Welcome To: Barstow Politics

Welcome to Barstow Politics

Created by,

Larry D. Halstead

Political Scientist, Community Activist,
Public Speaker, Writer

Background and Purpose of Barstow Politics

I originally started the blog during my campaign for city council in the November 2006 election for City Council of Barstow. My intention in running was to get a bigger audience for the issues I was already dealing with in Barstow. Therefore I planned to continue the blog as a way to keep on covering the issues I care about and getting my message out.

More and more, the issues of Barstow are being dominated by Indian gaming and the billionaire right-wing Detroit developer Barwest and thier Reservation Shopping, Ancestral Rights violating casino project. Barwest partners Michael Malik and Marrion Illich have holding that include Little Ceasars Pizza, the Detroit Tigers, the Red Wing Hockey Team, Motor City Gaming, and half of down town Detroit. They are deeply involved with disgraced ex-Congressman Richard Pombo who was the primary target of the Jack Abramhoff scandal in Congress.

Through the Barwest political hack, spin doctor and Liar-in-Chief, Tom Shields of and the control they now exert over the Mayor Lawrence Dale, Council Members Julie Hackbarth-Mcintire, and Tim Silva, Economic Development Director Ron Rector, and local leaders such as Barstow Unified School Board Member Julie Clemmer, former Barstow Area Republican Caucus Chair Robert Vassuer, President of the Barwest PAC, Barstow Citizens for Real Economic Development Director Greg Lint, and a host of other local redneck hillbillies that I affectionately refer to collectively as the Barwest Kool-aid Club.

Now that Barwest has a three vote coalition on the Barstow City Council, democracy has taken a vacation and all other matters of corruption, conflict of interest, and bad government policy now have the Barwest factor in common. I will continue to cover other issues as they arise but until we get some investigations, indictments, and recalls, I will focus on the Barwest source of Barstow's crisis over corruption and bad government policy.

For the record, I speak ONLY for myself and not for any other person or organization, PERIOD. Specifically, I have not been paid one penny from any tribe or other gaming interest to represent them in any regard. I have never been asked to say anything or not say anything except from Barwest who has launched a smear campaign against me with false accusations of extortion and that I am a paid hack for San Manual and/or Chemehuevi. While nobody can prove a negative, I will tell you that it would be an honor to assist any tribe in protecting their legitimate Ancestral Rights. If I was retained in any capacity, believe it you would hear it out of my mouth first and with a sense of pride as it would be an honor. I believe that Ancestral Rights are more sacred to Native Americans than Civil Rights and the Bill of Rights are to all Americans.

All of my life I have fought for Social Justice including: Environmental Justice, Freedom of Choice in Alternative/Natural Health, Code Enforcement Justice, Civil Rights, Equal Rights, Human Rights, Anti-War, Equal Access, and against Government Corruption. I don't see a single thing about Ancestral Rights that makes it any less significant or worthy a cause to fight for. In fact if you take the time to study the atrocity of genocide that white folk committed against Native Americans and the despicable history of the Reservation system imposed upon them, how could you not care about Ancestral Rights?

Here is an Index of my various post and a lead in paragraph about each one. There is a link on each one if you want to read the entire post. Many of them are on the long side but at least I have provided as much information as possible for any open minded person to discover the truth for themselves. Feel free to contact me with any information, input of criticisms at HalsteadforBarstow@gmail.com.

Thanks for dropping by,
Larry