Finally a Republican celebrity has decided to start campaigning for a down-ticket candidate, Sen. Chuck Poochigian. However, it is not Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Ben Stein. Attorney general is the most important statewide office next to governor and the choice this year between the two candidates couldn’t be starker. If you haven’t yet, check out the recent debate between Poochigian and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown on www.cbs5.com.

Poochigian has been running an excellent and creative campaign in the face of Jerry Brown’s large lead (due to a huge name identification after years on the public dole). But Poochigian has cut the lead dramatically and the race is getting heated. Enter Ben Stein, the comedian/actor who is unabashedly Republican. Stein is narrating… Read More

Earlier today I posted about Congressman George Radanovich’s re-election efforts — specifically expressing my dismay that the Representative prominently features Dianne Feinstein in it. It chafes me because I believe that this kind of thing cements into the minds of voters the untrue myth that somehow Dianne Feinstein is some sort of centrist/moderate/realistic Democrat. On the contrary, she is a flaming left wing liberal — who happens to have a good bedside manner (unlike the other California Senator, Barbara Boxer, who is better characterized as ‘strident’ or even ‘schrill’).

The piece that has caused the controversy is attached below. Unfortunately, upon seeing it, it actually goes DIRECTLY to my point. This mail piece actually goes out the way to make it appear that Dianne Feinstein is a moderate or even conservative Democrat, one who would work with George Radanovich. Unlike the other Democrats on the piece, who are pretty much just as liberal as Feinstein, but are from the "shrill" camp.

Now, to be fair, this mailer went to a universe that only included… Read More

Joyce Kennard is a badState Supreme Court Justice. She twice voted to invalidate the state’s parental consent law. That is why CRAis urging Californians to vote no. You can see the press release below.

Once I was asked by a reporter, if opposing judges based on the parental consent issue is valid. After all he thought it was only one issue. I asked him what would he think about a judge that was good on everything (Kennard is not by the way) but was against Freedom of thePress. He never answered.

Any judge thatbelieves the right to privacy means afourteen year old girl can be taken to an abortion business by her statutory rapist to get a a secret abortion that her parents will ever know about, despite the possibility of deadly complications deserves ano vote from California’s voters. That’s a pretty good single issue if you ask me.

California Republican Assembly Opposes Supreme Court Justice Reconfirmation

Too often, when even some conservativeelectedstake office, they idly sit by and let things fall apart in their districts. Democrats take seats on City Councils and School Boards. Bonds and tax increases slip through without an active opposition.

As these things often would be controversial forelecteds to take active action against, they shy away from the fight.

Not Bob Huff.

This November there will appear a $38 million parcel tax measure to build a new library in Bob’s hometown of Diamond Bar. Measure L.

The “goo goo” (good government) types in Diamond Bar (including RINO Council members Wen Chang and Jack Tanaka) have pushed this thing to build a new monument to themselves.

Bob hasbeen active in campaigning against the tax, and has even bought slates to get his message out.

In addition,going beyond just attacking the tax increase, the good Assemblyman pointed out in an email to me that the library itself doesn’t make sense, considering: a)more and more people are turning to the internet, not… Read More

After reading my post of yesterday, questioning just how the challenger to Dennis Hollingsworth in a27%Dem district could possibly live up to his fantasy of raising $1.6 million, Assemblyman George Plescia shot me an email.

George says hefinds itmost funnythat Dennis’ opponent wants to raise $1.6 million, yet accepted the voluntaryspendinglimits that dictate he can only spend $1,003,000.

D’oh!

I guess I’ll simply refer back to the Phil LaVelle-penned SDUT article on this for the quote that says it all. Bruce Cain of UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies said, “When you’ve got a gap like 50 percent to 27 percent, you’re smoking something if you think you’re going to overcome those odds."… Read More

Conservatives for Correa? Rumor is a group of disenchanted Republican “Conservatives” are joining together in order to form an organization called “Conservatives for Correa”. Note to prospective members of this new and wonderful club: you are now entering the realm of what the Communist Party Bosses used to call “Useful Fools”.

But before I start digging let me make the following disclosure: I worked in and around the Assembly for the whole of the time Lynn Daucher served. She is probably the one Republican member I can state without reservation that I have exchanged almost no social time with. I spent a couple of hours with her on 9-11 (which hardly drew the kind of banter where you get to know someone’s cut) and maybe a few words here or there. To me, for the most part, she is literally just votes on a list.

And so is Correa. I couldn’t (and hopefully won’t have to) pick him out of a line-up. Just votes on a list. And watching those votes over the years I’ll argue without hesitation that while I disagree with Assemblywoman Daucher from time to time, and maybe more often than that, there is in my… Read More

FR friend Joel Fox, the President of the Small Business Action Committee, guest writes today’s FR Commentary, with a critical eye on Phil Angelides tax ‘cut’ plan…

Let’s accept that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides really wants to cut taxes as he recently pronounced; that the proposal is not a cynical attempt to buy votes after years and years of promoting tax increases. The obvious question: Is the tax cut proposal offered by Angelides a plus for the taxpayers and businesses of California? The answer must be viewed from a wide angle considering not only the tax cut proposals but what other policies Angelides offers and supports that will affect the economy and the state budget.

The Democratic nominee’s new tax plan offers tax credits for some individuals and tax exemptions for smaller businesses. At the same time he continues to call for raising taxes on upper income taxpayers, those making $250,000 or… Read More

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Rev. Amos Brown, a major liberal voice in San Francisco and former SF supervisor, is a huge supporter of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger…today. In 2004, he called Schwarzenegger “dishonest” and “disingenuous” for allowing himself to be part of the “national axis of evil.” Today, after receiving $15,000 in campaign payments plus travel expense reimbursements, Brown is starring in a Schwarzenegger campaign ad in which he calls Schwarzenegger an “exceptional governor.” For their part, the Schwarzenegger campaign says they are proud to have Brown’s “wise counsel and support.”

It’s great that Schwarzenegger, like many Republican gubernatorial candidates before him, is reaching out to the African American community around the state. It’s unfortunate, though, that Brown was put on the payroll. It may be that he would have agreed to be in a Schwarzenegger commercial without the payoff but once money is involved with such a key (and surprising) endorsement, it can’t help to raise questions about the sincerity of the endorsement.… Read More