People like to compare San Francisco to Chicago. Chicago is, hands down, my favorite U.S. city and San Francisco doesn’t hold a candle to the Windy City….except when it comes to politics. There I will agree that the two cities have much in common: city politics and governments dominated by the Democratic Party. Today’s Matier & Ross column in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights the questionable fundraising of a Board of Supervisors candidate, Jaynry Mak. Mak has lots and lots of big donations from minimum-wage type of workers, some of whom M&R couldn’t find when they doublechecked the donor’s info. Makes me think of… Read More

This morning I awoke from my slumber and made my way down to the car wash early. In Fresno, ever present construction and agricultural harvesting creates a dusty mess and car maintenance is a must! No sooner had I sat down with my paper and coffee than up walks former Secretary of State Bill Jones, the happiest non Governor and Senator in history. As you may have read in my post earlier this year, Secretary Jones is on the ground floor of a major ethanol deal here in California, and is continuing to farm on the Central Valley’s west side also. Our conversation was brief, but quite interesting, ranging from public service to local government to Iraq and the Middle East to the current ag situation. Bill Jones remains positively one of the finest people to ever serve in California politics and it was great to visit with him.

Former Mayor Jim Patterson was also in the "car wash" crowd. One of the most effective Mayors ever to serve in Fresno, he is considering a run in 2008 for Mayor again and would be the odds on favorite to… Read More

OK GOP Legislators, it’s time for a huddle… Today the State Legislature will come back into session after their Summer recess, and it is my hope you Republican legislators will come to Sacramento ready to face the coming onslaught of big-government legislation as a team. Of course, the primary source of pressure to pass bills that raise fees and taxes, or expand the size, scope and reach of the state government will come from the Democrats who control a majority of votes in both houses of the legislature. By remaining unified as Republican caucuses on these bills, you GOPers in the State Senate and State Assembly can achieve two important goals: the first would be to ensure that no tax or fee increases requiring a 2/3 vote of the legislature will ever see the light of day. But equally important, your united opposition to liberal legislation will send an important message to Governor Schwarzenegger that we are unified, and opposing poor public policy proposals. Of course,… Read More

OK GOP Legislators, it’s time for a huddle… Today the State Legislature will come back into session after their Summer recess, and it is my hope you Republican legislators will come to Sacramento ready to face the coming onslaught of big-government legislation as a team. Of course, the primary source of pressure to pass bills that raise fees and taxes, or expand the size, scope and reach of the state government will come from the Democrats who control a majority of votes in both houses of the legislature. By remaining unified as Republican caucuses on these bills, you GOPers in the State Senate and State Assembly can achieve two important goals: the first would be to ensure that no tax or fee increases requiring a 2/3 vote of the legislature will ever see the light of day. But equally important, your united opposition to liberal legislation will send an important message to Governor Schwarzenegger that we are unified, and opposing poor public policy proposals. Of course,… Read More

In the city of San Clemente the rights of property owners have been set aside by the council majority, but some residents are not taking it lying down.

While I am mainly a pollster, ever once in while I find myself running an independent expenditure campaign or even more commonly, I am the consultant people call to take on city hall or some other government agency that has overstepped their authority. It is a role I really enjoy, mostly because I am good at it–and almost always win. Fighting for the cause of liberty and getting paid well for the work is tremendously rewarding.

I am in the midst one such battle in San Clemente.

The OC Register today published a rebuttal to one of their editorials that called the city council in San Clemente out for their anti-property rights vote. The rebuttal, written by Jim Cogan, a leader among the "we don’t think our neighbors should be able to make home improvements and add on to their homes" crowd makes me the focus of his response.

Here is an expert from the rebuttal (… Read More

So, I finally get home after some time off…the kids swam with dolphins and frolicked in the waves while yours truly tested the physiological limit of BFPH (bodily functions per hour) after ingesting some tainted tuna on a catamaran…TMI? Sorry…but I felt like I was gonna die…but once I finally get to catch up on things….my perspective changed …death wasn’t in the air on the goofy Fun Ship…but its hanging heavy over this company town asthe SS Angelides is beginning to resemble the SS Minnow…

I first hinted at some fractures in the Angelides camp in an earlier post…then our skipper pointed out thecontradictory statements from the growing legion of press folks rearranging the deck chairs of the Titanic (clearly one Angelides staffer has been assigned to Flash…hence the new hire), and now the ex… Read More

[Today’s commentary was written by FR Managing Editor Nicholas Romero. – Flash]

On Tuesday, July 25th, the Governor signed Executive Order S-13-06 directing the Department of Managed Health Care to curtail what’s called “balance billing” in emergency care. “Balance billing” is a term to describe a noncontracting physician’s attempt to secure the unpaid remainder of medical costs from a patient when that patient’s insurance company fails to pay in full. In most cases, doctors only “balance bill” if the insurance company aggressively refuses to provide for a reasonable portion of the costs incurred from services provided.

At the time, Phil Angelides said, “Governor Schwarzenegger has once again gotten religion and reversed course to embrace an issue Democrats have pushed for years.”

An article in the Daily News quoted a consumer advocacy group as characterizing the fight over “balance billing” as one between doctors and HMOs.

Well, that’s part of the story. I think it has more to do with the market and… Read More

[Today’s commentary was written by FR Managing Editor Nicholas Romero. – Flash]

On Tuesday, July 25th, the Governor signed Executive Order S-13-06 directing the Department of Managed Health Care to curtail what’s called “balance billing” in emergency care. “Balance billing” is a term to describe a noncontracting physician’s attempt to secure the unpaid remainder a patient’s bill when that patient’s insurance company fails to pay in full. In most cases, doctors only “balance bill” if the insurance company aggressively refuses to provide for a reasonable portion of the costs incurred from services provided.

At the time, Phil Angelides said, “Governor Schwarzenegger has once again gotten religion and reversed course to embrace an issue Democrats have pushed for years.”

An article in the Daily News quoted a consumer advocacy group as characterizing the fight over “balance billing” as one between doctors and HMOs.

Well, that is part of the story. I think it has more to do with the market and enrollees’… Read More