With a major case in the news, now is an excellent time for America, especially California, to take up criminal sentencing reform.

President Bush yesterday commuted the prison sentence of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff. Last month, Libby was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison, two years on probation, and a fine of $250,000 for being convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice.

Bush’s pardon leaves intact the fine and the two years of probation. Libby will have to spend his sentence under supervised probation. And as Bush said in his official statement, “My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby,” including the ruin of his… Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Campaign to Reform Eminent Domain Abuse Kicks Off Signature Gathering Legislature Continues to Consider Meaningless Property Rights Legislation

July 3, 2007 – Today, a broad coalition announced it is launching its efforts to begin the signature gathering process to qualify the California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act (CPOFPA) for the June 2008 ballot. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial Kelo v. New London decision two years ago, 41 states have enacted eminent domain reforms to protect the private property rights of citizens, with 20 states passing meaningful protections, but true reforms have eluded California so far.

Supporters of eminent domain reform cite the State Legislature’s consideration of the redevelopment industry’s ACA 8 as further evidence that no meaningful reform will be considered this year. ACA 8, submitted by Assemblyman Hector De Le Torre (South Gate), has been roundly criticized by… Read More

Breaking News in SD…..

Chula Vista council member indicted by grand jury By Tanya Mannes UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

CHULA VISTA – City Councilman Steve Castaneda, who has accused District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis of investigating him multiple times to pressure him to resign, has been indicted by a county grand jury, according to court records.

A listing of new filings in the San Diego Superior Court database listed the indictment dated Friday, but did not describe the charge or provide any other details. Read it all at Red County/San Diego.… Read More

From the Water Cooler…er, Bowl:

Washington State Woman Pleads Not Guilty After Registering Dog to Vote SEATTLE — Duncan the dog is still registered to vote, and his owner isn’t pleased.

Jane Balogh signed up the dog in protest of a 2005 state voter-registration law she thinks makes it too easy for noncitizens to vote. She used a paw print to mark ballots on Duncan’s behalf.

At first, Balogh said she wouldn’t contest a misdemeanor charge of making false statements on a voter registration form. But on Thursday, she pleaded not guilty to the charge that is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

She said she changed her mind when election officials claimed her efforts showed the system worked.

"She’s just kind of annoyed because Duncan’s still on the voting rolls," said her lawyer, Kristen Anderson. "Somebody is clearly not getting the message."

Laura Lockard, King County’s acting election program manager for voter services, said there is "an arduous process" to have someone, even if it’s a… Read More

The summer after highschool, I worked on a logging crew. We logged a swath of forest between Grass Valley and Lake Tahoe.I began as a "choke setter". Aftertrees were cut down, a bulldozer witha half dozeninch-and-a-half steel cables attached to the backwould pull up. My job was to grab the cables and quickly wrap them around the base of the trees setting slip knots, and then get the hell out of the way. The action was fast and furious and dusty as the bulldozer would roar away and the slip knots would tighten into the bark of the trees as they were jerked behind the big tractor. My personal goal wasnot tolose an arm or a leg.

As the summerwore on, Igot to know Jesse and his family. He was mid 50’s and had been logginghis whole life, justlike his dad. Jesse showed me the forest; how to fly fish,how to set up a campsite, what the different tracks and sounds were, andhe taught me about tree thinning.

Jesse’s a tree hugger.He made me a tree hugger, too. Iasked him about the damage to the forest we were causing with all the bulldozer tracks and such, so he took me on a two day hikeback into… Read More

The summer after highschool, I worked on a logging crew. We logged a swath of forest between Grass Valley and Lake Tahoe.I began as a "choke setter". Aftertrees were cut down, a bulldozer witha half dozeninch-and-a-half steel cables attached to the backwould pull up. My job was to grab the cables and quickly wrap them around the base of the trees setting slip knots, and then get the hell out of the way. The action was fast and furious and dusty as the bulldozer would roar away and the slip knots would tighten into the bark of the trees as they were jerked behind the big tractor. My personal goal wasnot tolose an arm or a leg.

As the summerwore on, Igot to know Jesse and his family. He was mid 50’s and had been logginghis whole life, justlike his dad. Jesse showed me the forest; how to fly fish,how to set up a campsite, what the different tracks and sounds were, andhe taught me about tree thinning.

Jesse’s a tree hugger.He made me a tree hugger, too. Iasked him about the damage to the forest we were causing with all the bulldozer tracks and such, so he took me on a two day hikeback into… Read More

Last month, whenever Canada was referenced in GOP leaning blogs, it was usually in conjunction with reports on media accounts of the California Republican Party’s hiring of a Canadian expatriate to serve in a top level capacity. Many news organizations weighed in the issue, some observers in favor of the move and some squarely against it.

But despite the criticism leveled during the hiring discussion, one theme remained constant among analysts, internet correspondents, and Republican Party activists: complete and total respect for the United States’ neighbor to the north, Canada.

Today is Canada Day, a day when Canadians celebrate their nation’s heritage. It is unquestionably the single most important day of national identity for Canadians everywhere.

It is estimated that Canadian citizens living in Southern California number in the tens of thousands.

In honor of Canada Day, it is important spotlight the contributions that Canada –especially under its new elected center-right government –are providing around the world,… Read More

About 17 or so years ago a young, bright San Diego up-and-comer was contemplating a run for State Assembly. Many in GOP circles were talking about him, as he clearly had a decent chance to take a legislative seat.

There was a problem, however … although it wasn’t a personal one for him, perhaps just a political one. Personally, he was in love with a young political reporter for the San Diego Union and they had become engaged. As the reporter often covered state legislative politics, she asked her employer about the situation and was told — as the story goes — that the pending marriage represented a potential conflict of interest, thus she would have to make a decision as to whether she wanted to continue her particular role at the newspaper.

The answer was simple … the young man opted not to pursue a political career at the moment, instead deciding to pursue his true heart. A smart man, I’d say.

What is remembered the most, though, is the big, annual San Diego County Republican Party Christmas Dinner — it had to be December 1989, if memory serves — and GOP Chair Betty Kujawa (rest her… Read More