It seems like this morning on the main FR page, we did a "disservice" of sorts to our friend Malcolm Maclachlan, an ace reporter over at the Capitol Weekly. This morning’s Cap Weekly featured an interview that Malcolm conducted with "well traveled" pornographic film star Nina Hartley (see the cover of one of Hartley’s "publications" to the right).

However, we incorrectly attributed the interview to Shane Goldmacher, who used to work for CapWeekly and is now over with the Sacramento Bee.

Sorry for the mixup. Shane, to be sure, when you have a chance to interview a porn star, we’ll endeavor to get it right. In the meantime, it’s Malcolm whom FR Capitol readers can pester for the parts of the interview that didn’t make it past CW’s Editor, John Howard.… Read More

It would appear that San Diego Major Jerry Sanders has reached his boiling point when it comes to dealing with challenger Steve Francis. At a recent gathering, Francis apparently reached out to shake the Mayor’s hand, and instead Sanders dropped the "F" Bomb on his opponent. I guess when you buy as much television time as Francis has done, it has gotten "under the skin" of Sanders. Check out the San Diego U-T’s blog post on this here.

I can’t figure out Steve Francis, by the way. I was pretty excited by his candidacy early on. But he keeps campaigning like an Arnold, Jr. For Earth Day, he sent out an e-mail in which he embraced the whole global warming alarmist agenda, leading one to wonder what new types of regulatory burdens he would place on the people of San Diego.

To be honest, I was pretty displeased with the way that the San Diego County GOP endorsed the incumbent, Sanders, with no notice and opportunity for Francis to make his… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail:

The Pope of California

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Late last month, a federal judge ordered the state’s largest public employee union, Service Employees International Union Local 1000, to repay as many as 28,000 non-union state workers, who were not given a change to challenge the union’s 2005 dues increase to fight the Governor’s slate of reform measures (the unions were not excited by the measures which, if they had passed, would have averted the fiscal crisis we find ourselves in today).

It’s a bit convoluted, the process by which non-union members can get stiffed with a union fee, but the real issue here is that this decision by Judge Morrisson England, is so after-the-fact so as to be almost laughable if it wasn’t tragic. Yeah, it’s morally right that the SEIU thug-bosses have to go back (under the Judge’s orders) and ask these state employees if they object to the assessment, and if so, refund them each around $135 plus interest.

But the point is that the damage is done.

We caught up with Lew Uhler, President of the National Tax Limitation Committee. We sought… Read More

Late last month, a federal judge ordered the state’s largest public employee union, Service Employees International Union Local 1000, to repay as many as 28,000 non-union state workers, who were not given a change to challenge the union’s 2005 dues increase to fight the Governor’s slate of reform measures (the unions were not excited by the measures which, if they had passed, would have averted the fiscal crisis we find ourselves in today).

It’s a bit convoluted, the process by which non-union members can get stiffed with a union fee, but the real issue here is that this decision by Judge Morrisson England, is so after-the-fact so as to be almost laughable if it wasn’t tragic. Yeah, it’s morally right that the SEIU thug-bosses have to go back (under the Judge’s orders) and ask these state employees if they object to the assessment, and if so, refund them each around $135 plus interest.

But the point is that the damage is done.

**There is more – click the link**… Read More

I am just arrived in Berlin todayfor a round of meetings to advance Mike Reagan’s trip here in early July. Mike will bebroadcasting his daily radio talk show from here. I am also on a secret mission,working on a project for Mike,which, if successful, will also be announced by him on his trip here.

The history of Berlin, particularly the more contemporary history, is both fascinating and heart-breaking. And Berliners really care about it. On a short walk this morning from Potsdamer Platz to Pariser Platz, the enormity of the confrontation between East and West that resulted in the creation in 1961 and destruction in 1989, of the Berlin Wall, is literally pushed into your face.Good for Berlin!

The street I walked along connecting the two traffic circles was itself literally ground zero of the Berlin Wall. At Potsdamer Bahnhof, where I started my walk, amidst a beautiful open-air shopping area, I encountered about 20 yards of the real wall, reconstructed as a monument to that grim time, for all to see. The Berlin Senate includes discriptive signs along with the pieces of the wall, and stories and pictures of its… Read More

The California Republican Party has graciously helped Senator Oropeza and Sacramento Democrats properly index their “Appetite For Higher Taxes.”

In honor of Senator Jenny Oropeza’s SB 1443, which tells caterers what they must do with their leftover food we proudly bring you: Aunt Jenny’s Catering Menu. (See the full size version here.)

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Longtime FR friend Frank Schubert writes a weekly column on his website, Frank’s Rants. When I read his latest one, I thought it was a perspective definitely worth sharing, and Frank gave me a green light to reprint it, in full, here. A "must read" for every Republican legislator in the Capitol — especially those in the State Assembly – Flash

Caution Assembly Republicans: Following Governor Schwarzenegger Could Be Fatal To Your Career By Frank Schubert

Governor Schwarzenegger is barnstorming the state telling anyone who will… Read More