At lunch, I went to fill up the gas tank. I usually go to this one 76 station around work because it’s almost always fifty cents cheaper than any station around my home (and it’s even cheaper than Costco). I usually purchase 87-octane, though I know it’s rubbish for the car.

Upon my arrival at the station today, I noticed someone – presumably the owner or manager – hadtaped white papers with"NO 87" over the 87-octane price on every pump. Dejected and suspicious, I went into the station office to ask what was wrong. There was a long line ofprospective customersin the office waiting to get an answer to the same question. Theattendent repetitiously notified each one of us that the "NO 87" message wasn’t about the station’s supply, rather it was a message to each one of us to vote "No" on Proposition 87 on Election Day. I smiled.

Clever, no?… Read More

The Wal-Mart in Rosemead is open. See here. The real question is will voters oust pro-Wal-Mart council members next week, eventhough the Wal-Mart is open. See previous posts here.… Read More

I write today to add to the words of Publisher Jon Fleischman in today’s commentary.

Senator "Linc" Chafee’s primary win over conservative Steve Laffey is no cause for celebration in any quarter of the country, and is another reason why I hang up on RNC telemarketers and have contempt forthe national Republican Party.RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman says we need to keep our "majority" in the US Senate. Really? I didn’t know we had a "majority" in the Senate. Isn’t the Senate where all good legislation goes to die? How many bills have passed out of the House and died in the Senate? What has our Senate "majority" accomplished?

Part of the problem is how we now define the word "moderate". I’m always told that I need to support "moderates". Moderate in the GOP used to mean "pro – choice" on abortion and a general avoidance of social issues in politics. Now it means raising the minimum wage, opposing the war on terrorism, failing make tax cuts permanent, signing an ominousgreenhouse gas bill, giving special rights to transvestites, running deficits,… Read More

The League of Commun…er, I mean California Cities, not typically known for conservatism, has come out in support of Jessica’s Law. This, while also supporting nearly every bond and tax increase on the November ballot, as well as opposing the Prop 90 Save Our Homes Initiative (see thelist of the League’s positions).

It just goes to show that even when measured byan organization that will usually come out against anything the state does that could be construed as anti-local control (and this is where the League is often right), what a no-brainer Jessica’s Law is.

The Jessica’s Law press release could have been titled, "EVEN the League of California Cities Supports this Thing!" Here’s what the release does say:

SACRAMENTO – The League of California Cities has voted unanimously to endorse Proposition 83-Jessica’s Law which will toughen penalties on sex offenders and is a comprehensive approach… Read More

Nothing to do with California politics, but everything to do with our personal safety, interrogation methods used on terrorist are severely weakened by John McCain. You can read about it here.… Read More

What am I missing here?

Nobel winning economist Milton Friedman on government mandated wage hikes: "Minimum wage laws cost jobs. Employers cut out, or mechanize, jobs that are not worth the minimum rate to them. Worst affected are the inexperienced young people, those with poor skills, and minorities."

Arnold Schwarzenegger on Milton Friedman: See the VIDEO!

The purpose of a political party is not electing its own party members to a majority of public policymaking positions. The purpose of a political party is to see the policies that are espoused by that party enacted at the various levels of government. In the case of the Republican Party, it means that there is a serious challenge ahead of the GOP where Washington, D.C. is concerned. With a Republican President and GOP majorities in both houses of Congress, we have seen unprecedented growth in the size and scope of the federal government. So while the electoral mission of the Republican Party has been a success, Republicans are failing in the most important area — bringing our core vision of limited government and individual responsibility into public policy. On the contrary, while the Republican Party continues to wrap itself in the messaging that elected Ronald Reagan, the cold, hard reality is that the GOP has presided over largesse.

What is the solution? Well, one solution is for the Republican Party and its ancillary committees… Read More

The purpose of a political party is not electing its own party members to a majority of public policymaking positions. The purpose of a political party is to see the policies that are espoused by that party enacted at the various levels of government. In the case of the Republican Party, it means that there is a serious challenge ahead of the GOP where Washington, D.C. is concerned. With a Republican President and GOP majorities in both houses of Congress, we have seen unprecedented growth in the size and scope of the federal government. So while the electoral mission of the Republican Party has been a success, Republicans are failing in the most important area — bringing our core vision of limited government and individual responsibility into public policy. On the contrary, while the Republican Party continues to wrap itself in the messaging that elected Ronald Reagan, the cold, hard reality is that the GOP has presided over largesse.

What is the solution? Well, one solution is for the Republican Party and its ancillary committees… Read More