Forget the kids; we know it’s about them

This admission will paint me into some corner or stereotype, but I’ll go with it anyway:

I don’t have a lot of patience for the “politics of the kids.” By that, I mean politicians ? or anyone else for that matter ? who make arguments that somehow can be summed up as: “It’s about the kids.”

This goes for national issues such as Social Security and local issues, for example, what to do with Marinapark. Perhaps I’ve heard it too often, but at this point, it just sounds like a lot of empty rhetoric to me.

(I had a casual, and therefore off-the-record, chat with someone in the past week about this, and it doesn’t mean I’m not willing to listen to someone who can come up with an original way of bringing kids to the table. It’s just that I know they’re our future. Now back to our subject.)

That said, this has been a week of focusing on our “future.”

On Monday, Costa Mesa United ? which was formed to raise money for a stadium at Estancia High School and an Olympic-sized pool at Costa Mesa High School but now, post the Measure F bond, is reorienting itself ? held its second golf fundraiser, the Mesa Verde Classic. The Daily Pilot is a sponsor of the tournament, I should note.

Well, the good news is that the event raised $40,000 for Costa Mesa United, a pretty tidy sum. But it also brought together a solid cross section of Costa Mesa leaders. Among those playing were Mayor Allan Mansoor; City Manager Alan Roeder; parks commissioner and Pilot columnist Byron de Arakal; Orange County Marketplace’s Bob and Jeff Teller; Comcast’s Del Heintz; Manfredo Lespier; John Ursini from Newport Rib Co.; and there were more than 100 others.

Gordon Bowley, acting as the master of ceremonies and auctioneer, did his usual funny job. And not just on the course.

In this case, I guess our “future” did bring the community together.

This morning is part two of the “kids” week. Over on Page A9 of the Pilot is our annual Academic All-Stars listing of Newport Beach’s top high school seniors. There is an awards breakfast taking place right now, unless you really get to your Pilot early in the morning.

I’ve put together the all-stars page at least seven times now, maybe eight. (I can’t remember if I did it my first year at the Pilot, starting in late March 1999.) The kids are invariably impressive, with a combination of academic excellence, success in sports and community activities.

And at least one of them at the breakfast does something hilarious ? in a good way.

I won’t mind if all the presenters manage to avoid pointing out that these 30 kids are “our future,” though.

Finally, a quick mention of the more immediate future: Tuesday’s state Senate election.

Despite living in the district, I haven’t received a single mailer ? probably a bunch of you are jealous. I’m surprised, though, that Assemblyman Tom Harman apparently hasn’t targeted “decline to state” absentee voters. I did have to request a particular ballot, but it seems voters like me are up for grabs.

Now, I’m not going to predict a winner. It’s been a strange race, with Dana Point City Councilwoman Diane Harkey locking up all the major Republican endorsements and Harman remaining much quieter, as far as I can tell, than she has. I really think it’s up for grabs, and we’ll probably see a few last-minute hits that may just decide the thing.

I doubt one will win 50%, though, so I am willing to predict that we’ll have a meaningless general election.