A bill, SB 37, to end run the electoral college and goinstead to a count ofthe popular votes ofa cartel of large states for electing President, passed today with a vote of 42-28, with only Republicans voting "NO."

As few as 12 states can band together, regardless of how their own voters voteand cast electoral votes for the national popular vote leader, and determine thewinner, small rural [red] states need not show up.A similar bill, AB 2948 of 2006 received nearly all Republicans "NO" votes then as well,30, and was veteod by the Governor. This is good veto bait again.… Read More

That’s not my headline, it’s courtesy of Bloomberg.com.… Read More

It seems like Steve Maviglio, the Communications Guru of choice for left-wing Assembly Speakers, is the also the messenger of death when it comes to the end of Capitol reporters, and their jobs! Just a few weeks ago Steve blogged on the decision by the Stockton Record to vanquish veteran Capitol reporter Hank Shaw. Today Steve shares more bad news with the decision by the Oakland Tribune to let go of its veteran Capitol Reporter — Steve Geissinger. As Maviglio points out, Geissinger is the head of the Capitol Correspondents Association — or he was until now. The Tribune will still have access to other MediaNews correspondents from the Contra Costa Times and San Jose Mercury News.

It’s too bad about Steve. Like with Shaw, Steve has a knack for great reporting, and his contributions to the mix will be sorely missed.

So I guess there will be two types of people avoiding Maviglio now… The first being taxpayers, for whom Steve only delivers bad news. The other — anxious Capitol reporters who perhaps don’t want to… Read More

Assemblyman Joel Anderson’s office was quick to respond to my whiny post of yesterday, in which I indicated Senator Hollingsworth appeared to be the only area legislator to issue a statement on the Supreme Court’s Heller decision, and in which I further kinda chastised some unnamed legislative offices for not sending releases to bloggers.

This morning, Anderson’s office sent me its 2nd Amendment take of a few days ago. To be clear, the Anderson folks send me press items very regularly (so no inclusion of them in the general whininess) … I just hadn’t seen this one:

Anderson Lauds High-Court Decision Protecting 2nd Amendment

… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail…

What’s So Great About Arnold?

Tom Brokaw and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are old friends, having met 30 years ago when Mr. Brokaw was NBC’s correspondent in Los Angeles. But that didn’t spare Arnold from tough questioning in the mold of the late Tim Russert when Mr. Brokaw interviewed him for "Meet the Press" yesterday.

Mr. Brokaw began by asking just how much had really changed in California. "When you ran for governor in 2003, you ran as a fiscal conservative who would change the system, who would bring business-like techniques," the host said. "Now, you are facing a $15-billion deficit here in California.… Read More

Earlier last week, U.S. Senator John McCain campaigned in Santa Barbara as part of a swing through the Golden State. We asked longtime FR friend Mike Stoker, a former Santa Barbara County Supervisor, if he would be our "eyes on the ground" and pen something for us. Unfortunately some personal issues came up, but despite that Mike was able to rise to the challenge..

A Birds-Eye Account of Senator McCain’s Santa Barbara Swing By The Honorable Mike Stoker Senator McCain by all accounts, hit it out of the park on his recent trip to Santa Barbara. The campaign, wanting to help hold State Senator Tom McClintock’s seat, arranged to have former Assemblyman Tony… Read More

Michael Reagan, the eldest son of the late President and former California Governor, will announce tonight in Berlin, Germanythe launch of a project to build a significant memorial in Berlin near the Brandenburg Gate to his father’s call at that location in 1987 for Soviet President Gorbachev to "open this Gate," and "tear down this Wall." Within 18 months of President Reagan’s speech, the Wall came down, and not only did Germany reunify as a noncommunist Western ally, the Soviet empire fell to pieces just a few years later as well.

I am here in Berlin with Michael assisting in the project, which has been timed to coincide with week-long activities commemorating the 60th annniversary of the "Berlin Airlift," and the opening of a new U.S. Embassy building near the Brandenburg Gate on July 4.

John F. Kennedy is well remembered in Berlin for his famous and inspirational"I am a Berliner" speech during the height of the Cold War. Kennedy has a city square ("John-F.-Kennedy-Platz") named for him here, and his name appears on two other educational institution buildings. But in a… Read More

Earlier last week, U.S. Senator John McCain campaigned in Santa Barbara as part of a swing through the Golden State. We asked longtime FR friend Mike Stoker, a former Santa Barbara County Supervisor, if he would be our "eyes on the ground" and pen something for us. Unfortunately some personal issues came up, but despite that Mike was able to rise to the challenge..

A Birds-Eye Account of Senator McCain’s Santa Barbara Swing By The Honorable Mike Stoker

Senator McCain by all accounts, hit it out of the park on his recent trip to Santa Barbara. The campaign, wanting to help hold State Senator Tom McClintock’s seat, arranged to have former Assemblyman Tony Strickland greet the Senator as he deboarded from his plane after arrival in SB. (Tony Strickland… Read More