{"id":8137,"date":"2018-03-21T10:30:29","date_gmt":"2018-03-21T17:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=8137"},"modified":"2018-03-21T11:12:32","modified_gmt":"2018-03-21T18:12:32","slug":"nancy-pelosi-is-the-most-conservative-candidate-in-her-2018-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2018\/03\/21\/nancy-pelosi-is-the-most-conservative-candidate-in-her-2018-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Nancy Pelosi is the most conservative candidate in her 2018 race"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

BY EMILY CADEI (sacbee.com)<\/p>\n

ecadei@mcclatchydc.com<\/p>\n

February 26, 2018\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nancy Pelosi is the most right-wing candidate in her reelection race this year.<\/p>\n

The House Democratic leader faces not one, but three, Democratic challengers in 2018, as well as a Green Party candidate. And while national Republicans love to target Pelosi as the face of the far left in their campaigns, her opponents complain she\u2019s actually not liberal enough for her San Francisco district, particularly on issues like health care and campaign finance.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s almost no chance Pelosi will lose her reelection. The 77-year-old Democrat has held her seat, which encompasses almost all of the city of San Francisco, since 1987, typically winning by margins of 70 and even 80 percentage points. But the critiques from her left-leaning opponents underscore an internal debate about the future of the Democratic Party in California \u2013 and nationally.<\/p>\n

They also make plain that as much as the GOP tries to paint Pelosi as an extremist, she is very much a political pragmatist. It would hard to be such a power broker within the Democratic party establishment, if she wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a point Pelosi\u2019s challengers are trying to make.<\/p>\n

Attorney Stephen Jaffe, 72, has even gone so far as filing a lawsuit against the state Democratic Party, claiming that it \u201cactively worked\u201d to prevent Jaffe from challenging the party\u2019s automatic endorsement of Pelosi. As a result, Pelosi avoided facing a vote during the state party\u2019s annual convention in San Diego over the weekend.<\/p>\n

Jaffe told The Bee that Pelosi\u2019s focus is squarely on national politics, not the district.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is disconnected and out of touch with the people of San Francisco,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In particular, he pointed to her refusal to endorse single-payer health care proposals in Congress, something supported by a\u00a0majority of registered Democrats statewide<\/a>\u00a0but that has divided party officials. Pelosi has said her focus is on protecting the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, from Republican repeal efforts. And she\u00a0has urged<\/a>\u00a0states to enact single-payer programs first, because \u201cthe comfort level with a broader base of the American people is not there yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jaffe, a volunteer on Bernie Sanders\u2019 2016 presidential campaign, also complains that Pelosi raises millions of dollars from big-dollar donors and corporate PACs. Indeed, Pelosi\u2019s prolific fundraising was one of the factors in her rise to \u2013 and hold on to \u2013 power in Washington. But it\u2019s also become a point of contention for those in the so-called \u201cBernie wing\u201d of the party, who have made overhauling today\u2019s campaign finance system a central plank of their advocacy.<\/p>\n

Pelosi has recently been dogged by hecklers at\u00a0public events<\/a>\u00a0and on\u00a0social media<\/a>, questioning her personal wealth and donor connections<\/p>\n

Another candidate, law student Ryan Khojasteh, is at the other end of the spectrum \u2013 at least, age-wise. He will turn 25 just days before the November election, just making him barely eligible to run for Congress. He and Jaffe have similar policy disagreements with Pelosi, although Khojasteh says he does not want to attack the incumbent herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are trying to frame this race about what the future of the Democratic Party looks like,\u201d Khojasteh told The Bee as he was driving down Interstate 5 to San Diego for the Democratic convention. He said he decided to jump in the race after watching Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff lose a hotly contested special election for a Georgia congressional seat in June.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just remember all the headlines the next morning: \u2018Handel beats Ossoff after link to Pelosi,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cWhile we respect all that Pelosi has done, maybe it\u2019s time to pass on the torch.\u201d<\/p>\n

