Roll Call* has published their list of the Top Ten Must Vulnerable Incumbents In Congress. Six are Democrats, four are Republicans — only one is from California — below is the relevant excerpt:

JERRY MCNERNEY Not only did McNerney oust then-House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo (R) in the 2006 general election, to get there he had to upset the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s preferred candidate in the primary. So McNerney has shown his mettle. Still, he’s sitting in a fairly conservative district. And his challenger, former state Assemblyman Dean Andal (R), carries… Read More

In case you missed it Sunday….

Hunter’s rivals work to stand out By Michele Clock STAFF WRITER

Duncan D. Hunter is making his first run for Congress, but he’s got many of the advantages of an incumbent.

As the son of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, the 31-year-old captain in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve has built-in name recognition and political connections, and he has raised more money than his rivals for the 52nd District seat.

How much those assets will help in the June 3 statewide primary remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Duncan D. Hunter’s three Republican rivals are using their own considerable experience and connections to collect endorsements and carve out constituencies, which could play an elevated role in a campaign in which there is little difference among the candidates on key issues.

All the Republican candidates are focusing on their backgrounds to underscore why they would be best qualified to serve the heavily Republican district, which covers much of eastern and… Read More

Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has penned this very sobering column that exposes why the League of California Cities and the Redevelopment Community in California is so supportive of Proposition 99 — it is worse than doing nothing.

For the past several months, local government interests, including the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties, have spent millions of dollars touting Prop. 99 as ironclad protection for Californians who fear having their homes seized by local governments to be turned over to private developers for strip-malls and other for-profit projects.

But the list of property rights experts who reject this claim is growing. This is because Prop. 99 includes significant loopholes that will allow public agencies to continue… Read More

Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has penned this very sobering column that exposes why the League of California Cities and the Redevelopment Community in California is so supportive of Proposition 99 — it is worse than doing nothing.

For the past several months, local government interests, including the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties, have spent millions of dollars touting Prop. 99 as ironclad protection for Californians who fear having their homes seized by local governments to be turned over to private developers for strip-malls and other for-profit projects.

But the list of property rights experts who reject this claim is growing. This is because Prop. 99 includes significant loopholes… Read More

In 1978, after years of scandalous actions by local agencies in the definition of property taxes, voters passed Prop 13 setting a single statewide standard. It has become the ‘third rail’ in California politics because of the protections against abuse it offers taxpayers as well as guaranteeing a great tax rate.

In 1980, Prop 8 was passed to define who, how, and why property was to be reassessed for lower values, again offering a landmark protection against bureaucrats who were continuing to raise property taxes even though property was going down in value.

For over 25 years these two bulwarks against government intrusion into our lives have protected families and land owners big and small.

That is why when a politician comes along promising to lower property taxes unilaterally, I smile – because even though it sounds great, they are really offering to repeal Prop 13 and Prop 8.

Hesperia Councilwoman Rita Vogler, a large land owner herself, is running against Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt in the First District in San Bernardino County.

Councilwoman Vogler has built part of her fortune on the low, predictable property tax rates afforded by… Read More

I am very pleased to be working with my friend Floyd Brown onthe legalities of aproject to inform the public of Barrack Obama’s policy positions and what can be done abourt it. Check out this post by O.C. Register Political reporter Martin Wisckol.… Read More

My good friend Fresno Mayor Alan Autry takes me to task nearby for having the audacity of asking and answering the question: Is Arnold Schwarzenegger a worse Governor than Gray Davis. Alan goes as far as accusing me of drinking the "kool – aid".

In politics, being a "kool aid" drinker is defined simply as this: defending the indefensible for the sake of Party affiliation. Of course, anyone that knows me knows that I am a leading critic of my own Party, and in fact it is Mayor Autry drinking the Arnold "kool – aid". Arnold’s record since 2005 is indefensible.

So you know, Autry accuses me of voting for tax increases such as Measure Z and C. I did not vote for Measure Z, a new local tax to fund our Zoo. In fact, our Lincoln Club opposed that tax. I dd support Measure C, an EXTENSION of a sales tax passed two decades ago to fund local transportation projects. The extension of that tax made sense, as the half completed highways all over our local area bear out.

Autry really doesn’t respond to my opinion piece. He cites Arnold’s accomplishments of cutting the car tax and reforming WC,… Read More

This year, term limits causes the State Assembly to lose one of its most qualified legislators, Assemblywoman Sharon Runner. (I remember “back in the day” when I was running for State President of the California Republican Assembly and Sharon, and her husband, George, were heading up the mega-sized Antelope Valley Republican Assembly. Fortunately they supported me in my effort!) The primary election to replace her has presented one of the most important elections for Republicans in the state.

Generally, Republican primaries contain candidates with a mixture of similar values and similar backgrounds. The most viable candidates are usually very qualified Republicans pitted against each other despite similar ideologies. To many on the outside, no matter which candidate wins the primary, the votes will be the same and they will be reliable.

However, in the election to replace Sharon Runner, there is a candidate in the primary behind whom which virtually all Republican leaders are united. The other two candidates in the race are engaging in rather anemic campaigns,… Read More