I’ve known Scott Kamena going back to College Republican days of long ago. These days, Scott is an accomplished optometrist in Livermore, in the East Bay Area (that probably has a lot more ‘gravitas’ to it as a reunion than being, say, a website publisher). Anyways, Doctor Kamena has penned a thoughtful and comprehensive commentary centered around the current health care debate taking place in Sacramento, and I am very pleased to present it below. It’s a bit lengthy, but this is a difficult subject, requiring more ‘column inches’ to really approach in a meaningful way. I should probably mention that Scott has decided to throw his hat into the (crowded) ring, to replace GOP Assemblyman Guy Houston (click on his ad on the right to find out more about that).

Health Care Plans Miss The Point by Scott Kamena… Read More

Presidential candidate Congressman Duncan Hunter has confirmed he will be a speaker at the upcoming Western Conservative Political Action Conference in Newport Beach on October 12-13. Other confirmed speakers include Mike Reagan, who is the General Chairman of the Conference, along with U.S. Senator Sam Brownback; State Senator Tom McClintock, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore; Board of Equalization member Michelle Steel; San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus; radio-talk show hosts Melanie Morgan (KSFO San Francisco) and Mark Larson (1700 AM, San Diego); and Hoover Institute Fellow and Reagan biography author Dinesh D’Souza. Information on registration and hotel accommodations can be obtained at www.westerncpac.com or by calling Tiffany Delepine at Schubert/Flint Public Affairs, 714-774-1741.… Read More

I’ve known Scott Kamena going back to College Republican days of long ago. These days, Scott is an accomplished optometrist in Livermore, in the East Bay Area (that probably has a lot more ‘gravitas’ to it as a reunion than being, say, a website publisher). Anyways, Doctor Kamena has penned a thoughtful and comprehensive commentary centered around the current health care debate taking place in Sacramento, and I am very pleased to present it below. It’s a bit lengthy, but this is a difficult subject, requiring more ‘column inches’ to really approach in a meaningful way. I should probably mention that Scott has decided to throw his hat into the (crowded) ring, to replace GOP Assemblyman Guy Houston (click on his ad on the right to find out more about that).

Health Care Plans Miss The Point by Scott Kamena… Read More

Many times my clients want to talk about debates. They look forward to them. They worry about them, In the end, they mean very little — as long as you show up and don’t get a bad quote or YouTube clip out of it.

The race between Assemblyman John Benoit and former Assemblyman Russ Bogh for SD 37 (Battin) will be one of the most contested primaries in the state next June. These two are already kicking each other and we have months to go.

I’m not advocating a candidate or an outcome in this election. My firm has no dog in this fight. I’m simply pointing out that this is a classic example of what to do and what not to do if you are a candidate or advising a candidate.

Marshall and Stone are hosts in the afternoon on KNEWS radio in Palm Springs. They often have local political figures into the studio to debate issues. They do a great job trying to keep things fair. Despite all of the efforts by the host to even the playing field it was obvious to me that one candidate knew exactly what to do while the other seemed… Read More

I’ve known Arnold Steinberg for nearly twenty years, and he had been involved in political campaigns and causes long before we became aquainted, and developed our longtime friendship. Strategist Arnie Steinberg has been involved in virtually every phase of political and advertising campaigns. Also, he has created more than 1600 opinion survey projects and focus groups and has testified as an expert witness frequently on elections, public opinion, advertising, and related issues. For major litigation, he has helped develop legal strategy and jury profiles. Many years ago, he wrote two graduate textbooks on politics and media. He has served on various government and foundation boards. Currently, Steinberg provides strategic counsel and survey research to private clients and selected political clients. … Read More

I’ve known Arnold Steinberg for nearly twenty years, and he had been involved in political campaigns and causes long before we became aquainted, and developed our longtime friendship. Strategist Arnie Steinberg has been involved in virtually every phase of political and advertising campaigns. Also, he has created more than 1600 opinion survey projects and focus groups and has testified as an expert witness frequently on elections, public opinion, advertising, and related issues. For major litigation, he has helped develop legal strategy and jury profiles. Many years ago, he wrote two graduate textbooks on politics and media. He has served on various government and foundation boards. Currently, Steinberg provides strategic counsel and survey research to private clients and selected political clients.

I was very excited to interview Arnie because, as… Read More

In case anyone needed any further proof that State Senate Don Perata is a jerk, they need look no further than today’s Sacramento Bee. There, ace reporter (and FR friend) Shane Goldmacher has penned a story showing that, in essence, Perata is behind the efforts to recall Republican State Senator Jeff Denham. What is Denham’s egregious malfeasance in office or traitorous act, warranting this extreme action?

Senator Denham, along with thirteen of his Senate Republican colleagues, refrained from voting out the big, fat, bloated state budget for California until they could get some commitments on spending reductions (in the big picture, a relativelely small amount of cuts, we might add) and reigning in an out-of-control State Attorney General who wants to sue every local government in California who authorizes development, on the grounds that battling global warming should be a higher priority than people having a place to live or… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary:

Fad Chaser

Jerry Brown’s strategy to position himself as the leading Democratic candidate for governor of California hit a snag last month when a high-profile lawsuit by his office against car makers for causing global warming was tossed out of court.

U.S. District Judge Martin J. Jenkins of San Francisco declared that "policy decisions concerning the authority and standards for carbon dioxide emissions lie with the political branches of government, and not with the courts." He also noted, with some wit, that it would be virtually impossible for courts to allocate blame for purported climate change.… Read More