 salmon last year returning to the stream. If Moonbeam wants a legacy, he should give up on the bullet train and build two salmon hatcheries – one on the Stanislaus River and one on the Tuolumne. It sure is funny how every time they increase flows on the Stanislaus, the Tracy pumps kick on and LA has our water flowing its way.