Most of our Southern California bloggers are probably still recovering from the jolt of the 5.4 magnitude earthquake that just struck Los Angeles and Orange County, so I’ll post a quick note until they can report in. According to the USGS, the quake’s epicenter was Chino Hills but there are reports from all across the area (even Las Vegas) of feeling the earth movement and several aftershocks. As anyone who’s experienced an earthquake can attest, it’s a startling and unsettling experience. It looks like there is no major damage to report at this time.… Read More

Tuesday had been the day for a scheduled budget vote as requested by Sen. Perata a week before. The Assembly had none scheduled as it wouldn’t be seen as productive withthe sides so far apart. That changed Friday as Speaker Bass decided that the Assembly should also take an action today with a vote up or down on the budget. Then, yesterday, the Senate canceled their vote and soon the Assembly did too. With Sen. Perata stating that the discussions were warming up to a moreco-operative tone, that holding a vote would only detract from that thawing process, it was a good thing to not go throughwith a for-show only vote today.

With the $9 Billion in new taxes likely to still have been in a Tuesday vote document, no budget reform agreed upon yet, as well as several other important points not agreed upon it would’ve been a waste of everyone’s time to bring up [or down to Sacramento for us northerners] 120 leglslators to go through an exercise that not even the Big 4 can agree on. Much staff time and much printing are required to even do an exercise vote. Then there would be the floor speeches that would go on and on about how… Read More

Uhhh, just to clarify, I am referring to food choices, not alternative lifestyle choices.

Speaking of food choices, and to follow up on Jon’s commentary, I am staunchly and proudly pro-choice on this issue. Personally, I would never ingest large amounts of trans fat (well…not more than once or twice a week), but I think everyone should have the right to decide on their own what to do with their bodies, and I would never assume my personal moral-eaty should be foisted on anyone, certainly not by government mandate.… Read More

I’m starting to wonder how much Austrian is in the "Austrian Oak" — apparently Arnold Schwarzenegger actually believes that Californians no longer should have the freedom to choose whether they want to be healthy, or unhealthy in what they eat. I was shocked and dismayed when last Friday he actually signed legislation "banning" trans fats in the preparation of food in restaurants. It is hard for me to fathom what changes have come over this man, who once introduced libertarian economist Milton Freedman on a video, that he would think that the government should be regulating the food options (and ingredients) available to us. Using the very same logic that the Governor used in signing this terrible bill, it would appear that if Democrats in the legislature put a bill banning the serving of ice cream — or maybe just desserts as an entire catagory — that he would sign it. The bill that he signed, AB 97, was passed out of the State Senate with NO Republican votes at all. In the State Assembly, two Republicans voted… Read More

I’m starting to wonder how much Austrian is in the "Austrian Oak" — apparently Arnold Schwarzenegger actually believes that Californians no longer should have the freedom to choose whether they want to be healthy, or unhealthy in what they eat. I was shocked and dismayed when last Friday he actually signed legislation "banning" trans fats in the preparation of food in restaurants. It is hard for me to fathom what changes have come over this man, who once introduced libertarian economist Milton Freedman on a video, that he would think that the government should be regulating the food options (and ingredients) available to us. Using the very same logic that the Governor used in signing this terrible bill, it would appear that if Democrats in the legislature put a bill banning the serving of ice cream — or maybe just desserts as an entire catagory — that he would sign it. The bill that he signed, AB 97, was passed out of the State Senate with NO Republican votes at all. In the State Assembly, two Republicans voted… Read More

A couple of weeks ago, Orange County Lincoln Club President Rich Wagner and fellow OCLC Board Member Chip Hanlon penned a hard hitting column in Red County Magazine concerning the current leadership of Republicans on Capitol Hill — calling for new leadership regardless of the outcome of elections this November. I wrote extensively about it here.

Below is a video clip of Wagner along with Lincoln Club Chairman Tracy Price on a local Orange County cable news program, Real Orange, talking about the strong (and admirable) stance of this venerable Republican donor organization… (h/t to the OC Blog) … Read More

Long time conservative columnist Bob Novak, whose columns we have featured a lot on this site, has been rushed to the hospital with a brain tumor. Please keep him in your prayers. Look for updates on the Human Events website.… Read More

Lame duck Senate President Pro-Tem Don Perata has announced that the floor session scheduled for tomorrow to vote on the joint proposal by legislative Democrats to try to foist over $9 billion in new taxes on hard working Californians has been cancelled. He’s probably too distracted reading yet another major story (linked on the main page) about the long FBI investigation into his personal and campaign activities to focus on a floor session. Of course the vote on the massive tax increase would have ended in failure, since every Republican in the Senate has signed a pledge not to vote to increase taxes one penny, let alone billions of dollars.… Read More