Generally, when a new “public opinion survey” comes out, I am pretty cynical about it. Having had a lot of exposure to the mechanics behind such surveys, and having had a lot of opportunities over the years to talk extensively with public opinion research specialists, I can say that without any hesitation that what comes out of a survey depends greatly on what you put into a survey. Or put another way – if you ask a slanted question, you will get a slanted answer.

The latest survey out from the Public Policy Institute of California presents a great example of manipulating those being surveyed to skew the results in a particular direction. The issue is on global warming and AB 32 – but first let me walk you through the broader survey manipulation issue…

You can write a whole book (I’m sure someone has) on all of the ways to manipulate the outcome of public opinion surveys. But one way that these kinds of surveys can fall short is that do not sufficiently educate the person being questioned before asking the question – producing a meaningless response. A hypothetical example of… Read More

Generally, when a new “public opinion survey” comes out, I am pretty cynical about it. Having had a lot of exposure to the mechanics behind such surveys, and having had a lot of opportunities over the years to talk extensively with public opinion research specialists, I can say that without any hesitation that what comes out of a survey depends greatly on what you put into a survey. Or put another way – if you ask a slanted question, you will get a slanted answer.

The latest survey out from the Public Policy Institute of California presents a great example of manipulating those being surveyed to skew the results in a particular direction. The issue is on global warming and AB 32 – but first let me walk you through the broader survey manipulation issue…

You can write a whole book (I’m sure someone has) on all of the ways to manipulate the outcome of public opinion surveys. But one way that these kinds of surveys can fall short is that do not sufficiently educate the person being questioned before asking the question – producing a meaningless response. A hypothetical example of… Read More

In response to recent comments from Speaker Karen Bass, whining about the Governor's veto-pen cuts to social programs, State Senator Bob Dutton put Bass in her place. Bass had accused the Governor of destroying California's safety net, putting lives in jeopardy and potentially killing people. Dutton has offered Bass a bi-partisan solution by using a $100 million in revenue from a proposed oil extraction contract and having that money fund programs for the most vulnerable Californians. That is a $100 million to help restore many of the programs Bass decried in her statement.

As Dutton put it: “If Speaker Bass is truly concerned about the additional cuts, I would urge her to quickly pass this bill off the Assembly Floor and send it to the governor for his signature. Doing so would allow $100 million in program cuts to be restored immediately.”

The ball is now in her court. Will Bass help California's most vulnerable or was it all talk? Is the Speaker truly an advocate for these programs? Or is she in the hip-pocket of the radical eco-nut agenda that would see not only a permanent moratorium on offshore drilling, but… Read More

Steve Poizner is by far the most compelling candidate for Governor in either party and I wholeheartedly support his candidacy to be our party’s nominee in June 2010. Furthermore, I am anxious to actively campaign for Steve because he specializes in exactly what our state and our party need – solutions. Steve spent his career in Silicon Valley creating jobs and building businesses, but most importantly he spent his career finding ways to make things work better. Steve is the man who engineered the technology to put GPS in cell phones, which is now the industry standard in 700 million cell phones worldwide. When he gets to Sacramento, he will be the Governor who puts a GPS tracker on every taxpayer dollar being spent by the Legislature, so you know where your money is going. Steve is the conservative candidate in this race and will offer the conservative solutions that our state so desperately need to move forward. I know this because Steve has already proven his conservative credentials at his post as Insurance Commissioner. Steve Poizner is the only candidate running for Governor who has actually cut waste from state government, and when he is… Read More

The 5th Assembly District, which is centered in Sacramento County, is currently occupied by Roger Niello who, fortunately, is forced to retire due to term limits. FR readers will undoubtedly recall Niello’s infamous vote for the largest tax increase in California history, and his vote tie even more massive tax increases to Proposition 1A should it have passed (fortunately the voters overwhelmingly rejected 1A). Niello, while being a truly nice guy, is too smart to get any kind of pass for abandoning the most significant premise of our party — which is that government is too big and spends too much.

I hear the argument from Republicans all of the time that we need to nominate “moderate” candidates in primaries because conservatives can’t win in swing districts. While I don’t agree with this argument at all, I can see why some people would buy into that logic. I believe you best defeat the other party by contrasting their views with ours — but some feel that you need to be "like them" to beat them – go figure.

That said, what I do not understand is why some believe we should nominate liberal or moderate Republicans in… Read More

This Friday, popular Southern California talk show hosts John and Ken will be hosting a rally in the heart of the high-desert end of the 59th Assembly District, which is currently represented by Anthony Adams. It was recently reported that the thriving recall campaign against Anthony — who rather infamously signed a pledge not to raise taxes and then was the deciding vote to increase over $18 billion in higher sales, income and car taxes — had already passed the halfway point in the collection of the necessary approximately 34,000 valid signatures necessary to force a recall election.

I attended John and Ken’s last rally in Corona — which was a rally against the passage of Proposition 1A — it drew thousands of people. The rally they held before that in Fullerton also had many thousands.

Of course neither of them were at a burger joint. Now, in addition to hanging out with fellow overtaxed Californians, you can… Read More

When it comes to next year’s 36th Senate District contest (Senator Dennis Hollingsworth will be termed out), it’s pretty well known that Assemblyman Joel Anderson is considering his prospects, although a final decision is yet to come.

Where that leaves Anderson’s 77th Assembly District, two years prior to his six years being up, is in the hands of several possible candidates, each awaiting the decision.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve posed the same question to the "anyone I could think of group," i.e. those that have been talked about in the echo chamber and/or those known to be looking at it themselves. The question, in essence: If (and only if) Joel Anderson seeks the Senate seat in 2010, would you consider running for AD 77?

The responses being gathered were to turn into a "handicapping the field" column — and they still will — but in the meantime one of the prospects appears to be the first to quasi-officially announce her candidacy, given the pending "if" tied to Anderson’s "if."

Christine Ribeiro Rubin, most recently the district director for Senator Mark Wyland,… Read More

I am really sick of reading idiotic reporting on the State budget, and I can’t take it anymore.

There is never, ever any reporting on anything other than a spending comparison to LAST year. I have not ever seen a five or ten year spending trend in the news. This is a deliberate omission which place the entire debate out of context.

The State is still spending more than five years ago and enormously more than ten years ago. This fact cannot be found anywhere.

Also missing from reporting is population, student enrollment, and other factors which need to be considered.

I don’t know if the MSM is lazy, or just disinterested, but as a loose institution it is incompetently reporting the situation in California.… Read More