I posted stories on the main page this morning so early, I missed this gem (it wasn’t up on the Sacramento Bee website yet).

In this column, Dan Weintraub focuses on the role of State Senate President Pro-tem in the BIG BOND$ process. He starts with the analogy below, and then details later in the column where Perata has staked out positions on some of the Governor’s demands. The two of them DEFINITELY do NOT see eye-to-eye.

The column starts:

That’s right Fabian thinks Arnold is asking for too much bonding authority. The rest of his comments are absurd of course. More bonds for affordable housing and the like. Jim Sanders of the Bee has it all right here.… Read More

The University of California‘s PR problem over compensation packages given to high-ranking employees doesn’t seem to be going away. And it shouldn’t. UC officials continue to give weak answers about why some employees have received such bloated compensation packages and why the public hasn’t been fully informed about the deals.

Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) held a hearing last week on the issue and will hold another one on Feb. 22. In today’s San Francisco Chronicle, the legislator says that UC President Robert Dynes has yet not provided clear answers to questions about UC employee compensation packages.… Read More

Or, the "How to Know You’re In Good Company" Award…

I know this isn’t state news, although I’m sure the incidentwill be late nite talk show and Handgun Control fodder for several days…

If my memory of history serves me correct (and please tell me if I’m wrong), the last person other than Harry Whittington who can actually say they were shot by a sitting vice president was Alexander Hamilton. Of course, Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton died within the next day or so, after his duel with VP Aaron Burr.

So, Harry, consider yourself in very esteemed company…and only you lived to tell about it.

I’ll let some statistician let us know what the odds are now….

You can always email me a history lesson here.… Read More

There are a lot of interesting stories today.

The "must read" of the day is a column from veteran Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton. I don’t always agree with what George has to say. As a matter of fact, if I did, George would tell you that HE would be worried. George isn’t conservative, let alone as conservative as me.

But today he has written a column looking at the growing controversy surrounding the hire, last December of Democrat Susan Kennedy to be his Chief of Staff. I have said (repeatedly) that I support this Governor – I think he is a smart, capable leader. But the decision to bring back the Deputy Chief of Staff to the disgraced and recalled Gray Davis sent a chilling message to those of us that see this Governor as being totally against anything that Davis stood for — especially the ‘pay-to-play’ perception that permeated that administration.

So while my personal… Read More

There are a lot of interesting stories today.

The "must read" of the day is a column from veteran Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton. I don’t always agree with what George has to say. As a matter of fact, if I did, George would tell you that HE would be worried. George isn’t conservative, let alone as conservative as me.

But today he has written a column looking at the growing controversy surrounding the hire, last December of Democrat Susan Kennedy to be his Chief of Staff. I have said (repeatedly) that I support this Governor – I think he is a smart, capable leader. But the decision to bring back the Deputy Chief of Staff to the disgraced and recalled Gray Davis sent a chilling message to those of us that see this Governor as being totally against anything that Davis stood for — especially the ‘pay-to-play’ perception that permeated that administration.… Read More

Los AngelesCounty Supervisor Don Knabe faces criticism over his ethics. The Los Angeles Times reports that the Board of County Supervisors approved a contract with a company that hired a lobbying firm that employs his son AND then hired Knabe’s wife after approval. See the article here.

His critics agree that he did nothing illegal. I know Knabe and his is a good man. He’s not as conservative as me or Mike Antonovich, the other GOP Supervisor, but he generally votes pretty good.

I don’t believe that Knabe did anything to warrant this attack, except be a Republican. That’s my point. The Congressman under fire, Susan Kennedy and now local guy like Knabe Have to live a higher standard. I made that point in one of my first posts back in November 2005. See it here.… Read More

County Board of Ed Update… In the wake of last Monday’s vote by the GOP "majority" on the SD County Board of Ed to appoint Democrat Sharon Jones to a vacancy in what is clearly a Republican seat (see Jon’s excellent post-commentary), the GOP ismoving quickly to consolidate behind one candidate in this year’s election. Arkan Somo and Rick Winet, who both applied for the vacancy, have been mentioned. Watch the GOP pull out all stops to winnow the field to one.

Eric Roach – 50th Congressional… In his extensive summary of this newcomer posted last Monday, Jon indicated, "I will be interested to hear what our FR contributors from San Diego County, Barry Jantz and Duane… Read More