Imagine a place where bank robbery is not a crime. Where people can walk up to teller windows and take money to spend on any outrageous, egregious thing that they want, and no one stops them. That’s the problem that we have with egregious pork barrel spending on Capitol Hill. To make matters worse, the only people that can make this form of robbery a crime, are the same people who are robbing the bank! Well, then imagine that the public, who are the depositors at the bank, are becoming more and more outraged that their savings are being withdrawn "at gunpoint" to be spent on billions of pork-barrel projects. So, these robbers, who happen to be the Board of Directors of the bank, have to do something to try to mollify the concerns of their depositors. So what do they do? You would think that they would simply STOP robbing the people’s bank, and put an end to this terrible self-defeating practice? No. Instead, they have engaged in a sidebar discussion that is not about whether we ban… Read More

A lot of folks know that I live a few blocks from the border between my own 18th AD and the 15th, and I’m frequently asked/pestered about why I’m not blogging on the race…so I’m coming clean.

I’m bored out of my mind.

I see all the press releases for the candidates, and they all basically fall into three categories: * I’m having a fundraiser * Here’s my latest bank statement * Here’s a list of my friends who say nice things about me

That’s the typical stuff that interests the lobbyists and Sacramento folks, but the community can’t even work up a full-fledged yawn over this.

Candidates, you are following a very tough act. Assemblyman Houston gained strong support each election cycle, despite his GOP registration numbers falling off the map. Yes, he had fundraisers, demonstrated a healthy bank account, and had a long list of endorsements. But to the community, his outreach was about community issues.

Folks, you’re running in a district that could go to either party. If you want to be the break out candidate, start sending out press releases that talk about what voters care about. Keep raising money, and all… Read More

A few weeks ago, I wrote about AJR 29 a joint resolution that asked for passage of a federal "hate" crimes bill that usurped local control and made specially created classes of victims. Only two GOP lawmakers voted no. (Anderson, Hollingsworth). See previous post here. The link has a letter to President Bush signed by all GOP Assembly members except Horton that renounces support for the bill. Mimi Walters collected the signatures. Way to go to correct a mistake. See letter here.… Read More

Xavier Alvarez, a member of the Three Valleys Municipal Water District has been charged with…publicly saying he was a Medal of Honor Winner when he wasn’t even in the military. Oops. See Xavier, most Medal of Honor winners don’t get it while alive.See story here. Not to compare the two, but it should be a crime to run for office as a "conservative" and then vote for big bloated budgets and earmarks. But, that would cause another prison crises.

By the way Alvarez is a Democrat.… Read More

Steven Gourley whoserved as Campaign Treasurer for Gray Davis. He was also fired as DMV Director the day Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn into office Gourley, a former councilman, is famous for using his DMV powers to check on motorists that cut him off in traffic or he didn’t think should be driving. He admitted to a State Senate Committee that he had one guy house put under surveillance to se what he was up to.

IF he wins, I wonder what the grade checks will be like?… Read More

Today we’re pleased to bring you this Guest Commentary from Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield)…

We’re Not Waiting Any Longer to Bring Common Sense Earmark Reform to the House By Congressman Kevin McCarthy Enough is enough. People are fed up with Washington spending their tax dollars to pay for wasteful earmarked spending, like:

One year before becoming Speaker, Nancy Pelosi promised the American people that under her leadership, the House would “bring transparency… Read More

The rosters seem to be set for both sides of the 60th AD Primary for next year, making it – so far as I can tell – the first competitive race with all sides having their teams in place. Within the last couple of weeks, both Curt Hagman and Larry Dick have brought on campaign managers to oversee the ground aspects of their races.

Hagman, a Chino Hills Councilman, snapped up Saulo Londondo to manage his race. Saulo had been working in Van Tran’s District Office. Previously, he ran Trung Nguyen’s OC Supervisor’s race, and before that was Deputy Manager on Lyn Daucher’s Senate race.

This adds another to Hagman’s impressive team, which includes lead consultant Jim Nygren, fundraiser Diane Stone, and Mike Richman lending a hand.

Dick, a Water Board member from OC, had to look a little farther for his ground guy, convincing Barrett Tetlow to move back down from Sacramento, where he had been working in Assemblyman Martin Garrick’s Capitol office. But OC certainly isn’t unfamiliar territory for Barrett. Before going up North, Barrettmanaged OC in it’s entirety asCounty Director for Victory ’06, and prior to that was VanTran’s… Read More

Dear Diary,

I wish I didn’t care so much about how other people spend my taxpayer dollars, but I do.

Yesterday, I read in the paper that the combination of saving Delta smelt fish and my efforts to conserve water, are going to result in a hike in my water rate.

Today, I read in the paper that $20 million taxpayer dollars have been spent to poison, bomb, and electrocute another kind of fish in California.

Can’t imagine what good could have come from spending the same amount of money on humans vs. killing/saving fish.

And then to top it all off, there is story about Mary Nichols, the Chairman of the Air Resources Board and darling of liberal environmentalist, selling off stocks from big oil and other polluters. The Sierra Club is reeling from the news that their hero will owe tens of thousands of dollars in capital gains taxes from the beaucoup bucks she made from companies on the Sierra Club’s hit list…much the same way the National Organization for Women reeled when their hero, President Clinton, was revealed to be a serial girl grabber. I’m sure they will all find a way to convince themselves that words speak louder than… Read More