Jerry Roberts
By Jerry Roberts of Newsmakers
The bottom line takeaway on KEYT’s congressional debate between Rep. Salud Carbajal and Republican challenger Andy Caldwell on Saturday came in the closing statement of the Democratic incumbent:
“You have a clear choice between the two of us,” said Salud.
Talk about the understatement of the century.
In a civil but spirited — to the extent such a thing is possible when the principals were 3,000 miles apart and participants scattered from Santa Maria to TV Hill – the candidates in the 24th Congressional District over 60 minutes answered 20 questions — with sharp, ideological differences emerging on virtually on every one.
On issue after issue, from the Affordable Act, abortion rights, an automatic weapons ban, another federal pandemic bill (Salud’s for, Andy’s against), to expanded offshore oil drilling, nuclear power, Trump’s tax cuts, lifting pandemic business restrictions (Andy’s for, Salud’s against), the rivals offered clear and direct answers that seemed to make impossible the chances that any voter could remain undecided after hearing from the two of them.
Carbajal appeared via the miracle of Zoom from Washington D.C., where he perched himself before a black and white print of the Capitol rotunda hanging on the wall of the hotel suite where he’s been quarantined with Covid – very good optics; Caldwell stood before a black background in what he jokingly described to reporters before the debate as an “undisclosed location,” featuring a friend’s high-end audio equipment, probably in North County.
Caldwell was by far more aggressive throughout, accusing Carbajal of ducking earlier debates (“hiding from the constituency”); attacking him as a profligate liberal (“no solutions except tax and spend and spend and spend”); portraying him as an elitist (“Montecito-backed and UCSB-voted-in”) and positioning him only slightly to the left of Karl Marx (“he’s voted 95 percent of the time with AOC (left-wing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), a confessed socialist”); Carbajal kept smiling and repeatedly protesting that, “Mr. Caldwell is putting forth a lot of misinformation,” at least until his closing statement, when he landed a couple of hard shots portraying Andy as an anti-feminist, anti-health care “lobbyist for the oil industry.”
Under the smooth and skilled orchestration of KEYT moderator Scott Hennessee and the watchful eye of news director Jim Lemon, the event moved swiftly and steadily through inquiries sent in by viewers and posed consecutively by Lisa Andre of the Santa Ynez Valley News, in Santa Maria; Noozhawk’s man on the scene John Molina in Goleta, and the Newsmakers National Desk, somewhere in the Wildland-Urban Interface.
There were no injuries.
You can watch the debate via KEYT by clicking on this link.
Compared to Salud Andy is a titan of industry.
Neither are great but change is good.
Andy Caldwell will NOT be a pawn of his Party like Salud, who was no doubt on the DNC- Donor- Phones begging for money in Washington D.C his entire time there. Salud has done NOTHING for his constituents and there is a price for that…. A missed vote.
With our entire economy and way of life completely turned upside down, the only question I have is what has Salud done for Santa Barbara during his term? I might even expand it to what has he done for us in his entire career? You could put a monkey in office to push the D button for every vote, where is the representation? The constituent services? Even Capps brought a little pork back to town, what is Salud doing? Caldwell is far from my favorite choice, but like the top of the ticket, I’m voting what have you done for me lately and the answer for Salud is nothing.
I’m a liberal in my 30s and I’m voting for Caldwell. Sure, I disagree with him on plenty of issues. But I’m not going to call the only person advocating for saving Diablo Canyon – and the future of nuclear power in California – a “shill” for the oil industry, when our Democratic representatives have time after time sabotaged nuclear projects in our state and nationwide. No true environmentalist can argue against nuclear power in good faith given the lack of other viable options at this point in time. I’m sick and tired of seeing 50% of my income once you factor in sales and property tax fly away every year and getting absolutely nothing for it in return. Some of the propositions on this year’s ballot truly prove the state is going collectively insane – between affirmative action and rent control – dems have really lost the plot. Tax and spend – but where does all of the spending go? Literally what in the world are they spending the money on? I’m receiving next to nothing. Pitmix will chime in and ask me if I use the roads. Yeah, I do. And that’s about it. Certainly not worth my 50% effective tax rate. Enough is enough.
