A recent $1,000 a head fundraiser held for Cathleen Galgiani, the Democrat candidate in the 17th AD has a strange odor to it. Unlike many "end of the session" fundraisers that are timed with the passage of hundreds of bills, this one was hosted by Assembly Democrat staff members in charge of Agriculture policy and the analysis of legislation.

The event doesn’t quite pass the smell test, the fate of dozens of agriculture bills will be decided in the coming days and staff plays a key role in shaping the debate on these issues. Campaign ethics 101 — don’t mix policy with fundraising.

This might not cross the line, but it comes awfully close.… Read More

The Lancaster City Council has decided to add a box on city business applications that requires owners to say they won’t hire illegals. See article here.

I don’t have a problem with that. Why not. But there are other boxes that should be put on to right?

here would be my favorite

I will never tell a vendor that the check is in the mail when it isn’t.

I hope you see the problem. People that will do things that are wrong will just check the box. –Unless there is a box that says I will never check a box that I will do soemthing without really meaning to do it.

There problem solved.… Read More

I am fascinated by what people choose as their ballot designations, those three words you get to describe yourself. Unless you are an incumbent, you have more liberal ability to use more text.

But so far this year I have two favorites…

CITY OF TUSTIN – Nekoda Mae Mattox…Retail employee This doesn’t exactly instill any confidence of leadership ability. Although his/her (I am not really sure what it is) probably has a better handle on finance knowing how to make change from a $20, than most candidates for local office.

OCEANVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT – Les Tait…Industrial Firefighter I am unsure what that means. Perhaps since my brother has an industrial warehouse and a fire extinguisher could he be an industrial firefighter?

More soon…… Read More

Today, in a sharp step away from the free-market principles of Ronald Reagan and Milton Friedman, Govenor Schwarzenegger has entered into an alliance with the most liberal elements of our State Legislature to impose government price-controls on prescription drugs.

THIS IS HORRIBLE PUBLIC POLICY.

I cannot say it any better than Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia in the following statement just released from his office:

“Republicans agree that expanding access to prescription drugs is an important priority, but we have many serious concerns about this prescription drug plan.

“By forcing companies to cut drug prices through price controls, which is the practical effect of this measure, we will jeopardize the development of life-saving drugs for all 35 million people in our state, drive up health insurance costs for all insured Californians, and threaten the jobs of thousands of highly skilled workers in this critical industry.

“Using a heavy-handed approach to force drug companies to participate may have the unintended and dangerous consequence of taking away critical medications for vulnerable Californians… Read More

Last night Mike Osborn was elected Chairman of the Ventura County Republican Party by a 2/3 supermajority. It’s no great secret that the Ventura Republican Party has had a checkered and troubled past – torn and tattered by ideological and personal feuds. This overwhelming demonstration of support for Osborn gives the committee the rare opportunity to refocus on the basic tasks of a County Republican Party: registering new Republicans, enlisting and training precinct captains for advocacy and gotv programs, recruiting GOP candidates, and raising the money to accomplish those goals. None of those tasks are as fun as fighting over party leadership or passing resolutions, but for a political party to be meaningful those are the jobs that need doing.

Congratulations to the Ventura County Republican Party for an orderly election, and congratulations to new Chairman Mike Osborn.… Read More

OK, so we thought we knew how far to the left Phil Angelides is. We knew he was hanging out over there in the nosebleed seats high above left field with Mark Leno and Howard Dean. But now we see he’s barely in the ballpark at all.

Angelides has a bona fide, unabashed socialist working on his behalf. He’s making TV appearances on Angelides’ behalf and writing blog posts at a pro-Phil website.

And guess what else? He’s a union organizer, and he used to be a national official for the Young Democratic Socialists.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

OK, so we thought we knew how far to the left Phil Angelides is. We knew he was hanging out over there in the nosebleed seats high above left field with Mark Leno and Howard Dean. But now we see he’s barely in the ballpark at all.

Angelides has a bona fide, unabashed socialist working on his behalf. He’s making TV appearances on Angelides’ behalf and writing blog posts at a pro-Phil website.

And guess what else? He’s a union organizer, and he used to be a national official for the Young Democratic Socialists.

His name is Daraka Larimore-Hall, and on Tuesday he appeared as a surrogate for Angelides on Santa Barbara TV, defending Angelides’ plan to dismantle Prop. 13.

Larimore-Hall, who says he’s a PhD student in sociology, is one of the principal writers at a new website that insists it is not affiliated with the Angelides campaign, but posts campaign material and helps get people to Angelides’ campaign events.

You should read what Larimore-Hall’s Young Democratic Socialists are all about, taken from its website:… Read More

Like my favorite HBO series Carnivale, I’m taking a brief hiatus. I’ll be back blogging for FlashReport sometime mid-September.

Going on a trip or looking for a short book to read over Labor Day? Check out Without Roots: The West, Relativism, Christianity, Islam by Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, forward by George Weigel, who wrote an interestingbook entitled, The Cube and the Cathedral.… Read More