What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

[scamperwillow]

...A few years ago Noreen Evans came back to the county from the State Senate in Sacramento with a considerable war chest and many political friends...

Zeno, I must correct some of your assumptions. Largest of them is that Noreen did NOT come back with some sort of "war chest". She actually came home with some debt. She immediately resumed her law practice in order to support herself. (No pensions for state legislators no matter how long they have worked there.) oh and I don't think Lynda has any shortage of funds based on two full color mailings and so many signs of all sizes all over the district.

I'm not sure what you refer to as the "democratic machine" but the Bosco-koenigshofer machine is behind Lynda and I do believe they still call themselves Democrats.

I'm rather surprised that you are discounting Noreen's impressive track record at backing and fighting for the causes so important to us here in the fifth district. Marty

[Lisa Maldonado]

No Zeno,
I'm glad you both went to Stanford but What does it say when Lynda Hopkins, a candidate running for office in Sonoma County where rents are increasingly out of reach for workers, hires farm workers for 10.50 an hour with no health care? I guess as long as she calls herself " green" and "organic" then it doesn't matter that she's living large & making six figures while she pays farm workers a pittance. Doesn't it bother you that she is backed by Real Estate interests and opposes rent control? Or that she is using Rob Muelrath ( local republican campaign consultant who ran David rabbits dirty campaign against Pam Torliatt)

Wake up and smell the coffee it's the Bosco Boys and Efren Carrillo all over again. Another bright shiny object to distract you from what's behind the curtain

More Info here.

[Shepherd]

Zeno is a long-time progressive and activist in various food causes, such as Russian River Slow Food and Sustainability Sonoma State University, from which he has retired. His analysis below is very solid and evidence based, rather than speculative. I want to underline his point that Lynda Hopkins, 32-years-old, was the first candidate to bravely enter this fray. She did, indeed, reluctantly accept the backing and finances that she received.

In terms of the comments by my long-time colleague and friend Ernie Carpenter, I do not appreciate the mud that he has been slinging at Lynda. I enthusiastically endorsed Ernie's last campaign and continue to work with him to contain the over-growth of the wine industry, from which the candidate that I support in this race, Noreen Evans, has also received significant donations over the years.

If you ever wonder why so many young people do not even vote, re-read Ernie's personal attacks on Lynda in this thread. It is hard for me to even get college students to think about voting in a decreasingly democratic system run to benefit the wealthy, even here in Sonoma County. They don't trust us any more, with good reason.

Vote for Noreen, but please do not demonize Lynda. Think beyond merely this current campaign into the future, where Lynda Hopkins could emerge as an important environmentalist/agriculturalist/progressive. We need a more diverse Board of Sups, as Zeno contends.

[jbox]

...And we both hold degrees from Stanford

Well, I dunno about the Stanford thing, I'm a Cal guy. I do think that Evans the establishment candidate and Hopkins is the newcomer. It kinda mirrors the national election a bit. I think we should just get rid of the old guard and let the new blood in. I'm all in for Lynda, unless she convinces me otherwise. Vote the establishment out. By the way, I haven't heard one utterance from Noreen Evans, is she really running?. Have I missed something or does she just take us for granted?

[Icssoma]

reading about Lynda vs Noreen, & the concern for dialog turning ugly.
think we can do better than this for discussion on the 5th district supervisor. how about opinions & facts that might be helpful.

based on what i know, i will be supporting noreen evans. since i know little about Lynda Hopkins, only what i have read on wacco & in the sonoma west times, i have much to do before i can make an informed decision.
feel better for outting myself as a hillary supporter in a bernie town.

helps to have people i admire on the same team.

[Scott McKeown]

I agree with Shepherd's posts on this topic. It seems we have two fine women who would both well represent the 5th District on the Board of Supervisors. Personally, I plan on voting for Noreen Evans because of her considerable experience and proven track record that demonstrates to me she would do a great job of representing my values and with effectiveness in our county. And, from what I observe, Lynda Hopkins, with the courage she is demonstrating by stepping up to be in the mix, shows we have a good "farm team" (to use a baseball term) of next generation leaders in the wings available to represent our West County progressive values. We should celebrate that we have such a good choice.

So let's please cool down with the negative rhetoric. Otherwise, we are mirroring exactly the sort of negativity currently on display in our national politics. We are better than that.

Scott

[Lilith Rogers]

Thanks for your wise words, Scott. Yes, let's keep it civil and informative.
Lilith

Listening to NPR going on and on about the primaries in Arizona, Idaho, and Utah. Esp. pathetic that there are three hour waits at the polls in Arizona. And these are just the primaries. Oh, and mile long lines in Idaho. Wow.

I agree with Shepherd's posts on this topic. ...