That echoes the\u00a0rumblings against Pelosi<\/a>\u00a0among some House Democrats in Washington, who worry that Pelosi has become a campaign liability and say it\u2019s time she and other septuagenarian Democratic leaders make way for a new generation. Pelosi\u2019s campaign did not reply to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

While Jaffe has the backing of several local Sanders-aligned groups, as well as actress Susan Sarandon, Khojasteh recently\u00a0won the endorsement<\/a>\u00a0of the San Francisco Young Democrats.<\/p>\n

A third Democrat, Shahid Buttar, attorney and former director of grassroots advocacy at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, launched his campaign for Pelosi’s seat on Feb 22.<\/p>\n

The three men, along with perennial Green Party candidate Barry Hermanson, are vying to finish second in the June primary, advancing to the general election against Pelosi.<\/p>\n

They acknowledge the long odds of actually toppling the veteran Democrat, however. Khojasteh says that as \u201ca young son of immigrants,\u201d he would view it as an accomplishment just to make it to the general election.<\/p>\n

San Francisco-based political consultant Boe Hayward noted Pelosi has been \u201cchallenged a number of times by candidates from the left and the right\u201d over the course of her career, San Franciscans continue to return her to power because \u201cthe leader has been an unbelievable advocate for progressive values.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, Pelosi typically draws a handful of challengers to her reelection, including Republicans, Independents, Green party members and, now and then, fellow Democrats. Rarely, however, has she drawn multiple opponents from her own party. In a district where only 7 percent of registered voters are Republican, it\u2019s really the challenge from the left that\u2019s notable.<\/p>\n

This is the most organized her opponents on that side have been since 2008, when Pelosi\u00a0faced off against<\/a>\u00a0gold star mother and anti-Iraq War activist Cindy Sheehan, who ran as an independent. Pelosi still won\u00a0nearly 72 percent of the vote<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hayward, a former chief of staff for Democratic Board of Supervisors member Bevan Dufty, now represents some of the Bay Area\u2019s most prominent tech firms, among other companies. He said that despite its reputation for pie-in-the-sky liberalism, many San Francisco voters appreciate Pelosi\u2019s hard-nosed style of national leadership in \u201cdriving a successful policy agenda\u201d and \u201ckeeping her party in line.\u201d<\/p>\n

They\u2019re not fazed by Republicans\u2019 attempts to use their city as a pejorative. \u201cWe understand and are used to being the symbol of the left, but people in San Francisco are proud to live there and are damn proud to have the leader as our representative,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note: The story was updated at 2:06 p.m. Feb. 26, 2018 to reflect Buttar\u2019s entry in the race.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Emily Cadei:\u00a0202-383-6153<\/a>,\u00a0@emilycadei<\/a><\/p>\n

Shahid Buttar:<\/h1>\n
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\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Shahid Ali Buttar (born July 22, 1974) is an American artist, political activist and constitutional lawyer. Focusing on the intersection of community organizing, art & culture, and policy reform, Buttar serves as an organizer and media spokesperson in the movements for peace, immigrant rights, black lives, and civil liberties. Buttar declared in himself in February 2018 as a\u00a0Democratic Party<\/a>\u00a0candidate for the\u00a0United States House of Representatives<\/a>, as a challenger to\u00a0Nancy Pelosi<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0California’s 12th congressional district<\/a>[1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0in\u00a0San Francisco, California<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Previous to this, Buttar was the Director of Grassroots Advocacy for the\u00a0Electronic Frontier Foundation<\/a>.[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

Buttar was born in London, England into a Pakistani family fleeing religious persecution in their home country. Two years later, Buttar immigrated to the U.S. with his parents and three older siblings and became a naturalized citizen. Buttar spent much of his younger life in a small, rural, midwestern town of Rosebud, Missouri. Strongly influenced by his identity as an immigrant and experience as a person of color, the various parts of Buttar\u2019s career and creative work have been guided in common by a commitment to social justice.<\/p>\n

