In old western days when settlers found themselves surrounded by hostile forces (I’m so P.C) they would circle the wagons.

Now in Los Angeles after years of losing battle after battle with the labor bosses, LA’s businesses are circling the wagons.

The local business federation is trying to organize and be as political active as the unions that control the city of L.A.

A good way to start would for businesses to stop giving ammo to the Democratic politicians that kowtow to the unions. Try that too. Partner.… Read More

SacBee Reporter Shane Goldmacher asks, "Does a newspaper endorsement matter?"

He has a blog post up, and also lists newspaper endorsements for and against the current statewide ballot measures.

The short answer is yes, but less than it has in the past, and more than it should. I think their primary utility these days is that they are used in this voter contact programs of the various ballot measure and candidate campaigns, to advocate for their position.

That said, I will make the case for why they shouldn’t matter…

One thing that I have learned over time is that behind "newspaper endorsements" are a group of very real human beings that make up that paper’s endorial board, and these folks typically decide on the paper’s endorsements.

Well, for some people, I suppose it is possible that their political party, or ideological persuasion, or philosophy on life, politics and public policy happen to mirror those of their local paper’s editorial board. I suspect, though, that this is rare.

Although it is… Read More

They’ve called Florida for John McCain. He’s ahead of Romney by about four percentage points. Giuliani is way behind. Drudge is even reporting that Rudy may drop out as soon as tomorrow, likely endorsing McCain.

Congratulations to the Arizona Senator and his supporters. Now on to Super Tuesday…… Read More

Nothing. Nil.… Read More

This is hot off the presses from Team McCain:

CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP TEAM State Chair The Honorable Bill Jones – Former California Secretary of State Honorary Vice Chairs Mayor Alan Autry, Fresno Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles County The Honorable James Brulte – Former State Senate… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail:

The Post-Arnold?

Meg Whitman, the retiring chairman of the Internet auction site eBay, is telling colleagues she has no current plans to run for governor of California as a Republican in 2010 when Arnold Schwarzenegger is termed out of office. But my California sources tell me the 53-year-old corporate powerhouse caught the political bug this year raising money for Mitt Romney, with whom she worked at the venture capital firm Bain & Co.

This month, Ms. Whitman made the rounds of key Republican groups in the state and got a warm reception. She would bring a sterling record of running eBay for a decade along with the advantage of being a fresh face on the California… Read More

With the leftover 2007 bills the main core of our file, the talk is that we are trying to grind it all out today/tonight and allow members to get back to their districts, etc. [perhaps to tryand save the failing Prop 93 campaign?] Some of these bills include stuff that couldn’t pass muster the first time, like the SUV tax bill, or others that were just held in committee previously. It should be a long but battle-inspiring day trying to stop the "triple star oppose" bills, which is the term our caucususes forthe really bad ones, like the SUV tax.… Read More

FR Friend Joel Fox has been a McCain for President man for a long time, having served as a Statewide Co-Chair for his run in 2000. He’s President of the Small Business Action Committee. *Later on I will be posting a piece from Assemblyman Bob Huff that talks about his decision to endorse Mitt Romney, and is quite critical of McCain — so for all of those looking for balance — it’s coming…*

So without further introduction, Joel’s piece on McCain:

The California budget mess should echo with Republican voters as they consider their vote in the upcoming presidential primary election. Out-of-control spending has crippled California’s fiscal standing. In Washington, pork barrel spending destroys common sense and undermines the voters’ respect for the stewards of our tax dollars. Controlling Washington’s proliferate ways is one important… Read More