Get free daily email updates

Syndicate this site - RSS

Recent Posts

Blogger Menu

Click here to blog

Jon Fleischman

Sexual Predator Union? Bill Thomas: King of Pork makes…Sausage

SEXUAL PREDATOR UNION?
I have been scouring the Secretary of State’s website this morning for the CAPS – California Association of Sexual Predators.  You see, the State Assembly Public Safety Committee Democrat majority is showing the kind of lock-step solidarity to opposing Jessica’s Law (GPS tracking of sex offenders, as was as other needed reforms) that is typically shown on bread-and-butter labor issues.  Since everyone knows it is the labor unions that keep the Democrats in line, well, doesn’t it make sense that there must be a union for sexual predators?   There are several articles on the main page — and a ‘must read’ column from Karen Hanretty on the Democrat Chairman of the Public Safety Committee – San Francisco’s Mark Leno.
 
BILL THOMAS: KING OF PORK MAKES..SAUSAGE
Representative Bill Thomas of Bakersfield, otherwise known as the "King of Pork" as he lords over a massive increase in federal spending as the Chairman of the House’s chief spending body – the Ways & Means Committee, has some sort of negative PR campaign being waged against him in Bakersfield, on TV and in mailboxes, by some group that is mad because of some specific rules concerning oxygen for medically ill seniors.
 
Thomas should get used to negative attacks now.  It really isn’t going to take long before the focus of blame on this Medicare Measure D Prescription "debacle" is going to explode in his face.  At a time when Republicans should be shrinking government, Thomas championed this massive entitlement expansion.  But worse yet, Thomas became the "King of Sausage" on this one – and rather than embracing a truly market-oriented approach to the drug entitlement plan (for example, providing senior with a credit to be used on whichever drugs they want) he brought everyone to the table and seems to have come up with a plan that is really terrible.
 
DOOLITTLE SHOULD OPPOSE EARMARKS
Representative John Doolittle of Placer County is a good friend of the FlashReport.  He is also a member of the leadership team in Washington, D.C., as Secretary of the Republican conference.  There is an article in the Washington Post today that says that Doolittle has been part of this ‘earmarking’ scandal that truly is more concerning to me than a ‘lobbyist scandal’ – and so we call on Doolittle to lead the charge to put an end to earmarking.  You cannot blame all of the special interests in Washington for having their hands out.  As long as Members of Congress are willing to introduce legislation (which should be broad) that helps particular companies, of course these firms will hire lobbyists.  End the giveaways.
 
CA CLUB FOR GROWTH: MASSIVE BONDS BAD IDEA
The California Club for Growth was founded as an offshoot of the national Club for Growth.  With its focus on economic issues, the organization has been quiet until today about the many spending plans that are being proposed in Sacramento.  The President of the Club for Growth here in the Golden State is former Assemblyman Tony Strickland.  Strickland, who is running for the GOP nomination for State Controller, wades into the debate today with a column featured on the main page, critical of the massive borrowing proposals.  Look for a follow-up piece next week from Club for Growth Chairman Shawn Steel, with even more to say on this.
 
All of these snippets above correspond to stories on the main page.

Have a great day!

Jon

Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?

Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.