In the Thursday edition of the OC Register, columnist Frank Mickadeit’s column makes it sound like the sky is falling because Mayor Sukhee Kang cast two votes in a different direction from council member Larry Agran. I really hate to break it to Frank, as he perpetuates this notion that Kang and Krom are Agran puppets in a sly manner in many of his columns when those who know all three know they are strong willed and very independent people who usually vote alike. Are the Republicans on the Costa Mesa City Council Jim Righeimer puppets? Just asking.
Micakdeit also makes this look as though Agran has somehow lost power. Kang is Mayor and Krom is the chair for the Great Park Corp., so I think Frank musty not be keeping up on the news here in Irvine. Agran has the same number of votes he’s always had; his. Kang has his. Krom has hers.
From Frank’s column: “For several reasons – Agran’s political smarts and voter apathy among them – Republicans have never been able to get a third vote and take control of the Great Park. This is even though Irvine has a majority of Republican voters – roughly 40,000 to the Democrats’ 36,000.”
And this statement: “The Democratic Party of Orange County gave Irvine Mayor Sukhee Kang its top honor on Tuesday night at its annual Harry S. Truman Dinner, the local party’s annual dress-up event, which in recent years has drawn big turnouts and top speakers.”
Irvine is the safest city in American for the past seven years. It has a smaller local government today compared to the number of city employees it has to the number of residents served than it did when the Republicans last held power. Irvine has the county’s top schools and one of the storngest economies, and there are no issues between the city and its employees like we see in Costa Mesa. But the fact the Democrats have held the council majority for nearly 12 years is due to voter apathy? The Truman dinner is the party’s “dress up” event (imagine the OC GOP Flag Day event being called that)?!
We get it Frank; you’re not a fan of Democrats. It must kill you and your Republican friends to see Irvine do so well compared with other cities in OC run by your Republican pals.
I know there are signs throughout the Register’s newsroom that read: “Your mother says she loves you, check it out.” Frank spends little time with those in Irvine who swing to the center left (wow, only 4,000 behind Republicans, reall?). The reason Republicans haven’t made a strong run at the council is they have offered terrible candidates. Kang had a huge margin of victory last fall. Agran was the top votegetter for council. Krom was the top votegetter in 2008. All this in spite of the very favorable columns Frank has written for GOP candidates in town over the years. But Irvine Democrats keep winning in spite of our “weak livered liberal” status (yes, another Mickadeit reference).
So the sky is not falling in Irvine because Mayor Kang voted differently (I’ll add Krom joined him on one of those votes). But with the leaps this columnist attempts to make, he should try out for the Olympics.
Dan, puppets by any other name are still puppets.
Kang and Krom are two of the biggest in the history of Irvine and I have seen them all. Larry continues to pull the strings and they both jump. Neither has ever had an original idea of their own and merely promote the Agranista Agenda. Mickadeit was off base in his suggestion of Agran losing his power. The King is not only alive and well, he will continue to be for the forseeable future? While Kang and Krom might be getting a little testy, their parting was on nothing votes. This action was more likely a diversion to fool voters into believing they were overnight independents. Agran has slapped Krom up side the ears more than once in past years when she started thinking for herself. He would not hesitate to do so again, if she crossed him on a major issue. I expect Kang to make a few other inconsequential votes against Agran in 2012, to reinforce his fake independence and try and change his image from liberal to moderate. Sorry to tell Kang, but he has about as much chance getting elected to Congress as did Beth Krom.
On your other comment about the neighboring City of Costa Mesa, the answer is “Yes” the entire Council are all puppets, except for Wendy Leece. In Costa Mesa, Jim Righeimer is merely one of the four spineless members on a string being controlled by Scott Baugh, head of the O.C. Republican Party. Of course, we now have our own Baugh puppet in Irvine with Jeff Lalloway, a trend which will hopefully not repeat itself in the future. In my humble opinion, Baugh is every bit as bad for the Republican Party, as Larry Agran is for Irvine.
Hey pat if Christina Shea asked you to jump you’d say how high how farvand how many times. You’re a tool pat. Shut up and go collect your pension on my tax dollars
Please lecture Irvine Dems some more Pat. Just becausevyou think their puppets doesn’t make it true. You just lost your party’s strongest wing nut to Texas. Lalloway is a joke
Pat — Honestly, you don’t know what you’re talking about. I guess if you repeat a lie often enough, you will hope it becomes the truth
Dan, I know you ae excited about the “Seize Irvine” by all the wantabee protesters from Orange County, but you really need to stay grounded. We also understand you are the great spinmaster for the Agranistas and I wouldn’t expect you acknowledge the truth if it kissed you on the lips. I have known Larry Agran a lot longer than you have and seen both the Jekyll and Hyde sides of him. In his early years he was not a bad guy, but the power went to his head, and corrupted him to the core. That’s why long time advisors Mark Petracca and Chris Mears parted company with Larry. One day, the Irvine voters will awaken from their coma and see what Mark and Chris did and Agran will be history.
Annon – Hiding in the closet with your comments are you? That’s pretty brave of you. Just to clear up your misinformation about Christina Shea, while being friends and running on a slate with her and Steven Choi, I have never been in anyone’s pocket. Christina and I disagreed on a number of issues and she never asked me to change my position. Had I been elected, my loyalty would have been to the citizens of Irvine, as it was for the thirty years I worked for them as a Cop.
P.S. At least I do thank you for the nice retirement, but think I will stick around and keep you liberals and the RINO’s honest.
Yes, Lalloway is a joke, no arguement from me there. But to his credit, he got enough votes to get elected, which is better than I did. I would have made a lousy politician anyway, because I can’ talk out of both sides of my mouth at the same time. Give those darn Capitalists hell on Saturday at the “Seize Irvine” protest for hoarding all the money they made.
Pat —
we all deal with anon commenters; and while I agree with you they lack courage, I also think you’d be a puppet to whatever Shea would have wanted you to do. Sorry, but I call it like I see it here.
If Frank can finish law school and pass the bar exam before collecting Social Security, I think his goal is to become Tony Rackauckas’s driver..
Frank is too busy being probolsky and fleischmans underwear buddy. Must be quite a come down from Cotonou to Costa Mesa Frank.