Clint McCourt “lived like Caligula on crack,” according to author Zirin, on Dylan Ratigan Show, today 4-25-11. Deeply into revenge and debt: LA Dodgers “owner” so wanted to play the ‘Opposite’ game with the woman he’s in divorce proceedings with, that, when she hired a security head –he fired him.
Not Your Father's Game...
A Giants fan from San Francisco is paying the price of McCourt's actions. Mr. Stow: in coma since opening day April 1 when two low-life pieces of Mexican trash kicked –beat --assaulted him --in the stadium parking lot --after the game. LA Dodger after-game parking area: dark, unprotected.
McCourt hired not a security head, but, for 'PR,' the “consultant” who failed to do Thing One about stadium security when he had ample opportunity: political opportunist, near-useless ex police chief Bill Bratton to “over-see” whatever. Bratton's claim to fame, still sticks out with me:
1. Frequently left town: but when public criticism reached him --in Boston, "too bad."
2. Made a political ad
after the Mayor --lost and admonished by the judge that the "tax" he charged to telephones was utterly illegal; Bratton's ad: misled voters Proposition B would "secure" police, fire-fighter jobs --the Prop. money actually straight into "General" fund, to be picked off by the 15 pig-paws sitting on City 'Council.' But Ill-informed, ignorant voters: fell for Bratton's non-stop pitch --got themselves taxed additional 9% immediately --on cell phones -land lines -all "communication devices in future" --forever --an illegal tax didn't have to pay at all, thanks to Bratton.
Politics -self-serving angling --will improve security of Dodger stadium-area?
Chief of Police Beck ordered after-game police patrols, McCourt to pay LAPD for them. Meanwhile McCourt: swathed in divorce issues, keeping up appearances, distracted --or indifferent, cannot afford LA Dodgers –has borrowed mega-million bucks --twice, to meet payroll.
Watching all this: national baseball League management has seized day-to-day-control of the LA Dodgers. What a mess.
Lovers of baseball -the team: just want a good game, in a good-priced seat -a good bite -get home in good shape, period. How to Really do that: Why NOT copy the Green Bay Packers football team solution http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/04/22/la-councilwoman-hahn-proposing-fan-ownership-of-dodgers/
Fan-owned Dodgers
--buy shares in the team --take over the team –the management -the real estate -the costs -the benefits? Well THAT would leave the mega-greedy owners in the dirt.
Problem? According to author Zirin: Baseball League added a clause in 1961 to prevent fan-share ownership. Janice Hahn looking for a job, to replace her termed-out one on Los Angeles City Council: wants one in House of Representatives, has picked that baseball clause to ‘run’ on. She says she will introduce a bill: to strike the clause, allow fans to buy baseball team shares.
Do It? You Have a Vote
Can Hahn –win a House seat –get majority to agree –get the clause struck from Baseball Rules? If enough people –You: care enough –stop paying the price –massively-greedy owners won't be able to cover the costs of team ownership AND the price of ripping out well-loved stadiums -that screw with cities’ budgets, then Yup. Fans could get ownership –back to common sense rules, management –back to fun.
IF You Care
Pay Attention –to what ‘insiders’ are trying to do to Los Angeles: with football. All kinds of people are claiming: IF Los Angeles gets an NFL team “it won’t cost the City any money.” –LIE. Insiders have ALREADY been promised a deal: their “tax” will be $1 a year –LA will get SQUAT –NO income, no benefit.
Look up the STATS around the country: businesses around stadiums Don't make money on people going to game.
If insiders get LA City Council to allow this football 'deal' We WILL be suckers: insiders/owners will be on our dole –forever –and for what? So ‘insiders’ looking to make mega-bucks on our tab: can say they got us a team.
Ya, sure --just like people in South LA can say they have ‘representation’ with Bernard Parks on City Council. The Deeply-caring one spent mega-bucks –flying around the country, on OUR money, looking to do a football team deal -came home Each time, empty-handed.
Meanwhile has Parks done: What about District students who don’t have enough textbooks –still; Thing One on high school student drop-OUT rate --higher than anywhere else --soaring prison rate of high school drop-outs?
Parks: deeply focused on --gangs --guns --graffiti here?? --Cutting Deficit --raising revenue --job-generating programs? Nope. Parks: head of LA City Council committee over-seeing budget: failed to re-new OR get new collection agency contract. So what? Millions owed to DWP: can NEVER be collected. Nice. Parks' interest? Tobacco... leave the gangs alone.
oh well, We're all stuck with done -do-nothing Parks: 51% just re-elected him. When he's termed out in four years: Parks will clean up --collect 5 --FIVE pensions off the public.
‘Insiders’ can play all kinds of games -- with politicians like Parks 'looking out' for us.
You: more powerful than any ‘insider’ --smart enough: to oppose the “deal” that WILL cost LA millions if the insiders screw with everyone else to get a football team here? –Smart enough to demand: Baseball League remove the clause banning fan-ownership of teams?
YOU: can whine to pals, do nothing --or use your power. --More powerful than any “insider” –you –all of us, can Speak up –VOTE.
Share Your Thoughts
Contact: Mayor at 311
Contact: City Council member: 311
Contact: Representative in the House --SEE Sidebar "Local Gov --->for local phone, address
Or you can do nothing, stay home and pay the mega-greedy owners.
Dylan Ratigan Show If you don't know:
He used to cover Wall Street on CNBC –then he saw what weasels did to mortgages –to pensions –to federal government, TARP –to economy –to Americans; quit his job and created entirely new program, on MSNBC. He was so angry at first, viewer, though matched his anger, exhausted (lol) after watching. He has since way calmed down: he and un-usual guests cover issues Americans think-care about, with solutions. He doesn’t care about “Party” –he’s about rational Real solutions.
Dylan Ratigan show: MSNBC 1 pm West coast/4 pm Eastern time. It is the Best thing on any channel
CALENDAR - This month - Events, Holidays: SEE page/bottom
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