Yesterday, the Country’s preeminent conservatve talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, raked California Republican State Senator Bob Dutton over the proverbial coals for his brief but notable co-authorship of legislation to create a new state entitlement program, redistributing $500 cash into state accounts for every newborn child in the Golden State.

You can listen to Limbaugh’s report here (worth listening to!).

You can read the transcript here, though I will reprint the final paragraph of Rush’s comments below — as it is ‘classic Rush’ — This is what I mean when I say I’m getting a little concerned as the Republican… Read More

“To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed…"

"Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past." Too fun to pass up, a pro-Obama video posted on YouTube combines the classic "Nineteen Eighty Four" Apple ad with Big Sister.

See it here on Talking Points Memo. [Publisher’s note: We just added the You Tube video at the bottom of Barry’s post – Flash]

Note: I just got an e-slap from Jon who says the FR bloggers are supposed to at least try to tie our posts to CA politics in some regard. OK, I think if Hillary gets elected, it will impact… Read More

Last night, the Bay Area Chapter of CWLA (California Women’s Leadership Association) hosted Assembly Leader Mike Villines at their annual meeting in the posh Banker’s Club of San Francisco. As the sun set over the Bay, audience members were treated to a panoramic view of the most gorgeous city in the world (no bias on my part), and the Leader’s speech entitled “Straight Talk from the Capitol.” Last year, Assemblyman Villines authored the workplace flexibility bill, which would give non-union workers the same right to a four day, ten hour day work week that union members can currently negotiate. Several CWLA members, including yours truly, testified in committee alongside Cal Chamber, but not surprisingly, the Democratic legislators whose bread and butter comes from unions did not allow the bill onto the floor.

This was the Leader’s first Bay Area appearance, and from start to finish, he had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. Just before he came onstage, the annual officer election took place for… Read More

Regarding Ray Haynes’ commentary this morning on global warming, perhaps the sky-is-falling folks should read sources other than those generated — and regurgitated — by themselves. Oneexample,a 2004 article proving that science and scientists disagree. The piece even ends with a finger point at human impacts, but also shows the significant scientific unknowns associated with something so beyond the scope of anyone to completely analyze and understand…

Hotter-burning sun warming the planet

By Michael Leidig LONDON SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

The sun is burning hotter than usual, offering a possible explanation for global warming that needs to be weighed when proceeding with expensive efforts to cut emissions of greenhouse gases, Swiss and German scientists say.

"The sun has been at its strongest over the past 60 years and may now be affecting global temperatures," said Sami Solanki, the director of the renowned Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in… Read More

With local elections taking place tomorrow throughout LA County, there of course inevitablyhad to be some coverage of campaigntickery taking place.

This though is one of the more juicy campaign stories I’ve seen in a while.… Read More

In a bold move, State Senator Tom Harman has submitted legislation that would, "expand the distribution schedule described above for the additional 5% of amount wagered on satellite races received to each racing association by deleting the reference to harness racing association."

Don’t understand what the bill does? That’s OK, you are not alone…but apparently its urgently needed because Harman is hoping it gets the required 2/3 vote to take affect immediately.

This bill is a classic example of over regulation by state government. It may be the role of government to make sure the time clock is accurate at the track or that minors are not betting and drinking there. But it certainly is not the role of government to decide how the north and south zone racing associations divide their respective winnings.

And why is it important that government legislate: "…not less than eight races on the days when the association of fair is licensed to conduct racing, expect that fewer than eight live races per day may be conducted by mutual agreement of the association of fair and the organization that is responsible for… Read More

From www.insidehighered.com:

Ward Connerly, who led the successful ballot measure campaign in November to bar the use of racial preferences in Michigan, offered a few more hints in a speech Friday about which states would be next on his list of targets. In a speech at the Heritage Foundation, Connerly said that his American Civil Rights Initiative would sponsor ballot initiatives in five states on election day in 2008, and that the states would be chosen by April from among a current list of nine: Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nevada, South Dakota, Nebraska,… Read More

From today’s SF Chronicle:

A majority of Bay Area residents believe government should guarantee health coverage for all citizens, but not through a state-run system, according to a survey scheduled for release today.

Eighty-three percent of 600 area residents polled in the nine-county region supported guaranteed coverage, according to the Bay Area Council, the business-backed policy group that commissioned the survey. The percentage dipped to 79 percent when respondents were asked if such coverage should include people living in California illegally.

When asked how the health system should be reformed, 47 percent said the existing health insurance system should be maintained and additional costs to cover the uninsured should be shared among employers, government and individuals. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a program along those lines.

Thirty-four percent said they… Read More