This morning I did something I don’t do often, I played “Capitol Press Corps reporter” for a few minutes. Senate and Assembly Republicans held a press conference in the offices of the Senate Republican Leader, Dave Cogdill, to discuss the need to move forward with the need to build new prison beds before the 3-Judge Panel invariably sets a inmate cap for state prisons, resulting in an early release of convicted criminals.

In addition to Senator Cogdill and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (who chimed in with his glee over the triumph of the Fresno State Bulldogs), also speaking at the presser were Senator George Runner and Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, the “lead members” for their respective caucuses on this important issue.

Also on hand were Senators Aanested and Cox and Assemblyman Benoit could devote a lot of megabytes to this topic, but I will cut to the chase. Last year the legislature passed a multi-billion dollar prison bond package because of an urgent need to build prison beds (so urgent, I might add, that the process where voters approve the bonds was skipped entirely). Well, guess what? Not one bond has been… Read More

Today Senator John McCain has endorsed the Protect Marriage Initiative that will appear on the November ballot. His statement…

“I support the efforts of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona. I do not believe judges should be making these decisions.”

This will present an important contrast between McCain and Barack Obama in the Fall. There is no way that Obama will support this measure given his ultra-liberal supporters here in California.… Read More

With a link to the docs…. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court upholds the Second Amendment:

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ET AL. v. HELLER

CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT

No. 07-290. Argued March 18, 2008-Decided June 26, 2008

District of Columbia law bans handgun possession by making it a crime to carry an unregistered firearm and prohibiting the registration of handguns; provides separately that no person may carry an unlicensed handgun, but authorizes the police chief to issue 1-year licenses; and requires residents to keep lawfully owned firearms unloaded and dissembled or bound by a trigger lock or similar device. Respondent Heller, a D. C. special policeman, applied to register a handgun he wished to keep at home, but the District refused. He filed this suit seeking, on Second Amendment grounds, to enjoin the city from enforcing the bar on handgun… Read More

Four years ago I got a call asking if I would speak to some high school students at the RNC Convention in New York City. The caller told me I would be on a panel with Mike McCurry, President Clinton’s press Secretary. Immediately I was worried that this panel was mismatched.

The group was the Junior Statesman Symposium at the RNC. The Junior Statesman Foundation is the partner to the Junior State. The Junior State is a non-partisan, student-run civic education organization. It was started in California seventy-four years ago but has since been formed in other states.

The Foundation supports the activities of the Junior State and conducts several summer school programs at prestigious campuses like Stanford, Georgetown, and Yale. They also offer several week-long programs that encourage civic responsibility among high achieving high school students.

I had the chance to go to the Summer School programs at UC Davis (now at Stanford) and Georgetown when I was 25 years younger and 200 pounds lighter. I can say it changed my life.

They have added the weeklong symposium at both the RNC and DNC Conventions. This is the… Read More

AB 1634 just got out of Senate Local Gov’t this morning. The bill has been changed, amendments make it into a kind of 3 Strikes bill for pet owners. If you get caught with a non-fixed animal that is not permitted to be that way it’s a $50 fine the first time, $100 the 2nd anda mandatory spay/neuter on the 3rd occurance with the pet owner paying for the costs.

Cats only get 2 strikes…which will make dog owner/cat haters giggle and probably cause a rash of discrimination lawsuits. But wait, if cats have 9 lives then that must mean 18 strikes, which is unfair to dog owners and will thencause…… Read More

I’m off to Sacramento through Friday – working to maintain all of the contacts on which I depend to bring you news and commentary! On my SWA flight up from “The OC” are Assemblymen Van Tran and Todd Spitzer. Tran was down for a McCain cashectomy on major GOP donors hosted by George Argyros. I ran into Spitzer yesterday for the swearing-in of Orange County’s new Sheriff, Sandra Hutchens. Oh, gotta go! What’s that phrase? “Wheels up!”… Read More

The Fresno State Bulldogs – the only unseeded team in College World Series history to make the final three game series, will play a deciding third game for the NCAA Men’s Baseball Championship today at 4:00 pm PDT, on ESPN.

The Bulldogs, who struggled against teams such as Sacramento State just before the WAC tournament last month, have been on an absolute tear – knocking out nationally ranked Long Beach State, San Diego, 3rd ranked Arizona State, 6th ranked Rice and 2nd ranked Georgia last night. They face Georgia again tonight for the title.

If they win it will be the first national title for a men’s sports program at the University.… Read More

LA County Big Government Unions [BGU] thought they could double down. With Business strangely detached,BGU’scouldgrabthe 2nd Supervisorial sweepstakes. Originally, BGU’s promised to spend up to 2 million in January. After Ridley-Thomas was promised millions of dollars from unwilling union members, MRT announced inDecember, he was running for one of California’s most significant political posts. LA County Board of Supervisors.2 million constituents.

Of course, If Ridley-Thomas wasn’t guaranteed the I.E. support he never would have run. So much for liberals "clean money" campaigning.BGU’s did not merely "coordinate" the campaign with MRT, but created it.… Read More