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

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… Read More

(H/T to Jennie DeVore.)… Read More

OK – sometimes no matter what you could possibly come up with and write – youjust can’t top reality.

Now, I know I’m known for using this space every now and again for being sarcastic or for my feeble attempts at being witty (hey, at least I try!). But every now again you run across a news item that no matter what you could possible write just can’t be topped in it’s sheer wackiness.

I give you this masterpiece by Fox News:

Thursday, May 08, 2008

I’m aboard yet another Southwest Airlines flight to Sacramento, to make a presentation for a client for my consulting practice, and again my rule of always knowing someone on a flight to or from the Capitol City!

I’m sitting with Orange County GOP activist leader Jim Righeimer, and his business associate (and also loyal GOPer) Steve Menzinger. Also, somewhere on the flight is that cool guy I always run into who works in the County Registrar’s office, but whose name escapes me right now…

Maybe when I get to the Capitol I will stop by Don Perata’s office. I’m curious if he has a plan to reimburse the public for the costs associated with his now-aborted recall effort against Senator Jeff Denham.… Read More

Here’s some great "Economics 101" from Frank Schubert on gas prices. Meet Mr. Supply and Mr. Demand….… Read More

I was in my car this afternoon (contributing to my carbon footprint) when my State Senator, Dick Ackerman, called me with the news — Senate President Pro-Tem Don Perata had "called off" of the recall of Jeff Denham. Or, to be more precise, Perata announced the suspension of the political campaign to pass the recall measure.

Now that I am back at my computer, I went online and was able to read Senator Perata’s "spin" on his decision…

ENTER THE SPIN ROOM…

Perata’s statement reads, in part:

A long stalemate is the last thing we need. Without a budget – we run out of cash – the richest state in America gone broke!

We won’t be paying our bills – and we won’t be giving our schools, our emergency rooms and our police the resources they need.

So I met with Republican Leader Dave Cogdill – and I asked him how we could clear… Read More