It appears George Bush doesn’t have enough problems with rank and file Republicans over the Miers nomination, government spending and immigration. Now his fundraising visit to California, two weeks before the special electionhas become a source of division. The official CRP spokesperson called the visit "ill-timed." Look for these fights to continue as issues like redistricting reform seperate California’s Republicans from the White House..

Read all about it in Jon Fleichman’s commentary here.… Read More

BOXER’S NEW BOOK Barbara Boxer has two titles now – career politican AND author. That’s right, she has a new book out, entitled "A Time to Run" that is seemingly and interesting read. Apparently the scenario has a liberal female U.S. Senator from California opposing a conservative female appointee to the Supreme Court (shock). Fiction or non-fiction? I’m not really sure. The San Francisco Chronicle’s political writer/analyst has takes a quick peak at the book.

I’m not saying what Carla’s

priorities are here, but she did make it to the ‘racey’ parts of the book, like this excerpt: "… Her shirt was very short, and Josh found himself mesmerized by her pefectly shaped silken legs, with kneecaps that reminded him of golden apples … and her… Read More

President Bush is coming into California to honor Ronald Reagan, and mark the addition of Reagan’s retired Airforce One plane to the Reagan Library’s extensive and tremendous facility. This trip and speech from the President are laudable, and commendable.

But, what should have happenned when the Reagan library event made the Presidential calendar was a call from the WH political operation to Governor Schwarzenegger’s political operation… Maybe the call would be like this: "Hello ‘Murph’ – it’s Karl. We’re going to be in your state right before the Special Election. The President believes strongly in paycheck protection, fair districts, as well as education and fiscal reform. We want to do a fundraising event for your measures while we are there."

Um….that call apparently did NOT take place. Instead,… Read More

Much more will be wrtten here about businessman Bill Mundell (pictured with Prop. 77 initiator Ted Costa) as he gears up a campaign to challenge Dianne Feinstein in her bid for re-election. Mundell, who hails out of the Westside of Los Angeles, is a successful businessman, son of a nobel-prize winner in economics, self-styled libertarian Republican who has played a key role in Proposition 77, the Redistricting Reform measure. You can read Mundell’s bio here.

It is actually safe to say that without Mundell’s early financial support, it is dubious whether 77 would be on the ballot AT ALL right now – in a state as large as California, you must have a paid effort to gather the requisate signatures. In late 1997, I worked for Ron Unz on the successful Prop. 227 campaign (to end bilingual education) – a popular issue – and still it took a substantial paid effort augmenting a volunteer effort to get onto the ballot).… Read More

Well, not really but close. City Attorney and Democratic candidate for Attorney General is suing the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on nine counts of polluting the environment. Read it here.

Drum roll please. The Chair of the of the MTA is Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa.

Looking like an enviroin a Dem primary is always more important than the interests of a fellow Dem office holder.… Read More

Prop. 77 Politics – Ohio and Common Cause There is a ton of stuff in the news today – expect this to only escalate until we get to the Special Election. The most interesting articles surround the Redistricting Measure, Proposition 77. I’m sure FR Beltway Correspondent Jason Roe sighed heavily when he saw today’s Featured Story — that Governor Schwarzenegger has come out in support of a similar redistricting measure in Ohio. Why Ohio? There the tables are turned and it is the GOP that wrote themselves an ‘incumbent protection plan’ – the Governor is trying to make a point – that redistricting should be taken out of the hands of the politicans – everywhere.

Yesterday in San Jose, the Governor paraded out the "yesterday’s news" politicans – former San Francisco Mayor Jordan and… Read More

There is a lot to love about the Bay Area: the variety of outdoor activities, major league baseball, great food and the drop-dead gorgeous view from the Oakland hills on a sunny October afternoon. But the overwhelming liberalness of the area drives me nuts.

Take the Grand Lake Theater for example. In 2000, Allen Michaan, the owner of this old, beautiful theater, began using his marquee to advertise his political viewpoint. He’s not just promoting liberal causes on his marquee. He is one of these angry liberals who are so full of hate for President Bush that they can’t see straight. He’s never gotten over losing the 2000 election. In 2004, he announced that he wouldn’t enforce the "R" rating for Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit… Read More

In recent weeks, the conservative Republican Study Committee, the conservative caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, has ratcheted up the pressure on GOP leadership to deal with the growing budget deficit in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Iraq. When RSC leaders held a press conference announcing "Operation Offset" House GOP leadership aides lurked about the conference belittling RSC to the assembled media and Houseleaders subsequently criticized RSC members for "undermining the unity of the GOP conference," being "unrealistic about the Senate’s willingnessto go along," and creating negative publicity for House Republicans."

In the weeks following the launch of Operation Offset, the House leadership incrementally embraced the proposals of the RSC. First, they committed to find additional savings from a process called "reconciliation," which forces committee chairman to find a specified amount of savings within their committees. The following week, they embraced a 2% across the board spending cut and what do you know, they started to get positive responses from the RSC, the… Read More