Michael Reagan, the eldest son of the late President and former California Governor, will announce tonight in Berlin, Germanythe launch of a project to build a significant memorial in Berlin near the Brandenburg Gate to his father’s call at that location in 1987 for Soviet President Gorbachev to "open this Gate," and "tear down this Wall." Within 18 months of President Reagan’s speech, the Wall came down, and not only did Germany reunify as a noncommunist Western ally, the Soviet empire fell to pieces just a few years later as well.

I am here in Berlin with Michael assisting in the project, which has been timed to coincide with week-long activities commemorating the 60th annniversary of the "Berlin Airlift," and the opening of a new U.S. Embassy building near the Brandenburg Gate on July 4.

John F. Kennedy is well remembered in Berlin for his famous and inspirational"I am a Berliner" speech during the height of the Cold War. Kennedy has a city square ("John-F.-Kennedy-Platz") named for him here, and his name appears on two other educational institution buildings. But in a… 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 Strickland greet the Senator as he deboarded from his plane after arrival in SB. (Tony Strickland… Read More

As smoke chokes most of Northern California and the Central Coast it is an appropriate time to evaluate the causes and effects of some of the fires that are risking the lives of hundreds.

For those of you that don’t believe in global warming and carbon footprint at all, this post provides nothing more than an opportunity to use the methodologies of those that do to argue for sound forest management practices.

For years forest managers have asked for the ability to clear and thin the… Read More

With the ongoing battle against the many lightning-caused fires still underway, Governor Schwarzenegger visited the fire operations centers in NorCal this week, including Monterey and Chico Wednesday, and with US Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne in Shasta County near Whiskeytown Lake on Friday. The Guv visted with firefighters and their chiefs to assess the progress being made and declared emergency status for the 7 counties hardest hit. These include Butte, Shasta, and Trinity up this way as well as Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties. He also sought, and received, a federal declaration from President Bush for those same areas.

CalFire and many local and out of town departments have been effectively limiting these fires to non-residential burns and few buildings have burned given the great number of fires last weekend’s lightning strikes caused, charring over 60,000 acres.That numberis a lot but much smaller than it could be. This as everyone holds their breath over current threat of new lightning… Read More

Hollingsworth Alone in Weighing in On Heller Decision… Senator Hollingsworth appears to be the only San Diego area legislator to have issued a statement on last week’s Supreme Court decision. Sure, some might say it’s a Federal issue, but the most significant Court statement on the 2nd Amendment in several decades has pretty significant ramifications. I do want to know what my local reps have to say on the matter.

When I say Dennis appears to be the only one, well … that is to say he’s the only one that sent me a release on the matter. I’ve noted it before — and I’ll repeat it — if you have something to say, TELL US. You legislators and staffers that still haven’t added a few bloggers to your media distribution list, let me welcome you to the 1990s. I’m sure you’re still working your campaigns from 3×5 cards as well. Again, you may email me here. Oh … and thanks to the several SD leg.… Read More

The Secretary of State has just released the number assignents for the 11 Propositions that are currently certified for the November ballot. Secretary Bowen has started em out with number one instead of picking up after Prop 99. I won’t list all of them here, check em out on the Sec of State website. Most notable will be:

Proposition 8-California Protection of Marriage Act, titled as Limit On Marriage-to continue as being between one man and one woman

Proposition 1-High Cost Rail, titled as, get this, The Safe Reliable High Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century…no mention of what happens in the 22nd Century, or that maybe only 80 years will be left of the 21st by the time it got built

Proposition 4-Sarah’s Law, titled as Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination Of Minor’s Pregnancy

Proposition 11-Redistricting-Constitutional Amendment and Statute-14 member commission to draw district lines which includes Assembly, State Senate and Board of Equalization Districts, not Congress.… Read More

I’m on my Southwest flight, preparing to fly from Sacramento back home to Orange County. It was a jammed pack few days, filled with a ton of meetings with legislative and administration officials, and opportunities to attend some great events, including a reception last night at the California Chamber headquarters where Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines celebrated the end of a successful multi-day candidate training for all of the 2008 GOP Assembly nominees.

As for the plane rule (that’s the one that says you can’t fly to or from Sacramento without seeing someone you know), I’m joined on this flight by Republican State Senator Dave Cox and his wife.

Wheels up!… Read More

It was actually a pretty busy week back here in DC. Here is a quick rundown (of course with my short editorial comments) on some of the things we did and/or learned this week.

A bill HR 6346 came to the floor that would have started new proceedings regarding alleged price gouging in the price of gas. This in spite of the fact that all previous investigations have turned up nothing and that the increase in the price of gas is because of the increase in the price of oil. The bill failed to pass. We cannot sue our way into lower gas prices. One other bill (HR 6052) was brought to the floor supposedly to deal with high gas prices. This bill would create subsidies for only federal employees to take public transportation to work. Are you kidding me? While everyone is struggling with high energy prices and a tough economy we are going to give more subsidies to government bureaucrats and only government bureaucrats? The bill passed 322-98. That’s it on the energy front. To see the wide array of actions I think we should be doing, go to my new Energy Page. … Read More