Dec 28 to Jan 3, 2017! Happy New Year from Gay Palm Springs! DDG THIS WEEK in Gay Palm Springs.

THE LAST WORD by Greg Pettis
Holidays are here. Time for family and
friends - old and new. It’s good to be home
for Christmas and New Years.
This is the time to rest and recharge. To get
ready for 2017 and the challenges that will
come with it.
We continue to see the President-elect naming
rich white men to his cabinet and positions
of authority. Practically no women and
only one person of color - Ben Carson. The
other thing they all have in column is that
they are extremely conservative. Mr Trump
keeps making love noises with Russia and
threaten China. He also wants to expand
and enhance our nuclear capability. I guess
it’s not enough to be able to wipe out every
man, woman and child several times over.
Interest rates are already rising and still no
real idea of how he expects to fulfill his campaign
promises.
In California, Governor Brown is gaining
his fight back now that the Administration
in Washington is changing. It’s good to see.
I’m glad to see that here we are going to
push back against what we can see coming.
We all should be thankful that we live in the
left coast and to a certain extent safe from
these people.
Our incoming Attorney General, Xavier
Becerra is going to be phenomenal. Strong,
resolute and more than willing to fight for
our environment, civil rights and more.
He truly is one of the Governor’s brightest
appointments. I had hoped one day for him
to be Speaker of the House but having him
back in California is going to be excellent.
How many more changes will come to California
and the valley in 2017?
We have two years left with Governor
Brown and the campaign to replace him has
already begun. Candidates are ranging from
Lt Governor Newsom and State Treasurer
Chiang to former Mayor Villagroisa, former
State Controller Westly with more to
come. All good people, all progressives but
certainly with new ideas for our state but all
ready and willing to be the bulwark needed.
We will also be electing this February a
new Chairman of the Democratic National
Committee. I’ll be flying to Atlanta for the
winter meeting of the DNC and helping to
set the tone and direction for the Party.
Lots of excitement and I’m looking forward
to them.
As always, send your comments and
thoughts to me at greg@gregpettis.com
Greg Pettis is a 22 year city councilman in Cathedral
City. He has made his name in governmental circles
as an expert in transportation issues and is very active
in working on bringing passenger rail service to the
COACHELLA Valley. Greg was the first openly gay
elected city council members In Riverside County. He
has served on the boards of the National League of
Cities and the League of California Cities and as President
of the Southern CA Association of Governments.
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