Cardoza: a legend in his own flak

Cardoza: the lies that keep on coming.
Just because something is repeated over and over again doesn't make it true. The propaganda machine of Rep. Dennis Cardoza, the Pimlico Kid, is in full gear again this month with an "edition" of something they call "Valley Views," suggesting the verbiage it contains is something other than the personal vision of Cardoza and his wealthiest backers in the region.
The screed begins with a discussion of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing of the Don Pedro Dam facility, shared by Modesto and Turlock irrigation districts. To read this "view," a completely uninformed voter might reach the conclusion that if it weren't for Cardoza's timely and energetic intervention, the federal government would close down the hydroelectric facilities at Don Pedro.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. But it gives Cardoza a chance to take another shot at any environmental critics -- hijackers in Cardoza Speak -- of the dam, the reservoir, and the management of MID and TID. It's the same-old, same-old, all about "our" water, which is not "our water," but a public trust overseen by federal and state agencies, and overseen so badly by these agencies who care more about the bark of a politician than the word of the laws they are supposed to enforce that California now has the most developed water system in the world and a perpetual water crisis.
Cardoza rings the bells of our sacred agricultural economy, backbone of the valley. Is that why Valley wages are 25 percent below the state average? Are we in the Valley, whose "views" Cardoza pretends to represent, really that supportive of the agricultural system that produces millionaires, peonage and the bloated salaries of water managers? Cardoza's propagandists write in his name: "As the first in my family to graduate from college, I made bringing a four-year state university to the Central Valley one of my top priorities during my service in the California State Assembly."
In fact, Cardoza attended a four-year state university for his first two years of college. It is called California State University, Stanislaus. Cardoza finished his college education at the University of Maryland, the state where he, his family and his race horses now live. In fact, the "Valley," usually short for the Great Central Valley, contains UC Davis, CSU Chico, CSU Sacramento, University of the Pacific, CSU Stanislaus, CSU Fresno, and CSU Bakersfield -- all four-year universities.
So this whole line of the well known substance that Cardoza and other real-estate obsessed UC Merced boosters have been peddling for years is just that, an extremely stupid lie.
Cardoza welcomes Dr. Dorothy Leland, current President of Georgia College & State University, to be the newest chancellor of UC Merced. Georgia College (rarely referred to as Georgia College & State University), is a liberal arts college with some social science, medical tech, business and teaching degrees included. It's graduate school is larger than CSU Stanislaus' grad programs. Leland's appointment signals yet another change in curriculum direction for UC Merced, a campus founded as an anchor tenant for a real estate boom that has been looking for an academic direction ever since it opened its doors. Sooner or later, UC Merced will begin focusing on its natural direction, offering degrees in hotel, resort and casino management, until finally the campus becomes the newest casino in the San Joaquin Valley.
Valley Views announces that $300 million in federal funds have been awarded to build the California High Speed Railroad "toward Merced." That way the eager, well-heeled traveler might be able to drive down to Chowchilla or Madera and take a super-fast train ride to Corcoran or even the outskirts of Bakersfield, recently awarded the prize of possessing the worst air quality in the nation. That sure sounds like fun, doesn't it.
Finally, we come to Cardoza's HOME Act, a bill he dangles in front of the noses of people losing their homes to foreclosure as the panacea for all their woes, if only he could get it passed. Only, it never quite gets passed. We figure the more money real estate and bankers' political action committees donate to Cardoza's campaigns, the less likely the HOME Act is to pass. It looks like he's trying to do something for his constituents in the worst foreclosure-rate region in the country, but actually he's just threatening finance and real estate enough to shake them down for some contributions.
Badlands Journal editorial board
5-13-11
Dennis Cardoza Flak HQ
Valley Views: News About Don Pedro Dam, UC Merced, High-Speed Rail, and the HOME Act‏
http://by155w.bay155.mail.live.com/default.aspx?n=2032231008
This edition of Valley Views is packed with news affecting the 18th Congressional District. Please continue reading for updates on the work we are doing to support affordable water and hydroelectric power from Don Pedro dam, take UC Merced to new heights, ensure the high-speed rail goes through Merced, and pass the HOME Act, my foreclosure-prevention legislation working its way through Congress. Thank you for reading my e-newsletter, and please check out our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages for the latest information on our work to strengthen our Valley (links to the right).
