McCarthy's test: making next week's healthcare town hall meeting inclusive and based on facts, not emotion. Let's avoid the circus

As we head closer to next week's town hall meeting on health care reform, it occurred to me that Rep. Kevin McCarthy has a golden opportunity to rise above the circus-like atmosphere that has characterized other such meetings. The town hall is set for next Wednesday, Aug. 26, over at the Icardo Center at Cal State Bakersfield, and already more than 800 people have confirmed. There is little doubt that this will be an overwhelmingly conservative audience in tune with the market, and it's safe to say that most attendees are already dead set against any reform. Consider, for example, some of the responses the congressman got when he put out at feeler on his Facebook page. Some excerpts (with occasional spelling errors corrected):

"Guess what... the government will now choose what treatment is best (if any) for you. Also you will have to wait for critical care i.e. transplants. That's why so many Europeans and Canadians come here for treatment. I'm sure if you are rich enough you can hire a private doctor like in Europe or bend over like the rest of us working folks. Stop frivolous court action, lower doctors insurance costs and give them more money to take Medical and such patients.

"I have an idea on how to "reform" health care... illegals do not get free care. That would save loads of money and would discourage illegal immigration. Think about it, when the government gets involved in things the system bogs down. Ninety percent of the problems we as a society have would be better solved in the private sector.

"Well first things first. I think that it is only legal for an Immigration Officer to ask if someone is illegal or not. And for the papers and documents to prove it. Second.

"Kevin - Why is the majority party insisting on a program that won't work and we can't pay for? Are they brain dead?

"There are lots of things wrong with the health care bill, but the number one problem is that the federal government just doesn't have the authority to take over the health care system. The 10th Amendment was included in the Constitution for a reason, and things like the bail-outs, GM, and this health care bill are just the kinds of things that amendment was written for."



These kinds of comments are reflective of the feedback McCarthy has been getting, and they are certainly representative and valid. It would be easy for this thing to turn into a GOP love fest like a "tea party" of sorts, but that really doesn't serve the public interest. McCarthy's challenge will be to create an environment where both sides are welcomed and Democrats and those who support health care reform (and there are a few in town) feel comfortable enough to show up and speak their mind. Let's hope he does so. (Photo of McCarthy at the last GOP convention courtesy of Getty Images)

Short takes around town: Barry Goldner on the mend, Jeff Newman heads to Montecito and rumors of Panera Bread coming to town

Catching up with some local folks around town and those never ending rumors about what's going in at the new RiverWalk Park.

* ... THE RARE MUTED ATTORNEY: Good to hear that Barry Goldner, a partner in the law firm of Klein DeNatale and Goldner et al, is on the road to recovery after some minor surgery. Barry (pictured) had been spotted around town virtually voiceless and in one case carried on a conversation at Starbucks by writing out his questions and answers. Barry - he is married to Teri Goldner, the former federal judge who is now chief counsel for the County of Kern - is a naturally gregarious sort and being a lawyer who bills by the hour, it must have been a difficult time for him. I asked Barry what was up and he responded:

"I had a growth on my vocal cord, which was removed last Wednesday. I was not allowed to speak for five days. So today is my first day of speaking again. Growth was benign (whew!)."

Good to have you back, Barry, and get well.

* ... GOODBYE BAKO, HELLO MONTECITO: Jeff Newman Jr., owner of Today Cleaners, is letting everyone know that he's moving the family to the tony hills of Montecito. In an email to friends and business associates, Jeff said he'll keep the business but run Today and Sparkle Textile Rental Services from the coast. He said the recession produced some irresistible deals in the always pricey Montecito real estate market that he simply couldn't resist. Jeff says sons Ryan and Matthew will start at Montecito Union School on August 31. Wife Adrienne and their kids will live in a condo until escrow closes October 1. Said Jeff:

"This has been a very difficult decision for me personally! I grew up in Bakersfield and have so many wonderful friends here that I definitely want to stay in contact with. Obviously, my company is located here so I will be spending the required amount of time to make sure it continues to run well."

* ... MEANWHILE COMING TO RIVER WALK: Lots of speculation about what's going in over near the new Target at RiverWalk Park off Stockdale Highway. I spoke with Bruce Freeman, president of developer Castle and Cooke, and he tells me there have been no leases signed but he did confirm the rumor that his company is in talks with Panera Bread company. Panera was interested in the "front pad" near Target but the deal is not final. Meanwhile, Target is expected to open around October 11.

