2012-10-29·westranchbeacon.com · WordPress (West Ranch Beacon)·Wayback capture

Commentary: McKeon on the High Road; Rogers Sinking Fast

By admin

Congressman McKeon Dave Bossert Dr. Lee Rogers Local Opinion Santa Clarita Valley

In the last several weeks the latest local polls have shown that Congressman Buck McKeon has a comfortable lead as his challenger Dr. Lee Rogers continues to sink. This is no surprise as Rogers has run a very negative and divisive campaign that has many swing voters gravitating to the tried and true Rep. Buck McKeon.

Throughout the Rogers campaign The SCV Beacon has received his regular press releases that have highlighted the negative tone that he has taken in the race for the 25^th Congressional District. We have posted most of the Rogers press releases that were relevant to our community. But in recent weeks the tone of the Rogers releases have increasingly become even more negative; no doubt out of sheer desperation as he continues to lose ground.

This past week we received a press release from the Rogers camp accusing McKeon of “manipulation of the media” and that he “sought to muzzle local reporters and media outlets.” All we can say about this is that it is completely ridiculous! The press release smacked of complete paranoia for Dr. Rogers, a challenger who is dropping in the polls.

When I read the press release, I was offended by presumption that a political figure is manipulating the local media. Further, the release went onto claim that two reporters were laid-off at local a radio station because “McKeon called Carl Goldman, the radio station owner.”

If you have been reading The SCV Beacon on a regular basis then you know that this publication has put up plenty of negative posts about McKeon and other local political figures over the years. This past spring we were vocal against Patricia McKeon running for State Assembly and posted much about the various missteps and accusations about Congressman McKeon.

The good, the bad and the ugly goes up here about everyone running for public office. Did we get phone calls about some of those articles, posts and commentaries; yes we did because that is the job of a political figure’s staff or candidate’s press secretary. Our response is simple; if you don’t like what you read then write a guest commentary or letter to the editor and we will post it but we’re not removing anything just because you don’t like it.

What Rogers’ campaign is doing now is grasping at straws and displaying serious nervousness as the election is coming to a close and he is losing. Lee Rogers, who moved into the district a year ago and apparently rents his home, is completely detached from our community which is why he is tanking.

He sent out one press release complaining about not being invited to a groundbreaking yet he was clueless to the names of the organizations involved in the event! His press release referred to the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation as the “South Valley Economic Development Corporation.”

Rogers attacked McKeon vigorously over the CEMEX mine but conveniently left out Democrats Feinstein and Boxer who have partnered with McKeon on legislation over the years to stop the mine. It has been and continues to be a bi-partisan effort to find a solution to the CEMEX mine operation in Canyon Country.

McKeon has shown the capacity to reach across the aisle and has done so partnering with Democrats on a number of issues not only with CEMEX but also the conservation of 470,000 acres of land in the 25^th Congressional District; the nighttime firefighting flights in L.A. County; and the Cross Valley Connector just to name a few. Buck McKeon has a proven track record of accomplishments in the local school districts; the City of Santa Clarita and in the 25^th Congressional District because he has tirelessly served our community.

Rogers has no ties to the community and has made no effort to join any local organizations; he is not a member of the Chamber of Commerce in either Santa Clarita or Simi Valley nor has he done anything to lay out a plan other than the party line. The only thing Rogers appears to do is sling spurious mud and negative rants.

The Antelope Valley Press had this to say about Rogers; “In campaign appearances, Rogers has repeatedly demonstrated a lack of knowledge (other than Democratic Party talking points) about any matters related to national defense, national security or the role that the defense industrial base plays in the economy of Southern California in general, and the 25th District.”

Based on Lee Rogers flaccid campaign message and ignorance of economic facts it is no surprise that he is down in the polls. He has no plan or solutions other than to vote for tax hikes and spending that has already contributed to job loses, over regulation, and a stagnant economy over the last four years.

McKeon has had some missteps over the past year or so and there have been some disappointments. But regardless, he has maned-up and taken the necessary steps to correct those issues with changes to his staff and a refocusing on the important issues.

The one thing I know is that Buck McKeon is a good man; he is someone who has deep roots in our community where he raised his family. McKeon has served this area in a variety of capacities for decades and cares deeply about the district and the Santa Clarita Valley he continues to serve.

What has Dr. Lee Rogers done? Nothing. Who has Rogers served and what local organizations has he joined in SCV? None. Does Rogers have any ties to Santa Clarita? No. The answers to these questions is clear; having been in the district for about year Rogers is what is known as a political charlatan and a carpetbagger!

Congressman Buck McKeon will be re-elected for another term on November 6^th and he will continue to serve everyone in the 25^th Congressional District.

Dave Bossert- Commentary

Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of The SCV Beacon.