Pushing Feds to Keep Don Pedro Dam Operating
The Don Pedro hydro-electric facility provides affordable water and power to communities served by the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts. Recently, I added my voice to the many people in the Valley calling for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to move forward with re-licensing the facility. In a statement at a government hearing, I urged the feds not to let the re-licensing process be hijacked by those attempting to restrict water deliveries on the San Joaquin tributaries.
The water quality and fishery issues in the Delta should not be the subject of the federal government’s evaluation of whether to re-license the Don Pedro hydro-electric facility. Don Pedro is an important tool for preserving our agricultural economy and providing affordable power and water for our residents and businesses in the Valley, and it must be allowed to continue operating.
New UC Merced Chancellor Will Take Us to Greater Heights
As the first in my family to graduate from college, I made bringing a four-year state university to the Central Valley one of my top priorities during my service in the California State Assembly. Now, as a member of Congress, I have continued to support the growth of UC Merced, including the creation of the UC Merced School of Medicine, which would address the critical physician shortage in the Valley and improve the health of our region’s citizens.
I welcomed the announcement that Dr. Dorothy Leland, current President of Georgia College & State University, has been recommended to be UC Merced’s next chancellor. The Valley and UC Merced will benefit from Dr. Leland’s impressive experience both in leading a small public university to national prominence, and also as an administrator in a major state university system, Florida Atlantic University.
In just six short years, UC Merced has significantly increased the number of San Joaquin Valley young people who go on to college after graduating high school, while also contributing new job and economic growth opportunities to our communities. I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Leland to grow UC Merced into one of our state’s leading academic institutions.
Extra Federal Money Will Extend High-Speed Rail North Toward Merced
In other good news for the Valley’s future, California was recently awarded an additional $300 million in federal funding for high-speed rail. This will enable the state to expand the first phase of the high-speed rail project north toward Merced.
This additional $300 million in federal funding is a step forward in connecting our Valley with the opportunities of the future. The northern part of the Valley has not reaped the economic benefits offered by mass transportation and a stronger link to our state’s major urban centers. High-speed rail will be a bridge to those opportunities, creating jobs and boosting businesses in one of the most economically distressed regions of the state.
I fully support extending the backbone of the high-speed rail system to Merced. As we move forward, I will hold the California High-Speed Rail Authority accountable for using this new funding efficiently and transparently.
Support Grows For HOME Act to Prevent Foreclosures
Across the country, in towns and cities still reeling from the housing crisis, support is growing for my legislation, the HOME Act, to prevent any more unnecessary foreclosures.
On May 10th, the Las Vegas Review Journal wrote a lengthy story about the HOME Act and their local Congresswoman’s support for the bill.
Here is an excerpt of the article, "Act Aims to Stop Default Onslaught:"
Lawmakers supporting the HOME Act say it will reduce foreclosures dramatically, reward homeowners who continued to make payments and free up capital needed to reinvigorate the housing market and economy as a whole. It will definitely aid families in Nevada, the state with the nation's highest foreclosure rate, [Congresswoman Shelley] Berkley said. Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan Chase estimate the bill would result in an annual reduction in mortgage payments of about $50 billion nationwide.
Potential homebuyers will benefit from the floor in home prices that would come with the prevention of more foreclosures and the availability of credit for new mortgages.
"No solution to date has addressed both foreclosure prevention and the decline of home equity. The reality is the housing crisis has spread far beyond the subprime market, hindering our economic recovery," said Cardoza, the bill's author. "None of the administration's current housing programs have been far-reaching enough to make a dent in the worst foreclosure crisis in U.S. history. Until we see a program that cuts to the heart of the recession, we will continue to see little growth in our economy, families losing their homes and lifetime investments with lost equity."
...I will keep fighting to pass the HOME Act and stop the onslaught of foreclosures harming our Valley.
Thank you for reading my update on our day-to-day business on behalf of the people of California’s Central Valley. I am always interested in hearing your views on these and any other issues. I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. .. Thank you again for reading my newsletter and I look forward to hearing from you.
Your Congressman,
Dennis Cardoza