There are a number of items of interest in the news today. So for my ‘commentary’ I will draw your attention to some of the more interesting ones.
- Leading the page is good news for the Governor. There is a new survey out showing that Schwarzenegger has increased his popularity numbers with the electorate, and also has increased his lead over liberal Democrat Phil Angelides. Also the many, many representatives of California’s small business community within the National Federation of Independent Business have backed the Governor’s re-election overwhelmingly (95%). This makes sense since Phil Angelides has never met a small businessman he didn’t want to tax out of business!
- The Golden Pen today goes to columnist Tom Elias who eloquently reminds us all that California still is getting short-changed by the federal government, as money is sucked out of the Golden State and redistributed elsewhere in the nation, or used up by the massive federal bureaucracy.
- Vic Pollard from the Bakersfield Californian has a must-read column with his take on the latest intrigue in the most highly targeted State Assembly seat in California. Politics meets policy — and, as a reading bonus, a JOE JUSTIN quote!
- Lots from this week’s issue of Capitol Weekly, including an article on Bruce McPherson’s support from…labor unions? There is an article on how some staffers in Sacramento are really taking home the bacon. Oh, and let’s not forget their interview with a Capitol ELEVATOR OPERATOR. The interview is fine, but it begs the question of why Californians are footing the bill for someone to sit in an elevator, and press buttons. Dumb.
- FR friend and often-confused George Skelton pens his regular column for the LA Times where he says that Schwarzenegger’s biggest potential liability is the President’s unpopularity in California. Note the Governor: you can distance yourself from the President by criticizing his amnesty proposals. :-)
- Speaking of the Governor, Schwarzenegger appeared, along with his bride, at an event yesterday in Fresno where the topic was healthcare for kids. According to the Bee, Schwarzenegger said, ""We believe strongly that this is a program for all children, regardless of documented or undocumented immigrants," he said. "We want to reach all of them because children should not be caught up in the crossfire of politics."
- At some point there needs to be a reckoning with the fact that government provided healthcare and education for someone’s children is an incentive for illegal immigration.
- Finally, there is an article on Duke Cunningham, and life for him in prison out on the East Coast. Unfortunately, there is nothing about him having to hand-write hundreds of thousands of apology notes to his former constituents. Nor is he apparently moving cannon-balls around a field.