Tweet
2012 ELECTION: GRIMY GATTO IV
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
asbarez
Monday, October 1st, 2012
It's time again to study the malefic doings of our least-favorite
member of the California State Assembly, Mike Gatto. This should
remind everyone of why it's so important to vote in the November 6
election, and, if you live in the 43rd Assembly district, to vote
for Greg Krikorian over Gatto.
Let's start with an example of Mike's public pronouncements being
not quite consistent with one another as he pursues undeserved
credibility. Regardless of what your position is on the I-710
extension, you'll see how Gatto trips up over his own insecurity.
In March of 2010, when asked his position on the 710 issue, Mike told
the Glendale Sunroom Desk that he was still researching the matter
of the 710 tunnel proposal. Yet in a letter-to-the-editor Gatto wrote
regarding an article that he said misrepresented his position on the
710 question , he claimed "I have been, and continue to be, opposed
to the extension of the Long Beach (710) Freeway in any form." Really?
That wasn't his position a short time before, as proven by the first
article I cited.
Of course there's nothing wrong with holding off on taking a position
until you've properly studied an issue. There's not even anything wrong
with changing your position on an issue when exposed to the facts
or a majority of your constituents' desires. But there is something
wrong with pretending to have always held the given opinion when that
isn't the case. This kind of disingenuousness is a highly undesirable
trait in an elected official. Straightforwardness and integrity are
far more important, but the likes of Mike don't get it.
Another version of this "slickness" manifested itself when it took
some four months to set up a meeting with Assemblymember Mike Gatto to
address Armenian community needs. A January appointment had been made
to for numerous Armenian organizations to meet with the Assemblymember
to discuss community needs and how to address them. This got postponed
at Gatto's request. No problem, things like this happen. So it went to
February, but was delayed again to later in the month, then to March.
Finally, a meeting did take place with Gatto's office, but on the
ANCA's Sacramento lobby day, in April. The nature of that meeting was
unavoidably different, shorter, and more specific-issue-oriented than
broad-community-needs-oriented. This is disrespectful, at best. It also
demonstrates a fundamental disregard for what amounts to approximately
1/3 of this particular assembly district's population.
So because Gatto doesn't care about the Armenian community, except
when he has to sow discord within it for his electoral purposes, what
could have been a very meaningful discussion, even an opportunity to
improve a tense relationship, became a downgraded meeting.
You can see how Mike Gatto is always trying to play people to suit
his needs. You may argue that all politicians do that. There' some
truth to that notion. But, they don't do that to the exclusion of
productive engagement with their constituents.
It's time to rid the 43rd assembly district of Mike Gatto and his
shenanigans. Make sure you vote in the upcoming election, and you
vote with this necessity in mind.
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN
asbarez
Monday, October 1st, 2012
It's time again to study the malefic doings of our least-favorite
member of the California State Assembly, Mike Gatto. This should
remind everyone of why it's so important to vote in the November 6
election, and, if you live in the 43rd Assembly district, to vote
for Greg Krikorian over Gatto.
Let's start with an example of Mike's public pronouncements being
not quite consistent with one another as he pursues undeserved
credibility. Regardless of what your position is on the I-710
extension, you'll see how Gatto trips up over his own insecurity.
In March of 2010, when asked his position on the 710 issue, Mike told
the Glendale Sunroom Desk that he was still researching the matter
of the 710 tunnel proposal. Yet in a letter-to-the-editor Gatto wrote
regarding an article that he said misrepresented his position on the
710 question , he claimed "I have been, and continue to be, opposed
to the extension of the Long Beach (710) Freeway in any form." Really?
That wasn't his position a short time before, as proven by the first
article I cited.
Of course there's nothing wrong with holding off on taking a position
until you've properly studied an issue. There's not even anything wrong
with changing your position on an issue when exposed to the facts
or a majority of your constituents' desires. But there is something
wrong with pretending to have always held the given opinion when that
isn't the case. This kind of disingenuousness is a highly undesirable
trait in an elected official. Straightforwardness and integrity are
far more important, but the likes of Mike don't get it.
Another version of this "slickness" manifested itself when it took
some four months to set up a meeting with Assemblymember Mike Gatto to
address Armenian community needs. A January appointment had been made
to for numerous Armenian organizations to meet with the Assemblymember
to discuss community needs and how to address them. This got postponed
at Gatto's request. No problem, things like this happen. So it went to
February, but was delayed again to later in the month, then to March.
Finally, a meeting did take place with Gatto's office, but on the
ANCA's Sacramento lobby day, in April. The nature of that meeting was
unavoidably different, shorter, and more specific-issue-oriented than
broad-community-needs-oriented. This is disrespectful, at best. It also
demonstrates a fundamental disregard for what amounts to approximately
1/3 of this particular assembly district's population.
So because Gatto doesn't care about the Armenian community, except
when he has to sow discord within it for his electoral purposes, what
could have been a very meaningful discussion, even an opportunity to
improve a tense relationship, became a downgraded meeting.
You can see how Mike Gatto is always trying to play people to suit
his needs. You may argue that all politicians do that. There' some
truth to that notion. But, they don't do that to the exclusion of
productive engagement with their constituents.
It's time to rid the 43rd assembly district of Mike Gatto and his
shenanigans. Make sure you vote in the upcoming election, and you
vote with this necessity in mind.