Law School Professor Tom Campbell gets some serious love today from Pulitzer Prize winning columnist George Will today, with a major profile piece.

Campbell, who has served taxpayers as a Member of Congress, a State Senator and as Director of the California Department of Finance is running a spirited if financially challenged campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor.

Campbell faces uber-wealthy candidates Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner in the June primary. No doubt Campbell would encourage those who follow California politics to look to the 1998 Democrat Gubernatorial primary, where two very wealthy candidates, former Northwest Airlines CEO Al Checchi and consumer electronics magnate Jane Harman, both spent millions out of their personal fortunes, yet it was Lt. Governor Gray Davis who emerged as the victor in that primary (who went on to trounce Dan Lungren in the general election later that year).

Campbell has… Read More

The East Bay’s Pete Stark has always been known as a Congressman lacking in tact and politeness. He continues to prove it.… Read More

The tension was already palpable at a townhall held by Democrat Congressman Jim Moran (VA) as he tried to sell Obama’s health care plan to dubious citizens. But things went from bad to worse when Moran had the audacity to ask for a constituent’s ID instead of answering the man’s question. Moran made this remarkably inept move under the auspice of controlling outside protestors from attending (and ostensibly) disrupting health care townhalls.

Moran is a poster boy for sneering, bad-mannered politicians. Americans deserve better from their representatives.

It’s too bad Moran and other Democrats don’t have this much passion for requiring ID at the voting polls as they do for ID-ing their constituents.… Read More

This Bloomberg story on how schools are refinancing existing bond debt is interesting–not only because it points out that school districts around the state may be increasing property taxes without anyone’s knowledge, but also because AG Jerry Brown is suing these districts, calling their actions unconstitutional. In the story, the Compton Unified School District is used as one of the examples. Only one out of seven trustess in Compton objected to the district’s bond refinancing scheme, saying, "Why don’t we have hearings so the community can have input on these bonds? We sit up here and shove it in their throats.” Read the full story here.… Read More

The battle lines are drawn. Fleischman says the rule on primary voting (restricting Republican primaries to Republicans alone) is necessary to "maintain a vibrant GOP." Maldanado says it is suicidal. I think it is much ado about nothing.

Tony Quinn, in his column in Fox and Hounds, gives the numbers. The number of independent voters in Republican primaries in less than four percent. Now, I have to admit, I never agree with Quinn’s assessments of what it wrong in the GOP, but numbers don’t lie. Independent primary voters are for the most part irrelevant in either party primary (being about 6 percent of the Democrat voters). That means that restricting them from our primaries won’t be disastrous,and including them won’t make the party any more or less vibrant.

On the whole, if pressed on the question, I would say that Republican primaries are for Republicans. Definitely no Democrats, but I am ambivalent on DTS voters. The reason Republicans are losing voters to DTS status is not because Republicans are too conservative, however, it is because they stand for nothing. The party of small government and less taxes,… Read More

In a few weeks the members of the California Republican Party Central Committee will gather in Riverside County for our semi-annual convention. At that convention, delegates will consider a change that I have proposed in the state party’s bylaws that, if passed, would establish that only registered Republicans may cast ballot in the primary to determine who will be our party’s nominee in all partisan general elections match ups.

When I tell people about this proposal, most people respond in disbelief, not having understood that currently millions of California voters who choose not to register as a Republican have the ability to cast a ballot in the GOP primary. As one said to me just yesterday, “That doesn’t make any sense – it’s our Republican Party primary, where Republicans select the nominee to go up against the Democrat in November, right?”

As it currently stands, Decline To State (or independent) voters may request a Republican ballot, and vote in GOP primaries. For some time now, only the GOP Presidential primary has been open only to Republican voters – as the Republican National Committee rules prevent the seating of any… Read More

In a few weeks the members of the California Republican Party Central Committee will gather in Riverside County for our semi-annual convention. At that convention, delegates will consider a change that I have proposed in the state party’s bylaws that, if passed, would establish that only registered Republicans may cast ballot in the primary to determine who will be our party’s nominee in all partisan general elections match ups.

When I tell people about this proposal, most people respond in disbelief, not having understood that currently millions of California voters who choose not to register as a Republican have the ability to cast a ballot in the GOP primary. As one said to me just yesterday, “That doesn’t make any sense – it’s our Republican Party primary, where Republicans select the nominee to go up against the Democrat in November, right?”

As it currently stands, Decline To State (or independent) voters may request a Republican ballot, and vote in GOP primaries. For some time now, only the GOP Presidential primary has been open only to Republican voters – as the Republican National Committee rules prevent the seating of any… Read More

As readers of this missive know, I frequently voice my opinionwhen I believe the President is doing the wrong thing. That has been the case with virtually everything he has done thus far. However, when he takes action that I believe to be correct or helpful, I will point that out as well. Such is the case this week when the President announced that he will reappoint Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve for another 4 year term. This is a hugely important and very positive decision for the following reasons:

Independence: The Federal Reserve should make decisions for economic reasons and remain independent of the White House so as not to politicize those decisions. I would say this regardless of who the President is. Bernanke is independent and will have been appointed by both Bush and Obama. Replacing him could have sent a sign that the Administration was trying to control the Fed which would have been a terrible message and precedent.

Past performance: With the benefit of hindsight, one can criticize some of Bernanke’s moves and statements during his first term. Certainly, he can be criticized for not identifying… Read More