Imagine walking into Best Buy, strolling over to the television department, and grabbing a brand new Tivo unit. You then take this big, rather obvious box, and go right past the checkout stand, and out the door. On the way out, the guys who check to make sure you have paid for things start to approach you, and like Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi Mind Trick in the original Star Wars, you tell the guy, "I don’t have a Tivo in my hand" — and they look at you funny, but are forced into silence as you stroll out with your stolen merchandise. I know, you are wondering how this little parable is going to somehow translate to something going on in politics. Well, it does! I was reading a story from The Hill newspaper this morning, and apparently under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives has adopted a new twist on their House rules that is so unbelievable that, even when reading it, you don’t believe it! Apparently if you bring forth an earmark… Read More

The lovely, master-planned community of Gold River, in Sacramento County, is just outside of the actual City of Sacramento. Gold River is home to a few political notables, including Congressman Dan Lungren, and retired State Senator Ross Johnson, who just yesterday had the opportunity to wield the gavel for the first time as the new Chairman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. One of the first actions of the Johnson-led Commission was to smack Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo with a $2000 fine for failing to disclose a source of income on her candidate and 2003 annual statement of economic interests. So I guess if the Gold River Master Association (which substitutes for local government, I suppose, in a master-planned community in an unincorporated area) ever needs a liaison to their neighboring city, Johnson won’t be in the running. Welcome back to public life, Mr. Chairman!… Read More

This piece is mainly about the potential candidacy of Law & Order’s Fred Thompson (he plays the D.A.), a retired United States Senator from Tennessee, for the GOP nomination for President…

And Think of All the Crooks He’s Put Away

How the Republican presidential field might yet be spiced up with new entrants was the gossip at the American Enterprise Institute annual banquet in Washington Wednesday night. Admirers named SEC Chairman Chris Cox and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson among the wild cards they’d like to see in the race.

Indeed, I bumped into former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker, who gave Mr. Thompson his first job in Washington as deputy GOP counsel on… Read More

Imagine walking into Best Buy, strolling over to the television department, and grabbing a brand new Tivo unit. You then take this big, rather obvious box, and go right past the checkout stand, and out the door. On the way out, the guys who check to make sure you have paid for things start to approach you, and like Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi Mind Trick in the original Star Wars, you tell the guy, "I don’t have a Tivo in my hand" — and they look at you funny, but are forced into silence as you stroll out with your stolen merchandise. I know, you are wondering how this little parable is going to somehow translate to something going on in politics. Well, it does! I was reading a story from The Hill newspaper this morning, and apparently under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives has adopted a new twist on their House rules that is so unbelievable that, even when reading it, you don’t believe it! Apparently if you bring forth an earmark… Read More

The Mayor of Signal Hill went to sleep Tuesday Night losing his council seat by 9 votes. Well, now he is up by one vote. Except for some problems in one precinct. This is what the City Clerk said there is….

"…reasonable cause to believe the ballots have been miscounted by the central county system, and the Election Consultant is unable to explain the discrepancy in the returns of that precinct."

Really. They will recount the ballots Monday. Making for a long weekend. I do bet both candidates go to church Sunday though. See article here.… Read More

I know it’s hard, but imagine a union member getting elected to a water board and then using taxpayer funds he travels to a conference to staff a union booth. That really isn’t news as musch as the fact some other member of the board are taking him to task. This is happening on the Palmdale Water District where VP Dave Gomez did that. You have to like is truthfulness in this exchange between him and board member Gordon Dexter.

I did not pass out literature," Gomez told Figueroa and Dexter during a water board meeting Wednesday night.

Dexter responded that he watched Gomez hand literature to the Metropolitan Water District’s assistant general manager.

"Just that one," Gomez said.

A true Liberal. See the whole article here.… Read More

Bill Bradley’s New West Notes blogis one I like and I’ve read several times and has featured very interestinginfo that I’m sure his readers enjoy as well. Today’s "Trojan Horse Primary" post is one that seems to be "calling me out" on this issue that we’ve talked about here on the FR, even using that title. OK Bill, let’s have some fun, it’s High Noon somewhere.

Among the conservatives I talk to, we share an opinion thatdoesn’t worry most about an unfair vote because of low voter turnout, causing a term limit extension to pass. I do expect a decent turn out, all things being relative, with the presidential question on a February ballot.

The June primary, however,is likely to be a tumbleweed-laden ghost town at voting precincts. Those will be crickets you hear in the background, not the hum of voting machines. Perhaps a very provocative Proposition could boost that. Voter fatigue, however lame of an excuse that is not to vote, will become even moreprevalent with June being the 10th statewide election in a six year span.

All the political reasons… Read More

If Governor Schwarzenegger is wondering how he has once again ended up staring down the barrel of an important piece of legislation that he really wants to sign, that was voted for by EVERY DEMOCRAT in the Assembly, and had the votes of NO REPUBLICANS, he really only needs to look in the mirror. You see, if I were in the position of the Democrats who control the majority in both chambers of the legislature, I wouldn’t bother to work with the Republicans given the Governor’s willingness to sign legislation opposed by any, or in some cases, all Republicans in the legislature. So how does legislation suffer when the Governor sends the message that he will sign bills that reach his desk with no GOP support? Well, let’s look at the bill in question, which is legislation to move the date of the California Presidential primary from June to February. This proposal has been talked about quite a bit, and, in fact, the Governor is on record stating his support for the idea. That said, what is not in the bill? Republicans wanted language making it clear that the State would reimburse the counties for the cost of administering another… Read More