After taking a minute to read the top story on the Drudgeport, where Vice President Cheney apparently accidentally unloaded some buckshot into a buddy while out hunting, I made my way on an afternoon tour of some of the politic blog sites. I came across a great entry by LA Weekly columnist Bill Bradley on his New West Notes site.

Bradley talks about Assembly Democrats meeting in Monterey at their retreat – and about the power of the Democrats "Anchor Tenent" – the California Teachers Assocation.

His post begins like this:

Dems: The “Anchor Tenant” Speakers, Er, Speaks Willie Brown, the legendary wheeling-and-dealing former California Assembly speaker and ex-San Francisco mayor … Read More

Pete McCloskey, the former anti-Nixon Republican who is now an anti-Bush Republican, will receive a larger ratio of favorable media coverage vs. actual votes received than any American politician since Ralph Nader. Since announcing his intention to run in the GOP primary in California’s 11th congressional district against incumbent Richard Pombo, McCloskey has been the subject of rapturous profiles in most California newspapers, all of which frame his previous time in Congress by fawning over his role in the creation of Earth Day, his opposition to the Vietnam War, and his calls for the impeachment of Richard Nixon.

The fact that McCloskey is running against Pombo, who has been the subject of a continuing series of articles about his fundraising practices, his association with former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and his well-known hatred for the environment, makes this even an easier story to write. The implication underneath this McCloskey media bandwagon in clear: if only Republicans were smart… Read More

County Board of Ed Update… In the wake of last Monday’s vote by the GOP "majority" on the SD County Board of Ed to appoint Democrat Sharon Jones to a vacancy in what is clearly a Republican seat (see Jon’s excellent post-commentary), the GOP ismoving quickly to consolidate behind one candidate in this year’s election. Arkan Somo and Rick Winet, who both applied for the vacancy, have been mentioned. Watch the GOP pull out all stops to winnow the field to one.

Eric Roach – 50th Congressional… In his extensive summary of this newcomer posted last Monday, Jon indicated, "I will be interested to hear what our FR contributors from San Diego County, Barry Jantz and Duane… Read More

Okay, this has nothing to do with State politics, but its a slow newsday, and I feel some pity towards the leftists out there. So here goes.

Advice for Liberals Liberals, I understand your plight. You are out of power in America, and cannot believe it. Your intellectual superiority and moral supremacy make you crazy when you compare yourselves with Neanderthal Republicans. With the GOP making a mess of federal finances and ignoring the crisis on our Southern Border, can you capitalize electorally in 2006 and 2008? I have some advice that might help you. Take heed. Stop it with all the hate, rage and anger. Remember, "Hate is not a Family Value". If you do persist in hating, try to hate Al Quaida as much as you hate President Bush. Advocate a balanced federal budget and find a program or two that could be cut. You’ll get Republican votes if you do that. Also, the public doesn’t like taxes that much you might want to soft pedal on that. Adopt a pro –… Read More

In my old stomping grounds of Staten Island New York….it’s called omertà ….at the Republican retreat it means no freaking blogging about what happened at the retreat.

But by now, you know I am a little on the anti authoritarian side of things. But rather than provide specifics on some of the policy discussions that a) I didn’t understand, and b) I didn’t understand…..I thought I’d pass on what I do understand.

It’s no big revalation that Ronald Reagan means a lot to us as a party. Yet I was struck that you could not only see, but feel the dynamic change when these guys came back from the Ronald Reagan Library. Oh sure…Air Force 1 was cool they said…but here was a renewed sense of purpose after reliving the… Read More

You can access all past commentaries here, though. Enjoy your Saturday! Jon… Read More

Working to format the interview with Arnie Steinberg that leads the main page today ate up my prime ‘commentary time’ today. So I will encourage you to read that piece. That said, there are a lot of crazy things in the news today, all featured on the main page.

President Bush talks of a foiled attempt by terrorists to attack LA. Susan Kennedy took $10k a month last year from a developer and someone it took the LA Times to let us know. Rep. Richard Pombo took his family on a 5,000 mile motorhome tour of national parks and billed the government? Then he called the trip a vacation on his website. Dumb. The Los Angeles Angels bested the City of Anaheim, 9 to 3. Barry Munitz, the high-spending head of the Getty Trust, is out. Much more more.

Did you miss my ten cents on Arnold and the upcoming GOP Convention? It is here.

Have a great day!

Jon… Read More

Working to format the interview with Arnie Steinberg that leads the main page today ate up my prime ‘commentary time’ today. So I will encourage you to read that piece. That said, there are a lot of crazy things in the news today, all featured on the main page.

President Bush talks of a foiled attempt by terrorists to attack LA. Susan Kennedy took $10k a month last year from a developer and someone it took the LA Times to let us know. Rep. Richard Pombo took his family on a 5,000 mile motorhome tour of national parks and billed the government? Then he called the trip a vacation on his website. Dumb. The Los Angeles Angels bested the City of Anaheim, 9 to 3. Barry Munitz, the high-spending head of the Getty Trust, is out. Much more more.

Did you miss my ten cents on Arnold and the upcoming GOP Convention? It is here.

Have a great day!

Jon

**There is more – click the… Read More