Das Williams: “I’m In”

Das should have more than a decent chance at the seat, however he should resign from the city council. This is 2nd run for higher office while serving on the council for a short period.

Its obvious he cares more about moving on than the seat he holds and as he must now use that seat with a eye on his ambitions/campaign he should leave his current seat.

He is going to concentrate full time on the possible next job anyways why not put his seat in the already scheduled election anyways so the citizens can get someone who wants that job?

Too soon, too untested (and too obviously ambitious); do a bit of work and then let your record do the talking.

Das will make an excellent Assemblyman. As for his being untested, I'd say his tenure on the city council has been impressive and is a sufficient test. Susan Jordan too would make an excellent Assemblywoman, however, she has never held any elected office. I say let the campaign unfold and may the best candidate win. However, if anyone starts any mudslinging or negative campaigning they should immediately be repudiated by all progressives.

Das is big government can fix anything (at taxpayer expense) kinda guy. Expect more regulation, even sweeter deals for the public unions, and every higher taxes.

As a matter of honor and integrity, he should resign from Council b4 running for State.

april fools?

I think Das would make a great State Assemblyperson and represent the interests of Santa Barbara and his district well. Possibly, he could reintroduce the negotiated comprimise agreement with Plains Exploration which seems like a win for all as there is a set ending date to the project, 350 acres of pristine coastline would be protected and both the county and the State would be compensated at a time when funding is challanged.

As for experience, Das has done a respectible job on the City Council, has been through more than one election cycle and has worked on other candidates campaigns as a great team player. Also, it is important to note that we elected Lois Capps to Congress who had no prior experience and hasn't done anything of significance in her time in the House of Representatives, yet, for some reason, her district is gaga for her. I think we should expect more from our elected officials and I believe Das has the desire and capability to deliver.

It's ironic that raising concerns about the PXP deal is being held against Susan Jordan. Recall that both the Attorney General's office and the State Lands Commission lawyers found that key aspects of the "deal", including the end dates for drilling, were unenforceable.

I'd be looking for an elected official who actually reads the documents and understands the law, and draws conclusions based on facts. Sometimes that leads to unpopular positions, but it's better than blindly supporting a popular, but incorrect, sound-bite.

At least with Das Williams we will have someone represent the voters instead of his own interests. You may not like all of Das William's positions, but he does listen to people in his district. Nava had an agenda that ignored his constituents and I suspect Jordan probably will too.

GOTTA be an april fools joke. intended or not, that's what it is.

It's very destructive for progressive voters to go through a contested primary. We should be pulling together, not apart. Clearly Mr. Williams should not have been telling the media and the voters last summer he was not interested in the seat if that was not the case. What he says now is at odds with what he told others privately as well.

He is an ambitious guy who saw an opportunity in the PXP flap and went for it.

This sort of two-faced behavior is exactly why people do not trust politicians. Mr. Williams still has a lot to learn.

Georgy: "You may not like all of Das William's positions, but he does listen to people in his district." He may listen -and that is questionable - but he doesn't hear. LIttle more than a week ago, he tried strenuously to get a council-initiated charter amendment on the ballot to defeat the Citizens' Initiative.

He's got a sense of humor, though: to announce on April 1st!

No Way will I ever vote for Das Williams again....Pedro Nava has much more credit in my book...It was business as usual for old Das, Helene, and Marty where the needs of the people were not met....I'm talking about the little people that's right just like Danny Deckchair...It really burns me up when people join up to bulley others out of the way.....Not my vote.

Das actually does listen to the community. Such cannot be said forSusan Jordan or Pedro. Look at the PXP ruling 400 Santa Barbara voters supported it and Susan went with the 10 people from Malibu in the opposition. Sorry Susan just because Pierce Brosnan and Sara Wan think you're cool doesn't mean we do.

GO DAS

I will say this much about Susan Jordan, she went with her conscience on the PXP deal. While all involved respect the efforts of the Santa Barbara community to work to end offshore drilling by allowing PXP a new short-term lease, Ms Jordan and Pedro Nava understood that the end dates were statutorily not enforceable and represented a serious negative precedent of allowing new drilling in the state coastal sanctuary.

People should understand she stood up for the legal and environmental rights for the residents of Santa Barbara despite how it would affect her run for office. We need more politicians who stand by their personal convictions, especially when the Attorney General and State Lands Commission publicly document the many reasons to follow her wisdom.

Since Williams is running for Assembly, he should articulate his vision for the future of California. I'm afraid his vision is however of a state torn between competing ethnic and racial groups, with Latino supremacists increasing in power, and all competing for dwindling taxpayer dollars.

Does Williams see our economic future in agriculture and the service sector? If so, how will minimum-wage workers paying zero income tax support the high level of public services I'm sure Das wants. Or does he support high-tech and manufacturing, even though the workers in those fields may not be of demographics the Democratic party and Latino supremacists favor?

The Independent should conduct hard-hitting interviews with all local candidates and ask them the above questions, in addition to the following big state/national questions

1. Do you favor racial preferences in government and the private sector?

2. Do you support a multicultural and bilingual state, or do you favor assimilation.

3. Do you really feel a 500 thousand per year population growth rate is sustainable in California?

4. Do you see "white" Californians as equal stakeholders in their communities?

As stated in this pages; Das is ambitious, intelligent, disciplined, a true community listener and leader.
You may disagree with his opinion but these are all important and positive qualities to possess.
Das you have my support.

Where/when did Das publicly express support for PXP? Could someone please point me to an article, quote, column or piece of video that expressed his support prior to or at the SLC hearing?

Barney mentions it here: ( can't vouch for the timing):

http://www.independent.com/news/2009/...

Das surfs, Jordan saves surfs spots, tough choice, it's a win win either way. The one who throws the first stone will lose my vote.

Das is a professional politician trained by Taxin' Jackson. His major interest is not the voters, except so far as they can provide him a job. He is an opportunist of the highest order who has publicly stated that he considers "markets" (i.e. financial reality) irrelevant. Dangerous man.

Anybody that has survived teaching in a modern day junior high school can handle anything thrown at them.

The good news is that we will be rid of at least one of them.

binky-those comments re: PXP were after the fact (when Das apparently realized he could exploit a fissure)

Having him at State instead of Local will just further accelerate California's overall decline.

I'm curious to know how a 34 year old makes it in this town on 36K a year. He's not married right?

Trust Fund baby? Sugar Daddy in the closet? Part time bartender? Actually lives in a tent and grows pot by the railroad tracks? I'm just askin'...

What did he do before Council?

The Assembly job pays 99K a year plus bennies. Which do you think is a more demanding job...

Assembly Member (99K)or Landscape Architech (97K)?

Assembly Member (99K) or Head Librarian (138K)

Assembly Member (99K) or Admin Assistant (111K)

Assembly member (99K) or Airport Director (157K)

I'm just wondering...

Let's go back to part time Council so that money is not the motivator. Our country was founded on the idea that real people with real occupations were the best qualified to govern - not professional politicians.

Is he old enough to vote?

Doesn't it almost always come down to a candidate toeing the line of either the Democrat or Republican party anyway?

As the saying goes: "Follow the money".

Past candidates working for Santa Barbara County, thus holding a public service job, did not resign while in campaign for a public office in the city or in the county.
They have inclusive used the resources, material and political, from their civil service job positions to ran for an office, be it as supervisor or councilman.
Das as I read is contemplating still. Has the law changed ? Why is it applicable to some and not to others? I would like more explanation on the issue to better accept the fairness of the comments I have read.