Andy embodies the ugly incivility that has taken over our politics. And he brought that to our area decades ago. He is notorious for his whiny rants at the BOS meetings. I never knew who was more unproductive. Andy or Dr. John! At least Dr. John had a deeper, more melodic voice! I hope that, after Andy loses this election, he folds up his COLAB shop and lets the No. County get some less jaded, more civil spokespeople. The ag. community does have some good people and they make a huge mistake by using Andy as their attack dog. A shame the Republicans couldn’t come up with a more appealing candidate.
Why couldn’t Democrats come up with a more appealing candidate? For any of their races, not just this one. They are all mouth pieces for the public sector unions who fund their campaigns. That is not healthy. Particularly in our non-partisan races like school boards, county and city elected officials. Unfortunately partisan ship in state and federal level partisan offices has produced a Democrat party echo chamber with no local voice or independence. Can’t have more of the same – Democrats like Salud Carbajal and Monique Limon have done nothing but raise taxes and increase government debt – all at the same time. Takes a special kind of special interest to keep pulling that one off.
What had Andy Caldwell ever done besides yammer? That’s all he has ever done and I have unfortunately been there to see him in action many times. Blah, blah, blah, complain complain complain. Literally all the guy does is talk. Executive Director of COLAB, total number of employees, how many? One? As listed in his own biography, seems that is the second job in the guy’s life. He is self described as a “government watchdog”. Also known as a “gadfly”, i.e., an irritating pest that does nothing but circle and buzz, circle and buzz.
“Titan of industry”. LOL!
FITZ–couldn’t agree more. Dr. John at least was entertaining once he really got going. Caldwell was just the same white noise talking points for his puppet masters.
The reality is, North County is facing a bunch of significant issues, and in his thirty years of paid protester work, Andy has never done anything more than waste other peoples’ time. How about some North County people step up and get some important projects done out there. Even Peter Adams, who is just to the right of Stephen Miller brings up and pursues valid issues around the backlog of roads repair that has never been appropriately dealt with.
Being a county watchdog is definitely providing a community service. Props to Caldwell for sitting through and montoring those decades of county board of supervisor meetings. Our local press does not even have that much fortitude .Caldwell knows his stuff, and has the experience now to see how government works. Observing it from the outside, not the inside like his opponent. How does government affect those governed (Caldwell), not how does government pay off special interest groups (Carbajal). That is the big difference between the two candidates.
Conservatives pick up greater numbers in each election, if you have been keeping score. Getting closer to victory each time. North county conservative vote is solid and surprisingly it is also growing among younger people in South County. Don’t forget you won’t have the Isla Vista UCSB student vote concentrating for liberal candidates this time. May be some real surprises without the predictible IV block vote. North County might well out-vote South County this time.
I’m ready for a change, what we have now is not working. I’ve never been much into politics but over the last 5-10 years I’m noticing the term “do nothing democrats” is actually quite true.
So you’re going to vote for a paid protester? Really? And you think a professional protester is going to “get things done”? Mmkay.
Caldwell is one of those whiny guys that throws grenades from his foxhole, or, in this case, from his radio show. Just what we need, another showman.
I hope “Throw away my money” Salud loses.
