With a tip ‘o the hat to the SacBee, here is a link to sign up for the 10th annual Gray Davis Staff reunion! If you are looking to chat with folks in the Schwarzenegger Administration, this would be a great place to catch up with a whole lot of them.

If it weren’t for the success of Davis Administration alums with the current administration, I would imagine these affairs would be pretty bitter. As it is, I’m sure the reunion of staffers for a disgraced, recalled public official aren’t exactly blow-out affairs…… Read More

I have been scanning the internet, looking for someone to put into words how I feel about all of this talk of a Federal Bailout of Wall Street — and (predictably) I found it at the Club for Growth. I have no kind words for President Bush or his agent, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson (who probably stands to personally lose tens of millions if not more without a bailout) in this matter — that this kind of massive redistribution of wealth is being proposed by a Republican President is…shameful:

Club for Growth Condemns Federal Bailout Government Intervention is not the Answer

Washington – The Club for… Read More

2008

SB 1322-Removes requirement that school teachers cannot also be open advocates forCommunist overthrow of our government. I know, how would that be different than what goes on at college now?

AB 2747-Assisted suicide by heavy sedation. Subjecting those deemed terminal to contemplate "end-of-life options" such as total sedation. Nurses would offer these options without patient having first sought them.

AB 2567-California State Day of recognition for deceased San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk. Would be recognized primarily because of his sexual preferences. Was murdered in a rampage along with Mayor Moscone, who didn’t receive a state day of recognition.… Read More

Both bills to change the budget provisions asked for by the Governor, tightening the rainy day fund from grabs by the legislature,and exchanging the 10% higher wage withholding for insteaddoubling thepenalty on income of taxpaying employers that owe more than $1 million in taxes,passed the Assembly and Senate. This heads off the veto and veto override and should receive the Governor’s signature on the entire budget document, probably Monday, after his review.

SCA 30, the rainy day fund, tighter version, passed 57-15 in the Assembly [before all vote adds or changes tallied]with all Republicans and many Dems in support. The taxpenalty on corporations, SB 28X passed by 42-31, with only Dem ‘aye’ votes and at least 1 Dem no vote. [28X still had the rest of the provisions that were in the previous version, AB 36XXX, including various accelerated tax payments and others.]

The win for the day was a ‘rainy day fund’ [I still think it’s a‘drought’ fund, like water behind a dam]that is more difficult for the legislature to get its hands on; getting rid of the unbelievable grab of 10%… Read More

It looks like California finally has a budget. This year’s budget drama may have set a record for the most protracted negotiations in state history, but none of the parties involved are necessarily happy with the outcome. Governor Schwarzenegger swept into power with promises to rein in Sacramento’s out-of-control spending. However, even the Governator hasn’t seen any more success than his predecessor in this area.

Responding togovernment’s continuing tax-and-spend addiction, Americans for Prosperity has been quite vocal and visible this year in its campaign to ensure taxpayers are protected. A few hours after the budget deal was announced, AFP held a budget forum to discuss this year’s budget and tactics for improving negotiations (i.e., protecting taxpayers) in the future.

Surrounded by the beautiful views in the Capitol View Room of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, dozens of capitol staff, policy makers, and AFP supporters assembled to asses the budget process and contemplate the future.

Moderating the forum was AFP’s California Chairman Peter Foy, also a Ventura County Supervisor, who… Read More

It looks like California finally has a budget. This year’s budget drama may have set a record for the most protracted negotiations in state history, but none of the parties involved are necessarily happy with the outcome. Governor Schwarzenegger swept into power with promises to rein in Sacramento’s out-of-control spending. However, even the Governator hasn’t seen any more success than his predecessor in this area.

Responding togovernment’s continuing tax-and-spend addiction, Americans for Prosperity has been quite vocal and visible this year in its campaign to ensure taxpayers are protected. A few hours after the budget deal was announced, AFP held a budget forum to discuss this year’s budget and tactics for improving negotiations (i.e., protecting taxpayers) in the future.

Surrounded by the beautiful views in the Capitol View Room of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, dozens of capitol staff, policy makers, and AFP supporters assembled to asses the budget process and contemplate the future.

Moderating the forum was AFP’s California Chairman Peter Foy, also a Ventura County Supervisor, who… Read More

So the the federal government, already $9 trillion in debt with $53 trillion of unfunded Social Security and Medicare liabilities is going to, in one fell swoop, move in and take $500 billion to $1 trillionof bad debt off of Wall Street balance sheets? How, by selling more debt to China? Dubai? I’m sick to my stomach.

Free markets move on mistakes and successes. They are shaped by good decisions and bad decisions. Markets move on consequences. Markets learn from consequences. What the federal government did today is say this to all of us:

1. Greed and corrupt behavior is going to be rewarded;

2. Congressionally mandated loose lending practices are going to be rewarded;

3. CEO’s that made hundreds of millions of dollars and drove venerable institutions into the ground are going to be rewarded;

4. Taxpayers are going to pay for it all in order to "save" the system. We should be furious.

What are we saving?Greed, corruption, stupidity, government malfeasance and ineptitude? Absence of oversight?Is that worth saving?

Today is one of the darkest days in… Read More

There have been other things going on in Washington this week, but nothing is as important or urgent as the financial crisis. The situation has deteriorated significantly in the last few weeks. Basically, the markets for virtually all forms of cash or debt are frozen and non-functional worldwide. There is simply a lack of confidence or, more accurately, fear about who can meet their commitments and who can’t. That has locked up normal trading. This is not just a Wall Street problem. If this situation continues, every single American and probably every single citizen of any industrialized nation will be affected…..and not in a good way. The value of your savings account, your pension plan, your stocks or your mutual funds, depends on a functioning, transparent and liquid market. The market, right now, is arguably none of these things.

Yesterday, John McCain blamed SEC Chairman Christopher Cox. Nancy Pelosi blamed President Bush. A group of Republicans held a press conference to blame President Clinton and Democratic leadership. Barack Obama seemed to blame every Republican office holder in the last 14 years.

They are all wrong. And they are all right.… Read More