Every legislative session there are a few bills that really grab the public’s attention. Of all the high profile bills from last session, perhaps the most controversial for the general public (not policy or political wonks) was Lloyd Levine’s proposal to require every cat and dog in California be spayed or neutered (AB 1634). In fact, some lawmakers stated that they received more letters on this issue then any other issue debated last session. Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa humorously and effectively proved this fact during one assembly appropriations committee hearing by presenting a two-foot high stack of some of the letters his office had received opposing AB 1634.

Ultimately, despite heavy lobbying from the likes of Bob Barker, Pamela Anderson and William Shatner, the bill stalled before session ended. Mr. Levine learned the hard way that people are very protective of their four-legged companions. The bigger issue with this bill is that it—like many of the bills Mr. Levine proposes—seeks to control the lives and freedom of individual citizens. Yes, there is a problem with overcrowding in local animal shelters and we are euthanizing thousands of… Read More

The CCPOA’s coverage of my commentary this morning is pretty funny.… Read More

I have to admit, when it comes to personal relationships with honchos in public employee unions, I really don’t have too many. I worked for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for many years, and so I have a friendship with Wayne Quint, the President of the Deputy’s union there. And my mother-in-law is the Secretary/Treasurer of a union within the California State University system. I think that may be it, actually. So I really didn’t know what to expect yesterday when I sat down for lunch at the Esquire Grill by the State Capitol in Sacramento with the Mike Jimenez, the President of one of California’s largest and most influential public employee unions — the California Correctional Peace Officers Association. I guess you could call this lunch a "victory lap" of sorts as we toasted the defeat of Fabian Nunez’s Proposition 93 scheme. Jimenez came with his "posse" – longtime CCPOA spokesman Ryan Sherman and Juan Vasquez, the "Assistant to the President" — who seemed rather unintimidating, though undoubtedly he can kill people with his little… Read More

This story appears in today’s Roll Call Newspaper on Capitol Hill:

I have to admit, when it comes to personal relationships with honchos in public employee unions, I really don’t have too many. I worked for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for many years, and so I have a friendship with Wayne Quint, the President of the Deputy’s union there. And my mother-in-law is the Secretary/Treasurer of a union within the California State University system. I think that may be it, actually. So I really didn’t know what to expect yesterday when I sat down for lunch at the Esquire Grill by the State Capitol in Sacramento with the Mike Jimenez, the President of one of California’s largest and most influential public employee unions — the California Correctional Peace Officers Association. I guess you could call this lunch a "victory lap" of sorts as we toasted the defeat of Fabian Nunez’s Proposition 93 scheme. Jimenez came with his "posse" – longtime CCPOA spokesman Ryan Sherman and Juan Vasquez, the "Assistant to the President" — who seemed rather unintimidating, though undoubtedly he can kill people with his little… Read More

You Will Be a Lot Less Safe on Saturday: A debate has been raging here in Washington for over a year now over the parameters by which our intelligence officers and military personnel can monitor phone calls and e-mails of suspected terrorists. At question is whether a foreign to foreign phone call that is routed through a switching station in the US is subject to US privacy laws even though both the caller and receiver are in foreign countries. Also at issue is US officials must get a warrant before listening if one of the persons is a known terrorist and the threat is perceived to be imminent.

The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill by a vote of 68-29 which was an agreed upon compromise supported by the President, all Republicans in both houses and, obviously, a substantial bi-partisan majority of the members of the Senate. This bill would extend and modify the so-called Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Only the most liberal Senators opposed it. Senators Obama and Clinton interestingly did not vote on this bill. If it had been put on the House floor, it would have passed easily with support from all Republicans and many moderate Democrats.… Read More

Not too long ago, the incoming Senate President Pro-tem, Darrell Steinberg, proclaimed that there was not a lick of difference between himself and current Pro-tem Don Perata. When that went around, it was received with a chuckle. Perhaps not ideologically, but in terms of style and temperment, they are polar opposited. While Steinberg is a pretty mellow fellow, Perata is famous for his temper, and temper-tantrums.

State Senator Joe Simitian was reminded of Perata’s petulant ways as he wasd just FIRED as the Chairman of a key State Senate committee.

His crime? He upset Perata, of course.

Perhaps it is time to for Don’s buddies to gracefully (or not so) show him the door. With Steinberg on the way in, Perata is yesterdays news anyway. And if he wants to be rude to the end, the end should be…now.… Read More

Don’t believe what they tell you — Republicans have a lot of passion for the issue of education. We have good ideas and great interest in making sure that future generations of Californians have a top-notch education.

As a matter of fact, politican animal that I am, I devoted over a year of my life exclusively to the politics of education. I was the Campaign Coordinator for the successful Proposition 227 campaign to put an end to the use of bilingual education programs that were ineffective at helping schools kids to learn English. I was also the Campaign Manager back in 1998 for Gloria Matta Tuchman, the Republican challenger to Delaine Eastin, the lefty Democrat incumbent in the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. We lost by a few points that year, unfortunately.

One great thing about have a Republican Governor is that we have (or should have) a Republican State Board of Education, to offset the liberalism of current Superintendent Jack O’Connell.

So, it was with much dismay, in reviewing the Governor’s appointments today, to see that he made three appointments to the important State Board of Education,… Read More