Problem with politicians is that many have made a career out of it and know nothing else. They become beholden to special interests that fund their campaigns which in turn use propaganda vs results to get votes. This is why Trump is so hated – he is not a career politician nor beholden to anyone other than his ego which is to do what is right. There should be a law that the only people who can run for a higher office position actually has held and a private industry job for 10 years or has been an employer. You would then get candidates that actually can get stuff done. Das, Monique, Salud et al are career politicians who only look out for their self interests which is keeping a gov’t job. How do they do this? They sell themselves to special interests and just shill for whoever gives them the most money. Often it is gov’t unions who want more money = taxes. This is why we have such a mess. Imagine being a CEO for a private company where the employees can vote themselves raises whenever they want. If the company goes bankrupt, then no problem, just tax everyone else to keep your business going. This is why I disdain Dems – their fiscal policies are ruining our country. I may agree with many of their social policies – but constant taxing and forced wealth re-distribution is a slippery slope. We need to be teaching people to fish vs just handing out fish. Why do you think the super rich like Gates, Buffet, Bezos create foundations for the well being of the disenfranchised? Because they know they can get things done far more successfully than handing their wealth over to the government. Do you think all of those employees at the Four Seasons Biltmore care how rich Ty Warner is? They just want their jobs back and are glad someone like Ty Warner invested so much of his money into the hotel so they could have steady jobs. Keep voting for Dems like Salud and Gavin – what you will have is no job – but instead a government hand out – which is what most people do not want. People want to feel productive. People want jobs. But if you keep taxing the rich, then you will lose your jobs. Unfortunately all of those protesters/rioters you see are getting gov’t hand outs and want to keep the money train going.
Andy Caldwell has the public service instincts of a cockroach.
Salud is the total shiv for local cannabis growers and a lie to your face sorta guy. Andy, on the other hand , is a straight up guy, honest and intelligent. Andy is a much better choice!!
With the tidal wave coming in November, Caldwell is speaking to a minority, his wealthy and petroleum oriented backers and Trump fans. A losing proposition.
trump has bankrupted five companies and now owes upwards of a $Billion to a Chinese bank and who knows who else. He has accomplished nothing in four years except the permanent tax cut for the rich (yes, ours expires in about five years, but theirs is permanent).
Caldwell has made literally his entire career around being a paid shill whose every response is attack and tear down, attack and tear down. He’s never built anything or created anything in his life other than COLAB.
I’ve emailed and left messages for Salud numerous times and usually not a response , if there is its a form letter type response talking about something else completely different than what I left a message about(I think the predone response is a letter he responds to everyone with -this is all pre covid) What has he accomplished in his time in office???? I would vote for any party other than Salud-Another note watching the debate, Scott asked first question to Salud and no response from Salud or Scott so Andy asked if it was meant for him and Scott the moderator didnt say anything or stop it and had Andy repsond. Also Salud referenced Andy in a response which as stated gives Andy an alotted time amount to respond(after Salud finished Scott didnt ask Andy for response) and Scott had to be called out on it from Andy-Looks like Scott was backing Salud
Yes there are many failed businesses – many of Trump’s endeavors can be lumped into that pile – but if no one takes risks, then you have NO jobs. In order to have prosperity there needs to be incentive for people to take risks – which is you get some rich people. There was a great news piece by 60 minutes years ago that profiled Indian reservations. The government gave reservations two choices: 1) you 100% own your land but get no subsidies 2) the government gets to own your land but will give you handouts. Over time the reservations who opted for no hand outs prospered where as the others were destitute. Above all else humans want to be productive and not treated like slaves. This is the fundamental difference between the fiscal agendas of Reps vs Dems. Reps trust people to do the right thing and only interfere to the extent for the common good, where as Dems think people have to rely on the government and that any overachievers should be shamed. I sincerely wish Salud would understand this and be more pro-business.
Voice, I’ve never heard the Dems described as the party of freedom of personal choice. Sounds more libertarian to me. I would describe it as a party of a rising tide lifts all boats, and let’s make sure everyone has a boat if they weren’t born with a silver one. A pro-nuclear anti-tax advocate doesn’t sound like one of us.
We’re scr÷×+=.
