USC has produced many Republican activists. I run into many, especially in the OC.

Today is a very big day.

USC meets North Carolina in the NCAA Basketball tournament (my prediction isUSC will lose) AND it is also the Northrop Grumman sponsored Second Annual California Leadership Summit for the Transgender Movement at the USC campus. With speakers from groups like GenderQueer Revolution and as a bonus an "unofficial"AA meeting, I know some of my USC friends may be confused about which event to participate it in.

Then again that may be the point.

The event is sold out, but you can read more and get on a waiting list here.… Read More

Recently, the Sacramento Bee ran some news stories about some very unusual goings-on with the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. The stuff they were publishing was so outrageous that I thought I would do a little bit of nosing around myself. My take is that there was a ‘real story’ here, one that didn’t get told by the Bee’s version of what happened…

All of the hubbub has come about because of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts to clean up years of abuse by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners (BCE) under the Davis Administration

Three people controlled the BCE since Davis took office in 1998. They seemed to enjoy unmanaged control of who was appointed to the BCE and had their way with enormous regulatory powers. Despite growing opposition from consumer and professional associations, scandals continued to plague the BCE until two weeks ago. With a Board filled with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appointees, the BCE terminated Executive Director Catherine Hayes, and showed a lack of confidence with her ally and friend Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Jana Tuton by asking her leave the room for an Executive Session.… Read More

Recently, the Sacramento Bee ran some news stories about some very unusual goings-on with the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. The stuff they were publishing was so outrageous that I thought I would do a little bit of nosing around myself. My take is that there was a ‘real story’ here, one that didn’t get told by the Bee’s version of what happened…

All of the hubbub has come about because of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts to clean up years of abuse by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners (BCE) under the Davis Administration

Three people controlled the BCE since Davis took office in 1998. They seemed to enjoy unmanaged control of who was appointed to the BCE and had their way with enormous regulatory powers. Despite growing opposition from consumer and professional associations, scandals continued to plague the BCE until two weeks ago. With a Board filled with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appointees, the BCE terminated Executive Director Catherine Hayes, and showed a lack of confidence with her ally and friend Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Jana Tuton by asking her leave the room for an Executive Session.… Read More

If chance or business finds you in San Diego, and you have some free time, you might want to go to breakfast at Hob Nob, or lunch at Mammas and Papas, dinner at Bullys, or a cocktail at Imperial Housewith someone worth spending the meal with. After all, how many breakfast have you had where the coffee is better than the conversation? I recommend the following people as interesting,smart, amusing people to spend an hour with(elected officials have been excluded since the end of a meal with one of them invariably involves some chore, and God knows I’ve missed someone obvious, and these people are in no particular order, and maybe I’ve spelled a name wrong, and actually I don’t even like every one of them but they all qualify as worth some of your time…):

CAROL REED. Carol is a lifelong San Diego East County conservative activist. Think background, on everything. This, I think, is best done over breakfast.

CRAIG BENEDETTO. Craig runs a successful pr/lobbying firm downtown, and is one of the few of that ilk in San Diego that I’d recommend to a friend. I don’t always agree with him, but he’s sharp in defending his… Read More

Orange County Superior Court Judge Randall Wilkinson today denied Plaintiff Jim Gilchrist’s request for a writ of possession to regain control of Minuteman Project, Inc., and scheduled another hearing on April 25 as to whether or not the Court should appoint a receiver for Minuteman assets pending trial. Gilchrist’s application for a preliminary injunction against Defendants Barbara Coe, Deborah Courtenay, and Marvin Stewart was also denied in large part — the only order issued being that the Defendants can’t use Gilchrist’s signature in fundraising or spend donations to Minuteman Project, Inc, in their possession pending trial. But Gilchrist’s request to enjoin the Defendants from claiming they are members of the Board of Directors of Minuteman Project, Inc., was denied. Gilchrist was also ordered to post a $15,000 bond.

The Defendants feel they have won a victory in the case, and welcome court-ordered receivership of Minuteman Project, Inc. assets pending a trial on the merits.… Read More

Largest Tax Increase Ever: I spent most of yesterday participating in the Budget Committee’s proceedings on the budget for 2008. Our hearing lasted from 10 AM yesterday until 1 AM this morning. And the Budget that the Democrats proposed and approved (without my support) contained huge spending increases and the largest tax increase in American history. Below are the details of this proposal, which will be considered on by the whole House next week:

Their budget proposes the largest tax increase in American history – The Democrat’s budget calls for a tax increase of every tax bracket, slashes the child tax credit, raises the death tax, and reinstates the marriage penalty. And this is just a sampling, there is more. In all, the Democrat’s plan will cost taxpayers over $390 billion in the next 5 years. What is particularly frustrating about this ill-advised action is that the Democrats are blatantly ignoring the economic consequences and fiscal benefits that lower taxes have brought to the treasury the past few years. Revenue has increased in double digits the last two years alone because of the economic expansion… Read More

We have learned that activist Anita Anderson has submitted another initiative to the Attorney General’s office. The new proposed initiative is aimed squarely at one of the Legislature’s key perks – gifts to legislators. Anderson’s first initiative would eliminate tax-free per diem for legislators. The new proposal is a sweeping ban on gifts to legislators from lobbyists, lobbying firms, or from "any entity that, during the previous twelve months, has employed a lobbyist or retained a lobbying firm or is a member of a trade association that employs a lobbyist or lobbying firm." That means no more junkets to Hawaii, golfing trips to Pebble Beach, or tickets to Kings basketball games or the Academy Awards.

The two initiatives paired together create a powerful one-two punch to legislators by eliminating their two favorite things – per diem and gifts. Insiders know the real force behind these initiatives is US Term Limits which is most unhappy about the Legislature’s game-playing on trying to extend legislative terms. US Term Limits President Paul Jacob promised last year there would be an initiative targeting per diem… Read More

LB Reporttells us the Dems have at least two candidates for the termed out Assembly seat of Betty Karnette (Dem) They have Long Beach Vice Mayor/1st district Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal runningas well as Long Beach Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga is "publicly pursuing" the race.

On the GOP side they expect former Vice Mayor/Councilman and Lincoln Club Board of Governors memberFrank Colonna to run. See thepiecehere. I also understand that the GOP nominee last time, Michael Jackson (of course not the singer/dancer/lover of children) will make another attempt.

This district has the best GOP registration of any seat held be a Democrat in Los Angeles County.

… Read More