Phil Angelides might want to think about taking a family vacation to shore up votes on the home-team, as he starts to plummet so low in public opinion polls that he might not even get a majority vote at a family reunion. Who would have thought that in a state with a plurality of Democrat voters that a nominee of the party of Barbara Boxer would be suffering a double-digit deficit to a Republican Governor? Well, it isn’t rocket science. Phil Angelides is his own worst enemy. We are talking about someone who has embraced just about every form of higher taxes possible, and who has views on everything from the environment to illegal immigration that put him so far out to the left that he makes Arnold’s Uncle, Ted Kennedy, look moderate. But as much as we would all like to give Phil Angelides full credit for his deficit in public polling, we can only give him credit for being an ultra-left wing radical who has all of the charisma of a Certified Public Accountant (sorry if I have offended any of my CPA friends). Much of the credit for the Governor’s now 13 point lead (there are lots of polls, with varying leads, but that’s the latest… Read More

The article below runs in Roll Call magazine. While it would certainly seem that Jerry Lewis, our Californian who heads up the House Appropriations (spending) Committee, is willing to ‘game’ the system to help his staff, it more importantly illustrates the problem with this earmarking system in Congress. We need a solution, and fast. Of course, Lewis’ PR problems would be much less if his track record as Chairman of the House ‘Spending’ Committee was one of fiscal conservatism. Instead, he is part of a House Leadership that has presided over unprecented growth in the federal government, while giving lip-service to the idea of a limited federal government.

Pay Cut Let Lewis Aide Dodge Ban By Paul Kane… Read More

I about pissed my pants (can I say that on here?)when I read the comments responding to Henretty’s recent post……I’ve never met Steven Maviglio and I’m sure he’s not just some Democrat staff spokes guy…he’s got a little experience I gather…but the entertainment value alone that Mulholland’s replacement (?) actually had the time tospend togo back and forth with Henretty on her blog….after the Field Poll….and now the PPI poll…my sense is that you have plenty to do…and probably should spend your limited time shoring up theKossaks over at the dailykos….not Karen….or the readers of this site….but as I said the entertainment value alone was freaking worth the price of admission….keep coming back.… Read More

The other day I had coffee with an un-named gentleman who has been in California and national politics since probably the 1950’s. He looked over his coffee (black, thank the Lord) and noted that when he was in his 30’s most business was done in smoky, more whiskey and gin laden atmospheres. And that he thought the more social aspect of politics in years gone by also lubricated the actual getting of things done. He also mentioned the particular formula of his favorite drink – a gin martini.

Having made the wide-awake at midnight, knot in the stomach promise to that self-same deity above that if I won a particular race or two in June I would run 3 miles a day or so and drink nothing but beer as a shield against boring conversation, until the quickening of the November Election and my return to San Diego’s dread Alby’s, the recipe of this un-named gentleman’s martini interested me. From time to time, before my pledge, you see, I was inclined to order a gin myself.

Anyway, so this was on my mind as I was reading “Casino Royale” which I believe to be the first James Bond novel (Ian Fleming, 1953). And on page 40 there… Read More

HEADLINE: Mood on illegal immigration surprises governor

LEDE: “Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — a day after expressing the view that his past support of Proposition 187 was ‘the wrong decision’ — said Tuesday he has been surprised at the anger and ‘intensity of prejudice’’ he has sometimes encountered among voters on the issue of illegal immigration as he campaigns statewide.” (San Francisco Chronicle, July 26, 2006)

The most interesting information in Tuesday’s Field Poll, which shows Gov. Schwarzenegger with an eight point lead over Treasurer Phil Angelides in the race for governor, is not the snapshot in time of how the gubernatorial race is shaping up. No, the most interesting information is about the issues of most importance to voters and how those issues may affect the November election.

The issue of greatest importance to voters in the Field Poll is illegal immigration, followed (very) closely by education.… Read More

Congressmen Devin Nunes, representing California’s 21st District, is stepping up to the plate on an energy bill that would service to provide great supply and a solid movement toward energy independence. An article in the Wall Street Journal today explains the program and frankly, its got a creative touch to it not often seen in new legislation. The measure creates an "Energy Independence Trust Fund" to receive oil and gas royalties from the oil companies once the energy is pulled out of the ground. Of course, Congress being what it is, there has to be ironclad rules against stealing (Congress calls this "borrowing") the cash out of this fund.

Its time now for Nunes and other young, articulate and energetic Members of Congress to step up on the immigration issue and develop a lasting solution that deals with the lack of federal government infrastructure to handle either a guest worker or deportation program.

The full article appears below: Congress Talks Up Alternative… Read More

I am sure if you are reading this, than you already read my commentary this morning where I take the Governor to task (as a supporter of his) for what he said at a campaign stop in La Mesa yesterday, "Never get mad at anyone that is trying to come to this country. I understand people wanting to be part of this state."

Over on his weblog, Sacramento Bee reporter Dan Weintraub had some thoughts after reading what I had to say:

My take is that illegal immigration, in and of itself, is a victimless crime. If people come here to work, which most illegal immigrants do, they are going to engage in a voluntary exchange of their labor for someone else’s money. They are not stealing, and, as a group, they are helping our economy, even if a few people at the lower end of the wage scale see their wages bid down. Illegal immigrants are also not harming legal immigrants or anyone

Senator Tom Harman narrowly won (by less than 300 votes) his Special Election contest earlier this year against Dana Point Councilwoman Diane Harkey (a Probolsky client).

Now it seems that he is trying to reach out to the community by hiring some known quantities like Councilman Mark Leyes and Cynthia Determan, a former Morrow staffer.

I have been an outspoken critic of the Senator in the past, given his electoral success has come at the expense of the GOP Primary process twice (he was first elected in the one ‘open primary’ that was later deemed illegal) and this last time won in a Special winner-take-all Election.

But I am keeping an open mind with my new Senator and his staff choices seem to indicate that he is too. Leyes is a well known conservative leader in his city and countywide. I also credit Duane Dichiara of Coronado Communications (his consultants) with helping Senator Harman reach out to parts of the party that have not traditionally been supportive of the Senator.

I… Read More