The California Parks and Recreation Department is a kind of Sierra Club with governmental powers. It works closely with the Environmental Left — for example, in their hyperactive opposition to allowing any asphalt to touch one square inch of a state park (like San Onofre State Park, for instance)…

..except when it comes to a road they think is OK for reasons that fail to dissuade them from opposing, say, the completion of the 241 tollroad.

Read this post "Yeah, But This Is OUR Road" on Red County/OC Blog.… Read More

Instead of a commentary today, I would like to direct you to our featured interview with California State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Today marks his 100th day in office, and I had an opportunity to chat with him about his first few months on the job. I hope that you enjoy reading it!

I will add as an aside that it is hard to convey Poizner’s enthusiasm in print, but I will tell you that his excitement about his job, and the progress that he is making, really comes across when you speak with him. California is very fortunate to have someone of his ability in this very important role!… Read More

Instead of a commentary today, I would like to direct you to our featured interview with California State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Today marks his 100th day in office, and I had an opportunity to chat with him about his first few months on the job. I hope that you enjoy reading it!

I will add as an aside that it is hard to convey Poizner’s enthusiasm in print, but I will tell you that his excitement about his job, and the progress that he is making, really comes across when you speak with him. California is very fortunate to have someone of his ability in this very important role!

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

It’s time for some prayer power, folks. I just read over on Bob Salladay’s Political Mucle Blog at the LA Times website that Roll Call is reporting that California Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald of Los Angeles, Chairman of the House Adminstration Committee, has taken a leave of absence to deal with an undisclosed form of cancer.

This is terrible news, and hopefully all FR readers will keep her in their thoughts and prayers.

Most FR readers probably wouldn’t know this, but back in the late 90’s, I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer, and it resulted in my having to have two surgeries and some not-so-fun chemotherapy treatments. I’m doing AOK now, nearly nine years later.

But I can tell you that it was well wishes from so many in the political scene (yes, even Democrats prayed for… Read More

It’s been reported just about everywhere that apparently last Friday the FBI searched the home of GOP Congressman John Doolittle. Doolittle, who’s 4th Congressional District represents much of North Eastern California, and perhaps more so, his wife Julie have been frequently mentioned in articles surrounding convicted criminal Jack Abramoff, a former lobbyist whose turn to the dark side has become a political problem for many Republicans, as Ambramoff was very much imbedded within GOP circles. Julie Doolittle, for a time, did some fundraising work for an entity associated with Abramoff. Let me slip this into my post right now. Unlike many stories that we cover here, where I don’t know the parties involved, in this case, I have known John and Julie Doolittle for nearly twenty years. I know them to be honest and good people, and would be the first to try to encourage FR readers not to be sucked in to what will be a liberal-media driven vortex of ‘guilt by association’ — don’t do it. I spent many years working for a law enforcement agency, and I know full well that it is often the case that investigators will serve… Read More

Republican Senator Roy Ashburn has been a ‘point person’ of sorts for Senate Republicans on redistricting reform, but a controversial proposal that he introduced yesterday, Senate Constitutional Amendment 9, on term-limits, redistricting reform, and bans on fundraising is not legislation that is supported by the Senate Republican Caucus — nor Assembly Republicans for that matter. Specifically, Ashburn’s bill seems to be seeking a ‘middle ground’ to try to achieve sort of compromise. But Ashburn gives away too much to try to move something forward… ALL THREE aspects of Senator Ashburn’s proposed constitutional amendment are flawed… First and foremost, and probably most egregious, is that Ashburn’s proposal includes virtually the same end-run on voter-approved term limits that Speaker Fabian Nunez has been championing himself. According to what I read, this proposal by the Bakersfield Senator would allow for "termed out" legislators to serve at least one more term in the… Read More

Republican Senator Roy Ashburn has been a ‘point person’ of sorts for Senate Republicans on redistricting reform, but a controversial proposal that he introduced yesterday, Senate Constitutional Amendment 9, on term-limits, redistricting reform, and bans on fundraising is not legislation that is supported by the Senate Republican Caucus — nor Assembly Republicans for that matter. Specifically, Ashburn’s bill seems to be seeking a ‘middle ground’ to try to achieve sort of compromise. But Ashburn gives away too much to try to move something forward… ALL THREE aspects of Senator Ashburn’s proposed constitutional amendment are flawed… First and foremost, and probably most egregious, is that Ashburn’s proposal includes virtually the same end-run on voter-approved term limits that Speaker Fabian Nunez has been championing himself. According to what I read, this proposal by the Bakersfield Senator would allow for "termed out" legislators to serve at least one more term in the… Read More

I was thinking about it, and the idea that realtor groups are asking the state government to bring in more regulation into the private transactions between a buyer and seller of a home could come back to haunt them.

Next year, maybe some Democrat will introduce legislation to lower home costs by requiring that realtor commissions be cut in half.

When the realtors look around for help, everyone will remember that this year, they think government mandates on home sales are okay.

Tsk. Tsk.… Read More