I see how this is going to work – it is going to be the love/hate month where it comes to Arnold Schwarzenegger and pen — whether he uses it to sign a bad bill, or uses it to veto one. I am still trying hard to discern the ideology and principles that he is applying when reviewing bills so that I can try to have an accurate anticipation of what he will do.

Assembly Bill 172 by Democrat Assemblywoman Wilma Chan of Oakland was a veto waiting to happen. This legislation clearly puts the State of California further into the business of operating preschools (you’ll recall that the voters soundly rejected an attempt by ultra-liberal Rob Reiner to pass a tax increase to do just this). As a matter of fact, this bill was an end-run around the voters who rejected that plan. The clear lesson of that rejection was that voters do not want their tax dollars going into government pre-school. But, of course, someone is trying to take as the lesson that the objection was not to the government schooling, but just to raising taxes on smokers to do it.

Anyways, about a half-dozen moderate Republicans voted for this bill — and there was an odd and… Read More

Residency – the act of dwelling in a place.

The laws governing residency are actually fairly liberal. But you kinda sorta have to live in a city to run for city council. Saying you live at your son’s house in Orange and really shaking up with your husband in Newport Beach doesn’t cut it.

This is the case of a local candidate for Orange City Council. She is Carol Rudat, wife of the former city manager who was (fired, let go, left on his own terms) feel free to call it what ever you want, but he ain’t running the city anymore.

Carol, the wife and real estate professional that profited from the sale of land involving a trash company that was bidding on a city contract at the time while her husband was city manager and her husband was eventually fined by the FPPC for the incident was not available to comment about where she lives when are reporter called so her San Diego spokesperson chimed in to say how rude it was to question where she lived.

Interesting is that the Rudat spokesperson said she moved into the home owned by her some in Orange in July. The thing is she re-registered at the residence in April.… Read More

GIULIANI CAMPAIGNS FOR CONSERVATIVES When Steve Schmidt, campaign manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger, says he is going to help the down-ticket GOP candidates, he doesn’t mess around. He picked up the phone and called his good buddy, former New York Mayor Rudy Giulini. Fast forward a few weeks later at Schmidt has Giuliani out here in the Golden State, not campaigning for Arnold Schwarzenegger, but rather headlining a major Orange County fundraiser for three of the GOP’s statewide candidates, Tom McClintock, Chuck Poochigian and Tony Strickland (is it any coincidence that the ersatz Presidential candidate happens to be helping out the three most conservative candidates on the ticket?). Above to the right, Strickland greets Giuliani while Tom McClintock looks on. The event was held at the post Center Club located within the Orange County… Read More

And the Garden Grove City Council said let there be daylight…and there was daylight. And the Garden Grove City Council said let there be stars in the sky…and there were stars in the sky.

It might sound a bit odd to think that until last week it was illegal to have a bowl of Kim-chi while gazing at the passing cars or twirl a fork full of spaghetti marinara under the stars above, but somehow it has taken this long for the wise city council members in Garden Grove to allow outdoor dining.

Free at last, free at last, thank Janet Nguyen, we are free at last.

Garden Grove Councilwoman Nguyen was kind enough to send a press release on the subject. She says, "What we are doing is continuing to make Garden Grove a business friendly city and eliminate unnecessary red tape when doing business with city hall."

Amen!

Nguyen the first woman in over 30 years on the Garden Grove City Council has a good shot at being Orange County’s next supervisor (should Sup. Correa best Daucher in the 34th Senate). I can only hope Janet will bring the same kind of ideas to county government.

Outdoor seating ordinances is exactly… Read More

GIULIANI CAMPAIGNS FOR CONSERVATIVES When Steve Schmidt, campaign manager for Arnold Schwarzenegger, says he is going to help the down-ticket GOP candidates, he doesn’t mess around. He picked up the phone and called his good buddy, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Fast forward a few weeks later at Schmidt has Giuliani out here in the Golden State, not campaigning for Arnold Schwarzenegger, but rather headlining a major Orange County fundraiser for three of the GOP’s statewide candidates, Tom McClintock, Chuck Poochigian and Tony Strickland (is it any coincidence that the ersatz Presidential candidate happens to be helping out the three most conservative candidates on the ticket?). Above to the right, Strickland greets Giuliani while Tom McClintock looks on. The event was held at the post Center Club located within the Orange County… Read More

I have noticed that the Governor’s campaign polling numbers have been up while he has been silent on this lidicrous "big bonds" debacle on the November ballot, where the Republican Governor and Democrat leaders want the max out the ‘credit card’ of Californians to the tune of over $40 billion — when the tragic reality is that taxpayers already pay more than enough in taxes (this year well over $100 billion) to be able to afford infrastructure investment with current dollars.

Ace San Francisco Chronicle reporter Carla Marinucci today is blogging that come the beginning of October, the Governor is going to be heating up his bi-partisan campaign for the bonds, out campaigning with Democrats Don Perata and Fabian Nunez.

This is the dumbest idea ever.

Obviously I have made it clear as to why this is a poor public policy choice, and clearly the Governor disagrees.

Put politically is is a REALLY… Read More

Every flailing political campaign has a defining moment. Michael Dukakis had his death penalty question during a debate. Howard Dean had his "Yeeaaaahhh!"

And now Phil Angelides has his fainting school girl.

This is completely symbolic of the Angelides campaign: On a day that was supposed to provide a big boost for Angelides, when Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa finally swallowed the bitter pill and endorsed the Democrat candidate for Governor, Phil Angelides got caught like a deer in the headlights and was upstaged by both Villaraigosa and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

There were dozens of school kids who were pulled out of class and made to participate in the partisan political event by standing behind Angelides in camera-shot. And while he was speaking, one of the girls apparently fainted.

As television cameras rolled, Angelides stopped his speech and stood there dumbstruck while the two mayors and 2010 Democratic… Read More

Today the California Correctional Peace Officers Association endorsed Phil Angelides for Governor. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Let’s remember that this is not a interest group focused on making the prison system better, it is a public employee union. As such, they only care about the wages and benefits and working conditions of their members. This union is notorious for the political activitism and boast that they will spend millions for the candidates they endorse.

I’m sure Arnold Schwarzenegger is shaking in his snakeskin books.

Public employee unions are a significant part of our problems in Sacramento because they only sing from one play sheet — how do we get our employees more money and more benefits, and how do we create more government jobs? For them, the solution to every problem is simple – grow the size and scope of the government. Pay us more. Give us more benefits. Hire more of us.

I’m sure we’ll be reading more about the impact of this endorsement. But one that is certainly good is that it makes it just that much easier for Governor Schwarzenegger, politically, to tell these… Read More