---
[ LOS ANGELES ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles)
# The Couch Steals Another One for the Bad Guys
June 22 2017
Written by David Bell.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
BELL VIEW-When it comes to elections, I obsess over one number: turnout. We have been told, for example, that turnout was through-the-roof for the special election in Georgia’s Sixth Congressional District, where Democrat Jon Ossoff narrowly lost to Republican Karen Handel. The *Atlanta Journal-Constitution* [gushed](http://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/voter-turnout-made-georgia-6th-district-runoff-look-like-midterm-election/JvuOXSaFvtnLC94E5mgnLK/): “In a district with about 526,000 registered voters in all, nearly half of them came out: unofficial turnout stood at about 49 percent in the race.”
Nearly half! Wow! You might almost think something important was happening in this country.
We know what the people who voted for Karen Handel believe. We know what they support. They got up off their couches and voted their beliefs. They believe climate change is no big deal, that it’s a scam concocted by Al Gore and George Soros to line their pockets and destroy America. They believe the Sandy Hook massacre of kindergarteners was a [hoax](http://www.activistpost.com/2015/12/33-unanswered-questions-on-sandy-hooks-3rd-anniversary.html) devised by Obama to gin up support for a gun grab. They believe all Muslims want to kill you; that Obama wants to impose [sharia law](http://shariahthethreat.org/will-obama-enforce-shariah-blasphemy-laws/) on America; that Black Lives Matter is “[the Klan with a tan](http://www.urbandictionary.com/tags.php?tag=klan%20with%20a%20tan).” They believe Michelle Obama is a [man](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/carl-paladino-michelle-obama_us_585d6b3ae4b0eb58648638d7). They believe Hillary Clinton murdered the U.S. ambassador in Benghazi.
This is what Karen Handel represents when she thanks Trump for her victory. This is what Republicans in Georgia’s Sixth District voted for:
They voted to cut Medicare to pay for a tax cut for the super-rich. They voted to [deny](http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/drug-testing-and-public-assistance.aspx) poor kids food stamps if their parents are on drugs. They voted to “[bomb the sh\*t out of](http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-recent-history-of-bombing-the-shit-out-of-em)” the Middle East as we turn away the refugees we create. They voted to deport our friends and neighbors. They voted for the Coal, Oil, Pharmaceutical, and Prison Industries. They voted for [white supremacy](http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a52797/bannon-white-supremacy/) and voter suppression.
And they won. Again.
If only 5% of the nearly 290,000 registered voters who sat out the special election yesterday were normal, decent, sane people – Jon Ossoff would be heading to Congress. Instead, we have Karen Handel, who, as Georgia’s secretary of state, worked to [suppress](https://www.thenation.com/article/karen-handel-has-a-long-history-of-suppressing-votes/) minority votes. Karen Handel, who, as an officer of a national breast cancer prevention organization, used her position to [deny](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/us/after-outcry-a-top-official-resigns-at-komen-cancer-charity.html) poor women cancer screenings. She will now take her place as part of the wall being built around America by the worst people in the world.
Which brings me to Randy Brice, who recently announced his intention to run against Paul Ryan in 2018. If you haven’t seen his [campaign video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6zAyPRbels) – do it now. If you possess even a mild degree of sanity, it’ll give you a lift. It grabbed me by the merit badges and made me want to punch a Nazi.
It’s like Mr. Smith going to Washington with the Grateful Dead’s wall of sound; like apple pie and peach cobbler and bacon with a side of fries and a lobster roll; like the White Sox beating the Cubs in the World Series; like Christmas, Ramadan, and the 4th of July all rolled up into one four-day weekend.
Honestly, if this guy – this steel worker – can’t beat the biggest phony in America, then we really ought to hang it up for good.
*(David Bell is a writer, attorney, former president of the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council and writes for CityWatch.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.*
*-cw*
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/115 "Brian Goldsmith Vertical R. Col")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/114 "McKinney Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Website
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
### [Prosecutor, Democrat, City Attorney? McKinney Makes His Case to Los Angeles Voters](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
ELECTION 2026 - The race for LA City Attorney has been laced with political accusations and allegations that when close…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
### [The LA Watchdog’s 2026 Voter Guide](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
LA WATCHDOG - My recommendations are influenced by the need for truly balanced budgets, fiscal responsibility, long ter…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
### [The Fools’ Blame Game](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
THE VIEW FROM HERE - Angelenos do not use elections to plot a wiser course of conduct for Los Angeles, but rather they…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
### [California Film Tax Credits Aren’t Enough. The Guilds Need to Change Too.](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
LONNIE’S VIEW - California used to be the center of the movie and television universe. If you wanted to make movies, yo…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
### [Here’s What Zionism’s Got To Do With It](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
ICAN - The anonymous website “BHUSD Watch” recently published a long, detailed article about the current BHUSD board an…
---
## [ LOS ANGELES ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33637-getting-housing-projects-through-los-angeles-permitting-and-land-use-approvals)### [Getting Housing Projects Through Los Angeles Permitting and Land-Use Approvals](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33637-getting-housing-projects-through-los-angeles-permitting-and-land-use-approvals)
### [JAY on LA 10-28-26](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33630-jay-on-la-10-28-26)
### [JAY ON LA for 10-26-26](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33629-jay-on-la-for-10-26-26)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33616-from-dreams-to-careers-pasadena-summit-opens-doors-for-la-county-youth)### [From Dreams to Careers: Pasadena Summit Opens Doors for LA County Youth](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33616-from-dreams-to-careers-pasadena-summit-opens-doors-for-la-county-youth)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33593-pricing-angelenos-out-of-their-own-city-the-great-appeal-fee-heist)### [Pricing Angelenos Out of Their Own City: The Great Appeal Fee Heist](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33593-pricing-angelenos-out-of-their-own-city-the-great-appeal-fee-heist)