The venerable Chris Cillizza over at the Washington Post has called a recent press release by Poizner for Governor Communications Director Kevin Spillane congratulating Jerry Brown on the 40th anniversary of his election to office the best release of the week and maybe the year. After reading it left us rolling with laughter, we had to agree. Cillizza’s item and Spillane’s full release are below. You can read it and decide for yourself. FROM THE WASHINGTON POST

The 2010 San Diego County Sheriff’s race was just beginning to heat up. Or, not really.

The best thing to get a race going even more quickly and earlier than anticipated? How about amid-term retirement by the incumbent, and the hopefuls all facing an appointment process, with the winner being handed the title of “Appointed Incumbent.”

Or, perhaps, the best thing to put a damper on a potential donnybrook.

If you thought last year’s San Diego City Attorney contest was a watcher, 2010 was going to be the big boy’s version, but with guns. Metaphorically, of course.

Yet, only the most naïve of political hacks in town – or the most idealistically hopeful for a major countywide contest of this caliber (there’s that metaphor again)– didn’t see this one coming a few years ago. Sheriff Bill Kolender would cakewalk to election in 2006, then announce his retirement about half-way through his four-year-term, and faced with no provision in the County Charter for aspecial election to fill the vacancy, the County Board of Supervisors would have no choice but to appoint the position.

That “was” the scenario,… Read More

The venerable Chris Cillizza over at the Washington Post has called a recent press release by Poizner for Governor Communications Director Kevin Spillane congratulating Jerry Brown on the 40th anniversary of his election to office the best release of the week and maybe the year. After reading it left us rolling with laughter, we had to agree. Cillizza’s item and Spillane’s full release are below. You can read it and decide for yourself.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

Americans for Tax Reform just posted an interesting article about the enormous salaries for CA judges. According to Tim Andrews, “more than 400 judges in Los Angeles County alone earn more than the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.” The judges get $46,000 in perks on top of their salaries.

Remember how just a few weeks ago the Democrats where complaining that they can’t cut government spending because it will "hurt Californians"? Apparently they didn’t want to cut the perks for judges who so often implement their liberal policies through judicial activism (see Prop 22). Explained Andrews, “While there were some moves to reduce these [perks], the Legislature reinstated the perks just before the budget was passed in February.” So next time you look at a receipt and see the new sales tax increase, think of the 400+ judges in LA and their $46,000 in perks.… Read More

Over the past couple of days, I have been besieged with calls and emails asking me if I had heard the news – that the veteran campaign team of Wayne Johnson and Tim Clark had split up – and had gone through a political divorce. One e-mailer even told me he had heard that there had been a physical altercation between the two! Well, for all of those drama lovers out there, I am sorry to let you down – but Wayne is not in a cast, and Tim is not wearing a bandage over one eye. But there is a story to be told – and having now spoken with both Wayne and Tim, here is what is going on.

The short version: after a very successful run for many years together at JohnsonClark, close friends Wayne and Tim have decided to go their own directions, though they will continue to service mutual existing clients, and will likely work on various projects together in the future, where it makes sense.

Wayne will continue to serve as President of JohnsonClark Consulting. Yeah, I know it is confusing.… Read More

I am pleased to offer this original commentary from longtime FR friend Ed Laning, a leader of conservatives in San Bernardino County…

A History Of Conservatives in San Bernardino County Ed Laning

I have known Anthony since 1996.Anthony and I were putting up campaign signs for Jim Lindley when he ran for Hesperia City Council at that time. We were all very idealistic.We were all CRA members and hardcore conservatives. It wasn’t just Anthony Adams but there were Bill Postmus andBrad Mitzelfelt and many others. We all worked hard to move the conservative Republican agenda forward. We began by helping elect Postmus to county supervisor in 2000. He ran against a fellow Republican who had rolled over on us and teamed upwith the… Read More

I am pleased to offer this original commentary from longtime FR friend Ed Laning, a leader of conservatives in San Bernardino County…

A History Of Conservatives in San Bernardino County Ed Laning

I have known Anthony since 1996.Anthony and I were putting up campaign signs for Jim Lindley when he ran for Hesperia City Council at that time. We were all very idealistic.We were all CRA members and hardcore conservatives. It wasn’t just Anthony Adams but there were Bill Postmus andBrad Mitzelfelt and many others. We all worked hard to move the conservative Republican agenda forward. We began by helping elect Postmus to county supervisor in 2000. He ran against a fellow Republican who had rolled over on us and teamed upwith the… Read More

The hue and cry over bonuses paid to AIG executives is both predictable and understandable. This is what happens when a private business allows the government to get into its knickers. But also blame the federal government for this situation. AIG should have been forced into bankruptcy, not been the recipient of $185 billion in taxpayer bailouts.

Certainly AIG itself bears most of the blame for its current plight for taking on risky bets on mortgage-backed securities. They bet and lost, and should have gone bankrupt because of their failed business decisions. But it was geniuses in the federal government, including Barney Frank and Chris Dodd, who are responsible for the anger that taxpayers feel over AIG. They decided that AIG was too big to fail, so they showered them with billions of our tax dollars.

Later when the firestorm of public protest erupted, Frank and Dodd tried to run for cover. When the bailout legislation was being crafted, Senator Dodd, acting on behalf of the Obama White House, specifically inserted language allowing AIG to pay the millions in bonuses that are now the subject of public… Read More