Comments on: State Party Finds Local Democrats Unfairly Sanctioned https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2015/04/02/state-party-finds-local-democrats-unfairly-sanctioned/ In-depth, locally-produced coverage of the Central Valley. Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:37:17 -0700 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Joe Altschule https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2015/04/02/state-party-finds-local-democrats-unfairly-sanctioned/#comment-1347 Joe Altschule Fri, 08 May 2015 19:09:58 +0000 http://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/?p=18186#comment-1347 Last month, March 20th, in response to the juvenile and utterly ridiculous antics of Mr. Macareno and his followers in trashing the well attended and impressive Roosevelt Gala put on by the group formerly known as the Visalia Democratic Club (a name removed by Mr. Macareno's petty and vindictive Central Committee) I wrote a response to the article describing the war being waged by Mr. Macareno against all other real Democrats who refuse to fall in line with his desire to be the undisputed Monarch of all Tulare County Democrats. I now understand Mr. Macareno is spouting off about my comments. So in case anyone missed what I had to say, I re-post it again below and I still stand by every word. Thank you _________________________________________________________________________________ Joe Altschule says: March 20, 2015 at 4:28 pm This is clearly not a question of two warring factions as some may think. This is the direct result of Chairman Macareno’s ongoing quest for self aggrandizement and his petty efforts to be the only spokesman for Tulare County Democrats. Because he has turned the County Central Committee into a closed entity where he and his cohorts can tell each other how important they are, they have forfeited the right to complain when other active, loyal, and engaged Democrats want to build the Party. As a former 12 year Chair of the TCDCC I know how these Committees are supposed to function; they are meant to be inclusive and welcoming, and certainly never to shut out and restrict citizens who simply want to participate and be heard. That is the polar opposite of what Democrats are all about. It is indeed ironic that Mr. Macareno chooses to adopt the policies of the Republicans who fall all over themselves trying to deny participation in the political process and thereby choking the life out of the political process. The fact that the State Democratic Party, after it’s thorough review of all the actions of the TCDCC, has issued a scathing public rebuke for the Central Committee’s petty and completely misguided complaining, pretty clearly makes the point of who is really to blame here. Perhaps this timely public disclosure of these anti-democratic antics will put and end to the autocratic power trip that is so unseemly. Mr. Macareno has been given the chance to be a leader, and an effective spokesperson for Democrats in this county, but instead he has wasted and squandered that opportunity by failing to be a leader who allows and encourages others to succeed. He has abandoned success and inclusion, and that’s a real shame. Finally, if, as reported in this story, Mr. Macareno has convinced State Treasurer John Chiang to cancel his appearance at the Roosevelt Gala and deny county Democrats from hearing from a State Constitutional officer, they both should be mightily ashamed of themselves. Last month, March 20th, in response to the juvenile and utterly ridiculous antics of Mr. Macareno and his followers in trashing the well attended and impressive Roosevelt Gala put on by the group formerly known as the Visalia Democratic Club (a name removed by Mr. Macareno’s petty and vindictive Central Committee) I wrote a response to the article describing the war being waged by Mr. Macareno against all other real Democrats who refuse to fall in line with his desire to be the undisputed Monarch of all Tulare County Democrats.
I now understand Mr. Macareno is spouting off about my comments. So in case anyone missed what I had to say, I re-post it again below and I still stand by every word. Thank you
_________________________________________________________________________________

Joe Altschule says:

March 20, 2015 at 4:28 pm

This is clearly not a question of two warring factions as some may think.
This is the direct result of Chairman Macareno’s ongoing quest for self aggrandizement and his petty efforts to be the only spokesman for Tulare County Democrats. Because he has turned the County Central Committee into a closed entity where he and his cohorts can tell each other how important they are, they have forfeited the right to complain when other active, loyal, and engaged Democrats want to build the Party.
As a former 12 year Chair of the TCDCC I know how these Committees are supposed to function; they are meant to be inclusive and welcoming, and certainly never to shut out and restrict citizens who simply want to participate and be heard. That is the polar opposite of what Democrats are all about.
It is indeed ironic that Mr. Macareno chooses to adopt the policies of the Republicans who fall all over themselves trying to deny participation in the political process and thereby choking the life out of the political process. The fact that the State Democratic Party, after it’s thorough review of all the actions of the TCDCC, has issued a scathing public rebuke for the Central Committee’s petty and completely misguided complaining, pretty clearly makes the point of who is really to blame here.
Perhaps this timely public disclosure of these anti-democratic antics will put and end to the autocratic power trip that is so unseemly. Mr. Macareno has been given the chance to be a leader, and an effective spokesperson for Democrats in this county, but instead he has wasted and squandered that opportunity by failing to be a leader who allows and encourages others to succeed. He has abandoned success and inclusion, and that’s a real shame.
Finally, if, as reported in this story, Mr. Macareno has convinced State Treasurer John Chiang to cancel his appearance at the Roosevelt Gala and deny county Democrats from hearing from a State Constitutional officer, they both should be mightily ashamed of themselves.

]]> By: Renee Lapin https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2015/04/02/state-party-finds-local-democrats-unfairly-sanctioned/#comment-1265 Renee Lapin Wed, 08 Apr 2015 20:30:08 +0000 http://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/?p=18186#comment-1265 I was referring to this statement (of Macareno's): “I still feel very strongly about that. They purposefully went out to undermine the Central Committee. That’s what the trial was all about,” Macareno said. “There won’t be another attempt (to remove members). But, if we find another reason, we won’t hesitate.” I was referring to this statement (of Macareno’s): “I still feel very strongly about that. They purposefully went out to undermine the Central Committee. That’s what the trial was all about,” Macareno said. “There won’t be another attempt (to remove members). But, if we find another reason, we won’t hesitate.”

]]> By: Renee Lapin https://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/2015/04/02/state-party-finds-local-democrats-unfairly-sanctioned/#comment-1264 Renee Lapin Wed, 08 Apr 2015 20:00:09 +0000 http://www.ourvalleyvoice.com/?p=18186#comment-1264 "Feel"? A formal ruling was made at the state party level, yet Macareno continues to attribute what amounts to an arbitrary and unwarranted purge of members to a "personality clash." It has to be a tin ear... or his determination to turn the party into another Bolshevik style cult-of-personality regime. “Feel”? A formal ruling was made at the state party level, yet Macareno continues to attribute what amounts to an arbitrary and unwarranted purge of members to a “personality clash.” It has to be a tin ear… or his determination to turn the party into another Bolshevik style cult-of-personality regime.

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