POLITICS
By George Miller
CD26 (Congressional) candidate Ronda Baldwin Kennedy ( https://rondakennedy.com/ ) held a townhall on 10-28-20 at Embrace Church in Oxnard. There was both a live and Zoom (online) audience, with questions taken online and from the audience. We attempted to summarize the proceedings, below.
She remarked that her entrenched four term incumbent opponent Julia Brownley would only agree to one debate, with no rebuttals permitted. So, Kennedy is doing her own multiple townhalls and speaking and writing when she can. Lack of funds and the COVID-19 restrictions make it far more difficult for a challenger to take on a well-known, well-funded incumbent.
Kennedy is a very interesting candidate, being a black former single mother with six children, including 6 year old triplets, a private practice constitutional and civil litigation attorney who gives free classes for illegal immigrants to get residence papers, married a law school study buddy, scoffs at BLM, in favor of the MLK approach- and in general demolishes stereotypes about all of the aforesaid classifications.She also ran for 44th District State Assembly in 2018.
With a weak Republican organization even more weakly supporting her, scarce funds and not much publicity, made even worse by the COVID-19 situation, she has had less than optimal exposure, to put it mildly. But she offers a very clear and distinct alternative to business as usual Congressional District 26 politics, like we’ve never seen before. At a previous Townhall, she described herself as a “moderate voice.”
Candidate Kennedy commenced the session (I’ll call her by her initials RBK, like they do with AOC, JFK, MLK, DJT and now ACB) .
She began: (incumbent opponent) Julia Brownley has held no townhalls. We have some audience questions that were sent in. She claimed she hadn’t seen them in advance, but some were duplicates of her previous events. Jordan G. will handle questions.
Q- If we take over House, who do you support as Speaker?
RBK- Don’t know who’s running yet. Need a non-divisive, non-Nancy Pelosi, who will reach across the aisle.
Q- Prop 22 guidance? (reverses AB 5 restriction on subcontractors- but ONLY for a few app-based businesses)
RBK- Mixed feelings among the public on it. It protects Lyft, Ubre, Grub Hub- they are just looking out for themselves with this- only covers them, not all independent contractors,. They started the problem in the first place. Doesn’t support it.
Q- Climate Change, clean water, etc. Restore environmental regs eased by Trump?
RBK-My priority is environment, don’t want pollutants, want renewable energy. Then she started talking about bad treatment of women. We are dependent on foreign energy. Haven’t looked at regs stopped by Trump. Would have to look at them and make own decision.
Q. How can our education system be so underfunded, with high CA taxes and mandates the way they are?
RBK- Teachers are not getting their share of budget- top heavy on administration. Money should go for teachers, students. Need more parental, PTA involvement in budget, cut admin. Use federal power of purse strings to force this for federal funding.
Q. CVUSD (Conejo Valley Unified School District) pulled a bait and switch, refusing to send students back to school until January. Should feds withhold funding until returned?
RBK- If students are taught at home, some school budget should go to parents. Use federal purse strings to force it.
Q- Elections people (County) refuse to allow observing of signatures. How to make this happen?
RBK- Founding fathers would be appalled at today’s voting fraud. Any measure to make people feel elections are safe would be good. Need to observe up close. We have lots of voter fraud, bags of ballots that just show up. Every vote needs to be legal and counted properly. It will take lawsuits to accomplish this.
Q- People leaving due to taxes, crime etc. Your message to people?
RBK- Please don’t leave. We need more support to help restore this state. One party rule is bad. There is no working together. Example- SB145- loosens sex offender registration and allows up to 10 year age gap between sex partners (pedophilia). Wants a federal law.
Q- Problems with mail in voting and voting in general?
RBK- Too much fraud. Why would a county have issues with purging dead, moved away, ineligible registrants? Want voter ID. It’s NOT racist. NOT having it is racist..
Q- Favorite food?
RBK- I’m from Wisconsin- cheese curd.
Q- If Joe Biden wins, would he pack the Supreme Court?
RBK- If he wins and passes competency test and is even conscious, it would be disrespecting the Constitution if he did. Legislators should not tamper with the system. No federal term limits- need them. Does not support court expansion.
Q- What is your sign?
RBK- Capricorn. Triplets are Sagittarius, born on my 45th birthday.
Q, What do you think of ACB (Supreme Court Justice Amy C. Barrett) appointment?
RBK- I’m a woman. Think highly of ACB. Other women can do this. Stop political bickering, celebrate another woman on SCOTUS. My opponent talks negatively about her, even as she talks female empowerment. We now have equal pay/rights. ACB is beacon of hope. I hope to join her on the bench some day.
Q- What would you be doing differently on stimulus checks? Seems mostly like bailouts for states.
RBK- Americans suffering while politicians bicker. Some states are run poorly- were in deficit before COVID. Money should go to individuals, businesses. No Businesses, far fewer jobs. Govt. not helping landlords. When I go to Congress this political bickering will stop. Don’t collect a paycheck until you pass a stimulus.
