[A lot of staffers can’t wait for the "rivalry weekend" to start. The week’s been packed with…well…packing and moving. (Yes, I know the legislative moving guys do most of the work.) Moving isn’t fun, unless you’re moving to a bigger office. Stanford versus Cal and USC versus UCLA will be a welcome break. But please allow me toss out this short commentary first.]

I am so glad to have the opportunity to pen a commentary the morning the FlashReport chose to feature an exclusive column by former UC Regent Ward Connerly. Campus leftists pelted with the stage with Oreos when he came to speak at UC Santa Barbara years ago and I’ve admired the man ever since.

Those of you who have graciously chosen to read my soapbox rantings will recall a month ago I commented on UC administrators’ efforts to… Read More

Many may remember Donna Arduin as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first Director of Finance for the State of California. Arduin came into the Schwarzenegger Administration with a track record of being a strong conservative, well versed on budgetary and finance matters, and lived up to her reputation. Arduin, who had been heading up Florida’s equivalent office for Governor Jeb Bush, had come out to be part of Team Arnold’s original transition after the recall election, and then agreed to stay on for a period of time.

After the first year of the Schwarzenegger Administration, Arduin left California to return home to quiet Tallahassee, Florida, which she calls home. She partnered up with famed economist Arthur Laffer in a consulting firm, and has been loving life. Donna keeps up on California politics by reading this website, and has written a couple of columns for us!

Today, it is being reported… Read More

LA attorney Paul Kavesh paid for a full page ad in the Daily Breeze entitled "The Democrats are back in power". He asked, "what do you do with your estate plan now?" Kavesh promises that "an overflow audience is anticipated" at his seminar and the Dems will soon increase estate taxes and income taxes.

In order for youto adjust to the new tax climate you can register for his seminar at the Torrance Hilton until tomorrow night. (See the two-part ad below.)

Estate planner Kavesh certainly is bettingthat with Dems in power there will be immediatetrauma to those who own real estate in California. At least this tax specialist gets the joke. Bad news for those who work, are homeowners and are over 45.… Read More

I find Dick Morris to beone of the more astute political observers around. Although there is no substitute to actually having the majority,I got a kick out of this editorial. Dick Morris: Pitiful Democrats

For all of the dire warnings and pre-election commotion about the impact of a Democratic majority in Congress, the fact is that — now that it is upon us — it can do little or nothing but harass the administration. There is no real danger of any legislative action emerging from this Congress.

Yes, the president has a veto the Democrats cannot override, but nothing will ever make it as far as the desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., are just spinning their wheels.

In the Senate, there is no such thing as a majority. Ever since the elder Bush’s administration, the filibuster has become routine. No longer reserved for civil-rights issues or for egregious legislation, it now is used to counter… Read More

Ironically, folks on the far left and the far right share a common woe…both have been dismissed by the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association). Inasmuch as advocates for creationism have failed to gain a toehold in America’s science classrooms, advocates for teaching kids about global warming have received the same cold shoulder from NSTA. Producers of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” can’t give away 50,000 free DVD’s to science teachers across the U.S., and they are blaming Exxon Mobil. See the article in the Washington Post.

All this, as the Supreme Court deliberates Massachusetts vs. EPA to decide whether or not carbon emissions are considered air pollutants that are causing global climate change.Their decision could have a tremendous impact on California’s AB32, a piece of legislation the California Chamber opposed to the bitter end, mandating reductions in… Read More

Here in beautiful Newport Beach, an endorsement letter is being circulated among the members for CRP Secretary, Jalene Forbis, who seeks to be the next Vice-Chair of the party. With Tom Del Beccaro, the current president of the County Chairman’s Association, and Former Assemblyman Tom Bordonaro both looking to fill the seat that will be vacated by heir-apparent, Ron Nehring in his quest to lead the CRP, this race is really starting to heat up. February should prove to be a very interesting time!

On that note, Ron, who joined us for a spot of lunch here in the OC, was very complimentary to all the prospective candidates for the Vice-Chairman’s seat, even when put on the spot by a pushy Freshman. Leadership through unity Ron! Good work.… Read More

As a consultant I take great pride in seeing my clients win. It sure is fun to win, especially in the face of huge opposition. OC Supervisor-Elect Pat Bates is a great example. She won in the face of a four-to-one fund raising advantage (Gilliard Blanning Wysocki ran her campaign, my firm did the polling).

Pat is also a great example of the gracious winner.

Since Election Day candidates like Bates who pulled off victories have fielded congratulatory calls, many from people who were not as supportive as they could have been during the election. Some from people who were no where to be found, but now want to be a father of their success.

The nature of many candidates is to question the intentions of those well wishers and ask "Where the hell were you last month when i needed another $10,000 to pay for that last piece of mail?"

But the gracious winner never says that. They smile, thank the caller for their kind words and do a little silent victory dance in their head.

We can all learn a lesson from candidates like Anaheim Councilwoman-Elect Lucille Kring. She is another gracious winner. Having taken out an incumbent… Read More

Proving they are more beholden to their union backers than they are their own constituents, a majority of the San Diego City Council on Tuesday told their fellowcitizens they shouldn’t be allowed to save money when grocery shopping.

Some are calling the council’s proposed law a “Big Box Ordinance,” as it bans large retailers that devote more than 10 percent of their floor space to non-taxable sales, such as groceries (i.e., no Wal-Mart Super Centers).

Let’s call it what it is, a “Big Brother Ordinance." Regardless of any other San Diego reforms being championed by Mayor Jerry Sanders, Big Brother is alive and well at City Hall.

We can’t besure if this Big Brother is embodied more by the city council majority or by those unions that have forced the issue, driving the council to do its bidding while ignoring anything akin to free market economics. Instead of trying to decide which is Big Brother, let’s just call the council majority and the unions “Big Brothers in… Read More