Not until the Morning After — unforgivably late, I admit — did I take a closer look at the latest dreadful miscasting in the state Assembly, Ms. Holly J. Mitchell, the new Karen Bass, representing us — heaven, at least, help us — for the next two lonnnnng years.
If there is a professional distinction between Ms. Mitchell and the new Congresslady, Congressperson for this region, it has eluded scrutiny.
Now it is my turn.
Welcome to another debilitating, raging-anger season of touchy-feely, “I love my children,” feel-good nonsense.
What that is worthwhile and vaguely meaningful, you wonder, could be in the minds of voters who feel compelled to support a candidate who is introduced this way at the top of her campaign page:
Holly Mitchell has dedicated her entire career to improving the lives of women, children and working class families in California.
Qualitatively, what is the difference between Ms. Mitchell’s billing and a similar middle-aged woman who says “I have breathed all my life”?
This is a qualification for a deliberative body such as the state Legislature?
She may be a wonderful mommy, but so was mine and so is my wife. Neither, wisely, considered running for Sacramento.
Girls, this is a repository for grownups, serious adults, not ooooh, touchy-feely, what a lovely dress you a wearing tonight, and doncha’ know I have had one at home just like it for the last 20 years?
What qualifies this woman to deliberate with grownups over serious subjects?
On Election Night, Ms. Mitchell was interviewed on KPFK, and she proudly identified herself as a “social justice activist.”
Once a buzz-phrase enters the political lexicon, the Me-Too’s rush to use it so they can sound current.
Another favorite outtake from her bio:
After spending over a decade in Sacramento working on health policy issues for the State Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee, for CA LEADS (formerly known as CEWAER), and for the California Black Women’s Health Project, Holly left her role as a public interest advocate for low-income working families to return to Los Angeles and focus her attention on child care policy.
Here is yet another gem:
As a working mother of a fourth grader, Holly understands the needs of the working families.
She heads one of the largest child development agencies in California, providing access to daily child care services for nearly 25,000 children.
For silly, bollaxed logic, the first sentence is unstoppable. She’s a mommy so she understands “working families”? How helpfully revealing. Tell me, what is a non-working family?
Finally, we get to the meat of Ms. Mitchell’s case for expanding already intrusive government, and breaking the bank a little more.
The angels of society are in Ms. Mitchell’s corner, endorsing her spangled platform:
Teamsters Joint Council 42
UNITE HERE Local 11
United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 770
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18 & 11
Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1277
Painters & Allied Trades District Council 36
International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators
LA/OC Building Trades & Construction Council
I guess I should have voted for her. Otherwise, Da Boss might send one of Da Boys around to, uh, change my mind.
Go, Holly Baby.