Buttar received his Bachelor\u2019s degree in Political Science from\u00a0Loyola University<\/a>\u00a0Chicago\u00a0summa cum laude<\/i>\u00a0in 2000 and in 2003 received his Juris Doctor (JD) from\u00a0Stanford Law School<\/a>, where he served as a Teaching Assistant for Constitutional Law. He was admitted to the\u00a0State Bar of California<\/a>\u00a0in 2004.[3]<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Struck by the thought that the rule of law and judicial independence were undermined in the\u00a0Bush v. Gore<\/i>\u00a0decision in 2000 and compounded by the constitutional crisis in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Buttar built a strong and early foundation of activism and advocacy.<\/p>\n

On January 12, 2018 Buttar was interviewed on\u00a0Rising Up with Sonali<\/a>\u00a0after Pelosi helped kill the USA Rights Act,\u00a0[4]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0[5]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0the latest among several times when she impeded surveillance reform efforts.\u00a0[6]<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0It was in response to Congress extending and expanding NSA surveillance that he decided to run against Pelosi to represent California’s 12th district in Congress.<\/p>\n

More at:\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shahid_Buttar<\/a><\/p>\n

\n
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Nancy Pelosi Has Another Challenger: Ryan Khojasteh<\/h1>\n

Ryan Khojasteh has his eye on Pelosi’s seat, adding a second corporate-free challenger to the CA-12 primary ticket.<\/h2>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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By Dawn Papple<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(inquisitr.com)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

\"\"<\/a>Ryan Khojasteh, a San Francisco Bay area native, has big plans for\u00a0California\u2019s 12th congressional district<\/a>. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has represented this district since January, 2013, and served in House of Representatives almost continuously since 1987.\u00a0Inquisitr<\/em>previously reported that\u00a0Progressive Stephen Jaffe<\/a>\u00a0is challenging Pelosi for her House seat. Now, it looks like the San Francisco Bay area voters have a second Progressive to choose from. Like Jaffe, Ryan Khojasteh is a Progressive. Like Jaffe, he supported Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primary of 2016 and says that\u00a0his campaign<\/a>\u00a0will not accept PAC or Super-PAC donations.<\/p>\n

In an exclusive interview, Khojasteh told\u00a0Inquisitr<\/em>\u00a0that he believes he can better represent the 12th congressional district than both Pelosi and Jaffe. Khojasteh says that, like many in his district, he knows what it\u2019s like to grow up in middle class America without an extended family support system as the result of immigration policies.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy family is currently affected by the travel ban too. I know what it\u2019s like from a young age to be a part of these late night kitchen table conversations about whether my parents needed to take out a second mortgage on the home, how they would send the kids to college, or how would they be able to pay the bills for the month. My dad is a small business owner, and I worked for him during high school. I have seen firsthand how hard it is for small businesses to keep their doors open and stay in business.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Pelosi\u2019s newest challenger is a staff editor for the\u00a0Hastings Women\u2019s Law Journal<\/em><\/a>. Ryan will graduate\u00a0law school<\/a>\u00a0early and receive his Juris Doctorate degree in December, 2018, a mere three weeks before congressional inauguration day.<\/p>\n

He is the son of Iranian immigrants and the first member of his extended family born in the United States. He has $150,000 in student loans, and that is after accounting for his scholarship award.<\/p>\n

Ryan Khojasteh\u2019s View Of The Democratic Party<\/h2>\n

Ryan says that a light bulb went off in his head when Jon Ossoff lost his race, which was one of the\u00a0most expensive<\/a>\u00a0congressional races in history. He says that he saw a headline the next morning that said that Handel beat Ossoff \u201cafter being linked to Pelosi.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI really began to reflect. Our party isn\u2019t necessarily representing the majority of Americans because a sizable chunk of those in charge never lived these issues to understand these issues,\u201d Ryan told\u00a0Inquisitr<\/em>. \u201cThere is such a growing disdain towards the establishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ryan says that Pelosi is leading a party that is becoming more flawed and more comfortable in its flawed ways at a time when it should be striving for a progressive future.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe party needs to change. Our leaders need to be held accountable. And I believe that if there ever was a time, 2018 would be that time. Changing the party, starts here in CA-12.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ryan says that he\u2019s not just thinking about a personal victory. He says that if he places in one of the top two spots during the primary election, his campaign will use that national stage to convince other people that they can and should run for office.<\/p>\n

