Let us on this day give thanks to the Chinese government. What could be a more dreary way for the 8,000 men and women stationed on the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier and accompanying escort ships than to chart a circular course through the South China Sea? Well that is what they will be doing because, without explanation, the Chinese have abruptly cancelled permission for the liberty call that the Kitty Hawk was planned to make in Hong Kong this holiday weekend.

Makes you wonder if they will just as arbitrarily block Americans from attending this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing… I can think of a whole lot of reasons to be critical of the Chinese government. But this is certainly the latest and greatest. What a bunch of jerks. Well, as you are enjoying a Thanksgiving Day feast today with family and friends, raise a glass to our American troops. From those in perelous danger… Read More

My Coachella Valley Thanksgiving week relaxation aside, I did note this news. For those who have conjectured and wondered whether Duncan D. Hunter would be deactivated soon enough to legally campaign for the CD 52 seat, and for those who hoped he wouldn’t be, as well as for those conspiracists who have continued to say he has been nothing but a "place-holder" for his dad’s potential run once again in the case of short-lived presidential foray….

Dear Friends,

I have some wonderful news that I wanted to share with you. My husband, Capt. Duncan D. Hunter, will be returning home from Afghanistan on Thanksgiving Day! As you know, Duncan launched his campaign for Congress in the 52nd district just days before being called up for his third tour of duty since joining the U.S. Marine Corps after 9/11. We are very thankful for his safe return, and very proud of his service to our country.

In a few weeks Duncan will be off active duty and able to campaign full time for Congress. The missive from Margaret Hunter goes on to point supporters to a new… Read More

Yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference in Fresno to talk about the horrible situation facing many, many California families who opted to take out sub prime loans to afford their homes, only to find that with a downward shift in the economy, the adjustments coming in the interest rates for those loans will lead many of these borrowers to default on their payments, and lose their home.

At the event, the Governor announced that he had negotiated with lending companies (representing 25% of existing home loans in California) who have agreed in some manner to not implement the scheduled hike in interest rates for some home owners. It is still unclear exactly what this means at this point, as the details are a bit vague. It sounds like in those instances where someone is still making their payments, and can demonstrate to the lender that they can afford to continue to make their current level of payment, but cannot afford an increase, the lenders may ‘cut some slack’ as it were, and leave the existing rates for a while.

Let me say that this entire sub prime mortgage… Read More

Yesterday Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference in Fresno to talk about the horrible situation facing many, many California families who opted to take out sub prime loans to afford their homes, only to find that with a downward shift in the economy, the adjustments coming in the interest rates for those loans will lead many of these borrowers to default on their payments, and lose their home.

At the event, the Governor announced that he had negotiated with lending companies (representing 25% of existing home loans in California) who have agreed in some manner to not implement the scheduled hike in interest rates for some home owners. It is still unclear exactly what this means at this point, as the details are a bit vague. It sounds like in those instances where someone is still making their payments, and can demonstrate to the lender that they can afford to continue to make their current level of payment, but cannot afford an increase, the lenders may ‘cut some slack’ as it were, and leave the existing rates for a while.

Let me say that this entire sub prime mortgage… Read More

I just got off of the phone with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, who passed along that not only have official Senate meetings on the health care plan been scrapped for now as well, but also he said that the last-minute flurry of negotiations on a potential water-bond package have also been scuddled, due to a policy impasse.

"There won’t be anything on the water issue on this February’s ballot," said Ackerman. So the focus now likely will be on next November’s ballot…"

Whether the legislature is ultimately able to settle on something that can pass muster with a 2/3 vote in each house remains to be seen. Of course, to add to the challenge for those intent on coming up with a solution to our looming water-access problems…is the poor fiscal health of state government. So discussions on water policy will be taking place amidst the backdrop of a discussion of the need for significant cuts in state spending…… Read More

Yesterday the Federal Election Commission agreed on a so-called “safe-harbor” that would allow for issue ad spending without the usual FEC regulation during Federal election campaigns.

Under the newly adopted rule, an established nonprofit advocacy organization whose major purpose is not candidate elections, a corporation, or a union, can fund communications that mention a Federal candidate’s name, even during an election, where the communication contains no words of “express advocacy,” (i.e., “vote for,” “vote against,” “support,” “oppose,” etc.) and where the content of the communication focuses on a public policy issue and either urges a candidate to take a position on the issue or urges the public to contact the candidate about the issue.

The new rule isn’t much help to clever political consultants that want to start new nonprofit organizations for the purpose of intervening in an election with what liberals call “sham” election ads. However, it is a big help to existing nonprofit organizations that want to continue articulating their mission to the… Read More

With the approximately 1.1 million signatures gathered statewide in hand, a press conference was held this morningat the Sacramento County Elections Office to ceremoniously turn in several boxes of petitions from Sacramento County voters for the California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act.

Some of the manyindividualson hand were representatives from various pro-property rights groups or supporters including Howard Jarvis TaxpayersAssociationand theirspokesman Jon Coupal; California Farm Bureau, [Vice President Kenny Watkins] ; National Federation of Independent Business executive director John Kabateck; chairman of the California Alliance to Protect Private Property Rights, former Senator Jim Nielsen; the Hispanic Chamber Of Commerce Chairman Ken Macias; former Congressman Doug Ose; and another Doug, myself, were among those that spoke.

All 58 countiesshouldreceive their petitions bytomorrow, ending the first, and successful, petition drive… Read More

Great news for California taxpayers. King Fabian “Loius Vuitton” Nunez has officially called off next week’s legislative special session. Apparently all of the forces of evil that want to expand state government’s role in health care couldn’t get on the same play sheet.

That’s good news going into a quiet Thanksgiving weekend.… Read More