Last week the L.A. Times announced that Jim Newton was appointed Editorial Page Editor to replace ousted Andres Martinez. For those who indulge reading the Times, let alone the spooky editorials, it is a return to the bad old days.

For years the Times has tormented its readers with predictable pasty liberal editorials. This section was certainly the least read of the newspaper. That is until Andres Martinez, took over a couple of years ago. To the amazement of many. his editorials were funny, pithy and interesting. Previous editorials was like reading Pravda under Stalin. Always kowtowing to the Party Line. Always boring.

Martinez, who left under suspicious circumstances, excoriated Villaraigosa, supported Bush’s surge, and was a critical of democrats as he was of republicans. In a word, the editorials were unpredictable. That made reading them fun.

Sadly, tried and true PC Jim Newton has reverted to bad writing and boring but predictable lib-dem positions. His latest effort was lamenting the US Supreme Court’s decisionto reject a civil suit against IBM because one employee said something nasty thatanother employee heard. . Come on… Read More

It’s time for some prayer power, folks. I just read over on Bob Salladay’s Political Mucle Blog at the LA Times website that Roll Call is reporting that California Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald of Los Angeles, Chairman of the House Adminstration Committee, has taken a leave of absence to deal with an undisclosed form of cancer.

This is terrible news, and hopefully all FR readers will keep her in their thoughts and prayers.

Most FR readers probably wouldn’t know this, but back in the late 90’s, I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer, and it resulted in my having to have two surgeries and some not-so-fun chemotherapy treatments. I’m doing AOK now, nearly nine years later.

But I can tell you that it was well wishes from so many in the political scene (yes, even Democrats prayed for… Read More

Yesterday I posted a press release sent by the CRP’s Communications Director Hector Barajas lamenting the defeat of AB 39 (Benoit -R), that would have mandated the Governor to demand either full reimbursement for the cost of Califonia incarcerating illegal immigrant criminals, orforce theFeds to take them into federal custody.

The Assembly Public Safety Committee shot down the billand the Chairman, AssemblymanJosè Solorio, stated that the committee had rejectedthe bill, ‘because in the past this type of proposal was unsuccessful in having the federal government reimburse for the cost of incarcerating undocumented immigrants.’

Odd response given that that is what legislators do – try to pass ideas again and again that they believe in. It’s one of thetruly, long standingbi-partisan actions in Sacramento.

But, what really makes the Chairman’s comment smack of hypocrisy, is his Co-Authorship of ACR 24 (Blakeslee -R) that contains the same intent language as AB 39!!!

Don’t takemy word for it, read it… Read More

Instead of a commentary today, I would like to direct you to our featured interview with California State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Today marks his 100th day in office, and I had an opportunity to chat with him about his first few months on the job. I hope that you enjoy reading it!

I will add as an aside that it is hard to convey Poizner’s enthusiasm in print, but I will tell you that his excitement about his job, and the progress that he is making, really comes across when you speak with him. California is very fortunate to have someone of his ability in this very important role!

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

Instead of a commentary today, I would like to direct you to our featured interview with California State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Today marks his 100th day in office, and I had an opportunity to chat with him about his first few months on the job. I hope that you enjoy reading it!

I will add as an aside that it is hard to convey Poizner’s enthusiasm in print, but I will tell you that his excitement about his job, and the progress that he is making, really comes across when you speak with him. California is very fortunate to have someone of his ability in this very important role!… Read More

Duncan D. Hunter, son of Congressman Duncan Hunter, is placing his likely-to-be campaign in absentia for dad’s seat in the capable hands of Gilliard Blanning Wysocki & Associates.

In case you missed the absentia part, Duncan D. announced last week he is being reactivated by the Marines and deployed to the Middle East. He plans to campaign for the seat while gone.

For those who ask how one canrun a competitive campaign for Congress while serving in Iraq, the response is simple— you may need a better understanding of this staunchly conservative, pro-military East SD County District.

As far as the legality of running while on active duty, which caused some blog-fodder last week (see the Hatch Act), Duncan D. continues to say that this has all been checked out with the Marine Corps and DoD. New Hunter consultant Dave Gilliard also says, "We have checked out all the rules and we will be OK."

As far as other potential candidates, the list could be long — and I believe shorter if Duncan D. does run (sounds like he’s running!) — but no formal announcements at… Read More

As FR readers know, we try not to "push out" too many Press Releases verbatim. But this is a good opportunity to praise the State GOP for the great releases that they have been putting out lately! Hector Barajas, the new Communications Director at the CRP, has been doing a create job…

Check out this example:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: HECTOR M. BARAJAS April 17, 2007 www.cagop.org

Democrats Continue To Undermine Working Poor and Middle Class Californians "In a move this past week that could only be described as shortsighted, Assemblyman Josè Solorio, Chairman of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, stated that the committee had rejected Assemblymember John Benoit’s bill, AB 39, ‘because in the past this type of proposal was unsuccessful in having the… Read More

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez needs to decide whether or not he’s a Catholic, because he cannot sponsor and support legislation to legalize assisted suicide and be a Catholic at the same time.

That may sound harsh to secular ears, but it is true nonetheless.

Nunez isn’t unique. American politics is replete with politicians — usually, but not always. liberal Democrats — who like to call themselves Catholics while they publicly and unashamedely flout core Church teachings.

The Assembly Speaker is in the news because Cardinal Roger Mahoney called him out for sponsoring AB 374 to legalize assisted suicide.

I’ve never been a fan of Cardinal Mahoney, and his condemnation of Nunez rings a bit hollow considering his tolerance for heterodoxy within the Los Angeles Archdiocese and how he has chummed it up with pro-choice, pro-gay "marriage" "Catholic" politicians for years — not to mention allowing the molestation scandal to fester in his last… Read More