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

OC and Riverside Congressman Ken Calvert will appear on CNN with Lou Dobbs tonight at 7pm.

I wonder if Lou will talk about illegal immigration.

Calvert is the author of the Basic Pilot Program that has allowed employers to check and make sure names and social security numbers provided by job applicants match. It has been a great tool in preventing fraud. The program also makes it much easier for employers to identify illegal aliens before they hire.… Read More

The city of Seal Beach Monday ended a two-year battle over home improvements in a portion of town and their decision is bad for property rights.

At issue was zoning that allowed homeowner to build up and make their homes as high as three-stories. The city council voted on Monday to change the zoning and ban these home improvements.

I wrote on this issue way back in January 2007 and I thought the good guys won, but the vote on Monday was 4-1 (thank you councilman Mike Levitt for standing up for the cause of liberty). Councilman Ybaben apparently couldn’t take the heat and recently resigned from the council, his successor was not as wise nor as friendly to the rights of property owners.

The Orange County Register reported: James David, who lives in a one-story home in Old Town between two three-story homes, said his property rights are violated because there is too much shade cast on his home by one of the three-story… Read More

This week’s announcement that a group of large Republican donors are getting together to redo the image of the Republican Party is a tune that has been sung before. About once every three to five years, several donors say they are going to get together and try and rewrite who the Republican Party is by using their money and their influence to change "the direction of the party." The usual announcement is followed by a number of newspaper stories announcing the formation of the group, the newspapers call Allen Hoffenblum, a political consultant who hasn’t been involved in Republican politics in twenty years (except to criticize Republicans) who criticizes conservative Republicans and the effect they have had on the party, and then a series of columns by liberal Democrats, like George Skelton, congratulate these Republicans on their insight into the problem with Republicans. The biggest problem, according to George, is that Republicans are not like Democrats, and, so says George, if they were just like Democrats, they would win elections. So, any Republican that tries to reform the Republican Party to make it more like Democrats must be right.… Read More

" The Obama campaign has simply not done a very effective job connecting with blue-collar and middle-income voters, and they are the heart and soul of the Democratic Party."

So states, Clinton’s campaign pollster Geoff Garin yesterday in a conference call with reporters.

Garin added Obama’s "appeal among white voters typically has been among the people who are the most affluent."

The LA Times reporter opined that " It is unusual for the campaign to talk so directly about racial divisions among Democratic voters. "

… Read More

On Earth Day, it’s only appropriate to write about some “green” legislation making its way through the legislature.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia has introduced AB 2808, the “Green Schools” bill that would require public and private elementary and secondary schools to use “nontoxic cleaning materials.” According to the bill, cleaning materials include glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner, laundry detergent, and dishwashing liquid and detergent. “Nontoxic cleaning material” is defined as “a biodegradable and environmentally friendly product that is made with natural or naturally derived ingredients and free of ozone-depleting compounds and substances that contribute to air pollution or to the buildup of “greenhouse” gases.”

Last week the bill passed its first policy committee, Assembly Education, 6-1, with three abstentions.

The main supporter for AB 2808 is the… Read More

Happy Earth Day. In honor of this occasion, I’ll lead the clips today with warm and cuddly stories marking earth day. Politico digs into the House cafeteria composting story with some in-depth coverage. Sen. Boxer has a special "Earth Day" op ed in The Hill today, slamming the Bush Administration / EPA. And Roll Call writes up how environmental groups are going to employ aggressive tactics like those seen in former Rep. Pombo’s seat in 2006. (Remember: Roll Call may require a subscription — with apologies).

Politico also covers the House GOP conference on the issue of earmarks and party turmoil.

All the publications and public interest groups have been covering the lobbying disclosure reports — the verdict: lobbying is good business, generating some $2.7 billion last year. That’s a record.… Read More

Last month, I penned a column about Mark Nuaimi, who is the elected Mayor of the Inland Empire city of Fontana, and who is also the Assistant City Manager in the nearby city of Colton. The reason for my penning my original piece banging on Nuaimi was an article I read in my morning perusal of stories, in this case one about destruction of city e-mails. It seems that Nuaimi used his Colton e-mail to refer to some Colton residents as “urban idiots” – doh. As I often do when I am struck by someone or something, I did an internet search on this guy. I got a lot back, hence I wrote about him…. Anyways, you can read that column here.

Of course, when I wrote it, I didn’t know that… Read More