Comments

15 · as published

NFIC
NFIC Says: October 29th, 2012 at 7:42 am RE CEMEX: Yes, Boxer and Feinstein have tried to help Buck with CEMEX. But they are not in the House where Buck is. The CEMEX bills have never made it out of the House or even been voted upon by the full House. This is Buck’s domain and his responsibility!
admin
admin Says: October 29th, 2012 at 8:14 am So Barbara Boxer’s Senate Bill 759 regarding the CEMEX doesn’t count? This issues has been worked on in a bi-partisan way for a number of years; don’t just lay the blame at McKeon’s feet. It’s a complex issue and one that both Dems and Republicans have been involved in.
Bill Reynolds
Bill Reynolds Says: October 29th, 2012 at 8:24 am It’s a well known fact that our City leaders and Congressman McKeon’s actions have delayed CEMEX’s operations for at least 10 years. Rogers recently moved to Simi Valley and has endulged in nothing more than negativity. Rogers will lose.
admin
admin Says: October 29th, 2012 at 11:50 am It’s really unfortunate when you write a piece that may be favorable to one candidate over another and then have some people label you or call you names. They haven’t the guts to post comments here, instead titter amongst them themselves reveling in nonsense and crap; anything but facts. Those supporting Dr. Lee Rogers cannot seem to do anything else because they cannot come up with any accomplishments or sight any contributions that Rogers has made to the SCV. Nothing; not one response as to what he has not done nor can they even respond to the fact that this guy is clueless to the economy and our community. All these local liberals can do is call people names and label them because they can’t back up Lee Rogers with any facts. He has done nothing and when he loses, he’ll pack up and move out of the district.
Chris Sharp
Chris Sharp Says: October 30th, 2012 at 8:03 am Dave, I have a theory that where Rep. McKeon started out very slowly this campaign, it was the overreaching efforts to paint Buck in demonic colors that finaly earned him him a big sympathy comeback from those who have known him for so many years. But now I see the same thing happening with Lee Rogers, after so much of this campaign has already established Rogers as a serious doctor and a serious person. It may be too late after all this to put a demonic touch on Rogers, too, and as what happened with McKeon, an attempt to portray Rogers now as a good-for-nothing might also backfire into an advantage for Rogers.
admin
admin Says: October 30th, 2012 at 8:15 am Chris, I’m not portraying Dr. Rogers with any demonic touch. It is just important to point out that Rogers has no connection to our community. Had he moved into the district and worked for a few years to establish himself as part of the community that would have been a very different story. The fact is Rogers has no connection to the district; he has no accomplishments and has no fundamental understanding of the business base or the economics of the district. Absolutely no one supporting Rogers can even lay out what qualifies him for the 25th District Congressional Seat!
Bill Reynolds
Bill Reynolds Says: October 30th, 2012 at 8:22 am Lee Rogers is a renter so he hasn’t even established himself out in Simi Valley. His entire campaign strategy has reeked of anger and negativity and after November 6th, we will never hear from him again.
Chris Sharp
Chris Sharp Says: October 30th, 2012 at 8:37 am Yes, I understand. I was not happy with the kind of attacks Rogers has made on McKeon — if they were more realistic they would have been more effective, and the attacks did not take into account all McKeon has done for the valley over the past 25 years. I don’t even live in Santa Clarita any more, so I have no right to give recommendataions to local races. But even so — as an observer — there is something inside me that wants Rogers to do well against McKeon this year. I don’t feel Rogers will win. But by doing well, Rogers might soften that hard ground that McKeon stands on, which is too hard, and perhaps with a softened base in the district, a very decent and competent man named Cameron Smyth might soon get a chance in Washington.
LarMcc
LarMcc Says: October 30th, 2012 at 3:19 pm Boy Dave, you sure changed your mind on Buck these days. By chance did you have a meeting or phone call with Morris as well? And anger. Wow. Buck seemed awfully angry at the debate. Red faced, tongue darting around. It sucks getting called out for the things you have done.
admin
admin Says: October 30th, 2012 at 4:10 pm No change of mind, just a choice between two candidates running for office. Regardless of the real or imagined missteps that McKeon has made it does boil down to a choice. For me it is all about the overall accomplishments of one vs. the other. For McKeon it is looking at the whole package; the twenty five years or so of public service vs. the year that Lee Rogers has lived in the district. Granted, there are people who will vote right down party lines and you may be one of them. But I tend to examine an individual’s record of service, good, bad or non-existent, in order to make an intelligent choice. I have and will continue to vote based on performance, record and service to the community. This is why I voted for Senator Feinstein and why I have not voted along either party line on all the state and county measures but a combination. You may not like McKeon, but once again like so many others, you can’t seem to give any legitimate reasons or list any past accomplishments or criteria of Dr. Rogers that makes him qualified to represent the 25th District. The reason, Rogers is not qualified to represent our community.
Bill Reynolds
Bill Reynolds Says: October 30th, 2012 at 6:27 pm Hey Larry, it was Rogers who admitted that he was angry at the debate. Negativity is doing him in. After next week at this time we will not hear from Lee Rogers again; he will simply move to another rented house in another district.
NFIC
NFIC Says: October 31st, 2012 at 12:07 pm I guess this is one of the local polls that Dave must be referring to when he indicates that Buck is in the lead: http://www.the-signal.com/polls/detail/383/
Bill Reynolds
Bill Reynolds Says: October 31st, 2012 at 7:51 pm Yeah right, Komrad Kutylo.
NFIC
NFIC Says: November 1st, 2012 at 12:25 pm Sorry Senator McCarthy or NAFF or Mr. Reynolds – I’m not Ray. But after seeing how one sided the poll numbers are, I’m wondering if you’ve picked a horse that has pulled up lame.
Bill Reynolds
Bill Reynolds Says: November 2nd, 2012 at 6:35 am The real poll happens Tuesday.