Word is that the $500 million for health care for illegal children that the Democrats added to the budget during conference committee has been dropped. Also, yesterday afternoon, Bill Bradley was reporting on his New West blog that the governor has dropped his plans to increase the Healthy Families programs by $23 million (some of this spending would have been used to provide care for illegal immigrant children).

Writers on this website, talk radio hosts and others in the grassroots rightly expressed outrage about the health care spending for illegal immigrants and effectively killed the proposals. Now it is time for the Democrats and the mainstream press to hear the same amount of outrage about the roughly $150 million the Democrats cut from public safety spending Schwarzenegger included in his May Budget Revision. Senator Chuck Poochgian has been especially vocal on this issue, but he needs support from folks inside and outside of the Capitol.

We are now one week… Read More

Word is that the $500 million for health care for illegal children that the Democrats added to the budget during conference committee has been dropped. Also, yesterday afternoon, Bill Bradley was reporting on his New West blog that the governor has dropped his plans to increase the Healthy Families programs by $23 million (some of this spending would have been used to provide care for illegal immigrant children).

Writers on this website, talk radio hosts and others in the grassroots rightly expressed outrage about the health care spending for illegal immigrants and effectively killed the proposals. Now it is time for the Democrats and the mainstream press to hear the same amount of outrage about the roughly $150 million the Democrats cut from public safety spending Schwarzenegger included in his May Budget Revision. Senator Chuck Poochgian has been especially vocal on this issue, but he needs support from folks inside and outside of the Capitol.

We are now one week past the… Read More

In today’s GOP conference, Speaker Hastert said that even in small towns in Illinois, securing our borders is now the number one issue. The Kennedy/McCain amnesty bill looks like it will a non-starter in the House. I now believe that the most likely scenario is that the House will not appoint conferees and that no bill will get to the President on immigration this year unless the Senate decides to allow some border security only bill.

On another front, we may pass permanent death tax reduction in the House as soon as tomorrow. I prefer complete elimination of the tax. But since we can’t get that from the Senate, the proposal that Chairman Thomas has put forth is a good one.… Read More

I saw on the OC Register’s Total Buzz political blog that Phil Angelides has a MySpace.com page.

Actually, it’s an unofficial page, according to the Angelides campaign — which is good thing considering who some of the 1,876 "friends" of the Angelides for Governor MySpace page are.

For example, there’s Nam, The Harlot, Devilishly Conceited, Lu Cifer — just for starters.

An interesting coalition you’re building there, Phil.… Read More

Here’s something a little different…as we countdown to the ‘next’ budget deadline.

Since I was a kid I’ve been a big fan of racing andsports cars and of driving them. Stock Car racing has been my favorite. The roots going back to these guys in the South ‘runnin shine’ has grown into the biggestone day event in sports wherever it’s held. Its fan base is huge across the country and the loyalty is fierce, just witness the #3 and #8 stickers amongthe many "W" stickersyou see on the backs of cars, pickups and trucks as you travel the highways. The loyalty to the sponsor products is very high as well. Coke drinkers don’t drinkPepsi, Pepsi drinkers don’t drinkCoke. Even men will buy Tide detergent fortheir home use if they like that driver they sponsor.

If you’re around the Capitol on Thursday, tomorrow, we have a NASCAR Festival lined up for the general public. This is to highlight stock car racing in California… Read More

Last week I began a discussion of whether or not the GOP Base is ready to be energized. It appears that after several dreadful months the Republicans in Washington have stopped the bleeding (maybe its because they are out of town), and there is a presumption now that Governor Arnold is the favorite for re-election due to his drawing a poor opponent in Phil Angelides. I disagree with any premise that Republicans have momentum presently. The absence of additional blood on the ground does not spell momentum in politics. All that has happened in the past couple of weeks is that the bleeding has stopped for a time being. There is nothing to celebrate. So, is the GOP base ready to be energized? The answer is – YES. And our needs are so simple, its embarrassing, but here they are:

Balance the State Budget Protect us from crazy liberals Be not afraid to define the unions before they define you Appoint pro death penalty, pro property rights judges Respond to attacks laid out by Democrats Pledge to veto specific forms of legislation you know you will see in a… Read More

This Governor cares about education…

"Governor Schwarzenegger has long been an advocate of charter schools because of their ability to reach students and achieve results in unique and effective ways," said Dennis "Coach" Snyder, founder of the Escondido Charter School District*. "He has worked to support charter schools across the state as Governor. His plan to build for the future of California includes half a billion dollars to build more charter schools. I applaud Governor Schwarzenegger for his dedication to ensuring … Read More

The recall of the Pomona Unified School District Board in up and running. See article here.The article doesn’t mention that the committee is holding training workshops for volunteer signaturegatherers. Great move. That should help at verification time. You can read the article if you want to know about the scandals that brought this about.

One interesting thing is the Board President and long time boardmember is a Republican. Until this last election she was a local central committee member. She is the type of Republican that enjoys a long and dedicated support of the union. The one trustee no being recalled is newcomer Andrew Wong, a education reformer. He was elected over opposition from Nancy and the old guard. This is playing out in th erecall as well.

Pomona Unified has heavily Dem Pomona and the heavily GOP Diamond Bar in the district. Look for these fault line to shake if the recall qualifies.… Read More