He also wants to prove that no incumbent is invincible. Unseating Pelosi would do just that, he says.<\/p>\n

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Ryan Khojasteh On Immigration Reform<\/h2>\n

Ryan Khojasteh currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Immigrant Rights Commission, appointed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors after a unanimous recommendation. On that commission, he also serves as the Chair of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Task Force. He works closely with the Chair of the Commission, Vice-Chair, and Executive Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs and Civic Engagement to shape the commission\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n

He says that he was invited to Congresswoman Pelosi\u2019s press conference about the DREAM Act in September. He says that he witnessed undocumented youth protesting, at which point Pelosi left. He said that the protesters stressed the need for comprehensive immigration reform. He says that the protesters said that they tried to get a meeting with Pelosi for years, but that they were \u201crepeatedly turned down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was unacceptable, and so at our midyear leadership retreat, I was inspired to fight for a clean DREAM Act and a broader comprehensive immigration reform package,\u201d Ryan told\u00a0Inquisitr<\/em>. \u201cAs the chair, I authored two resolutions, unanimously approved by the Commission, that were presented to the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first resolution called for the Board of Supervisors and the mayor\u2019s office to utilize their positions to influence federal lawmakers in an attempt to make a clean DREAM Act a legislative priority. The second resolution called for San Francisco to refrain from using the word \u201cDREAMER.\u201d Ryan says that the word \u201cperpetuates the divisive good vs. bad immigrant narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned firsthand that undocumented youth and DACA recipients do not like this word because the true dreamers are all immigrants who came here in pursuit of the American dream, including their parents. All 11 million undocumented immigrants should be granted status. The more we use the word \u2018DREAMER\u2019 the more we inherently demonize everyone else.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ryan Khojasteh\u2019s Political Connections And Inspiration<\/h2>\n

Ryan says that he never had any political connections. The first time he ever met an elected official was when he interned for Congressman Honda during his senior year of college which he called an \u201cincredibly formative experience.\u201d He said he was inspired to become involved in politics by the actions of Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress and the first woman to seek the Democratic nomination for the presidency, Harvey Milk, who ran a campaign against what Ryan calls \u201cThe Machine\u201d and was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and Bernie Sanders. On a personal note, he says he was also inspired by his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you come from an Iranian-American family, your existence is inherently political. My dad always talked to me about the revolution, how hard it was to leave, how hard it was to plant roots here,\u201d Ryan told\u00a0Inquisitr<\/em>. \u201cMy dad is potentially alive today because America exists. I have such deep respect for the American Dream that I am going to dedicate the rest of my life protecting it and preserving it for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ryan says that he is not worried about splitting the Progressive vote during the primary. He says that with California\u2019s \u201ctop two\u201d primary system, the two candidates with the most votes will progress to the election in November, regardless of party.<\/p>\n

Ryan Khojasteh On Public Health Issues<\/h2>\n

Ryan Khojasteh is a staunch advocate for\u00a0single-payer healthcare<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He also has plenty of ideas for changes in gun control laws. In addition to universal background checks, he\u2019d like to ban semi-automatic rifles and modifications for all civilians, create a registry for anyone who owns more than 10 guns, increase trauma centers in non-metropolitan areas, prohibit anyone convicted of a hate crime from owning a gun, create more comprehensive gun safety classes, expand the definition of domestic abuse in relation to gun ownership, allow the CDC to study gun violence as a public health issue, consider gun owners\u2019 liability insurance, and strengthen regulations regarding firearms and mental health.<\/p>\n

