Who do you trust to give you the facts about candidates?

Who should you trust to give you the facts about candidates running for office? 

You should trust yourself. You should trust others who are independent, do research and educate themselves about the candidates.

You should not trust yes men and women or those who benefit from the good ole boys and the status quo.

Name me any other media source in this town who covers news regardless of someone's last name and Humboldt connected status and reports the duis, court cases and news even if it involves the Humboldt connected.

The other media isn't going to tell you or may not know that Howard LaHaie and Benjamin Hershberger have been best friends for years or that Howard has a daughter, Caitlyn LaHaie who works for Victim Witness. Her mother is former DHHS Assistant Director Barbara LaHaie. The other media isn't going to tell you that Regina Fuller who works for HCSO  (and her husband) are good friends with Sheriff Honsal.  Jacob Fuller is commenting on every Karen Paz Dominguez post. 

 These are just two examples. There are certain people commenting full time, multiple times on the Auditor Controller posts. This happens on other posts and news.You don't think connections matter in a small town? 

You owe it to yourself to read the information in this post, ponder the questions and most importantly do your research, go to each website, look at the endorsements and meet each candidate.

Ignore the online chatter. The distraction, the brouhaha and the "news" that the good ole boys and gals want you to be focus on and distracted by. 

You should pay attention to where the big local ad dollars go. 

Do you trust candidates with the most signs? 

Do you trust the letters and the anon/non anon comments from the same people pushing the same talking points on certain sites?  These sites are clogged with anons who can say anything taking zero risk. 

Do you trust media who has never criticized elected officials, especially those they personally support. Media who may get the big ad money but routinely ignore news and cover selectively? 

How do you know who anonymous people are? What their motive is? Some of those names have been "commenting" for over 15 years attacking the same people and whining about the same issues. 

Do you trust acquaintances and friends and their recommendations instead of doing your own research? People have a motive in who they recommend because in a small, rural town, business and who you know impacts your livelihood.

Other media has thrown people they previously championed under the bus. They have gone over the top in focusing on a couple of stories when there is a lot of other news. Why is that? What proportion of ad dollars will go to and to what media outlets? 

Advertising is about targeting an audience that gets you results. Non local readers, same people with closed minds commenting a gazillion times, national content isn't effective marketing to reach local voters. Readers and voters listen to people they trust.

Before this blog, I was active in the political and business community. I know how campaigns work in this town. I know how certain "scoops" work. I know how ad buys work. I know the political and business establishment and how campaigns work. I know how politics are done in this town. 

I was recently threatened that if I didnt do someone's bidding that someone would go to certain other media. I won't name what outlets. I told them go ahead. This isn"t the first time it has happened. I have seen "news" I turn down show up elsewhere. I could care less. I am not comfortable reporting stuff I can't verify, especially when there is an agenda. 

I won't just put any ad on my blog. I personally meet and chose who advertises with me. All my advertisers respect my editorial independence. That takes guts in this town. I won't take an ad from someone I am not comfortable having on my blog even though that is difficult financially.

I have held people accountable people I previously campaigned for. Has any other media really investigated/called out the Board of Supervisors and local cities? If they had, there would have been financial consequences, targeting and harassment. Humboldt is good about using fear, intimidation to silence if you go against the status quo. If it wasn't, anonymous wouldn't be the plague it is in commenting or news tips and people wanting to speak off record.

I have had people who I have been critical of in the past speak only with me because they know I would be fair.  

Why do you read and support the media who dont listen to you? Why do you support, fund, elect the politicians and their funders who should be helping and giving you information and making the changes you need. Politicians get paid well, what have they done for you? If you repeatedly fall for the same broken promises and fake smiles and them pretending to be interested, whose fault is that? You patronize businesses that fund their campaigns and keep them in power over you and your livelihood.

Investment, respect and loyalty is a two way street.Very few speak up and invest in those who stand up and speak and take risks for you.