Here is a column I wrote for this week’s issue of the OC Metro. I will have more thoughts for you on the subject of immigration after the President’s speech on Monday night. Enjoy:

Immigration Solution Broad agreement on basic tenets can point the way forward

As I write this, Congress has not yet been able to come to agreement on an immigration bill. I suspect that that will still be the case by the time you read this. This is a difficult issue to agree on because of the volatility and emotion surrounding it lately.

Our TV screens have been filled with lots of images of the extremes on the issue of illegal immigration. On one side are those who would have no border controls and allow anyone to come here and claim all the rights of citizenship on whatever basis they choose (including terrorists). On the other side are some people who are against all immigration, legal or otherwise.

Once we reject those ideas from the fringes, I think there are a few tenets of the immigration issue that can be embraced by the vast majority of rational-thinking individuals in the middle. These tenets are not a complete solution. But they are a guide… Read More

In the upcoming special election in the 50th Congressional District, conservatives must come out to the polls and vote for Brian Bilbray. Why is this, you ask? Bilbray has an iffy-record on holding the line on Congressional spending, he supports abortion rights, opposes traditional family values, earned himself a flunking grade from the National Rifle Association, and proudly is endorsed from a lot of the folks in Washington who are a part of our spending nightmare in Congress (Bilbray’s press release touting the endorsement of House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, famously dubbed the ‘King of Pork’ was an ominous foreshadowing of where Bilbray will fall in the ‘order of things’ in the House Republican Conference). The reason for electing Bilbray, which is our reason for defeating Francine Busby (a flaming lefty), is to maintain a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. I don’t have to paint to big of a picture for you — just… Read More

In the upcoming special election in the 50th Congressional District, conservatives must come out to the polls and vote for Brian Bilbray. Why is this, you ask? Bilbray has an iffy-record on holding the line on Congressional spending, he supports abortion rights, opposes traditional family values, earned himself a flunking grade from the National Rifle Association, and proudly is endorsed from a lot of the folks in Washington who are a part of our spending nightmare in Congress (Bilbray’s press release touting the endorsement of House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, famously dubbed the ‘King of Pork’ was an ominous foreshadowing of where Bilbray will fall in the ‘order of things’ in the House Republican Conference). The reason for electing Bilbray, which is our reason for defeating Francine Busby (a flaming lefty), is to maintain a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. I don’t have to paint to big of a picture for you — just… Read More

In deference to the women in my life (mom, wife, daughter), as well as so my daughter and I may appropriately serve breakfast in bed to her mom tomorrow morning — instead of me tapping away at the keyboard — consider this late nite Saturday post my weekly Sunday San Diego.

Standing up for Soledad… Speaking of moms, I think I made mine proud several years ago when I first engaged in the battle to save the Mt. Soledad and Mt. Helix crosses. That was 1989…same anti-cross judge today…and the legal battle continues.

For those who don’t believe there’s a difference between Mayor Jerry Sanders and almost Mayor Donna Frye, here’s an issue that spells out a huge chasm in philosophies between the two. Frye has consistently voted against upholding the will of the people to save La Jolla’s Mt. Soledad Memorial. Sanders, alternatively,last week stood BIG TIME in support of the Memorial, along with backing Duncan… Read More

**With Updates**

How delicious! The LA Times today explores how SB 1437 — the bill to mandate the public school textbooks include the contributions of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders — would be implemented in reality.

"Would the state of California ‘out’ Abe Lincoln, now that a controversial biography has suggested that he not only changed the course of a nation but also shared a bed with men?

"Would Eleanor Roosevelt be singled out not just for her seminal work pursuing the New Deal and fighting for human rights, but for her relationship with a woman?" (LA Times, 6/13/06)

Or how ’bout this one for all you California political gossips out there — Would the state of California speculate on the sexual preferences of former Governors Jerry Brown and Gray Davis?

After all, speculation about their ambiguous sexuality has existed for a couple decades. Don’t all the lesbian and gay students who struggle with their own sexual identity and who are at risk of higher rates of suicide (according to the supporters of SB 1437) deserve to have role models… Read More

A hearty congratulations from everyone here at Team FlashReport goes out to our friend Assemblyman Mike Villines of Fresno. Last week, Villines was tapped by Assembly Republicans (and their leader, George Plescia) to head up their elections and political efforts going into the fall elections. Villines, a strong conservative, is considered by many to be a rising star among Republican legislators in Sacramento because of his political acumen. Clearly this must be a sentiment shared by his colleagues as he has been tapped with a very important post. We’ll try to find out who will be serving on this important committee with Villines. In the meantime, I caught up to Mike this morning while he was driving across the Fresno County/Madera County line (I kid you not, on his way to a "Flatlanders Parade" — pretty funny). I spoke with him about his new role, and he is pretty excited about it.

"I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves, and working with my colleagues to… Read More

A hearty congratulations from everyone here at Team FlashReport goes out to our friend Assemblyman Mike Villines of Fresno. Last week, Villines was tapped by Assembly Republicans (and their leader, George Plescia) to head up their elections and political efforts going into the fall elections. Villines, a strong conservative, is considered by many to be a rising star among Republican legislators in Sacramento because of his political acumen. Clearly this must be a sentiment shared by his colleagues as he has been tapped with a very important post. We’ll try to find out who will be serving on this important committee with Villines. In the meantime, I caught up to Mike this morning while he was driving across the Fresno County/Madera County line (I kid you not, on his way to a "Flatlanders Parade" — pretty funny). I spoke with him about his new role, and he is pretty excited about it.

"I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves, and working with my colleagues to… Read More

Part of being the skinny Mid-western kid (ah …have you seen yourself in the mirror lately Mr. Justin? ) is not only am I driven by guilt, I don’t like being told I can’t do something….I told Fleischman that I was going to post on the 4th DistrictBoard of Sups race he told me …"sure you are". That’s the surest way to get me to post, even if it’s not well thought out (your’s rarely are baldie )

So here goes my half baked post just to spite Jon.

There are 5 folks running for the 4th district board of sups…1 current Modesto City Councilwoman — Janice Keating (of Barbara Keating decent), 2 former City Councilmen — Tim Fisher and Balvino Irizarry (known by politicos simply as Balvino), 1 former Mayor up for 10 charges of corruption— Carmen Sabatino, and 1 former State Senator — Dick Monteith. (Flash disclaimer: Steve Presson elected Dick Monteith, Monteith fired him because of Steve’s prickly personality, I elected… Read More