My commentary is very abbreviated today. There is a great profile on the FlashReport today in the San Diego Union Tribune. It is a main feature in an article penned by ace U-T political reporter John Marelius on the rising influence of political websites and blogs on politics. I’ve already gotten a dozen phone calls and even more e-mails this morning ‘letting me know’ about the piece. Needless to say, I have taken the liberty of making it the ‘top story’ today on the main page.

The article starts out:

Web sites’ influence on the rise statewide By John Marelius San Diego Union Tribube… Read More

Slate meister Brian Park has launched a new slate: National Guard Association of California PAC Voter Guide.

It’s a good idea and that is saying a lot from me. I have opined in the past that slates are a form of legalized extortion–if you don’t buy from them, they will just sell the spot to your opponent, maybe even for less just to mess with you.

There are some stand-up slate makers like Tim Carey, Scott Hart and Tom Kaptain. But some others are pretty shady characters. The utility of slates are big in countywide races and they are pretty much the only play for Board of Equalization campaigns. However, down ticket candidates like city council candidates often get lost in the mix.

This new National Guard slate is a good idea and will stand out in the slate world that relies heavily on old-school campaign style mail that often amounts to nothing more substantive than a picture of an American flag or a red white and blue donkey.

Fellow FR… Read More

OC Register editorialist Steve Greenhut has penned an excellent column in the Wall Street Journal on Anaheim’s freedom-friendly revolution inspired and led by Mayor Curt Pringle [full disclosure: I do some consulting work for Anaheim].

Greenhut’s column in a leading national publication focuses much-deserved attention on what Curt and his city council allies have accomplishes simply by embracing the free market, rather than trying to control and direct it. As Greenhut points out, most cities employ the latter approach — and their record of failure underscores the bankruptcy of that approach. However, city bureaucracies can become so addicted to the command-and-control approach to redevelopment that, like the classic definition of insanity, they keep trying the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result.

The power of what is happening in Anaheim is it provides a concrete example of how quickly the free market can revitalize a city — and without the abuse, heavy-handedness and political alienation that follow in the wake of traditional… Read More

My blogmate Barry Jantz has written a few times about the antics of the ‘Republican’ majority on the San Diego County School Board. There are three Republicans on the County Board – Sue Hartley, John Witt, and Bob Watkins. Two of the three Republican members recently voted to appoint Democrat Sharon Jones to a vacant largely Republican east county based seat. Hartley and Witt joined the sole sitting Democrat member of the board in appointing the Democrat. Hartley was particularly smug about the appointment. Whether or not that Democrat will survive election is anyone’s guess… but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.

But the story isn’t over. Liberal Republican Boardmember Sue Hartley represents a heavily Republican North County San Diego district. Four years ago, Hartley defeated a more conservative candidate in a fairly hot race. Whatever her merits on the policy issues the conservative had a shrill style that alienated much of the Republican and donor community. Time and time again the incumbent ignored issues that would have united her base, and focused on issues which divided them. Many if not most of the partisan officials,… Read More

From the Associated Press….

Live round on desk blows off part of hand

VENTURA – A teacher who kept a 40mm round on his desk as a paperweight blew off part of his hand when he apparently used the object to try to squash a bug, authorities say.

The 5-inch-long round, which Robert Colla had found while hunting years ago, exploded Monday while Colla was teaching 20 to 25 students at an adult education class. Part of Colla’s right hand was severed and he suffered severe burns and minor shrapnel wounds to his forearms and torso, fire Capt. Tom Weinell said. No one else was injured. He was reported in stable condition at a hospital.… Read More

Today at 1:23pm, on 4/5/6 – it will be 1-2-3-4-5-6. Pretty cool!… Read More

The California Republican Assembly PAC has dropped another piece attacking Brian Bilbray in the 50th Congressional District Special Election. This one is a personal message from former conservative Assemblyman Steve Baldwin, who passionately warns voters that Bilbray backed Baldwin’s Democrat opponent over him when he first ran for the Assembly.

This piece again demonstrates that conservatives are rallying to bring down Bilbray, the percieved frontrunner. After all, the CRA has endorsed Senator Bill Morrow for the seat, and Baldwin is an ardent backer of former Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian…

The .pdf of the piece is attached below.… Read More

Back in January of 2003 there was a friendly wager placed between then California Governor Gray Davis and Florida Governor Jeb Bush (pictured to the left) over the outcome of Superbowl XXXVII, a battle between the country’s top two football teams – the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of course, in that duel, the Raiders were spanked by the Bucs by a lopsided score of 48 – 21.

One of the items put up in that wager by… Read More