Editor’s note: In 2018 Maria Estrada ran for Assembly in California’s 63rd District, located south-east of Los Angeles, against incumbent Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon and garnered over 49% of the vote.
I dreaded going to the California Democratic Party Convention held in San Francisco last May, and even more my hearing held afterwards. I had documented complaints showing 30% ineligibility of convention voters and bylaw violations by the Regional Director, one being leaving my name off a ballot! Not only did the Democratic Party rule against me, they blamed me for the fraudulent election. How about them apples?
California, 5th largest economy in the world, with palm trees and beaches, has the highest homeless rates in the country. Police killings are higher than Georgia and Alabama. My district has some of the worst environmental conditions; air quality, lung cancer, leukemia and environmental asthma are rampant with the highest rates of uninsured children and second highest of uninsured adults. The powerful Speaker of the Assembly represents this district and had the support to pass SB562, the Single Payer Health bill. He blocked this bill. Why? For the same reason he doesn’t demand enforcement of environmental regulations: money.
The 63rd is also home to the Exide catastrophe, a prime example of how capitalism works. For over 30 years Exide contaminated its workers and communities with lead. Cal OSHA, the Dept. of Public Health, EPA, Dept. of Toxic Substances Control, and Air Quality Management District knew and did nothing. Exide, although shut down, was exonerated. Today 97% of homes there test positive for lead. Excide filed Chapter 11, but today has $1.9 billion in assets. Exide secured its assets through the courts, the state and elected officials. Families still live in 10,000 contaminated homes.
The Democratic Party led legislature also covered PG&E’s losses by raising rates after being found negligent for the Napa and Paradise fires, killing 173 people. This legislature, won’t make utilities public, and has not charged PG&E with any crimes. Democratic Gov. Brown retired leaving a $9 billion budget surplus. The truth is there is no surplus, only withholding of funds, while budgets are cut, and people live on streets. In a state considered the most progressive in the country, we are failing.
The myth that California is doing well is just that, a myth. This economy is not working for the people, only for monied corporate interests that donate to campaigns and are never cited for destroying communities. Democrat Pelosi, critical of Trump’s immigration policies, remained silent when Obama deported more immigrants than any president in history. But this is where the Democratic party wants it and until the party represents the people, California will not be the beacon of progressivism it is believed to be. Don’t believe the hype.
