There is a lot of waste in San Bernardino County government these days. The sad revelations of former GOP rising star, County Assessor Bill Postmus’ drug use, and the scandal about alleged illegal political operations in his county office, affecting another young staff member, underscore how a career in public service originally based on good intentions, can end up wasted.

But the real waste, for taxpayers, is in the extraordinary effort the Board of Supervisors is putting into prosecuting Postmus. Reports are they have hired an outside private prosecutor, the guy who did the Enron prosecution of Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling, with a $250,000 contract. The $250,000 is the initial contract. As a lawyer, I can tell you that with a quarter million green light, that prosecutor will not only be sure to spend all the money, he willbe coming back for more.

Hiring a national big gun lawyer to prosecutewhat is essentially acriminal meth case with some added public agency abuse claims is like blowing up an ant hill with an atom bomb. It is over kill. It is a waste of resources. Like all other counties, San Bernardino… Read More

Radical liberal former Berkeley Mayor now State Senator Loni Hancock (pictured left, of course) has taken the opportunity to tee-off on Americans for Tax Reform, the ATR No New Taxes Pledge, and blasts away at the requirement in the California constitution to have a super-majority vote to raise taxes. You can read her rant here. Below I am pleased to present an official response to Hancock’s rant from Patrick… Read More

Radical liberal former Berkeley Mayor now State Senator Loni Hancock (pictured left, of course) has taken the opportunity to tee-off on Americans for Tax Reform, the ATR No New Taxes Pledge, and blasts away at the requirement in the California constitution to have a super-majority vote to raise taxes. You can read her rant here. Below I am pleased to present an official response to Hancock’s rant from Patrick… Read More

Much has and will be written about the massive wealth redistribution scheme that President Obama calls a “stimulus plan” — which it isn't and which it won't.

It is notable and commendable that NOT ONE REPUBLICAN supported this terrible plan, and so it is now 100 percent “owned” by the Democrats.

It is important that Republicans distance themselves from the liberal welfare statist policies of the Democrats. Today our GOPers did good. Thank you!!… Read More

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Today Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown announcedthey arecalling on a federal court to put an end to the prison receivership (held by J. Clark Kelso) and his excessive $8 billion prison construction plan.

As an intervener in the court action regarding California’s prison system, I have steadfastly opposed the prison receiver’s demand for $8 billion. California taxpayers do not owe prisoners a gold plated health care system, especially when some law-abiding citizens struggle with their own health care needs.

So obviously I am pleased that the governor and attorney general agree with our position and I welcome their support and involvement. They pointed out the many reasons why the prison receiver’s plan is wrong for California, including questions of constitutionality.

If the three-judge panel does not agree with Republicans, the governor and the attorney general, I believe the issue should be brought before the U.S. Supreme court –and hopefully put to rest, once and for all.… Read More

Jim Sills just pointed out to me the recent Rasmussen poll asking Californians how they would vote today on Proposition 13, the Howard Jarvis property tax roll-back of 1978. The answer was 65% yes, only 26% no, and 9% unsure.

Proposition 13 has always been popular, but the stunning new news, unearthed in the cross-tabs by researcher extraordinaire Sills, is that young voters under 30 backed Prop. 13 by a 3 to 1 ratio after it was explained to them, and that African-Americans sided with Prop. 13 by a 4-1 margin! Middle-class, women, and lower middle-class voters all support Proposition 13 by big margins.

I am wondering whomakes up that 26% against Prop. 13? I’m thinking it must be very rich people who don’t care about taxes, Hollywoodand San Francisco liberals, most entertainers, and a smattering of various freaks and communists around the state. However, Sills couldn’t quiteconfirm thatany of my assumptions were statistically valid.… Read More

Today at noon, President Obama came up to Capitol Hill to meet with the 178 Republicans in the House. First, I was impressed because he was on time. OK, it’s a little thing but it is a little pet peeve of mine. President Bush was always on time and sometimes early. Governor Gray Davis was always late when I was in the California legislature.

But I digress. Then, it took a few minutes while Members of Congress went up to him to get his signature. Yes, your representatives are no different from everyone else when it comes to famous memorabilia either. Once all that was dispensed with, we got down to business. The President spoke for about 15 minutes and then took questions for half an hour.

Let me first say how impressive a man he is. I have never been in a small room with him before. He is very poised and confident and seems genuine. I doubt that there was a person in the room who did not come away from the meeting liking him. I never met President Clinton, but he had a reputation for his ability to charm a room. A fellow Congressman who had served during the Clinton presidency told me that as good as Bill Clinton was (and… Read More