[scamperwillow]

Shepherd, I am sorry but what are you talking about? You think Zeno has "evidence" that Noreen came home from Sacramento with some sort of "War chest". He has completely made this up and it is totally untrue. Noreen came home with campaign debt. So please stop spreading this rumor.

Zeno is a long-time progressive and activist in various food causes, such as Russian River Slow Food and Sustainability Sonoma State University, from which he has retired. His analysis below is very solid and evidence based,...

[rossmen]

So your opinion, stated as fact, is that hopkins moved to the 5th on the encouragement of gore (ie a carpet bagger), something which she has disputed with you directly here. Do you have any proof that this is a fact? The only thing I have read on wacco which causes me concern about is linda is OK with gmos. True?

...So, we vote for an inexperienced person, carpetbagger, beholding to special interest, two young children at home, who misrepresents herself? Hopkins has an organic vegetable garden but apparently supports GMOs. This is why I am for Noreen. We know she will protect our land use and values. Noreen Evans is a problem solver who will fight for us starting Day 1. And, successfully.

[spam1]

. Noreen Evans has a long record of providing strong advocacy for the West County and the environment.

Does she have any record working for a living, running a business, and living with the rules and regs that she has and presumably will pass. I personally favor voting for a real-life person who hasn't spent years and years in politics, to such an extend that they forget how their regulations affect real people in the real world. There's a reason we don't have affordable housing; there's a reason that it's practically impossible to start and run a business in this county. I'll have to check between Tom and Lynda, but they are much more appealing than voting for yet another job-hopping politian.

[Ernieman]

Dr. Shepherd,
I go plant my Bodega Reds (Harmony Farm Supply get them now), fix the fence, hang a gate. hang with the pigs for awhile, visit with friends in the sun, go the the gym, the Jewish Film Festival, come home to steamed broccoli, open my computer and geez, I am responsible for young people not voting. Hilarious.

Here is a resolution to your issue of "truth and beauty in politics" and what Ernie said:
1) Go over everything I wrote and show me an ad hominem attack or an untruth. List the mud I threw.

2) This elections is for County Supervisor, not Class President, and the swing vote on the Board of Supervisors for land use, services, and "How big can an industrial wine complex be upon agriculture land when they grow few grapes". Hopefully, Hopkins has bigger vegetables than you given what the job entails. One has to fight. No one on the Board is really sympathetic, you have to fight for road money and to pay for fixes be it sewer or water system in your District. What I dish out is lightweight in the political arena.

Noreen stood toe-to-toe with the Terminator(Schwarzenegger) as Chairperson of the Senate Budget Committee. She fought like hell for Sonoma County and the "disenfranchised". Masterful. She will fight like hell to preserve the General Plan and good land use policies, She is not an unknown nor the least bit afraid to take on a challenge.I observed she starts looking for solutions poste haste.

As to this statement by you regarding Hopkins "She did, indeed, reluctantly accept the backing and finances that she received". You really believe that? On a scale of 1-10 how reluctant was she? How much from whom?

Here is a good journalistic effort for you. Some have claimed that she bought a million dollar home when she moved into the District in 2015 and that she bought it on the backs of her workers. Do some meaningful research. It is important because if she pays $10.50/hr as reported, what does that do to the potential vote on the $15/hour before the Board of Supervisors? Did she find housing for the workers as noted in the job description?

This could go on for a good journalist. You could compare to Paul Hobbs wages for instance. Just a thought. I have no idea what Hopkins pays her labor, nor does the public. So, is it $10.50?

Just some thoughts.I finished my broccoli.I hire through Central Laboral in Graton at $15/hr.

[Lisa Maldonado]

Does she have any record working for a living, running a business, and living with the rules and regs that she has and presumably will pass. ...

Noreen has raised her children, run a small business and lived in Sonoma County for over three decades which is longer than any other candidate. She served this county well in the state legislature, by fighting the Governor when he tried to slash the social safety net for women and children and advocating for our coast and beaches and environment. She's been endorsed by Sonoma Conservation Action and the Sierra Club for many years and many elections. That makes her a dedicated and experienced public servant. If that to you spells "career politician" then by all means vote for someone like Manure Man ( who I am sure has an equally effective and impressive record)

[Barry]

... Hopkins has an organic vegetable garden but apparently supports GMOs. ...

I believe Ernie is overstating the case.

Here's a quote from the March 16th PD article "Ban on GMO crops sought again for Sonoma County":

One of the several rivals, Lynda Hopkins, an organic farmer, on Wednesday expressed opposition to GMO crops and support for labeling of products that contain the altered organisms. She said she also signed the petition seeking to put the proposed county ban before voters.

