This Friday is our nation’s birthday — Independence Day. What a great tradition, a day of the year set aside to remember our nation’s birth, and to thank God for the blessings of freedom and liberty that exist in America due to the sacrifice (many with their lives) of our founding fathers.

It is particularly disturbing that on the very week of America’s birthday, here in California the liberty of our drivers has now been eroded with the latest edict from our ever-growing Nanny State. Yes, politicians in Sacramento, intent to legislate on every aspect of the lives of their constituents have now banned the use of cell-phones by drivers of automobiles (unless we use the hands-free gizmo we always forget to have with us). If this legislation were an award winning movie, it would be entitled, "We think you are too stupid to make decisions for yourself," and the award for best actor would clearly go to liberal Democrat legislator Joe Simitian, who authored this terrible legislation, centered around the idea that there truly must be a law about everything.

Unfortunately,… Read More

Today the Nanny State ban on drivers using cell phones without a hands free device took effect.

On my way to work a car just missed clipping me as I crossed the street. The guy was in a hurry and was distracted by the sandwich he was eating. I didn’t get a good look, but it seemed to be a Jack in the Box Supreme Breakfast Croissant with extra bacon.

This iswhy the Governor really chickened out. He wants to do big things. He has to protect us from ourselves. So he targets cell phones? It’s been done before and while a big deal isn’t new ground.

Want to blow up the boxes? Ban eating and drinking in cars. Blow up the Jack in the Boxes, McDonald’s and all the drive thrus. Pass a law telling automakers no cup holders for that hot coffee or Super Big Gulp.

How distracting is it in a car when your drink spills?

Just ban all of them.

Wouldn’t that make us all safer? You know it would, but the Governor doesn’t have the guts to tick off soccer moms getting Happy Meals or people rushing off to work. Let alone all the revenue lost by declining sales and losing productivity.

Government can’t or isn’t willing to… Read More

A bill, SB 37, to end run the electoral college and goinstead to a count ofthe popular votes ofa cartel of large states for electing President, passed today with a vote of 42-28, with only Republicans voting "NO."

As few as 12 states can band together, regardless of how their own voters voteand cast electoral votes for the national popular vote leader, and determine thewinner, small rural [red] states need not show up.A similar bill, AB 2948 of 2006 received nearly all Republicans "NO" votes then as well,30, and was veteod by the Governor. This is good veto bait again.… Read More

That’s not my headline, it’s courtesy of Bloomberg.com.… Read More

It seems like Steve Maviglio, the Communications Guru of choice for left-wing Assembly Speakers, is the also the messenger of death when it comes to the end of Capitol reporters, and their jobs! Just a few weeks ago Steve blogged on the decision by the Stockton Record to vanquish veteran Capitol reporter Hank Shaw. Today Steve shares more bad news with the decision by the Oakland Tribune to let go of its veteran Capitol Reporter — Steve Geissinger. As Maviglio points out, Geissinger is the head of the Capitol Correspondents Association — or he was until now. The Tribune will still have access to other MediaNews correspondents from the Contra Costa Times and San Jose Mercury News.

It’s too bad about Steve. Like with Shaw, Steve has a knack for great reporting, and his contributions to the mix will be sorely missed.

So I guess there will be two types of people avoiding Maviglio now… The first being taxpayers, for whom Steve only delivers bad news. The other — anxious Capitol reporters who perhaps don’t want to… Read More

Assemblyman Joel Anderson’s office was quick to respond to my whiny post of yesterday, in which I indicated Senator Hollingsworth appeared to be the only area legislator to issue a statement on the Supreme Court’s Heller decision, and in which I further kinda chastised some unnamed legislative offices for not sending releases to bloggers.

This morning, Anderson’s office sent me its 2nd Amendment take of a few days ago. To be clear, the Anderson folks send me press items very regularly (so no inclusion of them in the general whininess) … I just hadn’t seen this one:

Anderson Lauds High-Court Decision Protecting 2nd Amendment

… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail…

What’s So Great About Arnold?

Tom Brokaw and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are old friends, having met 30 years ago when Mr. Brokaw was NBC’s correspondent in Los Angeles. But that didn’t spare Arnold from tough questioning in the mold of the late Tim Russert when Mr. Brokaw interviewed him for "Meet the Press" yesterday.

Mr. Brokaw began by asking just how much had really changed in California. "When you ran for governor in 2003, you ran as a fiscal conservative who would change the system, who would bring business-like techniques," the host said. "Now, you are facing a $15-billion deficit here in California.… Read More

Earlier last week, U.S. Senator John McCain campaigned in Santa Barbara as part of a swing through the Golden State. We asked longtime FR friend Mike Stoker, a former Santa Barbara County Supervisor, if he would be our "eyes on the ground" and pen something for us. Unfortunately some personal issues came up, but despite that Mike was able to rise to the challenge..

A Birds-Eye Account of Senator McCain’s Santa Barbara Swing By The Honorable Mike Stoker Senator McCain by all accounts, hit it out of the park on his recent trip to Santa Barbara. The campaign, wanting to help hold State Senator Tom McClintock’s seat, arranged to have former Assemblyman Tony… Read More