On the Fence in the 33rd? Vote for Bloomfield!

The Congressional Race in the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District received a lot of attention even before the June 6th primary determined who would run in the general election.

The former 36th Congressional district (represented for 18 years by Jane Harman and then briefly by San Pedro’s Janice Hahn), with an eighteen point Democratic  advantage, diminished slightly into a sixteen point advantage, with conservative-leaning Calabasas and Agoura Hills joining the more moderate South Bay. Conservatives and Republicans both rejoiced because with the 56% Republican--“Decline to State” spread versus 44% Democratic representation, they saw a legitimate chance to remove Henry Waxman from office.

Six candidates took on Congressman Waxman in the primary, including Libertarian Steve Collette, young Republican Christopher David, and even “conservative” Democrat Zein Obagi. A wealthy benefactor running on a platform to end gridlock and bring down national debt and deficit spending, Independent Bill Bloomfield of Manhattan Beach won the second spot in the June 6th primary. Like many voters who have commented on this Congressional race, “Anyone but Waxman” is enough for me. One Republican in Santa Monica immediately shared my optimism when I told him that only two candidates were running in the general election, and Mr. Bloomfield was a credible candidate reaching out to all voters.

However, the more I learned about Mr. Bloomfield’s stance on certain issues, I found myself sitting on the fence for a little while. While conservatives and many independents want a full repeal of ObamaCare, Bloomfield wants to repeal the individual mandate. Many conservative voters are pro-life, while Bloomfield is pro-choice (but not “pro-abortion”). The majority of California voters voted for Prop 8 and many believe that marriage is a relationship between one man and woman, no matter what government says. Bloomfield voted against Prop 8 and believes that marriage should be defined by the states. Bill Bloomfield is definitely no “Tea Party” or “Arch" Conservative, as some have unfairly maligned him.

Furthermore, while Bloomfield thinks that partisan gridlock in Washington is a bad thing, I believe that the "Constitutional Trinity" of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson are smiling in heaven as they look upon our national government and see the divided mind of the American electorate made fully manifest in our nation’s capital. We the People send our representative to Washington so that they will argue about these issues – and for many, that includes repealing ObamaCare, which means that President Obama must become a one-term president, as US Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell promised to facilitate.

So, this litany of “strikes” against Bloomfield has given pause and caused conservative and independent voters to sit on the fence. Understandably, this important cadre of voters may have second thoughts about the Independent candidate. He is not perfect, yet perfect will always be the enemy of the good. To his credit, Bloomfield is free of corporate and special interest influence. He stands by his views and refuses to change his mind just to please voters or get votes. He has integrity, even if his views do not integrate completely with conservatives and Independents. He cares about the debt and deficits that are destroying this country, and all the while he has refused to run a nasty negative-ad campaign for the office. He’s not perfect, but he’s good enough, and he is way better than Henry Waxman.

If any voters still have reservations, just remember the record of Bloomfield’s challenger, who has funded tax-and-spend liberal candidates in the Westside for decades, since up until now he never had to run a campaign. Waxman opposed electoral reform. Waxman has also expanded dependency and poverty with programs which by intention are supposed to help the poor, yet fail to do so. Waxman blocked the Wilshire-Santa Monica “Subway to the Sea” for decades, most likely at the behest of wealthy donors in the West LA region. Waxman drafted, sponsored, and to this day champions ObamaCare – do we really want Henry Waxman the Taxman to get another term? And do not forget job-killing Waxman-Markey “Cap and Trade”!

Waxman has highlighted his crusade against underage smoking and requiring nutrition labels on our food. Too bad he refuses to discuss our nation’s economy, which is going up in smoke because of Washington’s insane spending spree burning through our credit and incinerating our future. Too bad that Waxman’s economic policies of “tax now” and “save never” have forced an unprecedented 40 million Americans out of work and onto food stamps. Let us not forget the execrable treatment of our LA-Brentwood veterans, whom Waxman has done nothing to assist, even permitting private lease of  land which belongs to the care and cure of our men and women who have served our country.

From baseball, bailouts and bills before his own committee (“I don’t know!”), to billions of waste on green tech companies (“I’m sorry!”), to complete denial about our fiscal situation (“We’re not broke!”), Congressman Waxman is an unacceptable candidate who does not deserve another term in office. Please, undecided conservatives and independents of the 33rd: get off the fence and throw Henry Waxman out of office!