But she stopped short of endorsing a ban, saying she wanted to read through “every single line” of the proposed ordinance before stating her position on it. Supporting the ban would likely put Hopkins at odds with many of her own supporters, including influential and deep-pocketed farming interests. Hopkins did not express concerns about that potential conflict, saying county politics are not “black and white.”

“People try to pigeonhole and assume because you receive support from some organizations that you agree with them lock, stock and barrel,” she said.

However, Noreen does unequivocally support the proposed GMO ban:

She said Wednesday she now supports a ban on GMO plants and crops in Sonoma County, saying there’s no proof that altered crops are completely safe and that there’s potential for such material to “invade other farms.”

[rossmen]

I believe Ernie is overstating the case. ...

To put it mildly. He also seems to be slinging mud about her farm, becoming a homeowner and treatment of farmworkers. As someone undecided it's not helpful. The bos seems most split on labor issues, except for their own pay, which is very high compared to other california County supervisors.

[Shepherd]

Shepherd, I am sorry but what are you talking about? You think Zeno has "evidence" that Noreen came home from Sacramento with some sort of "War chest". He has completely made this up and it is totally untrue. Noreen came home with campaign debt. So please stop spreading this rumor.

Dear Marty,
To answer your question, what I am "talking about" is that Ernie's demonizing Lynda Hopkins is unnecessary and counter-productive for our futures. Zeno may not be totally correct in everything he asserts. None of us are perfect, including myself. My focus is on how Ernie scares off people from entering politics and running for office, especially young people, when they have to deal with his personal attacks and innuendos. Let Noreen win on her considerable merits, which I have said numerous times.

Let's invest in our common futures by running clean campaigns, rather than the dirty campaign that Ernie is running, which clearly alienates many progressives and others. Leave it to Republicans to do that. Such demonizing is counter-productive.

Meanwhile, with the dry weather, I need to focus on farming here on the vineyard that I have operated for 24 years, where I grow mainly boysenberries, as well as some other berries and apples and offer farm tours. I want a supervisor committed to working to protect our farms and rural lands, which I think that Noreen is the best person to do.

And I need to get back to working to contain the sprawl of wineries as event centers which threaten food ag here in Sonoma County. According to the Go Local publication "Made Local," 96% of the veggies and fruit sold in Sonoma County are imported from outside our county. We are facing serious food security issues in our unpredictable future, with global wars continuing to heat up. We are no longer a food ag. county but an alcohol county, the most lucrative wine-producing county in America. Wine grapes are a monocrop that threatens our economy with their boom-and-bust cycle. Those are the issues that I think should be addressed in this campaign, rather than personal attacks, which Noreen has also received.

Lynda is receiving a baptism by fire from Ernie and some other old politicians. I am glad that Noreen is wisely staying out of that fray. Perhaps in 8 years Lynda will run again, and we would have a mid-life, female farmer as a Supervisor. Imagine that. Or some other relatively young person. Lets think about our futures.

[Sara S]

Understanding a person does not mean condoning; it only means that one does not accuse him as if one were God or a judge placed above him. -Erich Fromm, psychoanalyst and author (23 Mar 1900-1980)

To put it mildly. He also seems to be slinging mud about her farm, becoming a homeowner and treatment of farmworkers. As someone undecided it's not helpful. The bos seems most split on labor issues, except for their own pay, which is very high compared to other california County supervisors.

[Ernie Carpenter]

I met with someone on Hopkins behalf very early who is well tied into Gore. They wanted my support. No, I do not need to embarrass another person so you don't get to know who but I had a very personal conversation. I came away clear that Gore, who immediately endorsed her, was promoting her running for Supervisor.

So your opinion, stated as fact, is that hopkins moved to the 5th on the encouragement of gore (ie a carpet bagger), something which she has disputed with you directly here. Do you have any proof that this is a fact? The only thing I have read on wacco which causes me concern about is linda is OK with gmos. True?

[Ernie Carpenter]

Ah, the first equivocations of the young organic farmer candidate and on GMOs no less. She understands the issue and equivocates, just like all the old time politicians. Do not tell me this is not the impact of the endorsement of the conservative farm community that according to Dr. Bliss she "reluctantly" accepted. Blow me down and call me a feather.

I believe Ernie is overstating the case.
...
However, Noreen does unequivocally support the proposed GMO ban:...

[scamperwillow]

You can learn a whole lot about Noreen at her Facebook page which is loaded with information about her experience, her activities and who is supporting her.
https://www.facebook.com/NoreenforSupervisor/

For some reason Lynda has chosen not to divulge her endorsements. You can see Noreen's full and growing list here:
https://www.noreenforsupervisor.com/supporters

[rossmen]

OK gore encouraged her to run and endorsed her right away. My understanding is they were both invloved in the Litton tribes efforts to develop housing just outside of winsor, close to her farm and in gores district, this experience is what inspired her to run.

