Cole HarrisClub Soccer center back Cole Harris scored the only goal for the Orange County Strikers in the national club championship game in Frisco, Texas (Dallas suburb) June 25. After a week of contests in the extreme Texas heat, the Strikers ascended to the final game of the U.S. Youth Soccer National League against the Atlanta FC. They lost 3 to 1, but it was an exciting game to watch Cole score on Apple Television with color commentary. A great start for a young soccer enthusiast.
A burned neighborhood after the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, on Nov. 15, 2018. Photo: Josh Edelson / AFP - Getty Images fileFor half a decade California has been besieged by drought, wildfire, and this winter heavy rains and snow. Now it expects summer floods. And, of course, the state is always subject to earthquakes so it’s not surprising that 74 percent of residents say they are knowledgeable about the steps to get prepared for a natural disaster. More than two-fifths (41%) claim they have a disaster supply kit with food, water, and other essential supplies.
The PPIC survey was conducted on the Ipsos online Knowledge Panel on May 17- 24, 2023, with 1,576 California adult residents. The survey had a margin of error of ±3.2 percentage points.
A majority of Californians (69%) have “a great deal or “some confidence” in state and local governments’ readiness to respond to natural disasters, with 71 percent of Los Angeles County and 72 percent of Orange and San Diego County residents expressing confidence. About a third have “very little or no confidence” in state and local government readiness.
READ: PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government
AP Photo/Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, FileIn the 2022-23 winter, California experienced heavy rains and flooding with record snowfall. But voters remained committed to the state’s water conservation policies (81%) and by 60 percent to 14 percent supported the idea of reducing water delivery from the Colorado River.
The statewide California poll was conducted by the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. The IGS online poll was directed by Mark DeCamillo between May 17 and 22, 2023, with 7,465 California registered voters. The margin of error is ±2 percentage points. The LA Times helped fund the poll.
Even in river-water-dependent Southern California, a majority of voters were supportive of cutting water delivery from the Colorado River. However, there were partisan differences, with 69 percent of Democrats favoring cuts but only 47 percent of Republicans. Survey was in the field prior to the recent Colorado River water agreement.
READ: Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies IGS Poll June 1, 2023
By Quirinale.it, Although their political careers were twenty years apart, many similarities are apparent. Berlusconi and Trump were both masters of promoting their personal brands and whatever they were selling at the time. And as they took up politics, they both approached it from a populist perspective, appealing to ordinary people ostensibly ignored by elites, usually long on slogans and short on accomplishment but frequently entertaining.
They also both crossed legal and ethical lines to promote their businesses and their politics. Berlusconi faced trial at least 36 times in his life, but only a conviction for tax fraud kept him out of office for a time.
Unfortunately for the rule of law and democracy, both men were prepared to go to extraordinary efforts to stay in office and to avoid the consequences of their crimes and misdemeanors. Berlusconi, often beat the charge by running the statute of limitations (or changing them). At 86 the final limitation ran for him.
Clinton, Bush and Perot 1992 Presidential DebateThe public is not happy with the 2024 presidential choices. It looks like a good year for independent candidates. Bill and Hillary Clinton each ran in years that were good for independent candidates. Ross Perot (Reform Party) received 19% of the national vote in 1992. He won no states’ electoral votes but a fractured Republican Party was not able to reelect its incumbent nominee, George H.W. Bush.
In 2016, both parties had contested primaries and the two nominees had high negative ratings. The vote for the two leading independent candidates, Green Party Jill Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson reached more than 4 percent.
In the three states Clinton lost, Stein gained more votes than the margin. Clinton lost Michigan by 10,704 votes (Stein received 51,463); she lost Pennsylvania by 44,292 (Stein 49,941), Wisconsin by 22,748 (Stein 31,721).
Of course, in the 2000 election Florida was the ultimate battleground won by George W. Bush with 537 votes. Ralph Nader and his Green Party received 2.7 percent of the vote nationally, including 97,488 in Florida.
New polling suggest that a quarter of voters say they will vote for an unnamed third-party candidate against Biden and Trump. Younger voters and self-described independents say they will vote for a third-party candidate by more than 30 percent.
Floyd Ciruli was father to a large family in Pueblo, Colorado. As the oldest boy in a 2nd generation Italian immigrant family from Abruzzi, Italy, he was also the patriarch of the extended Pueblo clan. He was a Colorado sportsman, especially fishing on his favorite water around beautiful South Fork. We all miss you, Floyd.
Photo: Dean Krakel, Special to Freshwater NewsWhether it’s Colorado River water to the Platte for the Front Range or the San Luis Valley aquifer to the Denver suburbs, the quest to move water from the source to the population in Colorado never ends.
Jerd Smith in Fresh Water News (6-7-23) describes the latest effort.
Real estate developers interested in exporting water they own from San Luis Valley to fast-growing, water-short Douglas County have contributed thousands of dollars to candidates for the Parker Water & Sanitation District board, one of the largest water providers in the county.
Such large contributions are unusual in low-profile water district board elections, where candidates often provide their own funding for their campaigns of a few hundred dollars, rather than thousands, according to Redd, Manager of Parker Water. “That’s a lot of money for a water board race,” Redd said.
Renewable Water Resources, the investor group, continues to search for a local government to help on costs, but I said:
Floyd Ciruli, a pollster and veteran observer of Colorado politics who has done extensive work in the past for Douglas County water providers, said the RWR initiative faces an uphill battle.
“They have resistance at both ends.” Ciruli said, referring to opposition in the San Luis Valley and in the metro area. “It’s interesting that [RWR] is contributing to these boards. It’s a real long shot.”