Q- Your position on BLM?
RBK- Yeah, we all know they (black lives) matter, every life matters. But what is the goal of BLM, Inc? Let’s separate them. They claim to represent all black people, What about inner city violence? Do THOSE black lives matter? BLM refused to sit down with the President. MLK and others protested peacefully until they got a seat at the table, Horrific things happened in the past. She gave examples. The infamous pool poisoning incident forced LBJ to the table. 1964 Civil Rights act resulted. Why didn’t BLM do it? There’s another agenda. BLM does NOT speak for me.
Q- Your thoughts on Tucker Carlson and Bobelinski? (Hunter Biden partner outs Biden family corruption interview 10-27-20)
RBK- Have not seen it, but will watch and answer.
Q- Wildfires destroying lives. Insurance companies making it difficult to get insurance. How do we prevent fires, control insurance costs/insurability?
RBK- Clean out forest fire fuel, underbrush. Fires need fuel, forests poorly managed. Look at lobbyists/special interest groups protecting orgs like PG&E which increase fire danger. Need legislation to hep guarantee insurability . We’re (CA) getting known for fires. Need more federal money. (CD 26 Rep.) Brownley invisible, not bringing money back.
Q- Should a ten year old know what members of Congress do?
RBK- What they do now vs what they are supposed to. Doing nothing now. Should be a legislative branch of govt. She described branches of govt. Legislature makes laws, executive enforces, courts rule on constitutionality. You should read the Constitution annually. Must know the law/rights.
Q- What’s difference between a mandate and a law? Mask mandate? Is it lawful to fine people in LA for not wearing masks?
RBK- It is only a guideline on wearing a mask. You have to have a law for it to be enforceable. Don’t know if there is a mask ORDINANCE in LA County or City. She was challenged for having more than 6 people at a restaurant table and found it wasn’t an actual law. What about families, she asked? Don’t blindly follow orders, demand to see law.
Q- Term limits? DC swamp creatures won’t ever do term limits. How to accomplish it?
RBK- A Constitutional amendment would need 2/3 majority, then go to states for ratification. Not sure if states could do term limits for their own federal reps (Senate, House of Reps.).
Q- How to regain free speech on campuses, social platforms? (Speakers being prevented from speaking, platforms censoring, restricting post distribution)
RBK- Those accepting federal money could be forced. Media enforcement more difficult. For Social media platforms- go after a derivative shareholders action, because ad restrictions are hurting revenues and management is refusing some political ad revenue. Congress starting to act on it now. Platforms have woken a sleeping dragon.
Q- Will Biden face action as a result of his 2017 actions? (Alleged influence peddling, etc.)
RBK- Impeachable actions if they happened. Full investigation needed of his self-dealing/loyalties/access for sale.
Q- If Biden wins, we have an extreme far left- how do we stop it if he’s elected?
RBK- Through Congress and the Senate. Both right and left have concerns. Checks and balances. Refer to “Clawback” organization,. A congressional rep is your voice.
Q- Plan for economic recovery of Ventura County?
RBK- Actively recruit business to VC. Want SpaceX. Should be actively recruiting companies. Current rep (26CD Brownley, her opponent) is passive. It would bring high paying jobs, $$ to county. Opportunity zones- have 4 in VC- not being developed. I will promote them.
Q- What would process be to (recall/) replace Gov. Gavin Newsom?
RBK- First must get signatures, then do a recall and replace election. Schwarzenegger election was a recall.
Q- Homeless plan?
RBK. Yes, homeless population growing, people out of work, COVID made it worse. Not just people but families. CA is unaffordable. Transients living in cars. Lack affordable housing due to over regulation and over burden on employers- regulations/taxes. High levels of mental illness and addiction. Many don’t qualify for mental health court. Stop throwing money and start addressing root causes.
Q- Answer to over regulation, people can’t get insurance?
RBK- I’m not sure. But you want all to be insured, or you will pay more. Cost for uninsured is high. More workman comp fraud- needs better management
Q- Your legal specialty?
RBK- Civil litigation and constitutional law.
Q- Why should illegal immigrants be afraid to come out- risk deportation?
RBK- Shouldn’t be afraid, Multiple ways to get legal status. I teach classes on this. Congress should do comprehensive immigration reform. One party uses it as a weapon, scare tactic. Only violent criminals being deported. Left side of the aisle likes to use it as a weapon. Suggest that you call Julia Brownley to tell her to work with the other side on solving this. We want to keep America like it is so American dream exists for everyone.
In closing ….
I will answer any additional questions- call or text our campaign.
I will hold weekly townhall meetings after elected.
Nov 2 townhall meeting upcoming.
Watch previous 10-21-20 townhall
Call Brownley and ask her why she agreed to only one debate and no rebuttals permitted.
George Miller is Publisher/Co-Founder of CitizensJournal.us and a “retired” operations management consultant residing in Oxnard.
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