Last fall, I wrote a posting for this website wondering if the Schwarzenegger campaign had put Democratic Assemblyman Paul Koretz on their payroll. Koretz had not only proposed a moratorium in the death penalty on California, but offered an explanation that was mind-boggling in its avoidance of the realities of public safety, politics and governance. His reasoning? ” “There are people who are pure as the driven snow who are on death row. ” http://www.flashreport.org/blog0a.php?postID=3D2005121413581818&post_offs etP=3D15&authID=3D2005091915380734

Schwarzenegger’s political situation has improved considerably in the last six months, and Koretz’ efforts to shore up support for the governor among GOP faithful has since been joined by the Alameda Superior Court judge who threw out the state’s high school exit exam last week. But as we all know, Republican efforts to maintain a majority in Congress have suffered some setbacks recently, as disillusioned conservatives watch federal government spending continue to spiral out of control. Added to concerns relating to illegal immigration, Iraq, gasoline prices,… Read More

Rep. McKinney is famous or rather infamous for her recent attack on a Capitol Hill Police Officer. Recently Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn may have been in a scuffle with a security guard trying to keep the lid on unruly labor union protesters. The protesters want to ruin the LAX hotel area by subjugating allhotel wokers to their union bosses whims.

While it doesn’t really rise to the craziness of the McKinney affair, it shows how pandering some council members are to unions no matter the consequences. See article here.… Read More

In California Political Review Online, Bill Saracino (an author always worth reading) looks at two hotly contested GOP primaries, posting an outstanding piece, "The Goldwater dictum," and asks the questions that only June 6 will answer….

Saracino reminds us of Senator Barry Goldwater, withdrawing his name from nomination at the 1960 Republican National Convention: “Let’s grow up conservatives. We want to take this Party back, and I think someday we can. Let’s get to work."Saracino continues:

Conservative political acumen will be tested in two Assembly Primaries June 6: those in the 59th and 77th A.D.s. Do conservatives have their act together? Or will they continue to allow internecine warfare to elect liberals in solidly conservative districts? These elections will tell.

I’ll let someone else weigh in on the 59th, if Saracino’s piece… Read More

Yesterday, the Senate rejected a very reasonable amendment by Senator Isakson (R-Ga.) to their immigration bill by a vote of 55-40. The amendment would simply have postponed implementation of any guest worker program until the federal government certifies that the borders are secure. This seems to endorse the idea of a guest worker program that is unenforceable which means it will only lead to more illegal immigration. The defeat of this amendment ensures that any bill coming out of the Senate is likely to be very flawed.

On the positive side, it appears that we in the House may pass a reasonble budget today. It is not as good as the RSC budget but at least it moves things in the right direction by increasing spending less than the growth in population and inflation. It will also eliminate a number of federal programs.… Read More

Throughout the day, I have had the opportunity to talk to many of the other supporters of the House version of the immigration bill. Despite the President’s speech and the additional activity on the Senate side, I have yet to run into anyone who is changing their position. If anything most members are becoming more resolved in their support of the House’s enforcement only bill. If the Senate goes in the direction it looks like they are going, there will be a big gulf between the two houses. The House is where the people are.… Read More

Jill Buck is the Republican candidate for the 18th Assembly district. She is unopposed in the primary and will face either Alameda Fire Chief Bill McCammon or Mary Hayashi in the general. She sent this statement on immigration out today in an "insiders only" e-mail (I know that she considers FR readers campaign insiders, plus she said it was okay to post this!). Here’s this ex-Navy officer’s take on border control: While I was in my twenties, I gave birth to three children. Each pregnancy was more difficult than the last, and the third trimester was always a tremendous physical challenge. What does that have to do with illegal immigration? Simply this…if women who are about to give birth can cross the border illegally in order to bring a U.S. citizen into the world, then an Al Qaeda operative can cross the border illegally in order to take a U.S. citizen out of the world.… Read More

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m starting to hear more and more people—namely Democrats—complaining that the better schools in the better neighborhoods get the better, more senior teachers. Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente said it this morning in a debate he, Ron Dellums and Nancy Nadel had on the Ronn Owens show on KGO (all three are running for to replace Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown). It occurred to me that this issue might be the issue to cause a split between the Democrats in the legislature and the California Teachers Association.

There is always so much talk about “equalizing” school funding between schools, how about we “equalize” teacher experience between schools? The teachers’ union will have to stand up for the teachers with the most seniority (who you know don’t want to go teach in those yukky inner-city schools) and the Democrats will be torn between the CTA and the argument that students attending poor, inner-city schools are the ones who most need experienced teachers.… Read More

As FR readers know, there is now a vibrant primary gearing up for who will represent the former seat of "Duke" Cunningham in the next Congress. On June 6th, all voters will be asked to choose between Republican Brian Bilbray and Democrat Francine Busby in the run-off for the special election for the remaining months of Duke’s unexpired term. But GOPers only will also be able to choose their nominee to take on Francine Busby (again) this November with the announcement that conservative, wealthy businessman Bill Hauf will actively compete for the nomination.

The 50th Congressional District is home to a lot of conservative Republican voters. In the recent special election, roughly 70% of votes to GOP candidates went to conservative/reform minded candidates. Moderate former Congressman-turned-federal lobbyist Bilbray won the very crowded primary with about 15% of the total votes cast for Republicans. You can be sure that Bilbray beat out his nearest competitor, conservative businessman Eric Roach, because independent, Decline-to-State, and Democratic voters could ‘cross-over’ in the special and vote for Bilbray. It wouldn’t… Read More