Like other small businesses, Meridian Pacific is always keeping an eye on the bottom line. Our new Workers’ Compensation premiums just came in and we are going to save $1,400 this year. Other California small businesses are likely seeing the same results from the reforms Governor Schwarzenegger championed 2 years ago.… Read More

If you want to be in political vogue this year, here’s what you need to know. The slogan “live within our means” is out, pandering to Latino voters is in. That’s why you see Arnold and the Democrats falling all over themselves to get close to the new “It” voter for 2006.

Republicans, never having been the cool kids in the building (as the capitol is known), are slow to play along and throw out last year’s chinos for this year’s cargo pants. Republicans are still stuck on fixing the structural deficit and passing a responsible budget. Others have different ideas.

While Democrats voted to cut $148 million from the budget for public safety, they were busy adding $300 million in new spending on welfare for illegal immigrants.

Gone is money in the budget that takes a proactive approach to surveillance and arrest of habitual sexual offenders.

Gone is money in the budget to provide guidance and mentorships to nearly 210,000 juveniles arrested yearly.

Gone is money in the budget to expand the number of community police officers.

Law enforcement groups say the average cost to hire a new police officer is… Read More

If you want to be in political vogue this year, here’s what you need to know. The slogan “live within our means” is out, pandering to Latino voters is in. That’s why you see Arnold and the Democrats falling all over themselves to get close to the new “It” voter for 2006.

Republicans, never having been the cool kids in the building (as the capitol is known), are slow to play along and throw out last year’s chinos for this year’s cargo pants. Republicans are still stuck on fixing the structural deficit and passing a responsible budget. Others have different ideas.

While Democrats voted to cut $148 million from the budget for public safety, they were busy adding $300 million in new spending on welfare for illegal immigrants.

Gone is money in the budget that takes a proactive approach to surveillance and arrest of habitual sexual offenders.

Gone is money in the budget to provide guidance and mentorships to nearly 210,000 juveniles arrested yearly.

Gone is money in the budget to expand the number of community police officers.

Law enforcement groups say the average cost to hire a new police officer is… Read More

Now that the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has actually placed what many saw as the inevitable on the November ballot (see June 5 news release), meaning joint use with the military of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar for SD’s future airport, the real fun begins.

The Authority spared nothing in "spending" (I’m being nice there) millions of dollars to get to a ballot question that the Marines have opposed all along, and now no expense will be spared by various interests to get the thing passed….or defeated.

If folks in SD thought Bilbray-Busby was bad from an inundation in advertising standpoint, hang on to your seats for this one. Folks are starting to line-up.

Matt Potter in the San Diego Reader on Thursday mentioned the first horses out of the gate, a group… Read More

Recently, some Republicanleaders werenoted in the press as having the goalof transformingCalifornia into a ‘purple’ (or ‘swing’ state) rather than intoa red (safe Republican)state. The presumption behind this thought is that given the raw registration numbers, the ideological numbers, and the current gerrymandered districts, it’s a more attainable goal to move the state into the push column rather than establish political hegemony.

I agree, at least for the foreseeable future. While total victory is an admirable goal under most circumstances, there are circumstances where one’s strategic interests and the actual situation on the ground dictates a less comprehensive short or medium term solution. For the California Republican Party simply being in the game to run the government would be an enormous victory. And for our national party, forcing the Democrats to view California as a swing state and spend tens of millions of dollars to defend it in Presidential, Senate, and Congressional elections, would be a blessing.

I’ve had brief discussions on this issue with a few more or less brainy campaign… Read More

Recently, some Republicanleaders werenoted in the press as having the goalof transformingCalifornia into a ‘purple’ (or ‘swing’ state) rather than intoa red (safe Republican)state. The presumption behind this thought is that given the raw registration numbers, the ideological numbers, and the current gerrymandered districts, it’s a more attainable goal to move the state into the push column rather than establish political hegemony.

I agree, at least for the foreseeable future. While total victory is an admirable goal under most circumstances, there are circumstances where one’s strategic interests and the actual situation on the ground dictates a less comprehensive short or medium term solution. For the California Republican Party simply being in the game to run the government would be an enormous victory. And for our national party, forcing the Democrats to view California as a swing state and spend tens of millions of dollars to defend it in Presidential, Senate, and Congressional elections, would be a blessing.

I’ve had brief discussions on this issue with a few more or less brainy campaign… Read More

Oakland may have a Commie as Mayor, but Long Beach still doesn’t know if incumbent councilman Jackie Kell would win in her bid to get around term limits as a write in. Mayor O’Neil did it four years ago. If you can believe it there are 1500 ballots that are unread. Read the story here.… Read More

The media called the Oakland’s mayors race mid-day the day after the election, but they moved too fast. In the following days, election officials “found” an additional 1,500 votes and the vote counting continued. In order to prevent a run-off, one candidate needed to get more then 50 percent of the vote. Former Congressman Ron Dellums “won” the race early on with 50.2% of the vote, but then his percentage dropped below 50% as the county continued to count absentee ballots. Earlier this week, officials then announced that they would not know the final results of the race until the week’s end.… Read More