Yesterday, Covina voters elected well-known Republican and former Schwarzenegger appointee to head the California Youth Authority Walt Allen to the Cit Council. Walt had served before his appointment and is 1st Vice Chair of the Los Angeles County Republican Party.

In Very Big News Voters also rejected the utility tax. What is interesting here is that this tax has been in place since 1992. When it was first voted in, the entire city council was recalled. (I was a consultant on that campaign) Then the new guys kept the tax and it was later approved in a city vote.

So Congrats Walt, now you get to make some budget cuts! See article here… Read More

Jason Roe, formerly the Washington, D.C. "Beltway" Correspondent for this website, has just shared with me that he has taken on a new challenge in life — he is leaving his position of Chief of Staff to Florida Congressman Tom Feeney (one of the most articulate, conservative leaders among House GOPers) to assume new responsibilities as the Deputy Campaign Manager for the Mitt Romney for President campaign.

This is great news for Jason, of course, as it represents yet another opportunity (his career has been full of them) to expand his horizons, and learn new things. It is also great news for Governor Romney. I have known Jason for a lot of years now, and seldom do you meet someone who is able to blend strong moral character, commitment to principle, and political sophistication the way that he does.

The other winner in this process is… California! Jason spent many years out here, and, in fact, is a former Executive Director of the San Diego County Republican Party. He also served, for… Read More

Congressman Kevin McCarthy, who is quoted towards the end of this story from the Politico website, is 100% correct. I’ve bolded his quotes.

Redistricting and Blade Running By David Mark, The Politico In a move aimed at cementing House Democrats’ newly minted majority, California politicians are walking a tightrope on the volatile topic of redistricting. Under pressure from Washington, they are trying to keep their power to draw congressional district lines, while appearing to support good-government efforts to move redistricting out of politics. … Read More

It looks like signing off on the horendous hike in the state wage mandate on California employers (called by the left a "minimum wage increase") bought the Governor about seven and a half months of good will from the unions. Now the honeymoon is over.… Read More

In response to my commentary this morning, Duf Sundheim asked if I would publish a response from him, which appears below. Duf takes issue with the fact that I did not contact him directly to verify the accuracy of the information — a fair point…

Roy Burns, immediate past President of ALADS [ Assn of LA Deputy Sheriffs], one of the largest police unions anywhere, forced a runoff against liberal Georgia Mercer. The election was an effort by 4 Republicans to challenge 4 pro-Teacher union incumbents, from the long term control by teacher unions over the largest Community College District in America.

Roy Burns was the only one to force a runoff. The other Republican candidates didn’t have a crowded field and the union slate won easily.

Roy Burns came to our attention, when he represented ALADS trying to forge closer ties to Republicans. One of the great contradictions, is how can police officers—generally conservative—thrown huge chunks of moneyto liberal democrats. The answer is easy. Liberals will grant any government employee unlimited benefits. Still, the problem for Republicans, how can we help divide the Government Union Unbreakable wall?

So, we have the "Shawn Steel exception." Divide and conquer. It worked for Caesar. Government Unions are bad for the republic unless they are a police union. If a person is a first responder and a sworn officer, then… Read More

New Worst Bill: This Congress is rapidly stacking up contenders for the “Worst Passed Bill of the Year Award.” Up until now, it was probably H.R. 4, a bill that would eliminate the one market-based part of Medicare that is actually working to reduce costs and replace it with a bureaucrat-managed non-market system. But, that terrible policy was eclipsed last week by the passage of what many of us call the "Worker Intimidation Act of 2007." This bill (H.R. 800) would replace secret ballots in union elections with a system where no election is actually held. Instead, union organizers could coerce workers to sign "cards" using public pressure and intimidation tactics. These cards are not secret and could certify a union at a workplace without any election at all. It’s outrageous!

Why would the union bosses push so hard to eliminate free and fair secret ballot elections? Union membership outside of government has been declining for decades. They have been losing elections in many industries all over the country. I would argue that unions have not updated their purpose or mission in sixty years and therefore they are failing to… Read More

“To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed…"

"Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past." Too fun to pass up, a pro-Obama video posted on YouTube combines the classic "Nineteen Eighty Four" Apple ad with Big Sister.

See it here on Talking Points Memo. [Publisher’s note: We just added the You Tube video at the bottom of Barry’s post – Flash]

Note: I just got an e-slap from Jon who says the FR bloggers are supposed to at least try to tie our posts to CA politics in some regard. OK, I think if Hillary gets elected, it will impact… Read More