Columnist Mark Simon ended his 9/11 column with this blurb "I’LL BE AROUND: You deserve a break. I am taking a breather from this exercise in journalism. Enjoy." Sounds like an adios to me which would be a shame. I've disagreed with a goodly amount of what he's written over the years, but he is plugged-in and politicians do return his phone calls.
This last column took politicians and bicycle activists to task. First up was Gov. Newsom and his rhetoric around Prop. 50 and redistricting.
It hands me a laugh when I hear Democrats talking tough. Maybe they are trying to emulate President Trump in a misguided belief that coarse, tough-guy language will counter the absence of a coherent message. In any case, it kind of rings false.
Next up was Kevin Mullin
He was asked how it is to serve in Congress at what is conceded to be an unpleasant time.
“Every single day I go there, I have to pinch myself,” he said. “Honestly, that sounds sort of hokey, right? … It sounds a little Pollyanna, but it is an enormous responsibility that I feel that I represent 762,000 people on this Peninsula at a time when our democracy is under attack,” he said.
So, he was apologizing for expressing his feelings about serving in Congress. I have heard this kind of thing from Democrats for decades. Rarely, if ever, have I heard a Republican apologize for his or her emotions about the job, the office or the country, even when some of them probably should have. Why is that, do you suppose?
And his take on Josh Becker is hilariously accurate. Talking about Becker roaming up and down El Camino during the Labor Day demonstrations and posting numerous videos, Simon zeroes in thusly
These were just the latest in an onslaught of news releases and social media postings from Becker. Some are personal, some political, but the rate is relentless. I get that the senator is busy, I get that he wants to communicate. But he is approaching this with all the energy and self-awareness of a golden retriever.
All of Becker's "working for change" missives cause me to think "how about working to preserve what is good about the Peninsula instead?" You can click through for Simon's other comments about e-bikes, Tom Lantos and Russia. They are equally common sense based. Might as well end with a bang. Adios, Mark.
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