Oakland residents woke up this morning to find out that three more homicides occured over the weekend, bringing the total to 81. Last year, Oakland saw 94 homicides for the entire year. If the killing occurs at the rate thus far for the year, the city will see its homicide rate almost double.

One of the killings was particularly tragic. According to the SF Chronicle, 18-year-old Anthony Butler, a Skyline High School student, was shot on Saturday afternoon. Apparently, two years ago, Butler’s older brother, Harold Butler Jr., was shot and killed at age 17 at an East Oakland liquor store in a neighborhood feud.

So, where’s Jerry Brown as the killings continue in his city? Will Californians promote the mayor of one of the state’s most dangerous cities to the job of the state’s top cop? One can only hope that Brown’s current job performance actually matters to the voter’s of this state.… Read More

As an advocate of full disclosure and no other restrictions on campaign finance I am posting my major donor report that will be filed with the Secretary of State today.

For those people who find money in politics to be distasteful or corrupting I say too bad. Free speech is our right and I literally put my money where my mouth is.

No longer can you simply stand in the park and recite your grievances with the government and have an impact. Supporting good candidates and issue is the way we do it today–don’t villanize me for speaking my mind.

People who have problems with money in politics don’t understand why some people give to politics. My motivation is often times helping friends. For instance, my good friend Steve Vargas is running for city council in Brea. He was on the council several years ago and now he is ready to serve another round for the residents there. I have given him $2500 so far and fully expect… Read More

It may be noted on the main FlashReport page this morning, but it’s worth mentioning here as well…the lead SDUT editorial skewers the Escondido City Council over its disdain for private property rights, givingus all another reason to hate the Kelo decision andto support theProtect Our Homes initiative this November. An excerpt:

The busy stretch along Mission Avenue in western Escondido near Quince Street must be a pretty good place for a restaurant. After all, Oliverio and Rosa Ruedas, owners of the El Mexicano Taco Shop, have earned a living there for 21 years. Then again, maybe hard work and good food explain the couple’s ability to survive economic challenges that include the recent shuttering of Kmart, their giant neighbor.

But the Ruedas family is no match for Escondido’s city government. In a troubling abuse of power, the City Council has voted 3-2 to seize the property beneath their business and sell it to a developer whose clients will pay more in local taxes. The Taco… Read More

[This is a ‘weekend commentary’ – so it will be up both Saturday and Sunday.]

In some ways I feel very bad for California Republican Congressman Jerry Lewis, and in some ways I don’t. Let me start with the caveat that, to my recollection, I have never met the man. Which is at least a modest statement about his level of engagement in Republican politics in California given that I am a former Executive Director of the State GOP, and have been a fixture at conventions going back twenty years. Then again this is a big state, and I admit that I don’t hang out in Redlands all that often.

I have heard from a number of mutual friends that on a personal level, Jerry Lewis is a nice guy. And on a personal level, I am empathetic about what the Congressman must be going through. Right now, his professional (and personal) life is under and intense scrutiny with investigations taking place by the federal… Read More

In some ways I feel very bad for California Republican Congressman Jerry Lewis, and in some ways I don’t. Let me start with the caveat that, to my recollection, I have never met the man. Which is at least a modest statement about his level of engagement in Republican politics in California given that I am a former Executive Director of the State GOP, and have been a fixture at conventions going back twenty years. Then again this is a big state, and I admit that I don’t hang out in Redlands all that often.

I have heard from a number of mutual friends that on a personal level, Jerry Lewis is a nice guy. And on a personal level, I am empathetic about what the Congressman must be going through. Right now, his professional (and personal) life is under and intense scrutiny with investigations taking place by the federal government into allegations that Lewis may have used his extremely influential position as Chairman of the House Appropriations (i.e… "spending) Committee to… Read More

Captain William Driver, a shipmaster in Salem, Mass, was leaving on one of his many voyages aboard the brig Charles Doggett. It was 1831, and it was a voyage that would climax with the rescue of the mutineers of the Bounty. Some of Captain Driver’s friends presented him with a beautiful flag of twenty-four stars, and as the banner opened to the ocean breeze for the first time he exclaimed "Old Glory!"

The Captain retired to Nashville in 1837, taking the flag from his sea days with him. By the time the Civil War erupted, most people around Nashville recognized Captain Driver’s "Old Glory." So when Tennessee seceded from the Union, rebels were determined to destroy that flag, but repeated searches revealed no trace of the hated banner. Then on February 25, 1862, Union forces captured Nashville and raised the American flag over the capitol. It was a rather small ensign, so immediately folks began asking Captain Driver if "Old Glory" still existed. Some soldiers escorted Driver to his home where he began ripping at the seams of his bedcover. As the stitches holding the quilt-top to the batting… Read More

OK, you’ve gotta admit — even if you may disagree with Randy Thomasson’s Campaign for Children & Families — that the doctored movie poster is a hoot.

On the other hand, does CCF bring up some good points? More here.

… Read More

Field Poll is out today with poll numbers on the four infrastructure bond initiatives that Governor Schwarzenegger outlined in his January State of the State address this year. None of the bonds are doing especially well. You can read analysis of the poll results at New West Notes and Sacramento Bee.

While it’s not likely there will be a well-funded or organized campaign to oppose the bonds, there will most certainly need to be a clever campaign to pass the bonds in November. And probably, the governor will have to go out and actively – and aggressively – campaign in their favor.

The question is, could Newton’s action-reaction law of motionapply to the governor’s re-elect in November? What reaction (if any) will occur as a result of the governor campaigning to pass the bonds? The most recent Field Poll shows Gov. Schwarzenegger with 85% support among Republican voters – the magical percentage that the numbers crunchers said early on in the year was necessary for him to win re-election. Could that number decline, however, if the Republican governor makes the case for the education or housing bonds? Quite possibly. It’s not… Read More