New Updated Index and Home Page

Welcome to Barstow Politics

Created by

Larry D. Halstead

Political Scientist, Community Activist,
Public Speaker, Writer

All post are archived chronologically in a column on the right. For Your Easy Reference and Access to Current Significant Post they are Indexed Here Below:

Background and Purpose of the Barstow Politics Blog
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/welcome-to-barstow-politics.html

This blog was started in late 2006 as a communication tool for issues facing the Barstow community. Now that Indian gaming has come to control and dominate the local political agenda, this blog will reflect that obsession and follow the corruption and cronyism involved.

In The News
(Commentary and Links to Relevant Stories)

Desert Dispatch on Council's Current Brown Act Violations
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/desert-dispatch-on-barstows-brown-act.html

Council accused of violating Brown Act over casino meeting Citizen files legal complaint; council reveals details of gathering - By Jason Smith
September 18, 2007

Shackford Apologizes for NOT recognizing Brown Act Violations
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/shackford-apologies-for-not-recognizing.html
The Editor of the Desert Dispatch was dismissive when the violation was first brought to his attention, after some consideration he realized that the law was violated and that there are even more serious ramifications of the Council’s Transgressions.

The Latest in this Effort

My Passion for Ancestral Rights and Indian Sovereignty
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-passion-for-ancesrtal-right-and.html
This is my post explaining why I care about Ancestral Rights and how I see it being consistent with every fight for social justice that I have ever been involved with throughout my life. It includes my three minute statement read under the "Casino Update" portion of the Sept 17 City Council Agenda.

Who I Speak For and Who I Represent
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/who-i-speak-for-and-who-i-represent.html
In an effort to discredit me, Tom Shields and the Barwest Kool-aid Club have been accusing me of working for the "other side". Others think I should "tone it down" since I am the President of the local Democratic Club. This is my statement about who I represent when I speak out at Council Meetings and other public events.

September 17 Council Meeting Showdown and viewing schedule
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/september-17-council-meeting-showdown.html
For a over a month, the September 17 City Council Meeting has been shaping up to be a real show down and expose on local conflict of interest, influence peddling and the predicted death of the Barwest Compacts. This post outlines those reasons and has the schedule for viewing key sections on the internet.

Breaking News: BarWest Compacts are Dead
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/breaking-news-barwest-compacts-dead.html
A full ten days before these Reservation Shopping, Ancestral Rights violating compacts were scheduled to expire, Senator Wiggins, the co-author of the bill kills it on her own as she is investigated for her own illegal contributions from Barwest.

The Fight for Ancestral Rights

The BarWest Scam in Barstow
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/08/barwest-scam-in-barstow.html
This is a comprehensive work on how Barwest bought influence and stole democracy in Barstow. This post will be updated as the story of corruption, reservation shopping, Ancestral Rights violations continue to plague the city of Barstow.


It’s About Ancestral Rights STUPID!
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/08/its-about-ancestral-rights-stupid.html
The myriad of issues involved in Indian gaming have their roots in the fundamental concepts of Ancestral Right and Indian Sovereignty. They are sacred rights to Native Americans and are equivalent of civil rights, human rights, and the Bill of Rights.


Mayor Dale and Tom Shields
(still NOT) the Final Authority on Ancestral Rights
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/mayor-dale-and-tom-shields-as-final.html
The Ancestral Rights of Native Americans has been worked out over the past 250 years by the federal government, state government, and the tribes involved. But that hasn’t stopped Mayor Dale and Barwest spin doctor Shields from trying to establish themselves as the final authority.


The True Story of My Involvement in Indian Gaming
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/08/true-story-of-my-involvement-with.html
As I have become increasingly vocal in my opposition to Barwest and the corrupt Barstow politicians that do their bidding, I have come under attack regarding the nature of my involvement. This post sets the record straight once and for all.

Barwest Spin, Lies, Deception, and Influence Peddling

Who is Really Buying Influence in Barstow?
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/big-thank-you-to-tvt-for-real-truth.html
The Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Verifiable Truth on who is buying influence in Barstow! Tom Shields and the Barwest Kool-aid Club has been trying to paint me as a paid hack for "the other side" but the truth is out as to who has really been buying influence in Barstow and who has sold out.