Californian goes tabloid: the sound and the fury and the reality of doing business in a nasty, prolonged recession

The Bakersfield Californian debuted its new Monday-Friday tabloid today and the response was immediate: some liked it, few loved it and lots of folks just plain hated it. It's early in the process but the negatives are outweighing the positives, but that's to be expected. Change is hard, even for those who claim to be early adopters. And we know we're messing with something sacred here. The relationship between a reader and the newspaper in that bleary eyed pre-dawn hour is a familiar and intimate one. Changing the format is like mixing your cereal with fat free milk when you're used to whole milk. It will work but in the beginning there's something that's just not right. The greatest complaint is not about the content (we're beefing up local content at the expense of some commodity wire reports) but rather the fact that the paper no longer comes in sections: Local, sports, lifestyle and the A-section with national and international. Said one reader:

"Every morning my wife and I have coffee and we divide up the newspaper. We can't do that anymore. Put it back the way it was!"

The anger and the pain here are real, but we didn't go down this road without thought, or good reason. We made this change for three reasons: to provide more focused local coverage, to help the advertisers and to save money. The last two goals could only best be accomplished with the tabloid product. This is the harsh reality of doing business in the midst of the greatest economic meltdown of our generation: we simply have to find ways to save money. Could we have avoided this? Sure, but we would have significantly raised the price of the paper, and that is simply unrealistic in a price sensitive market like Bakersfield. We could also have kept the current broadsheet format but made the paper so small in page count that it would have been reduced to two sections, that we would have run into the same resistance regarding "dividing" the paper at the breakfast table. So at the end of the day the one option we didn't have was to continue to do what we were doing. Like that fat free milk, it will grow on you.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy: spending the week in the district and getting ready for healthcare town hall meeting

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, gives us his weekly view here on Bakersfield Observed. I've received some email (anonymously I must add) complaining that Kevin is not being honest about the healthcare reform. Here's your chance to submit comments and I will ask him to respond. I post his views; it's up to you to take him to task.


"It is good to be back in California for the August district work period. Starting off the week, I was in Ridgecrest with neighboring Congressman, and Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Committee, Howard “Buck” McKeon (CA-25), to tour facilities at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center. I am always impressed with the hard work they do there to support our war fighters in theater.

"Because Kern County continues to deal with the challenges of unemployment, my office will be hosting a Small Business Forum on August 25. This is for anyone interested in starting a small business or for current small business owners looking for ways to expand. To RSVP, send an email to: RSVP.McCarthy@mail.house.gov or call my office: 327-3611.

"It has been encouraging to see strong interest and support from our community in participating in the August 26th Health Care Town Hall to discuss current health care reform proposals in Congress. I just wanted to let you know that in order to meet demand, the venue location has been changed to the Icardo Center at CSUB.

"Finishing up the week, I presented medals to veteran, Ervine Brown of Tehachapi for his service during WW II. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from June 1940 to October 1945, and completed 54 missions while serving in North Africa, Sicily, and Panama. We are all grateful for his service to our country. I was also able to attend the centennial celebration for the City of Tehachapi, a city that continues to grow and is a leader in renewable energy development, but has also had the ability to maintain its small town charm.
"Thanks for reading.

Today's Twitter feed of the week: only in Bako can you actually see what you breathe

My favorite Twitter feed of the week comes from Don Martin, renaissance man of downtown Bakersfield and owner of Metro Galleries. He's an avid runner and braves our (often) smoggy days. His Tweet:

"Say what u will about good air quality, but I like to see what I'm breathing. I know where it's been."

Bako bits: From social networking as a marketing tool to rumblings at CSUB to upside down mortgages

Wrapping up the week and cleaning off my desk as we head into another weekend. School starts next week and fall is coming. Let's get to it:

* ... RUMBLINGS OVER AT CSUB: I seem to have hit a nerve with my mention that longtime Cal State community liaison Laura Wolfe had been ousted. (read previous post here) Got a couple calls from CSUB insiders who were lamenting the loss of Laura, who spent 14 years with the university building better relations between the school and the community. Laura worked for Mike Chertok, who retired and was replaced by Beverly Byl, brought in by President Horace Mitchell. Give Horace credit: he has single handedly raised the stature of the university in the community through sheer good will, focus and great personal charm. Which is why insiders are puzzled over the choice of Beverly, who one person described as one who moves through a room with sharp elbows. No doubt the dismissal of Laura Wolfe was a move that addressed two concerns: one budgetary and the other the desire to build your own team. President Mitchell called me and said there was no "personal agenda" in the firing of Wolfe but rather it was a consequence of the budget crisis. He noted, for example, that the state budget contribution to CSUB was less this year than it was five years ago when he came on board. Still, there's lots of chatter about Byl, including her desire to bring all the fund raising under one umbrella as opposed to athletics raising money for one thing and an academic endeavor for another. Folks are talking and the university really can't afford to squander the good will Horace has earned. No doubt there will be more on this later.



