I think I may have just witnessed the most defining moment in the history of the women’s liberation movement, and it happened at the RNC Convention!As long as I live, I know I will never forget this night.

Sarah Palin made me so proud. She’s a mom, a wife, a sister, a leader, a friend, and a steadfast advocate for others compelled by a strong moral compass.She was the embodiment of everything a woman can be…a strong political leader, a fearless champion of truth, a tender mother rocking her baby, and a loving wife who adores her husband. Her effortless demonstration of all these qualities tonight brought tears to my eyes as I watched her emerge intonew purpose. And she did so with eyes wide open, clearly cognizant of the intense ire that she would bear in order to fulfill that purpose. That’s bravery and courage.

I remember when I was just a little girl in Girl Scouts, we learned the words to"I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar," at a Girl Scout sleepover one night. How could I… Read More

I’ll have to admit – I miss being at this convention. I haven’t missed one since 1996 and I didn’t pick McCain, so I’m not a delegate. There’s nothing like being on the floor on Wednesday and Thursday night and feeling the electricity. it’s awesome. This year, I’ve found both conventions to be fascinating. Watching tonight’s speeches with myeleven year old son, Grant, was especially fun.He’s interested in all of it, and better yet, he seems to be especially sympathetic to the conservative side.

The Obama campaignreminds of a major league baseball team with a 17 game lead in July that goes into a funk and hits a couple of losing streaks. To stop their slide, they bring in an aging, but known quantity for the stretch run and it just doesn’t help. They slowly losetheir 17 game lead and wind up tied in September and heading for the home stretch without the momentum or inevitability they once had, and now, its anyone’s race. Meanwhile, the team catching up to them is full of old veterans who have stumbled badly– but seem to have one more stretch runin them. And what… Read More

You know what I like most about Assemblyman La Malfa, he can say in three words what is takes me a one thousand to say. The wisdom of a farmer over the verbosity of a lawyer.

That being said, I wanted to talk about the budget and two articles that appeared today about the dispute, one from Dan Walters and the other from Dan Weintraub. A short synopsis of the Walters article is that the Republican plan is the one most likely to be adopted, not because it is a perfect plan, but because the Legislative Republicans are sticking together. Walters notes the problems in both the Governor’s plans and the Democrat plan, neither of which will fix the budget problem either. The Weintraub artilcle blasts those same Republicans because they won’t vote for a tax increase to "permanently" fix the budget problem in California.

Now usually neither Walters nor Weintraub get things right, not because they are not experienced, but they don’t think outside the box in politics. They like the tired old cliches that masquerade as solutions among the pseudo-intellectual chattering class in Sacramento. They are willing to criticize doctrinaire Liberals… Read More

Judge Peter Polos of the Orange County SuperiorCourt has issued a tentative ruling that Congressman John Campbell’s District Director may not use the "false" name "Lou Penrose" alonein his race for the Dana Point City Council in this November’s municipal election. Instead, he must include his real name, and the ballot will state: "Lou Penrose, a/k/a Luigi Rossetti Jr."A final hearing will be held tomorrow afternoon where Rossetti may discuss his reaction to the tentative ruling, and the Court can receive any argument for changes. However, the County of Orange, the City of Dana Point, and the Plaintiff have all agreed to the tentative ruling.

Rossetti adopted the name "Lou Penrose" as a radio personality for a small radio station in Palm Springs, CA a number of years ago. Rossetti kept the name for political meetings, but refused to legally change his name and uses the name "Luigi Rossetti, Jr." on his drivers’ license, and for legal documents, such as ownership of his home in Dana Point. He is registered to vote as "Lou Penrose Rossetti,… Read More

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A second person told me that Fred Thompson’s great speech last night was mostly the one Arnold Shwarzenegger was to give at the RNC Convention.

I assume it as the last have that didn’t deal with current events. It is your call, but would the Governor give a speech that included discussion of character? And attributes like "Strength. Courage.Humility.Wisdom.Duty.Honor."

If so it was a good thing he kept his word this time not to come.… Read More

Update: The Assembly session for Wednesday noon is canceled with no new session yet scheduled. Now that we have a new record for lateness for the state budget, perhaps we can get down to wrapping one up. [The true lateness record for a budget receiving a governor’s signature is Sep 5]

Both houses worked Sunday to finish the years legislation as the 31st was the last day to get ‘normal’, check that, ‘regular’ bills out. The Assembly finished about 5:30 PM and I heard the Senate gaveled down at 1 PM, right in the middle of a bill presentation, with others still on their file. Oh well.

The budget sides are almost as equally polarized between the Assembly and Senate Dems themselves as it is a Reep vs Dem thing. Now with the ‘distractions’ behind us of the Dem convention and the deadline for legislation, with the 2 houses holding the others bills hostage, exchanging a few at a time each day, the budget should be the only focus.

Lost in the stalling antics were the opportunity to… Read More

Frankly, I have been pretty impressed with Democrat Senator Lou Correa in this year’s budget stand-off. While every other Democrat Senator has had no problem showing a willingness to compound the financial woes by punishing California taxpayers with more taxes, Correa, who campaigned rather overtly as a "different kind of Democrat" and on a pledge to voters that he would oppose new taxes, has not gone along with his socialist-leaning colleagues. On a recent budget vote, which included a massive sales tax increase, Correa refused to go along, abstaining and withholding his vote.

That said, it is possible that my positive thoughts about Correa in this budget stand-off may be misplaced, after all. Yesterday, the Orange County Senator voted not once, but twice against motions to allow for hearings on a bill by Republican Senator Jeff Denham to provide vital services to Californian’s most vulnerable customers of government. Most recently, yesterday Senator Jim Battin made a motion to have a hearing on the bill, and Correa joined with all of this… Read More