In the Golden Pen column today, our own Mike Der Manouel, Jr., lays out some sobering numbers about how state government spending is increasing at a pace vastly exceeding the growth of California’s population. Here is an excerpt from Mike’s piece: According to the Legislative Analyst, 10 years ago, the budget presented by Gov. Pete Wilson proposed the following spending: general fund, $50.3 billion; special funds, $14.3 billion; total, $64.6 billion; reserves, $553 million. Ten years later, the 2007-08 budget proposes: general fund, $103.1 billion; special funds, $27.7 billion; total, $131 billion. The increase in state spending over 10 years? A whopping 202%. During this same 10-year period, according to the Census Bureau and California’s… Read More

This just in from the Anderson outpost, across the Potomac from the CalPERS Hessians fortressed down in defense of terrorist states….

Key Senate Committee Passes Anderson’s bill to divest California from Iran Unanimous Vote by Senate Judiciary Committee Sacramento, CA – Thursday, the California State Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed (5-0) Assemblyman Joel Anderson’s (R-El Cajon) Assembly Bill 221 to divest California’s public retirement funds from billions of dollars invested in key businesses that invest in Iran.

“Once again, I am excited that my colleagues in the State Senate have shown strong bi-partisan support and leadership for this legislation, which will end California taxpayer’s investment in key foreign companies that invest in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Anderson. The legislation has 34 bipartisan coauthors.

AB 221, which was unanimously approved by the California State Assembly 75-0 two weeks ago, next goes to the Senate Appropriations committee prior to being voted on by the full Senate.

This historic… Read More

It was a proud moment today when I read the Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed SB566, legislation that would have required rank and file Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) commissioners to be active members of their local union.

Senator Tom Harman was the ONLY Orange County Republican to vote for the Mark Ridley-Thomas bill.

The Governor said in his veto letter:

"To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 566 without my signature. California’s peace officers are tasked with the important job of ensuring public safety. Each day their job requires decisions that can have a lasting impact on the lives of the citizens of this state and their trust in government. Peace officers need to be selected from a pool of high-caliber individuals.

In California, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training is the state entity responsible for setting the minimum standards for selection and training for California peace officers. Given the incredibly important nature of their work, we should strive to have a broad pool of candidates so this Commission has the best… Read More

According to LBReport, tonight the Long Beach Council will consider a proposal to require sellers of ammo to maintain all kinds of info for the police and "other" appointed officials to have access to. Clearly they want to discourage gun owners from their Second Amendment rights.

So why stop there? Why not demand identification from people that want city services to see if they are here illegally? I know, I know… it is just crazy talk and I’m being absurd. See LBReport post here.… Read More

The YearlyKos Convention is a collection of leftwing kooks and spoon benders that represent the real crazy part of the Democratic Party. Their sponsors include the usual suspects like the NEW, SIEU, Moveon.org and of course the publicly traded JetBlue airlines.

That’s right. I knew something was wrong when I flew JetBlue to the RNC Convention. The seats were comfy, they were nice to me. It was all a set up to try to spill GOP secrets. That won’t happen again.

H/T to Dennis C Smith and Helen Najar or the info .See the proof here.… Read More

Because it is sometimes hard to discern what any Republican says about things when viewed through the filter of the main stream (liberal) media, here is some information from the office of Congressman John Doolittle making clear his position on the War in Iraq:

Congressman Doolittle has been a strong supporter of the war on terror and has not changed his position on the need for US military action in Afghanistan or Iraq. The Congressman fully supports the mission of our troops. Congressman Doolittle wants to see the Iraqi government become responsible for their own country more quickly. This situation is not a matter of being at odds with the President. In fact, Congressman Doolittle is sure the President would like to see the same result. We must face reality. Iraq is a region… Read More

Just off the transom from Team Rudy – a release stating that they will be openin a state headquarters in Glendale in Los Angeles County, and that their California Leadership Team consists of: California State Chair Bill Simon, Former California Republican Gubernatorial Nominee California State Co-Chairs Mary Bono, United States Congresswoman David Dreier, United States Congressman Jerry Lewis, United States Congressman Devin Nunes, United States Congressman George Radanovich, United States Congressman Ed Royce, United States Congressman Curt Pringle, Mayor of Anaheim Greg Aghazarian, State Assemblyman Ted Gaines, State Assemblyman Sharon Runner, State Assemblywoman Cameron Smyth, State Assemblyman Chuck Poochigian, Former State Senator Mike Antonovich, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, Los Angeles County Supervisor John Herrington, Former State GOP Chair Robert Naylor, Former State GOP Chair Frank Visco, Former State GOP Chair Michelle Steel, Board… Read More

One of the most remarkable women today is former Dutch parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Her biography is an unrelenting page turner.Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali 2007, Free Press.

Ali is one courageous author, witness and political leader to confront the Cancer within Islam.

All great religions and ideologies always contain seeds of its own destruction. Islam is no exception. Given that America is one of the most tolerant societies is recorded history, many of our citizens still cannot understand the violent and extreme phenomena called Radical Islam.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells the story of the growth of the Radical Cancer in her homeland Somalia. Her father was a revolutionary working against the Marxists who seized Somalia in the early 80’s. American’s most unsuccessful President, the fall of Somalia waspart of Carter’s legacy when the last gasps of the Soviet conquests extended from Afghanistan, Angola, Cuba, Nicaragua, Grenada and many… Read More