In California, vaccines have been a hot public health topic for years.\u00a0Philosophical and religious vaccine waivers<\/a>\u00a0are no longer accepted for entry into schools, preschools, and daycare centers as part of state law. Ryan says that if he were a member of Congress, he would vote for federal legislation removing non-medical vaccine exemptions across the country, though he believes that such legislation would be challenged on Tenth Amendment grounds for infringing on state sovereignty.<\/p>\n

Ryan Khojasteh On GMOs, Labeling, Subsidizing, And Farming<\/h2>\n

He was disappointed in President Obama for\u00a0signing S. 764 into law<\/a>. The industry-backed bill overturned Vermont\u2019s GMO label law. He says that it could allow the national labeling standard to become incredibly weak and \u201cprovide almost no information to the consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n

While on the topic of GMOs, it should also be noted that Ryan believes that the heavy subsidization of corn and soy to facilitate meat production and processed foods is backwards to public health. He thinks it makes more sense to subsidize fruit and vegetable production from the standpoint of public health and public health associated costs.<\/p>\n

Ryan says would also support a federal Right to Farm act protecting farmers from\u00a0nuisance lawsuits<\/a>, provided farmers employ\u00a0standard and accepted farming practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ryan Khojasteh On Marijuana Legalization<\/h2>\n

Ryan would like to see marijuana legalized and regulated like alcohol. He also would like to see marijuana possession convictions and non-violent marijuana distribution convictions expunged for those associated with small amounts of the plant.<\/p>\n

Ryan Khojasteh On Building Codes<\/h2>\n

He says he would absolutely consider legislation federally exempting tiny houses from residential building codes to benefit veterans and homeless Americans. He also would support federal legislation that would codify or amend state residential housing codes to accommodate green options like grey water systems, composting toilets, and earth sheltered homes.<\/p>\n

Ryan Khojasteh On Native American Issues<\/h2>\n

Ryan supported\u00a0DAPL protesters<\/a>\u00a0and feels that \u201cthe Army Corps granting the final easement was egregious.\u201d He says that after the Sioux sued over the loss of Black Hills and won their Supreme Court battle, they were awarded over $100 million in just compensation. Of course, they refused the funds, because they want their land,\u00a0not the compensation<\/a>. He says that our Constitution doesn\u2019t provide a just remedy to this issue and would support a Constitutional amendment to the Takings Clause prohibiting the\u00a0takings of Native land<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis land serves incredibly important purposes \u2014 traditional, spiritual, religious, historical. It is their home. No justification in my opinion is compelling enough to strip that land away.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ryan favors changing the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous People\u2019s Day. He says that as soon as the name change is adopted in his hometown, he will fight for it to change on a national level.<\/p>\n

Ryan Khojasteh\u2019s Big Promise<\/h2>\n

As the interview concluded, Ryan made a firm pledge that may surprise the voters of California\u2019s 12th congressional district. Ryan says that if he is elected, he will return to his home district every weekend. He says he will use his own funds to travel back to California from Washington, D.C., every weekend to engage with the community and host town hall events. He says that his promise is barring only unforeseen emergencies or pressing issues in Washington. He says that should situations occasionally come up prohibiting his return to California on a particular weekend, he would notify the community and plan an extra event for the following weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will be back all 52 weekends of every year for as long as I am a member of Congress,\u201d Khojasteh told\u00a0Inquisitr<\/em>. \u201cAccessibility and transparency are two crucial factors in restoring truth in our government.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BY EMILY CADEI (sacbee.com) ecadei@mcclatchydc.com February 26, 2018\u00a0 Nancy Pelosi is the most right-wing candidate in her reelection race this year. The House Democratic leader faces not one, but three, Democratic challengers in 2018, as well as a Green Party candidate. And while national Republicans love to target Pelosi as… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8137"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8137"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8150,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8137\/revisions\/8150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}