The rule of three has been surpassed. More than three people have told methat Senator Dave Cogdill is planning to run for County Assessor in Stanislaus County. The current County Assessor is not seeking re-election.Imeediately speculation focuses on Cogdill. Well he is in.Cogdill’s campaign team or least part of his campaign team has been activated and are making arrangements.

Senator Cogdill recently decided not to run for re-election to the State Senate. He of course was Republican Leader of the Senate an most recently was one of the major architects of the water reform and bond.Cogdill was mentioned as a possible Lt. Governor pick before the Governor choose a fellow liberal Democrat :)

It is important to note that Cogdill was in the real estate appraisal business before his election to public office.… Read More

According to this story by Anthony York over on Capitol Weekly’s website, Speaker Bass may schedule a vote for her successor as Speaker for as early as next week. The article says that this will be a voice vote.

This is a terrible idea.

Republicans deserve some respect and the ability to have some pride. This is best facilitated by a process that allows more than simply a motion for the anointed candidate by the Democrats to become speaker on a voice vote. As a matter of fact, under that system, there is no way for a Republican legislator to make it clear that they do not, in fact, approve of or cast a vote for whichever liberal the Dems put up for the top job.

In the ideal scenario, the Democrats will accept a process whereby Republicans can place the name of their leader, Sam Blakeslee, into nomination for Speaker. Blakeslee will get only 28 votes (one GOP seat is vacant until January) and will lose the election, but will be able to stand tall for the Republican Party — and every Assembly Republican will have the pride… Read More

As someone who has been engaged in the process of politics in California for well over two decades now, I have developed a “thick skin” when it comes to watching our state’s policy makers, dominated by the ideological left, make decision after decision that makes no sense whatsoever when juxtaposed over the reality of life. But I am used to the fact that we have too many policy makers who are very comfortable over-taxing, over-borrowing, over-spending and over-regulating. For a great many of these policy makers, they pursue this kind of “taking” of individual liberty and freedom with the fervor of a religious quest – decrying those who believe in individual liberty and people’s rights over collective rights and societal responsibility like we are heretics.

One can only imagine what this menagerie must look like to a commercial fisherman or recreational boater who one day hears a rumor, “Guess what? California politicians are going to ban fishing and boating in wide swaths of the ocean, off of the state coastline!”

I’m sure disbelief transitioned to shock which then became outrage and by now these folks are well on their way to… Read More

I’ve always said the problem with California schools isn’t about how much moneywe spend but rather howwe spend it.

Take the story of San Jose Community College Chancellor Rosa Perez, who has received a 48 percent pay increase in just four years, which includes nearly $300,000 in annual income and a $147,000 bonus for staying on the job for four years.

The California Taxpayers’ Association reported yesterday that it wasn’t enough for Perez to pull in a king’s ransom every month, she also charged taxpayers for lavish hotel stays in San Jose (even though Perez lives in San Francisco!) and trips to El Salvador and Scotland.

At a time when California schools are laying off teachers, it’s disappointing to read about greedy "educators" who are supposed to have the best interest of the students in mind. Don’t get me wrong; I believe people deserve pay commensurate with their talent. But in these fiscally difficult times, everyone should share in the pain — that means taking pay cuts and curtailing unnecessary spending.… Read More

Service Employees Solely Bankroll San Diego County Supe Term Limits Effort… Jim Sills of SD Rostra breaks the news yesterday that the entire $250 grand raised so far to qualify a term limits initiative for County Supervisors has come from either the local chapter of SEIU or its State PAC. It is of course no surprise that labor is pushing the measure; perhaps the surprise is that SEIU hasn’t bothered to raise any funds from outside sources.

Uhhh, and perhaps that’s no surprise either.

In his SD Rostra piece, Sills creatively paraphrases Winston Churchill with, “Never have so few, donated So Much, for So Little.” He points out the apparent "philosophical disconnect," as only a year ago SEIU contributed $2,200,000 in support of Proposition 93 to overturn state term limits.

So, why the dichotomy? Does SEIU oppose or support term limits? Read Sills’ piece here.

Fleischman: Join SEIU in Supporting County Supe Term Limits?…… Read More

Last evening, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared at a event for Democrats in Orange County… Lauryn Picciano, the Executive Director of the OC GOP and President of the Orange County was on hand and sent an account of the "greetings" given to Pelosi from conservatives…

Once upon a time (Friday December 4th, 2009) Local Tea Party Organizations, Republican… Read More

It would appear that as early as next week, there will be a vote on electing a new Assembly Speaker (though it is unclear precisely when the transition will take place).

There is a tradition in the Assembly (that seems to find its origin the election of Bob Hertzberg as Speaker, nearest as I can tell) where whichever candidate the Democrats put forward for Speaker is unanimously elected to the Assembly’s top spot in a voice vote. I suppose this is some sort of "congeniality of the house" maneuver since the outcome of a potential election between a Democrat and a Republican candidate for Speaker is preordained due to the large majority of liberals in the Assembly.

This practice is just wrong, and it shouldn’t be taking place.

The Assembly is an elected body with recorded votes. It is based on these votes that the people can judge their elected officials. It should be very clear to the "viewing audience at home" whom their Assemblymember voted for to be Speaker.

In the United States Congress, each conference — Republican and Democrat — has placed into nomination for the top spot their respective… Read More

Following up on my commentary of this morning, I would like to draw the following to the attention of FR readers (especially those Republican legislators who think that even as a minority party, we should be entitled to pride and respect)…

Here is a quote from a report of the Congressional Research Service, Party Leaders in the House: Election, Duties, and Responsibilities, that succinctly describes the process that the United States House of Representatives