Election Wrap up Coming

Wednesday night the Marin Women's Political Caucus will hold its annual Election Wrap up night with a twist. The twist this year is one of our stalwart panelists lost her re-election campaign this year for Novato City Council. This was a shocker and should make for a good discussion. Was it a "throw the bums out" election, as some pundits have postulated? Or was it more of a mixed bag. Many incumbents, after all, retained their seats, but we did see a higher than average change in several Councils.

Now former Councilwoman Jeanne MacLeamy telling us how she sees it

One big issue? Development and traffic. Always on the agenda, but with lots of moaning and wailing and gnashing of teeth over how "affordable" housing, especially the high density kind, will destroy neighborhoods, let "those people" loose on the populace and, of course, bring down property values, some of the noise has been downright nasty. Last year was just as bad, with incumbent Supervisor Susan Adams, whose only crime was sticking to her principles (very clearly enunciated in her first race more than 10 years  back), that she wanted to help create a very modest affordable housing project as part of a much needed and desired revamp of a local shopping center.  But the times they are a changin' and not necessarily for the better.

That's not for this Campaign Cook to say. We test the kitchen, its heat, its accessibility and we help the cooks and the wanna-be chefs work their magic.

Then we let the pundits and the analysts hash it all out so to speak. This year's Election Wrap Up ought to be downright delicious.

 

Epicurean Electoral Hash recipe:

Yield

Makes 6 servings

Active Time

1 1/2 hr

Total Time

6 hr (includes making brisket)

Ingredients

1. • Braised beef brisket
   • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
   • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
   • 2 medium fresh poblano chiles (1/2 pound total)
   • 1 medium Yukon Gold potato (1/2 pound)
   • 1 medium rutabaga (1/2 pound)
   • 1 medium Fuji or Gala apple
   • 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
   • 1 small white onion, finely chopped
   • 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
   • 6 large eggs

Preparation

1. 1. Finely shred brisket and transfer to a bowl, then mix with mustard and Worcestershire sauce until combined well.
   2. Roast poblanos on their sides on racks of gas burners over medium-high heat, turning with tongs, until skins are blistered and slightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes. (Or broil on rack of a broiler pan about 2 inches from heat.) Immediately transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly, then let stand 10 minutes. Carefully rub off skins from poblanos. Cut open lengthwise and remove stems and seeds, including attached ribs. Wipe poblanos clean with a paper towel if necessary, then cut into 1/4-inch dice and transfer to a large bowl.
   3. Peel potato, rutabaga, and apple and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, then cook in 1/2 stick butter with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden in spots and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl with poblanos.
   4. Cook onion in 3 tablespoons butter with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in same skillet, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes more. Transfer to bowl with poblano mixture. Stir brisket into hash until combined.
   5. Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in middle.
   6. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides. Add half of hash to skillet and cook, turning portions occasionally, until browned and crisp in spots, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a large (17-by 11-inch) 4-sided sheet pan and keep warm in oven. Cook remaining hash in same manner in 1 tablespoon butter. Transfer to sheet pan in oven.
   7. Rinse and wipe out skillet. Fry eggs in 2 batches with 1 tablespoon butter per batch over medium heat. Serve eggs over hash.

Cooks' note:

Hash, without brisket, can be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before using.

Nightmare before Election Day

High anxiety the day before Election a day.  The S.F. Chronicle says turnout will be low, lower than ever even. And that Republicans vote in higher numbers traditionally in primaries. This is disheartening, as it may well mean my candidate has less of a chance than I would have wanted, much less.  If the Reps vote as they will they get an automatic 20+%. Maybe more and the big red postcard calling them to arms, will boost their vote even more,

Dems will naturally split the vote against the incumbent and voila, here in a solidly Democratic District, the Rep comes out on top (or on the top of the second place).  The so called "moderate" Dem wins easily in the fall.

Is this what top two voting is all about  the outcome hoped for?  Instead of a vigorous intra-party race in the primary for the best Democrat to go head to head with the Rep, it's all up for grabs as once, and the best Democrat may well be left in the dust,

.

I suppose that is what many wanted when they voted for top two, and open voting at that.  The Moderate Dem faces the weak Rep. The election is over in the primary, which it may  have been anyway in a strong Dem District, but it may have been more exciting, more issue driven, and a better Dem may have won. Traditionally the stronger candidate with more progressive values wins in the primary, while the one with the more conservative views wins in the Republican primary. That’s why Tea Party candidates often win primaries, then g on to tank in the General. Or not, of course, depending on the geography and demographics of the District.

Bah humbug. This all leads to inaction all around in the legislature. Good bills stalled as the moderate Dems kowtow to their corporate masters.  Who loses? Poor people, the environment, kids in school, minorities, older people, the disabled, the disenfranchised.

It's the age of gilt and steam and back room deals all over again. Is this what voters really wanted when they voted in the top two?  What were they thinking? may be the question to ask, if you thought there might be an answer.