A new SurveyUSA poll suggest that protecting traditional marriage is edging out gay marriage.

Conventional wisdom suggest that social issues take a back seat to the fiscal concerns of voters when times are tough. And these latest results suggest this is holding true this year. Generic support for traditional marriage runs 60%+ in California. Yet if SurveyUSA is right, voters seem to be distracted.

The poll shows Prop. 8 winning 48% over 45% who say they will vote no. Seven percent say they are still undecided.

There are no real surprises based on the various demographics…80% of pro-lifers support Prop. 8, 65% of those who regularly attend religious services support Prop. 8 and 55% of Bay Area voters oppose the initiative.

SurveyUSA is useful research tool, but I don’t trust the results entirely. Among my concerns is the fact that they interview people who are not registered to vote. In the case of this poll, 90 of the 800 Californian surveyed were not registered voters. I find all data interesting, but those 90 respondents skew the results and have no impact on the real outcome on Election Day. Results for how these… Read More

Conservative icon and Congressional Candidate Tom McClintock has taken positions on the ballot measures appearing on the November ballot…

From McClintock…

Prop. 1A High Speed Rail Bond. NO: This is the most outrageously expensive boondoggle in California’s long history of outrageously expensive boondoggles. The ultimate cost of this project could end up exceeding $90 billion – or $10,000 per family – all for a train that goes from Los Angeles to San Francisco in two hours longer than it takes to fly. It’s brought to you by the same folks who botched Boston’s "Big Dig." (I’m one of the official opponents of this measure.)

Prop. 2 Farm Animals. NO: Sorry, but farm animals are food, not friends. Plan on somewhat happier cows and much higher grocery bills if this one passes.

Prop. 3 Hospital Bond. NO: Here’s a rather cynical measure that uses children as a front in order to lavish taxpayer funds on private hospital corporations.

Prop. 4 Parental Notification. YES: Parents must give written consent before their teenage daughters use a tanning booth or… Read More

Lucky me. I just got my second e-mail from the High Speed Rail Commission on the benefits of Prop 1A without them actually mentioning Prop 1A.

This one covers the benefits to the areas of the state that were not mentioned in the previous e-mails.

These are taxpayer funded communications that are meant to influence the electorate and news coverage about the pending ballot measure.

This is legal but completely wrong. Just as wrong as it was last week when they sent the first e-mail.

See e-mail here.… Read More

According to the Sacramento Bee, Governor Schwarzenegger is preparing to call a special session to deal with the massive, multi-billion dollar shortfall in this fiscal year’s budget (this doesn’t even address the even bigger shortfall anticipated for the FY 09-10 budget that would be adopted next year).

Apparently this session would be called in a couple of weeks (after the election) and it would impact the current legislature (many of whom will be departing from the legislature in early December).

We can only assume that this will be a “Live Within Our Means” belt tightening session, and I think that the resolve of this particular group of legislative Republicans to oppose any tax increases on Californians to resolve the negative impacts of a massive overspending problem is not only clear – but crystal clear.

So hopefully the Governor will open this special session by framing the issue as being the ongoing effects of spending more than we have (remember, state government spending ballooned over 40% in just three… Read More

LAST DAY TO REGISTER Have you registered to vote? TODAY is the last day for you to register to vote for this year’s Presidential election. So if you haven’t done so, yet, then mosey on over to the post office and pick up a voter registration form… Of course, registering to vote is only ½ of your commitment. You also have to actually cast your ballot – we recommend that you also pick up an absentee ballot application as well, and vote from the convenience of your own home! Of course, we also urge you to vote for candidates who promote smaller government, individual liberty and individual responsibility.

PROP. 2 – THE PROPOSTEROUS PROPOSITION I’ve heard this measure referred to as “human rights for chickens” as this measure, financed by the Humane Society of America, seeks to improve “living conditions” for chickens. OK, maybe I am the only one… Read More

LAST DAY TO REGISTER Have you registered to vote? TODAY is the last day for you to register to vote for this year’s Presidential election. So if you haven’t done so, yet, then mosey on over to the post office and pick up a voter registration form… Of course, registering to vote is only ½ of your commitment. You also have to actually cast your ballot – we recommend that you also pick up an absentee ballot application as well, and vote from the convenience of your own home! Of course, we also urge you to vote for candidates who promote smaller government, individual liberty and individual responsibility. PROP. 2 – THE PREPOSTEROUS PROPOSITION I’ve heard this measure referred to as “human rights for chickens” as this measure, financed by the Humane Society of America, seeks to improve “living… Read More

Ok, Ok… Maybe if I post this, people will stop sending me links to it (I doubt it)… … Read More

Quiet and sleepy Dana Point, California, occupies some of the most beautiful, and conservative real estate in the entire country. All of the Republicans in this left coast port town act as a symbolic counterbalance to Newport, Rhode Island, on the right coast.

With a town so Republican, it may come as some surprise that there is one Democrat on the City Council, Steve Weinberg – but he is more than offset by four card-carrying GOPers – Lisa Bartlett, Joel Bishop, Lara Anderson and Diane Harkey (who is off to Sacramento in December as a new member of the legislature).

With the conservative credentials of this Council, you have to ask yourself how, a week ago Tuesday, the first reading of a city ordinance passed that would increase the stipend (pay) of council members by 30% and provide taxpayer funded health care for… Read More