In 1978, Chicago Tribune political columnist Mike Royko coined the moniker "Governor Moonbeam” to describe then-California Governor Jerry Brown. "Governor Moonbeam" would become part of the national political lexicon to permanently refer to Jerry Brown and his quirky and often strange behavior as an elected official and perennial political candidate (Jerry Brown would often stand for election to offices of which he had no chance to win).

Out of elective office for 15 years, Brown rediscovered success in 1998 with his surprising victory in an open seat for the mayor of Oakland, Jerry Brown’s adopted hometown. The mayoral victory in one of the nation’s most Democratic and liberal cities suggested that Brown was in the beginning stage of a political comeback.

Last year, Jerry Brown – a figure whose eight-year governorship frequently drew the ire of law enforcement organizations due to his multiple vetoes of tough-on-crime legislation and his controversial judicial… Read More

In 1978, Chicago Tribune political columnist Mike Royko coined the moniker "Governor Moonbeam” to describe then-California Governor Jerry Brown. "Governor Moonbeam" would become part of the national political lexicon to permanently refer to Jerry Brown and his quirky and often strange behavior as an elected official and perennial political candidate (Jerry Brown would often stand for election to offices of which he had no chance to win).

Out of elective office for 15 years, Brown rediscovered success in 1998 with his surprising victory in an open seat for the mayor of Oakland, Jerry Brown’s adopted hometown. The mayoral victory in one of the nation’s most Democratic and liberal cities suggested that Brown was in the beginning stage of a political comeback.

Last year, Jerry Brown – a figure whose eight-year governorship frequently drew the ire of law enforcement organizations due to his multiple vetoes of tough-on-crime legislation and his controversial judicial… Read More

Today the United States Olympic Organizing Committee has decided to choose Chicago over Los Angeles as the site for our country’s bid to bring the 2016 Olympic Games to America. The field had already been narrowed down to these two finalists.

I guess this is good news or bad news depending on how you look at it. I will let other people share their perspective, but I will tell you that as far as I am concerned, this is great news on two levels.

From a concerned-taxpayer perspective, I was very disturbed to see the State of California provide a financial guarantee (courtesy of taxpayer dollars) in case the games lose money. How much? If the games were to tank financially, we’d be on the hook for up to $250,000,000.00.

Let me share another perspective on why this is good news for… me. I love the Olympic Games. There is almost nothing the beats being present to watch the best athletes in the world compete against one another! To give you an idea of my enthusiasm, in 2004, I made… Read More

– Senator Feinstein is under scrutiny for some of her/her husbands dealings…I have always preached that we should all be careful what we wish for. If she has a true financial conflict of interest based on the law. Shame on her. If there is not legal conflict, only one that is perceived. Shame on her accusers.

– I don’t know much about the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) other than I pay it. And it is a major disincentive for charitable giving. Once the AMT kicks in, the deductions you take for contributions to non-profits often times fall out.

– State Senator Abel Maldonado is right. Mission San Miguel and others like it that dot the California landscape and shaped our history should be eligible state funds for rehab. I am not sure it isn’t the job of the Church or private sector or some non-profit (for which you won’t get a tax deduction for giving to because of the AMT) but if state funds are being used to fix up… Read More

– Senator Feinstein is under scrutiny for some of her/her husbands dealings…I have always preached that we should all be careful what we wish for. If she has a true financial conflict of interest based on the law. Shame on her. If there is not legal conflict, only one that is perceived. Shame on her accusers.

– I don’t know much about the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) other than I pay it. And it is a major disincentive for charitable giving. Once the AMT kicks in, the deductions you take for contributions to non-profits often times fall out.

– State Senator Abel Maldonado is right. Mission San Miguel and others like it that dot the California landscape and shaped our history should be eligible state funds for rehab. I am not sure it isn’t the job of the Church or private sector or some non-profit (for which you won’t get a tax deduction for giving to because of the AMT) but if state funds are being used to fix up… Read More

This is my Friday the 13th blog. Diane Dimond wrote a great book about Michael Jackson’s infidelities called "Be Careful Who You Love." Given the New York Times report today about Karl Rove’s emails, one could also say, "be careful who you email."

Pesky Congressional Democrats are seeking copies of Rove’s emails as further proof of misdoing regarding the U.S. Attorney scandal, which itself is a scandal, since the President has constitutional authority to appoint and remove U.S. Attorneys.

Nevertheless, Congressman Waxman (D-LA, CA) insists that according to the "Presidential Records Act," a sort of Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") applied to the White House, that he is entitled to copies of all of Rove’s emails, even those sent and received through a private RNC system set-up in the White House.

Who knows how this will resolve itself. It is all a bunch of foolishness from the Democrats anyway, since between 1933 and 1981 there are probably 50 years of incriminating interoffice memos between Democratic Presidents, Congressional democrats, and the DNCabout… Read More

This tidbit appeared in the Capitol Morning Report today: Today is the last day to take the "Waterless Urinals 101" class at the Cal/EPA building. The building manager, Thomas Properties Group, has offered the class three times this week to prepare male staffers for urinals that not only don’t flush but have no water. The secret is a urine-trapping cartridge that replaces the drain of a traditional urinal. The urine flows through the cartridge and is sealed beneath a check valve made of the same material used for leg urinals for astronauts. Odors are also sealed beneath the valve. Urine then flows down through the building’s plumbing. (Plain urine, it seems, is no more corrosive… Read More

One would think from Dennis Hollingsworth’s bill package this year that he’s got it out for sexually violent predators or something, or maybe even that he believes the state should be trying to protect kids. Now, there’s a thought. Perhaps that’s why he’s the legislative chairman of Project KidSafe.

Kudos to Sen. Hollingsworth for focusing onlegislation where it will mean the most. If another legislator has a set of bills as "KidSafe"-oriented as this one, let’s pay some tribute there as well…just let me know.

Now, if we can just get the majority party to support a few of these:

Project KidSafe: Sexually Violent Predators (SVPs)

Falsifying Registration Information: In October 2006, a Sexually Violent Predator named Matt Lyon Williams was released unconditionally in East San Diego County and proceeded to register as a transient. His case revealed several loopholes in the sex offender laws.… Read More