LOS ANGELES, February 21, 2013 — Many politically exhausted Americans went into political slumber after the 2012 presidential election. The people of Los Angeles did not have that luxury. On Tuesday, March 5, 2013, five candidates will be vying to replace Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has served the maximum two terms now allowed by law.
The race is officially non-partisan, and the Tip O’Neill maxim about all politics being local is certainly true here. Of all the candidates running, the one who is most worthy of the job is Kevin James.
As a Los Angeles radio host, James has skipped over the national issues most radio hosts fight about to focus specifically on this city.
Whoever wins will walk into a difficult job. The Mayor of New York has real power. The Mayor of Chicago has absolute power. In Los Angeles, a strong city council can stifle the chief executive, yet a solid mayor can still get things done.
James happens to be a Republican, which means his opponents on the left would most likely throw out the typical rhetoric, charging him with being a racist, sexist, bigoted homophobe. While James is guilty of being a white male, he defies being categorized by the rest. He happens to be gay. Of much greater importance, he is obsessed with fiscal issues. He is a Republican in the tradition of Governor Pete Wilson and Mayor Richard Riordan. Both of those men were successful California chief executives, and Mayor Riordan has endorsed Mr. James.
People who ignore local politics do so at their own peril. Wilson-Riordan-James Republicanism is what New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani used to pull Gotham back from the brink. Dick Riordan helped Los Angeles rebound from the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. As for Pete Wilson, floods, fires, earthquakes, and the riots would have made California ungovernable for most people. Not him.
On the flip side, Chicago, Detroit, and other cities controlled by liberals are burning. Los Angeles is not bankrupt like Detroit. Most Angelenos do not risk death just crossing the street, as they do in record-setting homicide junction, Chicago. Yet the city is in tough financial shape, and it needs a money man to turn it around.
For many people, his being a Republican is a good enough reason to vote for or against James. This does not do justice to his many qualifications. He has worked in the private sector at a prestigious law firm. He has government experience at the U.S. Department of Justice. He won a Director’s Award for Superior Performance. He also does extensive charity work, and is a strong advocate for pet adoption. Conservatives are often portrayed as kicking puppies and kittens. James saves the animals from such abuse.
Kevin James manages to love animals without sacrificing the important needs of human beings. He is pro-environment without being anti-business. His extensive work on everything from helping AIDS victims to cracking down on white collar criminals makes him a blend of toughness and compassion that is a great fit for the City of Angels.
His lifetime of public service and private accomplishment make him the right person for the job. On March 5, vote for Kevin James for Mayor of Los Angeles. Those outside of Los Angeles looking to donate to a worthy candidate should choose this one.
READ MORE from Eric Golub at The Tygrrrr Express
Brooklyn born, Long Island raised, and now living in Los Angeles, Eric Golub is a politically conservative columnist, author, public speaker, satirist and comedian. Eric is the author of the book trilogy “Ideological Bigotry, “Ideological Violence,” and “Ideological Idiocy.”
Eric is 100% alcohol, tobacco, drug, and liberalism free. Follow Eric on Twitter @TYGRRRREXPRESS.
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