My Commentary on the BarWest Media
Blitzkrieg and all out Lobbying Effort
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-commentary-on-barwest-media.html
In all out effort of lobbying and a media blitz, Barwest tries to salvage their failed compacts that were doomed when the Governor reluctantly signed them against his better judgment.


Please DO Contact Our Leaders in Sacramento
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/please-do-contact-our-leaders-in.html
As part of the 11th hour effort to salvage their failed compacts, Barwest urged its supporters to contact leaders in Sacramento. I am also urging concerned citizens to do so but for the opposite goal of exposing the fraud and ending the Barwest corruption in Barstow


Desperate Barwest Launches Media Blitz
Complete Media Coverage in one spot
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/operation-desperate-barwest-media-blitz.html
This is a collection of repost of articles of media coverage about the desperate BarWest media blitz and all out lobbying effort to salvage their doomed compacts.


Red Faced Mayor Exposed as Pawn of Barwest
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/08/red-faced-mayor-exposed-as-pawn-of.html
At a Special Meeting of the Barstow City Council on August 28, 07, during the Council Reports’ Mayor Dale was confronted and chastised by Councilman Gomez about his unauthorized letter to the Department of the Interior which is a vicious attack on the Chemehuevi Tribe and their legitimate Ancestral Rights.


The Index of Smoking Gun Letters
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/08/index-of-smoking-gun-letters.html
This is the collection of the letters that were distributed by Councilman Gomez at the 8.28.07 Special Meeting. Besides the unauthorized letter from Mayor Dale, the other letter document the legitimate Ancestral Rights of local tribes.

The BarWest Kool-aid Club Defined
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/barwest-kool-aid-club.html
I often use this term in describing Barstow’s sell-out politicians, other leaders in the community, and those citizens who practice blind devotion in a cult like manner toward Barwest and who are complicit in the violation of Ancestral Rights.

Citizen Oversight and Public Participation

Citizen Oversight and Public Participation
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/08/letter-to-editor-desert-dispatch.html
In light of the efforts by the Kool-aid club to stifle my 1st Amendment Rights, I wrote this ‘letter to the editor’ in defense of Cur constitutional rights and the responsibility of citizens to speak out.


Everything You Need to Know about How-TO do
Barstow Citizen Oversight on the Internet
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/08/barstow-citizen-oversight-on-internet.html
Starting on October 16, 2007, the Barstow City Council Meetings are available to watch live on the internet and are also archived on the City of Barstow’s Website along with the Agenda. This post shows you how to access the portion of the Meetings that are relevant to you and to other post referenced here.

Go direct to the City’s Website - Click Here
http://barstow.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

Please DO Contact Our Leaders in Sacramento
http://barstowpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/09/please-do-contact-our-leaders-in.html
This post contains pics, phone numbers, and emails for our CA State leaders for your easy, convenient reference all in one location.

For Further Info - Other Relevant Sites

Barstow Indian Gaming - BarstowIndianGaming.blogspot.com
This is my blog dedicated to only Barstow Indian Gaming. It has none of the other issues in Barstow unrelated to Indian gaming and it has additional related stories that I didn’t write for those only focused on Indian Gaming


Real World Politics - RealWorldPolitics.blogspot.com
Politics in Barstow are warped by issues that are often unrelated to the reality of the real world. For this reason, I have recently created this new blog as an outlet for expressing my view on any issue NOT relating to Barstow. It is still under construction but you may want to check out my post on Cesar Chavez there.


The Verifiable Truth (TVT)- TheVerifiableTruth.com
The complete one stop spot for everything about Barwest and their schemes involving Reservation Shopping and other scandals across the nation. To narrow your search to Barstow related stories on TVT, the following hyperlink will allow you to review posts at TVT that are related only to BARSTOW:
Click Here to search TVT for Barstow related stories
http://www.theverifiabletruth.com/search/label/Barstow


Capitol Notes - The Official Blog for KQED’s John Myers
http://www.kqed.org/weblog/capitalnotes/blog.jsp

John Myers is Sacramento Bureau Chief for KQED's "The California Report," heard weekdays and weekends on 24 public radio stations, including 88.5 FM in San Francisco and 89.3 FM in Sacramento.