Hard Truths is a monthly newsletter about national, state, and local issues, with (sometimes sassy, other times serious) personal updates from the author – Heather Schmidt, M.PA. Heather is the owner of Heather Christena Schmidt Consultations, President of VC Voter Edge, and a busy Mom to three.
We are eight days into the new year, and it feels as though an entire year has passed since the New Year rang in. Let’s get to it…
National Nonsense
The year arguably kicked off with a *shock and awe* infiltration of Venezuela to capture the narco-terrorist and illegitimate leader Nicolás Maduro, and his wife. And as most things that have been highly politicized, the general public fell into two camps: abject horror that the United States would do this, calling it an “illegal invasion” and the “kidnapping of a sovereign state’s leader,” and Venezuelans (and those supporting them) who were overjoyed.
I may lose some of you on this, but the issue really is a bipartisan one. After Trump Administration 1.0 declared Maduro a narco-terrorist, the Biden Administration then went on to up the bounty for his capture and arrest to $25M, then calling his presidency illegitimate, and even suggesting a meeting with the president-elect at the time (who has since gone into exile). Trump Administration 2.0 had upped the ante to a $50M reward prior to last weekend’s law enforcement operation. I suppose the US government has saved that $50M by simply going in and doing the job themselves.
Now we can argue about the details all day. Was it an invasion? Was it really about oil? Did Congress need to be notified? Will Congress do anything substantial about it? I could go on…
What strikes me about this whole thing is that a lot of people out there on social media with a vehement hatred for anything Trump does are saying the Venezuelans “don’t understand,” that Trump just wants their oil, and that Maduro should be freed. These positions lack the nuance and understanding of the geopolitical landscape that is presented in this situation, and highlight how ill-informed many Americans are about world affairs. And it underscores the need for more civics education.
It is a fact that Nicolás Maduro is a narco-terrorist, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. He is/was a dictator; who stole an election and was therefore not legitimate; that starved his people, and that some-300,000 people in the US alone are here on asylum due to the conditions he created. Many of those people are now preparing to return, as those still there celebrate in the streets.
As for the oil… well, duh. That doesn’t mean freeing the people of Venezuela was the wrong thing to do.
From the Greatest State in the Nation
Happy “Governor Newsom’s FINAL State of the State” to those that celebrate.
Today, Newsom delivered his final State of the State as governor. Next year, we will have a new guy/gal at the top, and I… am… getting… nervous…
I remember when I met Gavin Newsom when he was just a sprightly mayor of San Francisco, at a union conference in Sacramento. At the time, he was inspiring and seemed more ambitious than anyone I had ever met (then or since). This was before he cheated on his then-wife, and was one of those politicians all of my friends at the time oogled over. Admittedly, when he first became governor I was over the moon about him as well. And I remained a steadfast supporter of his through his recall campaign. Until something changed.
Once he defeated the recall campaign, he simply seemed to stop caring about California at all. He was then re-elected (easily) – which I believe was more a statement of how few viable candidates the Republicans had as opposition than anything else – and we then went on to basically not see much of him for… well… until today.
In fact, he hasn’t even done the State of the State at the Capitol in years. Until today, that is.
In the process of all of this, he boched several things. Chief among them was the lottery they hosted to get people to take their COVID shots, where they drew the winner at Universal Studios in an insane, dystopian display that included the legislature riding a roller coaster, and multiple characters in Universal movie costumes. Surrounded by two Minions and a pink Trolls doll, Newsom played game show host. At the end he lit off a confetti canon.
More seriously, his response as governor to the Palisades and Altadena fires was disastrous (continues to be today), and the handling of homelessness funding and the fraud at the EDD (the state unemployment agency) for the last 5-6 years has been atrocious.
And don’t get me started on the high speed railway to nowhere…
I don’t actively hate Newsom like I did around the time of the fires last year, but I certainly don’t love him anymore either. Frankly, I’m just glad he’ll be gone. During his speech today, he made several comments about identifying with the working class, which I felt was rich given that he has a net worth over $20M, with numerous business assets in a blinded trust. It reminded me of an interview he did several months ago where he smugly said he couldn’t stand it when politicians lie… hello?
Two words for you Gav: French. Laundry.
That being said, what makes me nervous is… who will we get in his place?
Just Local Stuff
Aliens are invading Oxnard, there is no debate on this issue.
In all seriousness, some videos and photo footage have recently gone viral against multiple social media platforms, alleging these are real alien spacecrafts over the Oxnard and Ventura Harbors.
It’s important to remember that we are situated near not one, but two military bases, and that other drones and technologies are regularly being implemented by law enforcement and other public organizations today.
Shortly after COVID hit, my kids and I were driving South on the 101, late one night. When everything was shut down, we would just take drives around to get out of the house and try to relax amidst all the stress of what was going on in the world. This one night, when we hit Old Town Camarillo, we looked to the left and saw hovering over the houses and Old Town shops the largest plane I had ever seen in my life. It was a military plane, one that would carry hundreds of troops, or machinery, or… well, who knows what. And it was just hovering.
When I got home, I was reminded by my Army vet father that bit about the bases. They routinely do testing out of both.
With that being said, if the aliens really are hanging around Ventura County… I can have my bags ready to go in 15 minutes or less.
A Bit On Me
This isn’t really a bit on me, but my perspective and experience nonetheless.
When I first graduated college – the first time – I was very involved in partisan politics. During that time I met and got to know Julia Brownley, who would eventually go on to become our Congresswoman here in Ventura County. Flash all the way forward (over a decade) to one of the times I ran for office, she kindly endorsed my campaign.
While I’m not involved with partisan politics anymore (I’m neither a Democrat, nor a Republican), I immediately thought of all I learned from her over the years – both knowing her personally, and watching her in her years of public service – when she announced, today, her retirement from Congress.
Now… her retirement will surely bring an insane election year to the forefront here in our county. Her seat will now be open, in addition to a major assembly seat, and a couple of races that will be contested. And… if the winner of her seat is currently in an elected position (as is rumored, for at least a few of them potentially considering)… we will see special elections after the beginning of the year.
A lot to think about, and ducks to get in a row, for a lot of people in the coming weeks and months…
In the meantime, I wish Congresswoman Brownley well in her retirement.
Heather Christena Schmidt Consultations 
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