SHAME–are you moving somewhere in the US? Because if you are then you are still going to be paying taxes that get dumped in to the military at an insane rate, are given away in porkbarrel projects to preferred supporters, you’ll still pay through the nose for health care that doesn’t work for you, you still won’t have a safety net or support services for family members suffering from mental health or drug problems, you’ll still be living in a place with a criminal justice system that doesn’t know how to reform criminals, and you’ll still be a part of an economic system that rewards billionaires and punishes low income people. So, really, I don’t know what you think is going to be so much better. And, what, you think Republicans have made any sort of effort to fix these issues in our society? Nope. They don’t have answers either. There’s no leadership in this country.
Businesses that can’t hack it in the most vibrant economy in the nation are mismanaged.
SHAME – how do the other of the 70 employees and their families feel about you taking their jobs away just so you can move to another state that aligns better with your political views?
Of course Scott was backing Salud. And you are 100% correct about emailing Salud. He absolutely NEVER responds to any email I send him. EVER! I respond to his emails, I send new emails asking questions about things that concern me, I have contacted his office dozens of times just over the last 12 months and I have never received an actual response that is relative to my inquiry. How can someone like that make any kind of case that he represents ME? He does NOT represent me because he refused to hear what I think on ANY issue or concern. He is a paid hack that needs to be voted out. Living in CA I feel like my vote NEVER counts. So sad that we have to live under the tyranny and arrogance of people like Salud who only want to keep businesses shut down, people dependent upon government money, and as though nothing we say or do ever matters to him. Yes I’m voting for Andy. I’ll vote for anyone except Salud!
COASTWATCH you are 100% correct! The guy needs to go!
MONKEYBOY you are spot-on! Salud has done NOTHING for us except send a few form letters telling us he’s fighting for us, when he’s just sat on his pompass a$$ and collected money for being a democrat. I don’t care if he’s democrat or republican, but he’s DONE NOTHING for way too long. Time to get some fresh perspectives! I’m voting for Andy!
Everybody got so used to Capps being nothing but a Dem puppet that Salud seems like perfection! That’s okay. It’s obvious that most of SB is party-centric for even reasons they can’t quite comprehend. Hey, it’s one of the 6 Universal laws of influence: Social Proof. People follow the lead of similar others. But trust that if we take this away from party and grouping and the rah rah of politics, you might just find we’re not getting much by way of representation. It almost makes one think the “Andy’s” in this case are nothing less then a menu option that you’ll never choose but give you assurance that you’re glad you ordered the lasagna over the hot dog.
420722 I agree with you! NOTHING has changed! I’ve been watching and waiting for Salud to do SOMETHING for us but, unfortunately, he has not. I’m voting for Andy. WE NEED CHANGE!
SBLOCAL1967 you are 100% CORRECT! I am SO tired of people who have no idea how to run a business trying to tell me (force me, tax me, regulate me, STRANGLE me) how to run my business. In 2016 more laws were passed for my business in CA than I’ve seen in a decade (before Trump was elected). Gavin, Salud, Das, Monique are KILLING us with their ridiculous regulations! I’m so sick of it I’m actually leaving CA within a year. And I’m taking the jobs my business created with me.
I was born and raised here. My great grandfather helped build Montecito and Santa Barbara. My cousin’s painting is hung in the SB Courthouse. It’s not that I can’t afford to live here anymore, I just CAN’T STAND living here anymore. I see so many rude comments from people “well if you don’t like it leave.” Yes, true. But so many people leave our area because they can’t afford it. Why? Because businesses have to keep raising prices because of the increased taxes and new regs we face every year. Someone has to pay for that and it’s always going to be the customer, not the government. So prices increase, rents increase and you have what we have in SB…people paying $3,500 to rent an old house that is hardly fit for a family. Almost anywhere else in the US you’d live in a mansion.
We live in a democratic-run state. It actually sucks to live here now. I just drove 2,500 miles and you know what I found? There are a LOT of other wonderful places to live. And guess what else? The people are freaking NICE! They aren’t stressed out, rude, bitter, and unhealthy because they don’t have to work 3 jobs just to pay rent. I’ve run into SO MANY people who have left CA because of the regs, taxes, cost of living…it’s just not worth it anymore.