Your contention was that she bought a house in Forestville with gores urging so she could run in the 5th. She disputed this description of her actions.

From a citizens perspective it's hard to tell the difference between gore, fudge, carrillo, hopkins and evans, they all say the same thing. I don't really follow endorsements, (even yours, whom I consider to be the best supervisor the 5th has ever had). I like to make up my own mind. Hopkins has been accessable, evans is not. As a 5th district resident this is really important to me because the supervisor is my only elected representative for local government which has so much to do with our lives.

I met with someone on Hopkins behalf very early who is well tied into Gore. They wanted my support. No, I do not need to embarrass another person so you don't get to know who but I had a very personal conversation. I came away clear that Gore, who immediately endorsed her, was promoting her running for Supervisor.

[rekarp]

That's the same argument that Donald Trump is using for his campaign. Experience in the private sector "trumps" experience in the government sector. I don't think so... unless serving at the highest level of government in Sonoma County requires no previous experience working in the public sector.

Does she have any record working for a living, running a business, and living with the rules and regs that she has and presumably will pass. I personally favor voting for a real-life person who hasn't spent years and years in politics, to such an extend that they forget how their regulations affect real people in the real world....

[tommy]

All the signs for Lynda indicate to me that she's the machine candidate.

[KWilson]

Curious if it is true, as stated here on Wacco, that Lynda is pro-GMO's? This doesn't make sense for an organic farmer.

[Shepherd]

I do not think it accurate to say that Lynda is pro-GMO. Her email is at the bottom of her article "The Fight for Food Farms: Addressing the Crisis of Affordability," which is in both the print and hardcopy version of the March, 2016, Sonoma County Gazette. So you could ask her directly what her position is. I posted that article on this thread and quote from it in other posts.

She also refuted Frank Robertson's attack in his column in a letter to the Sonoma West. A lot of untruths are being spread by various people about Lynda. I am glad that such is not happening to the other woman candidate running for Supervisor.

Curious if it is true, as stated here on Wacco, that Lynda is pro-GMO's? This doesn't make sense for an organic farmer.

[scamperwillow]

Posted below by Barry - from the PD:

Here's a quote from the March 16th PD article "Ban on GMO crops sought again for Sonoma County":

One of the several rivals, Lynda Hopkins, an organic farmer, on Wednesday expressed opposition to GMO crops and support for labeling of products that contain the altered organisms. She said she also signed the petition seeking to put the proposed county ban before voters.

But she stopped short of endorsing a ban, saying she wanted to read through “every single line” of the proposed ordinance before stating her position on it. Supporting the ban would likely put Hopkins at odds with many of her own supporters, including influential and deep-pocketed farming interests. Hopkins did not express concerns about that potential conflict, saying county politics are not “black and white.”

“People try to pigeonhole and assume because you receive support from some organizations that you agree with them lock, stock and barrel,” she said.

However, Noreen does unequivocally support the proposed GMO ban:

She said Wednesday she now supports a ban on GMO plants and crops in Sonoma County, saying there’s no proof that altered crops are completely safe and that there’s potential for such material to “invade other farms.”

Curious if it is true, as stated here on Wacco, that Lynda is pro-GMO's? This doesn't make sense for an organic farmer.

[Shepherd]

My appreciation to Marty and Barry for this information. I support a total ban on GMOs, Roundup, and Roundup Ready products. I am glad that Lynda Hopkins is doing her due diligence to study supporting a ban and hope that she does so, as Noreen Evans has.

For more information on the international March Against Monsanto, to which over 2 million people have attended in recent years, including many from Latin America, you can go to www.winewaterwatch.org.

Posted below by Barry - from the PD:...

[Glia]

And here is something telling:

She [Evans] said Wednesday she now supports a ban on GMO plants and crops in Sonoma County, saying there’s no proof that altered crops are completely safe and that there’s potential for such material to “invade other farms.”

In other words, she put her finger to the wind and changed her position accordingly... a very Hillary Clinton / professional politician tactic.

[Lisa Maldonado]

I think you mean she ( Hopkins) changed her mind. Noreen Evans has been against GMOs publicly for many years. You need to correct your post

[Glia]

No, that is not correct. The quote I reprinted was about Evans. Go back up the thread and re-read.

I think you mean she ( Hopkins) changed her mind. Noreen Evans has been against GMOs publicly for many years. You need to correct your post

[scamperwillow]

You are quoting the newspaper, not Noreen. She has always been opposed to GMO's and fought against them in Sacramento. Here's an article from 2014:

State Sen. Noreen Evans' proposed GMO bill clears another hurdle

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/1...ed?ref=related

No, that is not correct. The quote I reprinted was about Evans. Go back up the thread and re-read.