Source: Developers behind San Luis Valley water export proposal contribute thousands to Douglas County water district races: https://www.watereducationcolorado.org/fresh-water-news/developers- behind-san-luis-valley-water-export-proposal-contribute-thousands-to-douglas-county-water-board- races/
Photos: www.hotelnerva.comMarcus Nerva was one of Rome’s most respected emperors (96-98) and began the reign of five good emperors, with the selection of Trajan as his heir. The Cirulli family’s Hotel Nerva is situated next to his monument at the Roman Forum, a perfect location for enjoying the city and its history. The boutique hotel is a short walk to the Piazza Venezia, Trajan’s Column, the restaurant, club and shop-rich Monti neighborhood and the Colosseum.
The hotel has been operated for more than 20 years by the Cirulli family from Abruzzi, a province east of Rome toward the Adriatic. The region has the beautiful Apennine mountains and Italy’s largest national park. The family has many relatives in Colorado, especially Pueblo.
While the issues are different in each country, all three are under the control of right-wing governments with increasing authoritarian behavior. And each is witnessing massive demonstrations of citizens resisting the trend.
Although it’s not clear they will have an impact on the governing parties, they are showing a democratic spirit is still alive.
Warsaw, Poland | Photo: Lukasz Gagulski/EPA, Shutterstock
Belgrade, Serbia | Photo: Fedja Grulovic/Reuters
Katie Porter, Barbara Lee, and Adam Schiff | Photos via AP Photo and CalMatters
The latest Berkeley IGS Poll shows Adam Schiff and Katie Porter in a close race for Feinstein’s California senate seat. Schiff tends to emphasize the dangers to democracy in DC from former President Trump and Porter points to economic inequity and the impunity of big corporations.
Porter is slightly ahead today in the California top-two primary scheduled for March 2024, with one declared Republican candidate, Eric Early, winning 15 percent of the vote. Porter received 18 percent, Schiff at 14 percent, and Barbara Lee in third with 9 percent.
The Democrats have some distinct constituencies with degree of liberalism and geography significant. Table shows groups at least 4 points beyond the candidate’s overlap support.
A third of the voters (32%) did not have an opinion on the candidate sufficient to make a choice, with the largest percent among 18 to 29 year olds (42%).
Two candidate surveys confirm this race is wide open with the candidates running close.
Berkeley IGS Poll was conducted May 17-22, 2023, with 5,236 registered likely voters (±2.5 percentage points).
Release #2023-05: March 2024 Senate primary election remains wide-open affair: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5gk3z8qc
Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, Ted Cruz, Glenn Youngkin, Chris Sununu, Kristi Noem, Greg Abbott, Larry Hogan, Chris Christie, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pompeo, Liz Cheney and Will Hurd. Photo: Getty ImagesDeSantis ahead in February, Trump in May, with Cheney in third tied with Pence.
This should be an interesting primary to watch. It’s ten months out so expect the voter swing recently reported by the Berkeley IGS poll to continue. Examining the data, political commentator Floyd Ciruli describes the shift between Ron DeSantis ahead of the field in February to Donald Trump taking an 18-point lead in the latest May poll as showing a still open field where further change could happen quickly.
Many new candidates are entering the race and Governor DeSantis has started campaigning in Iowa, the first Republican nomination state. Mike Pence went to Iowa and then filed to run. Also in Iowa last week was Tim Scott, who just joined the race with his fellow South Carolinian officeholder, former Governor Nikki Haley. Liz Cheney, former Wyoming congressperson, often shows up in Republican primary polls!
Berkeley IGS Poll was conducted May 17-22, 2023, with 1,853 registered Republicans (± 3.5 percentage points). Done in partnership with the LA Times.
Release #2023-07: Trump opens up big. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8j93p7sj
Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston May 18, 2023 Photos: Timothy Hurst/Denver GazetteA series of conversations were held the week prior to election day with Denver business, nonprofit and political leaders. They expressed their preferences for mayor and who they thought would win.
While conducting the 16 interviews, the campaigners turned very negative. Obviously with most of the vote coming on the last couple of days, this snapshot of the final week may be superseded.
The leaders preferred Kelly Brough but thought Mike Johnston would win.
The majority of leaders believe both candidates can do the job and Denver got lucky in the first round of voting. Also, many Denver leaders interviewed were very concerned about the damage a super left wing city council will do.
Brough Aims at Billionaires for Final Attack
Because more than half of the vote will come in the last two days, Kelly Brough is betting her final counter offensive on attacking Mike Johnston’s funders. But even without public polls, most political observers have concluded as of the last week the race was probably close but that Mike Johnston had a lead similar to the April 4 primary of about 4 points.
Social Media Campaign Targets Billionaires
| Denver is not for sale! Alert! Billionaires Double Down! Negative Attacks! Denver is not for sale! Coastal Billionaire |
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Will Brough media conferences, social media and advertising move weekend and election day voters? Will her older, more Anglo voters dominate?
We will know 7:00 PM tonight.
Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston at a Feb. 23 forum. Photos: Hyoung Chang/Denver PostThe Denver mayor’s race seemed a polite and quiet affair until the last two weeks when Kelly Brough, apparently behind, began attack ads and public relations. But compared to recent elections in L.A., Chicago and Baltimore, it is still calm. The Nuggets have gotten more publicity and interest as they get to their finals.
The lack of public polling has made observations difficult. The only poll from early April showed a close race, with Mike Johnston slightly ahead as he was in the runoff vote. He still dominates the money race but both candidates have enough to be on television.
Looking at the endorsements, the race appears close, with each candidate drawing some conservative and liberal-appearing groups.
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