Today is my first turn at sharing the Daily Commentary chores in our publisher’s absence. Since Jon is thousands of miles away in Great Britain, I’m going to step outside of my usual Orange County bailiwick and comment about the senatorship of Barbara Boxer – the nightmare from which we cannot awaken. Like many California conservatives, Election Night in November 1992 is probably the darkest night of my political night. That was the night Bruce Herschensohn narrowly lost the U.S. Senate contest to that screech owl of the Left, Barbara Boxer.

Sen. Boxer provides us with regular reminders of how much California and the nation lost when she, and not Bruce Herschensohn, was elected to the world greatest deliberative body. The most recent example was Boxer’s vote to require a pull-out of U.S. troops from Iraq by the end-of-this year (this defeatist resolution allowed "only forces that are critical to… 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

Now that the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has actually placed what many saw as the inevitable on the November ballot (see June 5 news release), meaning joint use with the military of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar for SD’s future airport, the real fun begins.

The Authority spared nothing in "spending" (I’m being nice there) millions of dollars to get to a ballot question that the Marines have opposed all along, and now no expense will be spared by various interests to get the thing passed….or defeated.

If folks in SD thought Bilbray-Busby was bad from an inundation in advertising standpoint, hang on to your seats for this one. Folks are starting to line-up.

Matt Potter in the San Diego Reader on Thursday mentioned the first horses out of the gate, a group… Read More

The media called the Oakland’s mayors race mid-day the day after the election, but they moved too fast. In the following days, election officials “found” an additional 1,500 votes and the vote counting continued. In order to prevent a run-off, one candidate needed to get more then 50 percent of the vote. Former Congressman Ron Dellums “won” the race early on with 50.2% of the vote, but then his percentage dropped below 50% as the county continued to count absentee ballots. Earlier this week, officials then announced that they would not know the final results of the race until the week’s end.… Read More

Oakland may have a Commie as Mayor, but Long Beach still doesn’t know if incumbent councilman Jackie Kell would win in her bid to get around term limits as a write in. Mayor O’Neil did it four years ago. If you can believe it there are 1500 ballots that are unread. Read the story here.… Read More

“It’s a glow-in-the-dark compass ring. So you don’t get lost." -Josh (played by Tom Hanks), in the movie, “Big”

Maybe what we need in California is a glow-in-the-dark compass ring. Or, maybe it’s just Republicans that need one. Perhaps just Arnold Schwarzenegger. Heck, maybe it’s all three. Let’s face it…to our fellow citizens, Arnold is the face of California and the State GOP (with all due respect to Ackerman, Plescia and Sundheim).

As Jon Fleischman and I wrote on the heels of the Governor’s January 5 State of the State address, “Now, ‘Mr. Hollywood’ has come up with his BIGGEST idea yet…Massive spending to finance BIG state infrastructure needs.” That was six months ago. Republicans then asked “What’s the big idea,” but eventually enough went along and placed a big bond question on the ballot. After… Read More

“It’s a glow-in-the-dark compass ring. So you don’t get lost." -Josh (played by Tom Hanks), in the movie, “Big”

Maybe what we need in California is a glow-in-the-dark compass ring. Or, maybe it’s just Republicans that need one. Perhaps just Arnold Schwarzenegger. Heck, maybe it’s all three. Let’s face it…to our fellow citizens, Arnold is the face of California and the State GOP (with all due respect to Ackerman, Plescia and Sundheim).

As Jon Fleischman and I wrote on the heels of the Governor’s January 5 State of the State address, “Now, ‘Mr. Hollywood’ has come up with his BIGGEST idea yet…Massive spending to finance BIG state infrastructure needs.” That was six months ago. Republicans then asked “What’s the big idea,” but eventually enough went along and placed a big bond question on the ballot. After all,… Read More

Hello from Edinburgh, Scotland. The quaint B&B at which I am staying had a computer with internet access, so I thought I would pen a short note. Actually, my post will be much shorter than it otherwise would have been because I just had a chance to read Barry Jantz’ commentary (which he has saved ‘behind the scenes’ here at the FR until later this morning). If you haven’t read it already – please do. I share with the concerns of many the idea that there is funding in the state budget for anyone who is not in the country legally for any benefit or service. But let’s not get so caught up on this line item in the huge, fat, bloated state budget that we don’t step back and see the state budget for what it truly is – an outrage.

The sheer size and volume of the state budget (well in excess of a HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS) is shameful. At a time when the discussions in Sacramento should be about how to REDUCE the SIZE AND SCOPE of state government, instead there is arguing about spending priorities.

How about this for a spending priority — the vast size of the state budget should allow Californians to… Read More