I was a little taken aback this morning when I read in the Stockton Record that the City of Stockton, or shall we say the City Manager (since it seems from the article that none of the elected officials on council were aware of what was going on), is attempting to cobble together a way to purchase the Stockton Thunder hockey team from owner Michael Reinsdorf. The excuse is that because they feel they have an unfavorable lease that the city can then either keep the team or re-sell it to ownership with a lease agreement that is favorable to the city. The only person on council who opposed it immediately was uber-left councilwoman Susan Eggman.

As many of you know, I am a rabid hockey fan. I have also been an active participant in the debates over public financing of sports teams and facilities. It is a much easier case to make in spending public dollars for facilities than it is to actually BUY a franchise.

The interesting side to this story is the dramatic success of the Stockton Thunder hockey franchise that has become the crown jewel of the ECHL with attendance that other franchises could only hope for. This success has led the ownership to upgrade… Read More

Over the years, I have had my share of hands-on campaign experience. Besides my term as Executive Director of the California Republican Party, I was intimately involved in key positions in campaigns for a statewide candidate and a ballot measure (one won, one lost), as well as numerous campaigns for Congress and the State Legislature. This is relevant because I want make it clear that when I write about political strategy and tactics, it is not from the perspective of a conservative columnist, but rather from the perspective of having over two decades of hands-on involvement in the “contact game” of politics.

Yesterday State Senator Jeff Denham (pictured to the right) announced that in the pursuit of the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor that he has successfully reserved (or “locked up” as we say in the biz) 14 of the major GOP slate… Read More

Over the years, I have had my share of hands-on campaign experience. Besides my term as Executive Director of the California Republican Party, I was intimately involved in key positions in campaigns for a statewide candidate and a ballot measure (one won, one lost), as well as numerous campaigns for Congress and the State Legislature. This is relevant because I want make it clear that when I write about political strategy and tactics, it is not from the perspective of a conservative columnist, but rather from the perspective of having over two decades of hands-on involvement in the “contact game” of politics.

Yesterday State Senator Jeff Denham (pictured to the right) announced that in the pursuit of the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor that he has successfully reserved (or “locked up” as we say in the biz) 14 of… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary e-mail. Red font added by me.

Escape from Pelosi Island

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Just minutes ago, embattled Republican Assemblyman Anthony Adams resigned his position as Chairman of the San Bernardino County Republican Party. According to a FR source at the meeting, it was pretty clear that if Adams had not stepped down, the votes were there to remove him from his post.

This action by Adams' local committee is a sign that there is still a lot of angst over Adams' deciding vote for the largest tax increase in the history of this or any state. Adams had voluntarily signed the Americans for Tax Reform “No New Taxes” pledge in his campaign for office.

Conservative Ken Willis is the new Chairman, and Larry McCallon, who serves as the CRP Inland Empire Vice Chairman, is the new SBGOP Vice Chairman.

The San Bernardino County Party has joined with the Santa Barbara County GOP as being the latest party organizations to formally oppose Proposition 1A.… Read More

Congressman Tom McClintock took to the House floor yesterday to talk about his constituents’ outrage over the government mortgage bailout fiasco. Sacramento-area talk show hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty got over 6,000 listeners to send in postcards protesting the bailout. Watch McClintock’s fantastic speech, which unlike the unrighteous indignation on parade on Capitol Hill right now, represents true taxpayer outrage:

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From the U-T, about the U-T. May James Copley continue to RIP, knowing that his once great publication — including staff members that advised presidents — is no longer in the hands of an idle son of a wife, and that there may be a glimmer of hope for the newspaper’s future.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/18/bn18sale105226/… Read More

In this morning’s Sacramento Bee, there is an article with the headline, Cap Will Prevent Future Deficits, Governor Vows.

My response, just from looking at the headline, was to roll my eyes.

In one of my shortest commentary’s of the year, let’s lay out, in simple terms, three reasons why Arnold Schwarzenegger’s credibility is lacking.

1) The Governor ran for office, twice, pledging to oppose new taxes. He has now signed into law the largest tax increase in the history of any state, and is advocating the passage of Proposition 1A, which contains $20 billion more in taxes on Californians.

2) In 2004, the Governor campaigned for Propositions 57 & 58,… Read More