Four More Years? Meanwhile.
• • • • • • • • • • April 2025 • • • • • • • • • •
On January 9, 1969, President-elect John F. Kennedy, not yet sworn in as president of the United States, addressed the Massachusetts legislation in Boston and uttered memorable words regarding the “high court of history” deciding fulfillment of responsibilities to our nation. He declared: “Courage — judgment — integrity — dedication — these are the historic qualities which, with God’s help…will characterize our Government’s conduct in the four stormy years ahead.”
Applying those truisms to President Trump in his first three months of presidential performance, which has agitated the nation, leaves me saddened. I’m also fearful of the future. His treatment of Ukraine in its efforts to preserve its independence and democracy is shameful. Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin seem similar in their views of democracy. While I concur with efforts to reduce the federal bureaucracy (just as I do with reducing San Francisco’s boards and commission), Trump’s insistence on actions designed to undermine tax collection, medical care and trade with other nations, while peddling nonsense about annexing Greenland and reducing economic relationships, or annexing our two closest geographic neighbors, Canada and Mexico.
The suit names Engardio and Supervisors Myrna Melgar, Rafael Mandelman, (now Board of Stupervisors president), (Former) Supervisor Dean Preston - the Socialist, Supervisor Matt Dorsey (all Prop K proponents) as Real Parties in Interest...”
Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats are divided and unsure of their principles: Enacting a federal budget so as to avoid a closure of our national government motivated US Senate leader “Chuck” Schumer, as the Democratic Senate Minority Leader, to vote for a new (and Republican) national budget together with a few other Democrats. That’s in the natural interest. Yet, our own Nancy Pelosi publicly criticizes Senate Democrats who joined Schumer. I’m no fan of “Chuckie,” but for a change, he acted in the best interest of our own nation, for which I laud him, the first time I’ve done so in years as Senate Democratic leader. All hands to be on deck the Mar-a-Lago Flash in the White House.
Locally, I’m cheered by progress in securing sufficient signatures to recall District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio for his mismanagement of consistent responsibilities in creating a ballot measure (Proposition K) to close the Great Highway to motor vehicles. Nearly 10,000 voter signatures are needed. About 6,000 have been secured by May 22, 2025. My wife and I have signed. Have you? If not, call campaign Co-Chairman Rich Correia at (415)-292-7927 to do so.
As a lawyer and retired judge, I’m impressed by a lawsuit last month in S.F. Superior Court by Matthew Boschetto, Lisa Arjes, Albert Chow, and Vin Budhai (president of Liable S.F., Inc). The suit names Engardio and Supervisors Myrna Melgar, Rafael Mandelman, (now Board of Stupervisors president), (Former) Supervisor Dean Preston - the Socialist, Supervisor Matt Dorsey (all Prop K proponents) as Real Parties in Interest and the City and County, Board of Supers and the ravening Rec and Parks Department as defendants.
The suit alleges Prop K was invalid because the State of California has preempted traffic control and roads and state law precludes local voters from closing a public street under Vehicle Code section 21101 (a) (1.) and Prop K further violates binding California Environmental Quality Act provisions requiring the City “to consider and mitigate the potential environmental effect of such closure which, by the way, occurred March 14th and the City never did so. The suit forcefully alleges voters had no power to decide closure which ignores “the state’s plenary authority” over traffic control and roads and unlawfully places a measure before San Francisco voters that was not in the voters’ power to decide.” (Emphasis added)
Cities and counties don’t have the power to decide traffic control and road usage, which are a part of the state’s absolute authority! At press time, the City Attorney had not yet filed a response to the suit, which is the work of Jim Sutton, a San Francisco attorney who is an expert in the field of election law. Still, I’ll keep readers informed once he does. Mr. Sutton will then seek an injunction to stop further City Hall activity and a court order to re-open the Great Highway to all motor vehicles.
Continuing my instruction into illegal alien affairs, the San Francisco Budget Analyst estimates there are about 46,000, not 43,000, in our City by the Bay. In 2024, California became the first state to provide health care to them, costing $9.5 billion annually, which is already $3 billion over the estimate last June. This occurs in a budget crisis. California’s Department of Finance reported that $8.4 billion of that is paid by us, California taxpayers, while the other $1.1 billion comes from the federal government for emergency room treatments and pregnancy care. At least one Trumpster claims health care to illegal aliens enables Democrats to attract them and turn them into voters.
Meanwhile, I wish all readers, Jewish and otherwise, a Happy Passover, which begins Saturday night, April 12th, and Easter Sunday, which is April 20th. And, I wish all Muslim readers my happy best for Muslims celebrating Ramadan, which ends April 5th after one month of prayer and joyful celebration.
Finally, in 1952, President Harry Truman declared: “Politics is a fascinating game, because politics is government. It’s the art of government.” Robert Louis Stevenson was more precise before that in 1902, noting: “Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.”
Quentin Kopp is a former San Francisco supervisor, state senator, SF Ethics Commission member, president of the California High Speed Rail Authority governing board and retired Superior Court judge.
April 2024
