UNIONS HAVE ONE MAIN FOCUS – MORE GOODIES FOR THEIR MEMBERS I am very pleased for my friend Bruce McPherson that his campaign yesterday was able to trumpet the endorsement of the California Professional Firefighters in his first election to the position of Secretary of State (he is the appointed incumbent, so this is his first run for the office – though he did run statewide for Lieutenant Governor last go-around). It is a good endorsement to have — it is a major public employee union, and as we saw in the 2005 special election, the unions are a powerful force in politics. He also has the endorsement of the California Teachers Association. McPherson’s union endorsements gives me an opportunity to express my concern about employee… Read More

I am happy to report that the new House Republican strategy to address illegal immigration is picking up steam. Last week, the conference unveiled a series of bills focused on border security and enforcement that we will be taking up over the next few weeks. Most of these proposals were included in the broader House bill we already passed, but by breaking them up we will be able to send them to the Senate and hopefully circumvent the current stalemate with them over the guest worker issue. This strategy will take the focus off of “comprehensive” plans and force the Senate to evaluate each piece of border security for their individual merit. So far, it looks like it is working. Last week, the House passed a bill to create 700 miles of border fence. This leaves the Senate with no choice but to take up the bill, and they are expected to hold a vote later this week. In the mean time, the House is scheduled to vote on three bills focused on border security and enforcement priorities: H.R. 6089 – Combines the Dangerous Alien Detention Act and the State and … Read More

UNIONS HAVE ONE MAIN FOCUS – MORE GOODIES FOR THEIR MEMBERS I am very pleased for my friend Bruce McPherson that his campaign yesterday was able to trumpet the endorsement of the California Professional Firefighters in his first election to the position of Secretary of State (he is the appointed incumbent, so this is his first run for the office – though he did run statewide for Lieutenant Governor last go-around). It is a good endorsement to have — it is a major public employee union, and as we saw in the 2005 special election, the unions are a powerful force in politics. He also has the endorsement of the California Teachers Association. McPherson’s union endorsements gives me an opportunity to express my concern about employee… Read More

Here are the numbers from Datamar on the statewide….

Schwarzenegger, Feinstein Enjoy Comfortable Lead Propositions 1A, 1B, 1E Passing, 1C, And 1D Failing Propositions 83, 84, 85, 86, 90 Passing, 88, And 89 Failing Proposition 87 Too Close To Call San Diego – A poll released today (9/18)by Datamar Inc., shows Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, 53.6%, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, 49%, each with a comfortable lead among high-propensity voters who voted in the 2002 gubernatorial primary and general elections, and the 2004 Presidential primary and general elections.

In the California Governor’s race Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger leads with 53.6%, Democratic challenger Phil Angelides trails with 31.4%. Other candidates have 11.4% of the vote, and the undecided vote stands at just 3.6%.

See it all here.… Read More

I am happy to report that the new House Republican strategy to address illegal immigration is picking up steam. Last week, the conference unveiled a series of bills focused on border security and enforcement that we will be taking up over the next few weeks. Most of these proposals were included in the broader House bill we already passed, but by breaking them up we will be able to send them to the Senate and hopefully circumvent the current stalemate with them over the guest worker issue. This strategy will take the focus off of “comprehensive” plans and force the Senate to evaluate each piece of border security for their individual merit. So far, it looks like it is working. Last week, the House passed a bill to create 700 miles of border fence. This leaves the Senate with no choice but to take up the bill, and they are expected to hold a vote later this week. In the mean time, the House is scheduled to vote on three bills focused on border security and enforcement priorities: H.R. 6089 – Combines the Dangerous Alien Detention Act and the State and Local Law … Read More

Dan Walters is right, the clock is ticking, and Phil Angelides doesn’t appear to have a rabbit he can pull out of a hat to make thiselection close. Stunningly, he doesn’t even appear to have a campaign anywhere, erasing from memory the Gubernatorial campaign of Dan Lungren in 1998 as the worst statewide effort in history.

Angelides incompetence has allowed the Governor to ignore conservatives, sign offensive legislation and occupy the entire center left spectrum – leaving only room to his right, where Angelides cannot tread. Union contracts have been signed, education is fully funded, the State is running billions in deficits, the minimum wage is being increased, greenhouse gas bills are being signed, transvestites have new rights in the workplace and billions more in borrowing are on the November ballot. The only antidote to this is conservatism, and it is nowhere to be found in the choice for Governor.

With the signing of the bill handing Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa control of LA unified the Mayor’s silence is all but assured this fall – offering only the "headfake" level of support for his fellow… Read More

Remember Steve Westly? Well just as the memory of his failed bid for governor is fading, he has announced he has a new PAC according to Kate Folmer at the Mercury News.

The stated goal of Mr. Westly’s new personal political sandbox is to help elect Iranian, LGBT and business community candidates. See for yourself. Isn’t it GLBT Steve or did you purposefully want to highlight the ‘L’ over the ‘G’?

Westly also says that one of his target races is the only real competitive state senate seat where he will be supporting Lou Correa in the 34th District in Orange County.

GOP Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher who is performing remarkably well so far in her bid for the 34th Senate Seat against Correa ought to take notice of Wesley’s intentions and perhaps try to unite Republican voters rather than divide them as she headlines in the battle of Rep. v. Dem in November.… Read More

The Governor’s Veto of SB 815 today, which would have rolled back a significant source of savings in the Workers’ Compensation system, was a necessary veto to preserve the economic gains made in his historic signing of SB 899 in 2004. SB 899 is the Governor’s (and Chuck Poochigian’s) greatest public policy achievement to date – Workers’ Compensation reforms that have saved California businesses over $15 billion in two plus years.This can be considered the single greatest tax cut in California history, as Workers Compensation is essentially a payroll tax on employers.

It’s not just business that has saved money. State, County, Local and School Governments and Districts have also saved billions of dollars in their self funded Workers’ Compensation pools, freeing up taxpayer money for more productive purposes. I am one that has done much criticizing of this Administration, but this veto of SB 815 is time to acknowledge, again, the importance of these significant reforms.… Read More