(If this post seems familiar, we’ve used the "Disneyland" analogy below before, as it is a favorite tactic of the left to throw out questions without putting them in realistic context and then use the answers to justify liberal policies…)

As FR contributor and public opinion pollster Adam Probolsky likes to say, a poll is only as good as what you ask, and to whom you ask it. So I was quite amused to see so much enthusiasm erupt from the liberal media and left-wing Democrats when the Field Poll released their latest survey. The source of their glee?

Their latest survey claims to show that Californians support more taxes and more government involvement in health care.

Here is the problem — the question is a "feel good" rosy one that describes the plan with out ANY mention of the negative consequences of the plan. For example, there is no mention that potentially tens of thousands… Read More

The Wall Street Journal has a brief piece on former Hewlett Packard honcho Carly Fiorina and the substantial role she has taken on in helping John McCain become the next President of the United States. There is also a piece on the San Francisco Chronicle’s Politics Blog about former E-Bay Chief Meg Whitman, who is also helping out McCain, and how she is looking at running for Governor of California. In fact, both Fiorina and Whitman have been talked about as potential GOP candidates in the future for office here in the Golden State.

Let me offer some advice to both of these ersatz California politicians – get out there and start to talk about what you believe, and why. Especially in the case of Whitman… Read More

The Wall Street Journal has a brief piece on former Hewlett Packard honcho Carly Fiorina and the substantial role she has taken on in helping John McCain become the next President of the United States. There is also a piece on the San Francisco Chronicle’s Politics Blog about former E-Bay Chief Meg Whitman, who is also helping out McCain, and how she is looking at running for Governor of California. In fact, both Fiorina and Whitman have been talked about as potential GOP candidates in the future for office here in the Golden State.

Let me offer some advice to both of these ersatz California politicians – get out there and start to talk about what you believe, and why. Especially in the case of Whitman… Read More

Priceless? No, only $3.99… SD Mayor Jerry Sanders was accused last week by opponent Steve Francis of tossing an F-bomb at him (see Jon Fleischman’s Thursday post). Sanders responded to a resulting media inquiry with a clarification, saying no, he didn’t say, "F you, Francis," but instead, "F you, Steve."

It’s good to see the two are on a first name basis.

Sanders’ "Yeah, so what?" approach effectively put an end to the matter (not counting how Francis will no doubt use it in mailers and TV ads — here’s a press release, in fact). As frustrated as he may be with the million dollar campaign against him, I doubt Sanders meant to pop off to Francis. Yet, it was refreshing to hear him own up to it immediately, especially given a spokesman was denying the… Read More

I had dinner night before last with Alexandria Hildebrandt, the "Direcktor" and owner of the "Mauer Museum" a/k/a the Check Point Charlie Museum at the Check Point Charlie site in Berlin. The Mauer, or "Wall" museum is dedicated to keeping alive the stories of those who perished attempting to cross from tyranny to freedom during the Berlin Wall period. Over several floors of exhibits, one finds the actual devices people used to make their escape. Homemade airplanes. Homemade gas balloons. Secret compartments in the smallest of automobiles. Underwater getaway devices used in the Spree River, and so on. Frau Hildebrandt kindly provided a tour of the museum beforehand, and we had a long talk about freedom. I mentioned those three pillars of a free society: speech, religion, and property rights which were trampled in the East by Communism. But she added a fundamental element that hit me like a 2 by 4. Travel.

In the U.S., there is no "express right" to travel in the Constitution. But the right to travel is still a fundamental right in the U.S., as case law has determined that the right to travel is encompassed by a… Read More

I don’t believe in "channeling" per se, but I wish at times I could be RNC Committeeman for a day.

I would have weighed in on the entire North Carolina GOP ad controversy, where they correctly depicted Barack Obama’s close spiritual advisor, The Reverend Jeremiah Wright, as an America blaming bigot and full blow racist.

The outcry from the RNC and the McCain campaign against the North Carolina GOP is indicative of many troubling signs for the Republican Party, to wit:

The RNC still doesn’t understand why their donors are hanging up on their telemarketers every day;

The RNC doesn’t understand that we want a Party that fights Democrats, takes it right to them, gets in their faces and kicks there a**es;

In the daily onslaught against Republicans by Democrat leaders, we want a Party that hits back;

We are so desperate for an agenda that thousands of Republicans, unsolicited, are sending money to the North Carolina GOP while at the same time hanging up on RNC fundraisers;

Finally, I would have, if National Committeeman for one day, held a press conference for the express purpose of telling the RNC… Read More

Today we are pleased to present a Guest Commentary from Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association…

IT’S A FULL MOON AND THE GOVERNOR’S TRANSFORMATION IS COMPLETE by Jon Coupal

We are all familiar with those scary movies where the seemingly nice guy morphs into a threatening monster over a very short time. Excuse me if I now find myself thinking of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his real life role as California Governor.

With his announcing yesterday that he would oppose Proposition 98, which would protect property owners from eminent domain abuse and provide additional… Read More

Today we are pleased to present a Guest Commentary from Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association… IT’S A FULL MOON AND THE GOVERNOR’S TRANSFORMATION IS COMPLETE by Jon Coupal

We are all familiar with those scary movies where the seemingly nice guy morphs into a threatening monster over a very short time. Excuse me if I now find myself thinking of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his real life role as California Governor.

With his announcing yesterday that he would oppose Proposition 98, which would protect property owners from eminent domain abuse and provide additional property rights… Read More