Rob Reiner was in the Bay Area today promoting his latest nanny government initiative, Preschool for All. According to the Oakland Tribune, he is scheduled to submit 1 million signatures today to put his initiative on the June 2006 ballot. The initiative proposes to increase the income tax of individual making more than $400,000 a year, and couples making $800,000 a year, by 1.7 percent.

Reiner fielded questions about his proposal on the Ronn Owens show, a top-rated moderate radio talk show host here in the Bay Area. While I will admit to having a knee-jerk reaction to any political that comes out of Reiner’s mouth, it was interesting to hear him try to sell his universal pre-school ideas—particularly, when the calls coming in were predominantly against him.

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Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley is one tough guy. Now in the midst of Hollywood’s and the Nation of Islam’s campaign to spare the life of Crips gang founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams, Cooley has issued a 57 page response to suggestions that "Tookie" is as innocent as a little lamb.

Graphic details about the four murders he was convicted of, the witnesses, the evidence etc… Much better than Law & Order. At the same time a chilling look at some who doesn’t deserve clemency.

You can read the whole report by clicking here.… Read More

“Christmas on the Prado” has for years been a tradition for thousands in San Diego.Held over two nights in a beautiful section of the city’s famed Balboa Park, for a quarter centurythe event exemplified the Christmas season for many – a way to fully get into the spirit, with carols, strolling minstrels, chestnuts-a-roastin’ and a nativity scene, all held in as “crisp” an environment as possible, given San Diego’s usually warm climate. It may still exemplify those things for some, as long as they don’t mind the new title:“December Nights.”

Earache. Earlier today, the Labor-HHS Appropriations Act, the spending bill that funds the Labor Department and Health & Human Services Department went down in a stunning defeat 224-209. The reason, Republican leaders stripped all "earmarks." Every Democrat and 22 Republicans voted NO…cause they want their pork. See the Roll Call and find out how your member of Congress voted.

Morrow. Senator Bill Morrow continues to staff up in preparation for his run for the 50th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham. Cynthia Determan, a native of Oceanside, has joined Morrow’s office to handle press and coalitions. Determan comes most immediately from Red Gate Communications, a Studio City-based public affairs firm founded by Fionna Hutton. Determan isa graduate of UCLA and handled press… Read More

Issa for Congress

For Immediate Release Thursday, November 17, 2005 Contact: Frederick Hill Email: frederickrh@yahoo.com CONGRESSMAN ISSA CORRECTS FALSE NEWS REPORT ABOUT 50th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RACE WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Darrell Issa today made the following statement in response to a false and misleading report in the Washington, DC, publication ‘The Hill’ that he has thrown his support behind 50th Congressional District candidate Alan Uke: “I am not supporting or aiding Alan Uke,… Read More

As the Governor travels back from China, and spends the Thanksgiving Holiday with his family, I am sure that he will do a lot of reflecting on the Special Election results and what they mean for California — and for his own policy and political goals.

In light of this, I have penned an open letter to Governor Schwarzenegger which appears in Capitol Weekly today. The basic premise is this: Empower the GOP caucuses to assist you in dealing with the Democrat-controlled legislature. How would he do this? By announcing that he will not sign any bill that comes across his desk unless it got their with at least a majority vote of the Republicans in both the State Senate and the State Assembly. This would immediate provide relevance to our Republican legislators who have been seemingly relegated to ‘bystander status’ as Perata, Nunes and the Dems have preferred to do work without meaningful input from the Republicans in the legislature.

Here is the beginning of my column:… Read More

Diane Harkey just announced her endorsement by Orange County Supervisor Jim Silva. As readers know, Harkey is a Dana Point Councilwoman running to succeed John Campbell in the anticipated 35th Senate District special election. Also running is Assemblyman Tom Harman.

This is second endorsement of Harkey this week by an elected official who had previosuly considered running in this special election. On Monday, she was endorsed by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.

As a relative unknown, it’s important for Harkey to show this kind of early momentum. Endorsements by prominent electeds like Jim Silva and Chuck DeVore send a signal to donors and activists that she’s a candidate of substance who deserves their support. It’s equally telling signal that they’ve endorsed her over a sitting Assemblyman.

The Silva endorsement isn’t especially surprising, given his history with the Harmans. Jim’s primary opponent is Dianne Harman (Tom’s wife). Furthermore, when Tom Harman was a Huntington Beach councilman, he supported liberal-enviro Republican Dave Sullivan against Jim Silva during Jim’s 1998 re-election campaign [full disclosure… Read More

If you watched the “O’Reilly Factor” last night, then you saw House Minority Nancy Pelsoi get into it with the show’s host over his recent comment that San Francisco’s Coit Tower is now fair game for terrorists in the aftermath of last week’s citywide vote denouncing military recruitment.

My question: where’s Mayor Newsom in all of this?

He harbors statewide (some say national) aspirations. This is a chance not only for some free exposure, but to better position himself with voters beyond the 415 area code.

Three suggestions:

1) Newsom should go on either or both of O’Reilly’s shows (there’s both a tv and radio “Factor”). Though O’Reilly was trying to be facetious, it wasn’t funny. Terrorism jokes just don’t work. So stand up for your city, such as it is.

2) That said, play along with O’Reilly. Invite him to The City for a live broadcast — use the flap to promote SF tourism, which is your town’s bread and butter (ironically, thanks in part to a vanished military presence).

3) Take a tough, no-uncertain… Read More