No need for me to write anything SD-specific this morning. Logan Jenkins’ column in the UT today does a great job providing some insights on Farrah Douglas, a local city council candidate….

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/jenkins/20080810-9999-1mc10jenkins.html

Carlsbad candidate has come long way The winter day the shah fled Iran, Farrah Douglas was trapped in gridlocked traffic with her American husband, Rick, and their 2-year-old son, Kevin.

They had just been at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran to apply for Farrah’s green card for an eventual move to America. The Islamic revolution had caught them by surprise.

“Everyone got out of their cars and started dancing, they were so happy,” she told me. A young Iranian stuck his head in the window and said to Rick, “After the shah, it’s your turn.”

Farrah thought to herself, “This is end of my country as I know it.”

The family made it home that day – Jan. 16, 1979 – to learn that… Read More

We are pleased to present this guest commentary from Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association… Governor’s Position on Pay Cuts is Legally Sound By Jon Coupal

California’s budget stalemate reflects a political war which has many fronts, a myriad of combatants and an endless series of battles. The battle du jour involves the Governor’s executive order laying off thousands of temporary state workers and reducing the pay — to federal minimum wage level — of even more full time state workers.… Read More

Recently it was reported in the New York Times that a guy named Matzzie (who is an ultra-left activist and supporter of BHO for President) has started a group called "Accountable America" that is going to identify thru public records every conservative donor to a 527 group in this election and send them a letter suggesting their contribution might be illegal and they should contact the group they gave to for assurance of legality or ask for their money back.

I subscribe to an email blog for election lawyers and professors and there has been a lot of discussion of this over the past few days. To their credit, a couple of liberal law professors I know have taken the position that the Matzzie tactics are "McCarthyism" and wrong. But a number of the usual liberal law professors on the blog have taken the position that it is perfectly OK for Matzzie to send our his threatening letters to conservative donors, because it is just a part of preventing perceived corruption in the political process, whether or not the actions of the 527s are legal.

Because I thought readers would find it of interest, below… Read More

We are pleased to present this guest commentary from Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association… Governor’s Position on Pay Cuts is Legally Sound By Jon Coupal California’s budget stalemate reflects a political war which has many fronts, a myriad of combatants and an endless series of battles. The battle du jour involves the Governor’s executive order laying off thousands of temporary state workers and reducing the pay — to federal minimum wage level — of… Read More

As much as my friends in the GOP may wish that they can stop time, or even reverse time by 30 years, the likelihood of this occurring is slight. In my personal day to day interaction with time I’ve found it to be a one way street. Further, I’ve found that, as much as I would not like this to be the case in many instances, human culture, which includes our own society, changes and evolve as we move along in time.

I make this observation as a preface to a statement which will draw some degree of anger but which I’ve wanted to write for some time: Ronald Reagan and the politics of the 1980’s are not the answers to the doldrums in which we Republicans now find ourselves. Political parties, like society, either evolve, innovate, and change according to the needs of voters, or they stagnate, look backwards, wither and die.

There is an argument to be made that the Republican Party has collapsed for two essential reasons:

**There is more – click the link**

View Full… Read More

As much as many of my friends in the GOP may wish that they can stop time, or even reverse time by 30 years, the likelihood of this occurring is slight. In my personal day to day interaction with time I’ve found it to be a one way street. Further, I’ve found that, as much as I would not like this to be the case in many instances, human culture, which includes our own society, changes and evolves as we move along in time.

I make this observation as a preface to a statement which will draw some degree of anger but which I’ve wanted to write for some time: Ronald Reagan and the politics of the 1980’s are not the answers to the doldrums in which we Republicans now find ourselves. Political parties, like society, either evolve, innovate, and change according to the needs of voters, or they stagnate, look backwards, wither and die.

There is an argument to be made that the Republican Party has collapsed for two essential reasons:

First, when given the opportunity on a national level to implement the good government reforms that brought us to power, we failed to do so in a spectacular manner. Voters might think or have thought the GOP insensitive, or… Read More

Great news for California homeschoolers! The 2nd Appellate District Court ruled this morning that homeschooling is a legitimate form of education in the Golden State. Home School Legal Defense Association just sent out the following press release:

Homeschoolers Win Landmark Case

In a 3-0 decision the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District reversed its earlier ruling which would have required homeschoolers to be certified teachers in order to homeschool in California.

"This is a great victory for homeschool freedom," said Michael Farris, one of the team of attorneys who argued the case before the court and Chairman of HSLDA. "I have never seen such an impressive array of people and organizations coming to the defense of homeschooling. The team effort was remarkable," he added.

Mr. L of In re Rachel L was represented by Gary Kreep of the U.S. Justice Foundation and the Alliance Defense Fund. The court agreed to re-hear In re Rachel L in March after… Read More

There is some controversy over the Governor’s pledge to veto all bills sent to him before a budget is passed, because one of the bills on the way to him is one that he supports, that re-jiggers to his liking and gives favorable ballot placement to the multi-billion dollar hi-speed rail boondoggle (you know, where ALL Californians pay for trains that will be used by only a small fraction of the state’s residents) set to appear on this November’s ballot.

So far the Governor has continued to maintain that he will veto ALL bills, which would include this one.

But I wouldn’t bet on it, as the Governor has infamously boasted of the benefits of flip flopping. The deadline for the bill to be signed in time to matter is this Monday…… Read More