SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE LAGOON

Editors Note: This is a guest post which LINDA BREEN wrote in 2019, looking back at the journey Carlsbad has taken since Measure A in 2016. 

Something happened on the way home from the lagoon.

In 2015 and 2016, I had the privilege of being involved in a people-powered movement. It was a beautiful and uplifting experience to see a community come together to fight the high-handed tactics of a billionaire developer, who wanted to put a high-end mall on our beloved lagoon. But tragically, what began as a pure and principled act of resistance to political bullying has since devolved into a hate-fest, with adherents who view any divergent thought as evil, and who require absolute fealty to a figurehead whose political ambition seems to increase while her ideological purity is diluted by pragmatic partisan politics.

For many who opposed the mall, it wasn’t the specific project that was the most important issue, although environmental concerns were relevant; rather, it was the use of money to circumvent normal political review processes, the fact that the entire incumbent city council failed to stand up to deceptive tactics, and the appalling choice of a developer to claim that “all the people who matter” had already signed onto the project. Physical bullying by mall proponents strengthened the opposition.

Neutral observers told us we had no chance to beat the overwhelming odds against us. Based on money alone, we were severely outmatched. The billionaire sent in public relations professionals, spent millions on TV advertising and events to woo the populace and created a deceptive narrative that a mall on a lagoon was somehow necessary to “Save the Strawberry Fields” that are a popular fixture in Carlsbad. Paid petition-takers collected signatures for a 400-page initiative which would have been a new law, only changeable by a vote of the people. Citizens were falsely told that if they signed, it would mean they would be able to vote on the project and that the developer was generously giving us open space (when in fact, we had previously voted to protect open space in the area). 

Citizens educated themselves about the project, and people who had never before taken an interest in local politics came out of their shells, met their neighbors, and worked together for a common goal. New friendships were formed, and we learned that many of our neighbors are intelligent, well-educated, and public-spirited. Populists were motivated by learning that some of our neighbors needed a Nordstrom and that the existing “ghetto mall” made others feel unsafe. “Snobs!”, we cried. 

And we worked hard. We held fundraisers, garage sales and forums. After the city council voted unanimously to approve the project instead of giving the people a vote, we mobilized. We gathered our own referendum signatures and forced a vote of the people. The 2016 vote on Measure A was viewed by allies as a choice of “people power” over “big money”. Thousands rallied and marched along Carlsbad Boulevard while beating drums and chanting, in a joyous, family-friendly community outpouring. 

On election night, we held our collective breaths, while watching TV news featuring drunken ladies enjoying a premature “Yes on A” celebration at the Sheraton. In the end, after all of the votes were counted, “the people” won. Miraculously, “No on A” had 52% of the vote, in the most expensive and the highest turnout special election in San Diego County history. We cheered, we hugged, we celebrated, and it restored our faith in democracy. It was beautiful and life-changing.

Political careers were forged through the campaign, and grudges were cemented. Some of us vowed to work to replace the entire city council which had deprived us of our right to vote. Offers of apology from our elected representatives were dismissed as “too little, too late”. Strident speeches were given, chastising the incumbent council members for their undemocratic choices. And we began the descent toward revenge.

Many of us supported the 2016 city council campaign of Cori Schumacher, who had opposed the mall, though she had stepped aside from the campaign after a corporate contribution was received by the “No on A” non-profit group. Schumacher became the face of the resistance, a heroic figure who had led the march through Carlsbad before the election. She achieved a larger-than-life persona, representing “transparency and community engagement” and leading the fight against corruption that some Carlsbadians thought necessary. 

Schumacher won a council seat with 20% of the vote in a 2-winner race, trailing incumbent Blackburn by over 3000 votes and leading incumbent Wood by only 700 votes. Schumacher’s strident and condemnatory swearing-in speech was a harbinger of things to come and a roadmap for her supporters to follow.

It was clear then that not everyone who had opposed the mall wanted to overturn the city council, but “Cori-crats” are nothing if not persistent. As the “Me Too” movement grew, a group that had been non-partisan and seemingly democratic devolved into a left-wing women-led coalition which was determined to undermine the remaining 4 incumbent Republican councilmen at any cost. Volunteers researched, spoke before the City Council and before the Coastal Commission, and opposed the agenda of the "developer-friendly" incumbents whenever possible.

Social media warriors kept up a steady narrative of criticism, interspersing legitimate policy concerns with unwarranted personal attacks, and Carlsbad’s divisions deepened. Between her 2016 election and 2018, Schumacher diligently kept up her transparency narrative, engaging with citizens and exposing and reforming council procedures, while quietly building up her partisan Democratic alliances. 

In 2018, Schumacher began a campaign for mayor of Carlsbad, opposing incumbent Mayor Hall. She was able to leverage anti-Trump and “year of the woman” energy to attract hundreds of out-of-town volunteers and impressive financial support for herself and for the two female Democratic-endorsed candidates for city council. Schumacher lost her mayoral election with 44% of the vote, trailing Mayor Hall by almost 6000 votes, but kept her council seat through 2020. Her Democratic allies were able to win their council elections after two incumbent councilmen declined to run, giving the Democrats a 3-2 majority on Carlsbad’s city council. 

Meanwhile, 2018 saw an increase in vitriol, both politically and personally. Schumacher’s supporters jumped on any perceived misstep of Hall’s, while any criticism of her was labeled as sexist or mean-spirited. Individuals who dared to socialize with those on the other side were ostracized, and opposing candidates were demonized. A group of people who had aspired to limit their communication to that which is “kind, necessary and true” began rigidly and viciously enforcing discipline among current and former supporters. Male volunteers felt tokenized, while the partisan divide deepened. 

In 2019, Schumacher and her new council allies began consolidating their power, voting to appoint themselves to key positions in local boards and commissions. Schumacher publicly attacked volunteers for Carlsbad projects related to vehicle electrification and the Christmas Bureau, implying corruption of her political opponents, when harmless bureaucratic mistakes could have been discreetly corrected. She publicly and falsely accused Carlsbad’s new city manager of exceeding his authority and improperly approving projects and refused to apologize when requested. But Schumacher’s supporters define everything she does as beyond reproach, every criticism of her as misogynist or petty, and everything the remaining incumbent councilmen do as corrupt. 

Well-meaning, intelligent people have succumbed to a destructive group-think. It is not socially acceptable to say anything nice about those on the other side or to socialize with them. Dissenting allies are either cajoled into submission or threatened and friendships are permanently lost. In 2019, people are still fighting a battle that should have ended in 2016, and hatred reigns in some quarters. Those who supported the lagoon mall and those who support Mayor Hall are simply baffled. People on both sides of the 2016 controversy fail to understand that thousands of citizens on the other side are intelligent, well-meaning and ethical. 

How can we return to that innocent time, when Carlsbadians enjoyed our beautiful beach town, thought well of their neighbors and gave our city leaders the benefit of the doubt? Do we want to? I believe we need to learn from the past. We have awakened and understood the need to watch and question our government. That is a good thing! 

But we should be able to question policy without questioning motives. We can point out mistakes without demonizing those responsible. We can aspire to kindness, expect the best from our elected leaders, and forgive our neighbors for making different political choices.

That is “The Carlsbad Way”.