Some random thoughts to start off the weekend:

There was an article in Capitol Weekly this week in which Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante was whining about something the Governor did or didn’t do. I so don’t care about what he says that I didn’t even link to it. There is a Supervisor in San Bernardino County named Jim Harnsberger. He is always in trouble for the lamest things. He reminds me of the character Pig Pen in the Peanuts comic strips. I was genuinely surprised this week that Senator John Kerry, after making a campaign appearance for Francine Busby in San Diego, didn’t swing by the Stockton area and make an appearance for another big supporter of his, “Republican” Pete McCloskey who is challenging conservative Rep. Richard Pombo. Apparently, in California you can get the death penalty if you rape a girl, and then kill her. … Read More

The fact that the Democrats are even contemplating a competitive November election season is more a statement about Republican leadership than anything. We KNOW the Democrats have zero agenda. Yet, they might win some seats in the House and Senate this fall. Why? Representatives likeJerry Lewis, who evidently doesn’t get back home much to listen to the people, don’t understand the conservative malaise they have caused. In my column for the Lincoln Club almost 15 months ago I outline exactly what issues threaten the Republican Majority. Congressmen Lewis’ response to the Wall Street Journal editorial is not an encouraging sign.

The federal budget is now over $2.7 trillion – from just over $1.2 trillion when the "revolution" started in 1995 under Newt Gingrich. Any Republican Member of Congress defending that record doesn’t deserve reelection.… Read More

I have spent the last few days at the Orange County Registrar of Voters as a member of the Harkey team monitoring the vote count.

You will hear more about this count and recount from others and from me later. But it is worth noting now, that I have a new appreciation for the ‘government bureaucrat‘. I have known OC Registrar Neal Kelley as a competent and fair Registrar but we generally don’t work with the people that work throughout the office on a regular basis.

These last few days I have found them to be just as knowledgeable and just as fair. That doesn’t mean they have bent over backwards for either the Harkey or Harman campaigns, they have just responded to our requests and been generally pleasant.

If you think I am just kissing up–believe me, if there was something askew to report, I would post it!… Read More

If you rent a old movie or two there is bound to be a western where the town is controlled by a rancher or mining company. People have to rent from them and the town is controlled in every way by the company in charge. Well, in LA county there is such a place. It’s called Vernon. Vernon hasn’t had an election in over 20 years. The mayor’s grandfather was on eof the founders. By the way the mayor is a Republican and so are two other council members. Most homes are owned by the city.

Vernon was founded as an industrial town and has fewer voters than a normal precinct. It sports 60 cops and is home to Farmer John. They have their own ultities and most important have about $100 million in various investments they control.

In a city this size a sudden influx of peope could change who controls power. That happened a few months ago. The interlopers may be asscoiated with the convicted Treasurer of South Gate, Albert Robles. Albert went to UCLA with me. In Fact we ran against each other for a slot on the student body council. The Bruin Democrats endorsed ME!. Get the idea.

As a result there have been evictions, lawsuits and the… Read More

I’m in a rush this morning — so I will just draw attention to a few important items on today’s main page: The lead story today is right out of the Wall Street Journal. You’ve all heard me go on (and on) about the spending problems that we have in Congress. Since the GOP majority was elected in 1994 in the House, federal spending is UP over 33%. Conservative Republicans in the House, understanding that our majority is at stake, have become more aggressive in trying to curb our spending. The leadership of the Republican Study Committee (the conservatives in the House) started some very real negotiations with GOP leaders about spending cuts. As these negotiations have become more ‘real’ — there is squeeling coming out of the House Appropriations Committee (one of the "pork" committees of Congress) where apparently Representative Jerry Lewis, a California Congressman who chairs the committee, has a problem with House Republicans negotiating cuts in spending without going through…HIS committee. In no uncertain terms, Jerry Lewis should applaud any effort to cut spending, whether these… Read More

I’m in a rush this morning — so I will just draw attention to a few important items on today’s main page: The lead story today is right out of the Wall Street Journal. You’ve all heard me go on (and on) about the spending problems that we have in Congress. Since the GOP majority was elected in 1994 in the House, federal spending is UP over 33%. Conservative Republicans in the House, understanding that our majority is at stake, have become more aggressive in trying to curb our spending. The leadership of the Republican Study Committee (the conservatives in the House) started some very real negotiations with GOP leaders about spending cuts. As these negotiations have become more ‘real’ — there is squeeling coming out of the House Appropriations Committee (one of the "pork" committees of Congress) where apparently Representative Jerry Lewis, a California Congressman who chairs the committee, has a problem with House Republicans negotiating cuts in spending without going through…HIS committee. In no uncertain terms, Jerry Lewis should applaud any effort to cut spending, whether these… Read More

Tonight, Republican activists and donors from all around San Diego County will cozy up at the Kona Kai resort at Shelter Island for the County GOP’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner (if you know local party boss Ron Nehring, it’s not hard to understand how his hero, Ronald Reagan, got equal billing on the marquis on this annual event). There will be a "who’s who" of the Republican scene on hand with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, incoming Assembly Republican leader George Plescia, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and a host of statewide Republican candidates all coming to support their party, and hear from keynote speaker Jim Gilmore, the former Republican Governor of Virginia and also a former Chairman of the Republican National Committee. But it won’t be Gilmore that is the star attraction at this event tonight, nor Ackerman or Plescia, or even my buddy Ron Nehring. No, tonight is going to be all about Brian Bilbray and Eric Roach. As you have all read, Bilbray appears to have eked out a narrow victory in a crowded field for the honor of being the lone GOP contender on the ballot against liberal Democrat… Read More

Tonight, Republican activists and donors from all around San Diego County will cozy up at the Kona Kai resort at Shelter Island for the County GOP’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner (if you know local party boss Ron Nehring, it’s not hard to understand how his hero, Ronald Reagan, got equal billing on the marquis on this annual event). There will be a "who’s who" of the Republican scene on hand with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, incoming Assembly Republican leader George Plescia, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and a host of statewide Republican candidates all coming to support their party, and hear from keynote speaker Jim Gilmore, the former Republican Governor of Virginia and also a former Chairman of the Republican National Committee. But it won’t be Gilmore that is the star attraction at this event tonight, nor Ackerman or Plescia, or even my buddy Ron Nehring. No, tonight is going to be all about Brian Bilbray and Eric Roach. As you have all read, Bilbray appears to have eked out a narrow victory in a crowded field for the honor of being the lone GOP contender on the ballot against liberal Democrat… Read More