INDEPENDENT ENDORSES... WELL, WE ASSUME A DEMOCRAT? HARD TO TELL THESE DAYS!

Breaking news from the hallowed halls of The Santa Barbara Independent: they’ve endorsed a politician! We know, we’re as shocked as you are. Their latest dispatch, breathlessly titled 'Vote for James Kyriaco,' urges the good citizens of Goleta to re-elect their man to the City Council. It’s a bold move, considering most of their readership probably thought 'Kyriaco' was a new artisanal hummus brand or a particularly vexing bike lane project.

Now, we’re not saying Mr. Kyriaco isn't a fine fellow. We're just saying it takes a certain kind of chutzpah to frame a vanilla endorsement for an incumbent as groundbreaking journalism. One might wonder if the Independent’s editorial board simply spun a wheel labeled 'local Democrat with a pulse' and landed on him. It’s certainly more exciting than actually delving into, say, Goleta's ever-expanding bureaucracy or the curious case of how 'affordable housing' always seems to translate to 'developer profits' and 'even higher taxes for the rest of us.'

Perhaps The Whipping Post is just old-fashioned. We like our endorsements to come with, you know, reasons beyond 'he’s there.' But in an era where 'progress' often means more committees, more studies, and fewer parking spaces, one can understand the Independent's desire to keep the gravy train chugging along. Meanwhile, we'll be over here, wondering if anyone in Goleta has actually asked if all these 'visionary' plans really improve anything besides the city planner’s job security. Or perhaps, what campaign donations might be 'quietly' enabling the continued reign of these well-meaning, tax-and-spend local grandees.