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Tab Berg

Rudy at Pebble Beach

I just attended a breakfast with Rudi Guilianni at Pebble Beach, where he energized the small crowd with his passionate speach on "Republicanism".

He hammered on the need for us as a party to communicate our ideas and solutions – because GOP solutions are better for people and better for freedom.

His freewheeling and engaging style were a refreshing change from the staid talking heads that dominate the political landscape.

Also attending – Congressman Dan Lungren, former Congressman Doug Ose, former GOP. Assembly leader Bob Naylor, former SJ vice Mayor Pat Dando.… Read More

James V. Lacy

LA Times screws up on Gilchrist report

Sometimes you just can’t get a Los Angeles Times reporter to read a sentence for what it actually says.

In the decision in the Gilchrist Minuteman case yesterday, the Judge wrote a pretty clear sentence in his order regarding Gilchrist’s request: "The application for a writ of possession is denied." Unfortunately, the reporter for the Times couldn’t quite get what that sentence in the Order meant, as she wrote in today’s paper "Minuteman Project co-founder Jim Gilchrist and his opponents within the anti-illegal-immigration group both claimed victory Friday after an Orange County Superior Court judge put Gilchrist back in charge of the organization’s funds but indicated that those assets might soon be put into receivership." The reality is, the Judge DID NOT put Gilchrist "back in charge of the organization’s funds." I explained this ad nauseum to the reporter, but she was argumentative with me, didn’t like the Orange County Register front page above-the-fold headline stating "Gilchrist Loses Round in Court,"… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Today’s Commentary: Saturday Thoughts

Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani will be in Orange County today, where I will be catching up to him. We’ll have the FR "FlashCam" along with us, and hopefully be able to bring you some exclusive footage (probably to run on Monday). The House passed, by the bare minimum 218 votes, an appropriation for the War in Iraq that continues a provision for a timeline for withdrawal. In order to get her votes, Pelosi packed the measure with tens of billions in non-related pork-barrel projects. Shame on all who voted for this horrible bill. When are Republicans (yes, even those in ‘rural districts’) going to end the double-standard of supporting massive subsidies for the agricultural industry, such as found in the ‘farm bill’ due for reauthorization this year. I am not sure what is more egregious, subsidizing farms for NOT producing certain products, or the idea that the federal government taxes all Americans and redistributes that wealth to farmers who have crop losses do to natural weather conditions. Isn’t that what private insurance is for? Last night, as the Southern Vice Chairman… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Saturday Thoughts

Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani will be in Orange County today, where I will be catching up to him. We’ll have the FR "FlashCam" along with us, and hopefully be able to bring you some exclusive footage (probably to run on Monday). The House passed, by the bare minimum 218 votes, an appropriation for the War in Iraq that continues a provision for a timeline for withdrawal. In order to get her votes, Pelosi packed the measure with tens of billions in non-related pork-barrel projects. Shame on all who voted for this horrible bill. When are Republicans (yes, even those in ‘rural districts’) going to end the double-standard of supporting massive subsidies for the agricultural industry, such as found in the ‘farm bill’ due for reauthorization this year. I am not sure what is more egregious, subsidizing farms for NOT producing certain products, or the idea that the federal government taxes all Americans and redistributes that wealth to farmers who have crop losses do to natural weather conditions. Isn’t that what private insurance is for? Last night, as the Southern Vice Chairman… Read More

Congressman John Campbell

Iraq Supplemental

Today, by a vote of 218-212 with one member voting "present", Speaker Pelosi got what she wanted: a policy of defeat with pork. Two Republicans voted for the Supplemental spending bill and 14 Democrats voted against what was otherwise a party-line vote. It is instructive to note that many Democrats understand how bad the war policy is here or it would not have been necessary to add $21 billion in unrelated spending to entice them to vote for it. It is insulting to our troops that peanut and shrimp subsidies seem more important to some than winning the war on terror. As the last time we debated the issue, the best statement was made by Vietnam POW Sam Johnson (R-TX). A link to his speech is below.

Watch Video

As Congressman Johnson (a retired Air Force… Read More

Jon Fleischman

And the “Capitol Roller Award” goes to…

Today, Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines issued a challenge to his colleague, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, to participate in (yes, this is for real) a sushi-rolling competition. In his challenge, Villines said, “The gauntlet has been thrown down, and I look forward to facing Speaker Núñez in the kitchen to see who can roll the best piece of sushi,” Villines said. “Speaker Núñez is a formidable foe both in the Legislature and in the kitchen, but I have no doubt that my superior culinary skills will prevail when the judges decide the winner of the Great Sushi Roll Off.”

Apparently, the winner of this contest will be the recipient of the Capitol Roller Award. The problem is that such a broadly worded title might just interfere with another friendly competition between some other legislators — such as Mark Leno, Tom McClintock, Chuck… Read More

Shawn Steel

Parsky Back in the News

Gerald Parsky finds himself back in the news. And, it’s not good.

The LA Times reported yesterday about Parsky’s failed attempt to save one of the U.S. Attorneys recently fired by President Bush. Democrats and the press are attempting to paint a picture of a unmentionableterriblescandal. But, they conveniently forget to mention Clinton’s unprecedented wholesale firing of all US Attorneys when he took office. Of course, both Presidents were exercising their constitutional authority.

The Times revealed that Parsky who vetted the US Attorneys for California placed an "outraged" call to Main Justice defending the soon to be fired US Attorney of San Francisco, Kevin Ryan. Clearly, White House deputy counsel, William Kelley was concerned with Parsky’s outrage in a private email to former Gonzales Attorney General, Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson. We’renot sure aboutfull Ryan story, butBush sacked Ryan despite Parsky’s threats.

Another story the press has failed to investigate is the connection between Parsky and recently fired US Attorney Carol Lam. Parsky was a strong proponent for… Read More

Mike Spence

USC, NCAA and the Transgendered

USC has produced many Republican activists. I run into many, especially in the OC.

Today is a very big day.

USC meets North Carolina in the NCAA Basketball tournament (my prediction isUSC will lose) AND it is also the Northrop Grumman sponsored Second Annual California Leadership Summit for the Transgender Movement at the USC campus. With speakers from groups like GenderQueer Revolution and as a bonus an "unofficial"AA meeting, I know some of my USC friends may be confused about which event to participate it in.

Then again that may be the point.

The event is sold out, but you can read more and get on a waiting list here.Read More