What’s the opposite of the old saying that a broken clock is right twice a day? Maybe that even normally functioning watches need to have their batteries changed from time to time?

Odd, but interesting that the Wall Street Journal of all places would opine so favorably in Mike Aguirre’s favor given the well-documented troubles of the liberal Democrat Aguirre’s office. A San Diego Retirement

Unfunded public employee pensions are a crisis waiting to erupt across the country, so a

… Read More

When I got the news release about Cal-Tax endorsing the tax proposal by the Governor I almost fell over. Here is the Sacramento Bee story.

So I would assume this effort was made to try to provide cover for legislative Republicans to vote to raise taxes. It won’t work. It shouldn’t work.

This is why.

Of the people I am aware of on the Cal-Tax Board, none will come to the political defense of those members that would vote to raise taxes. They will ask them to because they want a budget and want to move on to other things. I don’t think anyone will agree.

When Assemblymember [fill in the blank] is involved in a tough Republican primary for the State Senate or Senator [fill in the blank] is involved in a tough primary for Congress and they are getting pummeled for raising taxes Cal-Tax and the members will sit by and watch.

"We don’t get involved in primaries. It is not worth it to the company unless it is one of our sworn enemies or one of our own members."

They have no history of defending the… Read More

This nugget just in from the CRP:

After the Dem Nat’l Convention in Denver and the temple was torn down, the DNC brain trust trash-bagged up about 12,000 American hand flags [about 8×10 inches on wooden dowels] and a 3 by 5 foot flag, to be disposed of until an Invesco Field worker found ’em and saved ’em from becoming landfill. They will be "recycled" by reportedly being used at the McCain/Palin event in Colorado Springs today. I’m sure their bio-degradability will not be tested after this event.

Thanks to Hector Barajas at the CRP for the heads-up on that one!… Read More

This just in: In solving state fiscal problems, the Governor has called for some new measures, some highlights:

"In these difficult times our state cannot simply afford another "business as usual" budget process. Our government has used that approach far too often in the past. Spending, borrowing, and taxes have increased at unsustainable rates, limiting our ability to provide for our citizens and damaging our business climate. Combined with the impact of high property taxes and a declining manufacturing base, the result…our former neighbors have left the state in search of jobs and opportunities they cannot find here at home.

…There are two problems in particular that we must address to help get spending under control: -First, once a program is added to the state budget, it becomes extremely difficult to remove it, regardless of whether the intiative is effective or essential. Taxpayers are forced to pay for funding decisions that were approved years or decades ago. And spending…has increased year after year, usually beyond the rate of inflation. -Second,… Read More

Use of the term "Mayor" was stricken as a ballot designation for Los Alamitos Councilman Ken Parker in an Order signed yesterday by Orange County Superior Court Judge Jamoa Moberly.

Under California law, a ballot title must accurately state the primary vocation, occupation or profession of the candidate, is limited to three words, and cannot be misleading. A "Mayor" in a general law city and some charter law cities using a city manager form of government, isa position by statute that is essentially ceremonial,and the Mayor’s major statutory function ischairing councilmeetings. A Mayorin these cities is not elected by the public and does not receive any special compensation or have any other specific duties.

For many years courts rejected the use of the term "Mayor" in ballot titles for councilmembers running for reelection during their rotational year as Mayor, until Huntington Beach Councilmember Debbie Cook (and a rotational Mayor), in the faceof a lawsuit filed by some Republican lawyers,convinced a Judge earlier this year to allow her to use the title in her race against Congressman… Read More

Except for a good immigration plank in the platform, we don’t her much about immigration at the RNC Convention.

In Arcadia, the city council unanimously voted Tuesday to draft language that could be inserted into city contracts that allows them to ask for documentation of employee status.

And Democrats think that city officials like Sarah Palin don’t deal with these kinds of issues. They do, especially when the federal government won’t.

That’s the point to being on city council. Make decisions. Tell that to the Democrats.… Read More

The following article appears in Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill, concerning the 2010 California Governor’s race: Poizner May Be GOP Savior on Redistricting By David M. Drucker Roll Call Staff September 4, 2008

In a twist of political irony, the California Republican who invented… Read More

Recently, we have seen the Governor, Democrats and liberal columnists running around like the sky is falling because Senate and Assembly Republicans have refused to cave in and go along with their schemes for higher taxes and higher spending.

But lost in their hysteria is the fact that this budget stalemate could actually be the best thing that has happened to California taxpayers and business owners in a long time.

If lawmakers and the Governor are unable to reach agreement on a budget before September 30, the Governor would be forced to follow through with his pledge and veto every bill on his desk.

This means some very bad bills will be vetoed by the Governor.

Imagine for a moment some of the terrible bills that will be sent to the Governor that could be killed if the budget is not resolved . . .

Drivers licenses for illegal immigrants (Senate Bill 60 – Cedillo) Financial aid for illegal immigrants attending California’s public colleges and universities (Senate Bill 1301 – Cedillo) A new scheme that will pave the way for … Read More