Much like my fellow FR contributor Phil Paule I can report that here in Orange County we are open for business.

All the shops in strip center across from my house are open, so was Bistango, one of the nicest restaurants in Irvine. Clearly the the media is up and running because all LA stations are broadcasting the protests.

I really don’t understand who is out there in LA and here OC in Santa Ana at the Civic Center.

My sense is that perhaps they are the several percent among us who are unemployed or it is their day off, because I see no evidence any impact on local businesses. According to Totally Buzz the OC Register blog our own County Supervisor Lou Correa left his comfortable office on the 5th floor of the Hall of Admin. to protest with the peps.… Read More

You’d think it was a presidential inauguration by the amount of on-the-spot, minute-by-minute news coverage the Bay Area media is giving the “Boycott ” rallies around the Bay Area today. Like Mike Spence, I decided to counter the protest by spending money today, starting with a trip to my favorite Bay Area market, the Berkeley Bowl. For those of you not familiar with this market, it is a larger, less expensive version of Whole Foods. They’ve got everything a Bush-hating, vegan from Berkeley would want and then some. So why do I shop there? Because it also has the most amazing produce, fish, meat and prepared food departments I’ve ever seen. There truly is no farmer’s market or grocery store that can rival the Berkeley Bowl’s produce department. Plus, my son has many food allergies and because the Bowl caters to vegetarians, vegans and other food wierdos, it carries many egg-free, dairy free… Read More

I am going to try and claim some of this day for myself, rather than penning a long Sunday column. I will take a moment to congratulate the California College Republicans for putting on a great convention here in Orange County, headlined by great speakers like Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Larry Elder, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore and…me? Actually, those other folks all spoke to the whole group — but I did get invited to come and speak yesterday at a panel looking at the Main Stream Media, and this impact of blogging (wonder why they would ask me to talk about that?). Anyways, my favorite part of the panel was actually the end — when incoming CCR Chairman Mason Harrison came into the room and, using a bullhorn (for real), ordered all college republicans out to the street for an impromptu (well, given the pre-painted signs, almost improptu) rally in support of the Governor. Congrats on a great event!

THE WEEK THAT WAS… You can catch up on this week’s commentaries here.

Also, here are the special columns that… Read More

Q&A With George Plescia… The SDUT, often known for doing these Sunday Insight section interviews with folks like presidential cabinet heads, national party leaders, governors and the like, focuses on the new Assembly Minority Leader. Good for the UT…and good for George!

Read the interview here.

Can I hope for a little more state legislative news coverage in the UT now,too?

The Juan Vargas-Insurance Co. Connection… Maybe the answer to my question above is reflected in another UT piece this morning, Lawmaker Vargas’ ties to insurers questioned. Adding to the UT’s recent string of… Read More

I am going to try and claim some of this day for myself, rather than penning a long Sunday column. I will take a moment to congratulate the California College Republicans for putting on a great convention here in Orange County, headlined by great speakers like Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Larry Elder, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore and…me? Actually, those other folks all spoke to the whole group — but I did get invited to come and speak yesterday at a panel looking at the Main Stream Media, and this impact of blogging (wonder why they would ask me to talk about that?). Anyways, my favorite part of the panel was actually the end — when incoming CCR Chairman Mason Harrison came into the room and, using a bullhorn (for real), ordered all college republicans out to the street for an impromptu (well, given the pre-painted signs, almost improptu) rally in support of the Governor. Congrats on a great event!

THE WEEK THAT WAS… You can catch up on this week’s commentaries here.

Also, here are the special columns that… Read More

A few observations concerning the Democratic State Party Convention — sent into the FlashReport by State GOP Communications Director Patrick Dorinson:

The good thing about the California Democratic Party Convention year after year is that if you miss one it doesn’t really matter. They keep bringing up the same, failed, tired old ideas that they have been preaching for the last 30 years.

A few observations:

Steve Westly’s ads tout him as a “different kind of Governor”, but when you listen to him he sounds like any other Democrat running for office. Lots of old repackaged ideas but no way to pay for it. He may try to fool California voters that he is different with his ads, but at heart he is a just another liberal Democrat. Just listen to his own words from his speech to the convention:

"Like all of you, I’ve been a Democratic activist most of my life. In fact, I got my start when you elected me party treasurer in this very building 25 years ago. And I’ve been working with you ever since to strengthen this party. It’s good to be home."

Here’s another passage I particularly liked:

"I’m proud… Read More

One of the finest men I have ever met in politics is Bill Jones, former Secretary of State and Assembly Minority Leader in the early 1990’s. Aside from being part of one of more prominent westside farming families in the Central San Joaquin Valley for decades, Bill served and was easily the best Secretary of State in the history of California, and left a legacy in the legislature including the 3 Strikes law, among other accomplishments.

On his way out of active politics in 2004 he ran for Senate against Barbara Boxer, a half hearted effort doomed from the start. But he went out a true gentlemen, and his family, including wife Maureen and daughters Andrea and Wendy were simply one of the model political families anyone can remember anywhere. An incredible group. Always friendly, and always the same.

Bill’s current business pursuit is Pacific Ethanol, a relatively new company looking to put ethanol on the map, finally, as an alternative to oil and gasoline. His timing has been spectacular here. As chairman and founder of the company, he has led the effort plan/construct five ethanol producing… Read More

Today’s FlashReport has a story from the Los Angeles Times about the rescinding the mutli-language rule for recall petitions. Two of the three remaining pro Wal-Mart councilmembers have been under seige by union forces. They successfully sued to stop the recall election by using a ninth circuit ruling on the topic of recall petitions. Roles are reversed here with liberals wanting to excludemulti-language petitions and the Republican Jay Imperial arguing the other side. Politics is all local.See article here.

You can see background on the Rosemead recall and the original decision by clicking here and using the links there.… Read More