VERITAS INITIATIVE HEADED FOR THE BALLOT

On November 26, 2001 sponsors of the VERITAS election reform charter amendment submitted 12,952 signatures to the City Clerk. This represents a number well in excess of the 9,039 signatures required. Knowing the meticulous nature of this movement's aparatchiks, I expect there is no question of their having sufficient valid signatures to qualify the initiative for the ballot.

This measure divides the city into seven council districts, each of which, would elect its own city council representative, and also provides for a citywide election of the mayor. This would replace the current system of at-large elections of all council members and election of the mayor by the city council.

When VERITAS will be put on the ballot is not known at the time of this writing. It may be during the November 2002 general election or during a separate special election. This decision will be made by the City Council.

Since Santa Monica for Renters Rights will view this measure as a serious threat to its local political hegemony, expect the gloves to come off and a bare-knuckle brawl to erupt. The "landlord plot to destroy rent control" conspiracy theories are ready to be put back into service after a too short hiatus. If the war in Afghanistan wasn't enough to satisfy your thirst for conflict, stay tuned.

BREAKING WAR NEWS

I enjoy the special wartime vocabulary that members of the administration and the news media use. Just for kicks I will try to write a few hypothetical lines to include a few of my favorite terms. Here goes….

American infidels and their surrogates have sent military assets to the Afghan Theater. Air power has deployed substantial ordinance designed to assist boots on the ground but has resulted in remarkably little collateral damage. Special Ops have provided close-up support for local warlords in penetrating Taliban strongholds and rooting out Taliban strongmen. CIA operatives are known to be involved in covert operations. Meanwhile a U.N. brokered peace process in under way in an attempt to craft a post-Taliban governmental accord. The success of the war effort militarily is the result of America's air superiority but the success diplomatically springs from the disparate coalition that has been cobbled together by the U.S.A. diplomatic team. With the fall of Taliban control over most of Afghanistan complete, Rummy reports that efforts are now underway to confront the compound housing Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders. This campaign is being directed from the Central Command headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

President Bush, with his 90% approval rating, and Vice-President Cheney, in his secure location, can be applauded for strong but measured leadership. The adults are once again in charge in this country. Americans everywhere have united behind the War on Terrorism, except in Berkeley.