This is what happens when you elect a Republican. Don't elect a Republican.
by David Atkins
San Diego recently had a hard-fought mayoral election after Mayor Filner resigned in disgrace. The Republican won, though the city's demographics are slowly shifting in the other direction.
This is the result:
Mayor Kevin Faulconer says he plans to veto the City Council's decision to incrementally increase the minimum wage in San Diego to $11.50 an hour.
The City Council voted 6-3 Monday to give final approval to the ordinance. Although Faulconer was expected to veto the idea, this is the first time he has voiced his intention.
The ordinance, which was initially approved 6-3 two weeks ago on first reading but required a follow-up vote, also mandates that employers offer five paid sick days to workers each year.
None of the council members changed their votes from before -- Mark Kersey, Scott Sherman and Lorie Zapf were the dissenters.
Council President Todd Gloria said the ordinance would raise up San Diegans "in a meaningful and responsible way." The lowest-paid workers and economy as a whole will benefit, he said.
"Through the passage of this ordinance, this council is standing up and demonstrating that we value honest work and fair pay," Gloria said. "I urge the mayor to sign it into law and to stand with us against any effort to repeal it."
The measure now goes to Mayor Kevin Faulconer's desk.
Any individual Democratic politician may be a terrible person. That comes with the territory of having human beings hold elected office.
But as horrible a person as Bob Filner is, if he were still in office today San Diegans would be on their way to an $11.50/hour minimum wage.
Kevin Faulconer may or may not be a decent human being in his private life. But it hardly matters, does it? Either people's lives are better because you're a policy maker, or they aren't.
When you elect a Republican, people's lives get worse. It doesn't matter how they treat others in their personal lives.
.