* ... MARKETING ON FACEBOOK? Read with interest a piece that said 63 percent of all companies planned to increase their spending on social media this year. That's not too surprising since a recent study by the Association of National Advertisers said 66 percent of marketers have now used social media in some form. The top platforms being utilized: Facebook (74 percent), YouTube (65 percent), Twitter (63 percent) and LinkedIn (60 percent). Locally, a good example would be Mary Christenson, the longtime high end Watson-Touchstone Realtor who has embraced Facebook and made it one of her marketing devices. If she lists a new home in Seven Oaks, she'll post a message on it. Trouble with appraisals? She's all over it. Mary is savvy enough to recognize there's a terrific audience and all it takes is her time. At The Californian, marketing director Rob Meszaros has used Facebook and Twitter extensively in marketing the new Monday-Friday tabloid that debuts next week.

* ... UPSIDE DOWN MORTGAGE? Amazed to read in The Californian yesterday that fully half of all mortgages in Bakersfield are now upside down. That means the homeowners basically owe more than the home is worth, thanks to months of falling housing prices. That can't bode well for future foreclosures. The depth of recession cannot be underestimated. Last week it was reported that one in every 10 mortgages in the entire state of California is in foreclosure.

* ... LATIN SHOW AT METRO GALLERIES: Don Martin over at the Metro Galleries downtown is busy preparing for Latination, a project sponsored by his gallery and MAS magazine. The deadline for entries for the show is next week, so drop them off between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday over at Metro, 1604 19th Street. Selected pieces in the juried exhibit will be displayed at the gallery during September. Contact Don with any questions at 634-9598.

RIP Les Paul: an American legend, inventor of the Les Paul guitar

Les Paul, inventor of the Gibson guitar that bears his name, died today. Along with Leo Fender, who invented the iconic Telecaster from his shop in Fullerton, these two men are widely recognized as the most influential inventors in the history of the American guitar. Good night, Les.

Short takes around town: McCarthy's healthcare town hall meeting will be huge; Wendy Wayne's recovery and more economic storm warnings

Lots happening around town and more warnings that we have a long way to go before we can dig out of this hole. Here we go:

* ... HEALTHCARE REFORM: Spent lunch at downtown Rotary listening to Rep. Kevin McCarthy's take on the nation's political pulse and the battle over health care. Kevin said his upcoming town hall meeting on health care reform, set for Wednesday Aug. 26, has proved so popular he has been forced to move it a second time. It will now be held at the Icardo Center over at Cal State Bakersfield to accommodate an ever growing crowd. "We went from 300 confirmed to 800 overnight," he said. Kevin is dead set against the Obama legislation, but given the conservative temper of our community, it promises to be a lively forum nonetheless. Kevin always gets a warm reception at downtown Rotary, where he is a member and the membership consists of prominent business owners across town. It's a friendly audience and his message that Speaker Nancy Pelosi is crafting the reform legislation without input from either the White House or opposition was well received. Rotary president Duane Keathley, a partner with CB Richard Ellis, got a laugh when he presented Kevin with a special gift: a doctored picture of Duane and Speaker Pelosi for Kevin's desk.

* ... WENDY WAYNE AND A NIGHT OF MARGARITAS: The same Rotary club held its summer social Wednesday night at the home of Lou and Sheryl Barbich up in the Bakersfield County Club area. Lou and Sheryl are always terrific hosts but clearly one of the highlights of the evening was seeing Wendy Wayne, the former First Five Commission director who has been battling non Hodgkins lymphoma. (read previous post here) Wendy just underwent the grueling stem cell procedure and said the followup tests have all been positive. Though professing to some fatigue, particularly later in the day, she looked fabulous and seemed like her old self. Among the others attending were potato farmer Dick Porter and wife Becky, Castle and Cooke President Bruce Freeman, CASA director Coleen McGauley, the aforementioned Duane Keathley and wife Corey, H. Walker's Men's Store owner Tracy Walker-Kiser and husband Brian, Patti Houchin, AGM Radio Group president Rogers Brandon and wife Esther, Memorial Hospital CEO Jon Van Boening and wife Phillis, Uniglobe Travel owner Ray Watson, Northwestern Mutual's Paul Sheldon and wife Nesi and Steve and Pat Loyd of Loyd's Aviation.. The picture features Rotary president Duane Keathley and past presidents Dick Porter, Rogers Brandon and Richard Beene surrounding longtime Rotary secretary Evelyn Johnson.




* ... COMMERCIAL LOAN COLLAPSE: I've been warning about the next shoe to drop: commercial real estate and loans. Lots of evidence that things are tough and could get tougher, Moody’s predicts the default rate on corporate loans could rise from 2.4 percent last year to 12.8 percent by the end of this year – the highest level on record. Moody's says that isn’t surprising when you consider companies need to roll over $1.4 trillion in high yield bonds and loans in coming years, with more than half coming due in the next five years. Goldman Sachs, meanwhile, is warning investors that the chances for a “double dip” recession remain significant.

* ... MORE HOUSING WOES: A study by the National Association of Realtors finds that 82 percent of people don’t have enough money for a down payment and 80 percent are waiting for the job market to stabilize before buying a home.