This is why Gavin is begging people not to leave CA. People who voted in these morons should have to stay here and LIVE with their political choices!
Dems control the house. Trying to install Colab there guarantees that no bills benefiting the Central Coast will get passed for the foreseeable future. But if you like empty gestures, feel free to do a protest vote against Carbajal.
Caldwell is ‘Right’, and that’s his main problem.
I’m sure your slanderous statements are based on fact, right? No way do I want a fossil fuel industry sycophant as my rep.
As opposed to the ruin everything party of Trump? The founding fathers set up an oppositional system of government to make it hard to do things. Are you against our actual system?
93117 I totally agree with you. We also are taking our business and leaving California. Some of my 70 employees will go also. It’s very sad what we have allowed to happen. Why can’t people see what’s going on. And for those of you judging me before you say anything I am not a republican! YET
Have lived in North county more than 60 years. Salud cares about people. Andy is a whining anti everything. Listen to him on hate radio 1240 and be nauseated. He is disgusting and a parasite. He has held back progress in Santa Maria for years.
SB 9317,
Buh bye, and don’t let the door hit ya.
I think both candidates are underwhelming. I voted for Lois Capps, will vote again for Salud, but neither of them provided much in terms of initiative, ideas, or energy. Andy is even more of a shill for Trump and the oil industry than Salud is for the Democratic Party positions. I look forward to the day when we have someone outstanding as our congressional representative. Monique Limon- is that you?
Will you still sell goods in CA? I guess being part of the world’s 5th biggest economy is no longer beneficial to you. Let us know how you are doing in the place you wind up.
We have to rethink all of those right wing conservative labels. After the last 4 years, “right” can no longer be applied, and nothing about the party of Trump is conservative except conserving the money of the richest people in the US. Best I can come up with is extremist, and you can apply it to both parties if you want.
Trump is a business idiot with 5 bankruptcies, and these are the people that you want to run the country? I see just as many problems in private corporations as I do in government agencies. It is just the human condition.
I agree SBTownie. We have some of the highest taxes in the nation and what do we have to show for it? Best public schools? NO. Lowest poverty? NO. Lowest homelessness? NO. Fully funded pension system? NO. Best public transport system? NO. Easy to start a business? NO. Lowest unemployment? NO. Highest levels of state debt? YES Highest cost of living? YES. Wait, those last two are good! I wouldn’t mind paying more in taxes if we as a community got more for it. I wouldn’t mind paying more taxes if I didn’t have to step over human excrement on my way to work, if my kids went to some of the best schools in the nation…
Unless you are selling to high tech in the “5th largest economy in the world”, the rest of the market is a tax dollar funded welfare state. The top 1% do control this state economy Anyone of them leave and there will be serious gaps in the tax structure that funds this large welfare state, plus blow big holes in the 5th largest global economy – be sure and see who is #4 and #6 before getting drunk on those bragging rights. China, Germany, US and Japan dominate the global econmic scene, the rest of the list are minor league also- rans, including California.
SB I appreciate this kind of comment. It is sad to see businesses leaving California. I am a life long Democrat, but I now struggle with voting blue for local/State candidates & propositions because of the extreme government bureaucracy and cost. I worry that my company will ship out and take my job with it. It’s important for the businesses struggling to speak out and do it in a non-partisan way. I think many Californian’s need to see specific examples of policy and how it’s directly affecting businesses not just claiming “too much regulation”. I believe many people would agree with you but need more specifics. I want to see more politicians promoting democratic values but also admitting the government needs to be more efficient and business friendly. We should be demanding to have it both ways. Less ideology and more pragmatism.
It is good to break up this one-party lock on the state of California. We might actually get something done, and work on the huge list of unsustainable problems our one-party agenda has created these past 20 one-party years. Your grandchildren will be paying dearly for the fiscal mess the one-party control has left behind – one trillion in unfunded government employee pension liabilities should scare everyone.