Candidate for
Democratic Party County Central Committee; County of San Francisco; Assembly District 12

Whether you vote for me or not, it is ESSENTIAL that we all work hard to elect a DEMOCRATIC Governor in 2006!

Another 4 years of Governor Arnopld will be a disaster for all Americans except the coupon-clippers who keep the California Republican Party propped up!

I have been a member of the SFDCCC for over 20 years. I also served as an elected member of the BART Board of Directors - 1986-1990.

My political philosophy is one of ABSOLUTE INDEPENDENCE! This means that I view ALL political issues and endorsement decisions on their individual merits and do not take dictation from any political machine or anyone else! I MAKE UP MY OWN MIND - and would hope that other SFDCCC members do the same thing!

During my tenure on the SFDCCC I believe I have shown a track record of ABSOLUTE INDEPENDENCE,which often has left me on the dissenting end of votes.

A few examples:

a. In 1976 and 1977, supported election of the late Harvey Milk to Assembly and as Supervisor against Machine- backed candidates.

b. In 1982, I obtained the SFDCCC endorsement of a public power measure over the stenuous opposition of machine-connected Lobbyist Don Solem.

c. In 1982, I helped force the resignation of Machine-selected Chair Agar Jaicks by obtaining a vote of the SFDCCC membership to appoint a gay member to fill a vacacy - over Jaicks' opposition.

d. In 1983, I obtained SFDCCC support for domestic partnership benefits despite Mayor Feinstein's veto of such benefits.

e. In 1987, I supported Harry Britt for Congress over the Machine's choice.

f. In 1995, I was one of only 5 members who voted to endorse Roberta Achtenberg for Mayor against the Machines Willie Brown. The other four dissenters were all defeated for re-election. My 1996 re-election over Machine opposition led to my illegal removal in 1998.

g. From 1998-2000, I actively litigated against my illegal removal from the Committee by Boss Brown's hand-selected Chair Natalie Berg. My litigation - which resulted in an arbitrator ruling in my favor - cost the Machine over $50,000 in "soft" money in the 1998-2000 period. This money was UNAVAILABLE for Boss Brown's re-election because I made Berg spend it on attorneys! [Berg, stupidly, thought I would just resign quietly when removed.]

[Here is the FULL STORY of my illegal removal from office: In 1998, I and another member were removed from our elected seats by Boss Brown's hand-picked Chair, Natalie Berg, in a secret session without notice, hearing or due process. While the other member acquiesced in removal, I fought my removal in Court. In 2000, an arbitrator ruled I had been illegally removed from office. In the meantime, the Machine had used its control of the SFDCCC to obtain an endorsement of Boss Brown's re-election WITHOUT PUTTING THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA in July, 1998 - over a year before any candidate could even file to run for Mayor in the 1999 election. My illegal removal caused the SFDCCC to squander some $50,000 in legal fees to defend the legally indefensible - $ which should have gone to voter registration and to promote SFDCCC-endorsed issues, rather than lining attorney's pockets! Berg concealed these expenditures by failing and refusing to give SFDCCC members accurate accountings of finances (Ironically, I know about these expenditures only because the SFDCCC DID have to reveal them in campaign reports . Actually more was revealed in the campaign reports than SFDCCC members were told in internal reports!) To obtain Boss Brown's re-election the SFDCCC was turned into a "soft money" conduit through which unlimited "independent expenditures" could be made to support the Boss' campaign.]

To end BOSS RULE of the San Francisco Democratic Party in the future, I have proposed a bold program of party reform, which you can read about in this link:

http://smartvoter.org/2006/06/06/ca/sf/vote/smith_a/paper3.html

As a Gay man, I look forward to the day when 5th graders REALLY believe that being gay is no cause for shame, but being a Republican is!

Read the following and laugh hard!

Little David was in his 5th grade class when the teacher asked the children what their fathers did for a living. All the typical answers came up -- Fireman, policeman, salesman, etc...

David was being uncharacteristically quiet and so the teacher asked him about his father.

"My father's a dancer in a gay bar, and he takes off all his clothes in front of other men and he lets them touch what's under his g-string."

The teacher was both shocked, concerned and embarrassed by what little David had told her, and she very quickly told the now snickering children to begin doing their homework. She then took little David aside and gently asked him, "Is that really true about your father?"

"No," said David, "He works for the Bush administration, but I was just too ashamed to say that in front of the other kids."