Enterprise Columnist Calls Davis Democrats ‘Cowards' in Critical Column About Yamada

Davis Enterprise columnist Rich Rifkin has some issues with Assembly Member Mariko Yamada, and he has called for elected Democrats in Davis to “repudiate” her. 

He says that Democratic leaders in town should endorse her opponent, John Munn, in the next election.

He references a John Kennedy as saying it “takes guts to cross party lines, to stand up for what’s right,” but suggests elected Democrats in Davis don’t have the courage to do so.

Rifkin’s main gripe with Yamada is her endorsement of AB 2451, which he says was written by her financial backers: the firefighters.

“According to the official analysis written for the legislators, the dependents of California firefighters and peace officers (including prison and jail guards) would get a new death benefit worth in excess of $300,000 each. This is money that will go to people whose retirement packages (pension plus medical plans) are worth millions of dollars each.”

He continues:

“Assemblywoman Yamada’s payoff to her campaign donors will add a back-breaking amount of debt to every local government agency; it might cripple the state, as well.”

Check out the Davis Enterprise article for the fine points of Rifkin’s criticism and to see the lively dialogue that’s taking place below his column.

What do you think of Rifkin’s piece? It targets Yamada, and yet it also targets Davis’s elected officials. Should they respond to his piece, and if so, how should they go about it? 

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