Pretty funny that when I arrived at LAX United gate 85 to hot on a 20 passenger puddle jumper plane to Monterey (where I am participating in a state Boating and Waterways Commission meeting), one of the other passengers is none other than fellow Orange Countian and Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher.

She immediately asked me how I enjoyed the Maona Kea Hotel on Hawai’i, bolstering my confidence that those thousands of website hits aren’t all Adam Probolsky hitting "refresh" all day long on his computer. (Actually, ‘hits’ are measured in unique visitors anyways).

Lynn and I had a brief chat about the specializations of attorneys, leading to her telling me about her legislation to create a "water court" (at no additional taxpayer expense) where around the state, the various districts would have a judge who specializes in water policy. Right now, these cases end up in front of well-meaning, smart judges who just are not water-policy experts. So, these judges have to retain court "experts" who in turn hire others.

The idea sounds like a good one. Alas, the likely resting spot for a good idea from a Republican… Read More

As the Governor travels back from China, and spends the Thanksgiving Holiday with his family, I am sure that he will do a lot of reflecting on the Special Election results and what they mean for California — and for his own policy and political goals.

In light of this, I have penned an open letter to Governor Schwarzenegger which appears in Capitol Weekly today. The basic premise is this: Empower the GOP caucuses to assist you in dealing with the Democrat-controlled legislature. How would he do this? By announcing that he will not sign any bill that comes across his desk unless it got their with at least a majority vote of the Republicans in both the State Senate and the State Assembly. This would immediate provide relevance to our Republican legislators who have been seemingly relegated to ‘bystander status’ as Perata, Nunes and the Dems have preferred to do work without meaningful input from the Republicans in the legislature.

Here is the beginning of my column:… Read More

Issa for Congress

For Immediate Release Thursday, November 17, 2005 Contact: Frederick Hill Email: frederickrh@yahoo.com CONGRESSMAN ISSA CORRECTS FALSE NEWS REPORT ABOUT 50th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RACE WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Darrell Issa today made the following statement in response to a false and misleading report in the Washington, DC, publication ‘The Hill’ that he has thrown his support behind 50th Congressional District candidate Alan Uke: “I am not supporting or aiding Alan Uke,… Read More

Rob Reiner was in the Bay Area today promoting his latest nanny government initiative, Preschool for All. According to the Oakland Tribune, he is scheduled to submit 1 million signatures today to put his initiative on the June 2006 ballot. The initiative proposes to increase the income tax of individual making more than $400,000 a year, and couples making $800,000 a year, by 1.7 percent.

Reiner fielded questions about his proposal on the Ronn Owens show, a top-rated moderate radio talk show host here in the Bay Area. While I will admit to having a knee-jerk reaction to any political that comes out of Reiner’s mouth, it was interesting to hear him try to sell his universal pre-school ideas—particularly, when the calls coming in were predominantly against him.

… Read More

Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley is one tough guy. Now in the midst of Hollywood’s and the Nation of Islam’s campaign to spare the life of Crips gang founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams, Cooley has issued a 57 page response to suggestions that "Tookie" is as innocent as a little lamb.

Graphic details about the four murders he was convicted of, the witnesses, the evidence etc… Much better than Law & Order. At the same time a chilling look at some who doesn’t deserve clemency.

You can read the whole report by clicking here.… Read More

It’s funny, but those with whom I have been close have heard me saying that Tom Feeney has been my favorite Republican Member of Congress since before he was even elected in 2002. Trust me, it is a total (and very cool) coincidence that Congressman Feeney hired my good friend Jason Roe to be his Chief of Staff! Of course, now Jason is the Washington, D.C., correspondent for the FlashReport, very funny. Anyways, back to Tom Feeney. Back in 1994, Jeb Bush, then the GOP nominee for Governor of Florida, tapped Orlando area attorney Tom Feeney to be his Lieutenant Governor running mate. (In Florida, like at the national level, the candidates for the top two executive positions run as a slate – a great idea which, like with so many other things, needs to be fixed here in California where the Governor and LG can be, often are, and currently are political adversaries instead of… Read More

Congressman Dreier has many talents. As Chair of the powerful Rules committee and frequent TV and radio guest, heis well known in political circles. Some don’t know that he frequently has courted Hollywood. There was a rumor a couple years ago thathe was a candidate to become head of theMPAA. It went to former Congressman Glickman instead.

Roll Call has a fascinating look at the night two years ago, whenRepublicans in DCsold out taxpayers by passing a Medicare Prescription drug bill that will cost us billions upon billions of dollars. You can read it here. It is a good read by the way.

One tidbit focuses on Dreier’s attempts toget Rep. Nick Smith to vote "yes".

"A Republican staffer told the ethics panel that Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) offered to find Smith’s daughter a job as an actress in Hollywood. Dreier denied making such a promise."

Nothing came from the accusation. Dreier denied it and Smith later wouldn’t talk about… Read More

The Fresno Zoo, once a treasure in the community, is now leading the news on a daily basis around here. Talk shows are overheated with opinions, local TV news is leading with the story, and tempers are flaring. You see, for years and years and years the Fresno Zoo (known as the Chafee Zoo locally), has been run by the City of Fresno. As such, and in common with most enterprises run by government, this has resulted in millions of dollars in deferred maintenance, an institutional culture of mediocrity, financial problems and finally, a very poor Zoo.

In 2004 a local measure was qualified for the ballot, Measure Z, which would increase sales taxes in the County and direct the money to the Zoo, under a new organizational structure. Expected to provide over $100 million in funding over eight years, the Zoo would presumably be upgraded and operated more efficiently, thus becoming a centerpiece of learning and entertainment in the region. Measure Z passed overwhelmingly, facing no real opposition (the Lincoln Club quietly recommended a "No"… Read More