Awkward moments in history… “[Senator Don] Perata, one of California’s most powerful elected officials, will host a private meeting today of 40 public officials and community leaders in which he hopes to produce a to-do list for the state to help combat recent violence in Richmond and Oakland. Seventy-three people have been killed this year in Oakland, compared to 40 at this time in 2005, police said Tuesday. At least 19 people have been killed in Richmond this year.”

What’s that? You say you think Perata is just trying to make Democrats look tough-on-crime, since gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides has such an anemic record to run on? Nice theory… I like it.

But wait, how does that theory apply to the Democratic candidate for Attorney General, Jerry Brown? Surely, Brown will be at Perata’s meeting, since he’s still the Mayor of Oakland. I mean, not inviting Da Mayor would be so…awkward.

Doh!

“The list of invitees is missing two prominent names: current Oakland Mayor… Read More

Just when I thought Republicans in congress couldn’t screw up more than they already have on federal spending, illegal immigration and ethics, they vote overwhelmingly in favor of spending taxpayer money on embryonic stem cell research. Fortunately, the White House janitorial staff (after a long and arduous fact-finding mission) were able to locate President George W. Bush’s veto pen (rumored to have been buried under a stack of Weekly Standard magazines that have been piling up in the closet). This will be the President’s virgin veto mission, and I for one anxiously await the long prophesied veto of H.R. 810.

Congressional Republicans have developed a warped notion that they can buy their way to victory this November by spending more and more (taxpayer) money, not just on pork barrel projects like swimming pools for their districts, but also on experimental medical research (embryonic stem cell research).

Talk to any Republican volunteer organization and you’ll hear the echo of frustration that our leaders in DC have betrayed the smaller-is-better approach to government. Now, adding insult to injury, our leaders in DC have tossed aside moral… Read More

Just when I thought Republicans in congress couldn’t screw up more than they already have on federal spending, illegal immigration and ethics, they vote overwhelmingly in favor of spending taxpayer money on embryonic stem cell research. Fortunately, the White House janitorial staff (after a long and arduous fact-finding mission) were able to locate President George W. Bush’s veto pen (rumored to have been buried under a stack of Weekly Standard magazines that have been piling up in the closet). This will be the President’s virgin veto mission, and I for one anxiously await the long prophesied veto of H.R. 810.

Congressional Republicans have developed a warped notion that they can buy their way to victory this November by spending more and more (taxpayer) money, not just on pork barrel projects like swimming pools for their districts, but also on experimental medical research (embryonic stem cell research).

Talk to any Republican volunteer organization and you’ll hear the echo of frustration that our leaders in DC have betrayed the smaller-is-better approach to government. Now, adding insult to injury, our leaders in DC have tossed aside moral… Read More

This blog entry falls squarely into the category of, "You’ve GOT to be kidding me, right?

A great resource on the internet to find out what is really going on Inside the Beltway is Human Events Online (I actually subscribe to the print edition). There are a lot of great feature columns on the site, one of which is the Taxpayer Rip-Off Of The Week.

Well, this week’s highlighted rip-off is yet another example of the "Earmarker in Chief" Congressman Jerry Lewis (so dubbed by the Wall Street Journal), who is Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Lewis is a California Republican, and a moderate who clearly has a difference of opinion from this publisher on the proper scope and role of the federal government, as demonstrated by this column below…

After you read it, you’ll be scratching your head, and asking how a Republican could support such a boondoggle earmark. But before you throw all of… Read More

Phil Angelides must have blacked out today in the stifling heat of the Sacramento Valley. Only temporary unconsciousness would explain why he sent a press release to reporters announcing blackouts in Los Angeles.

“With reports of blackouts in Los Angeles, emergency energy cutbacks by state agencies, and Stage One alerts being sounded by state energy officials, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides today criticized Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for failing to attract any significant new power plant generation in California and mismanaging the state’s energy policy.”

Now, this is news to me – particularly coming on the heels of my lunch this afternoon with an energy guru who surely would have told me if LA was experiencing – or even on the verge of – blackouts.

So I went to Google News and typed the words “blackout, Los Angeles.” Nothing. Next I went to KNBC’s website to check the headlines. Blackouts in LA would be major news in Lala Land. I turned up…nada.

So, what would cause Phil Angelides to issue a press release blaming Gov. Schwarzenegger for blackouts in LA? The most… Read More

Two California Republican Congressional Representative voted against protecting marriage. A total of 27 Republican voted no while 34 Dems voted the right way. LA County based Congressman David Dreier and Congressman Mary Bono voted with Barney Frank, Maxine Waters and others that want to undermine traditional marriage in the states. As we can see courts have invalidated several marriage laws and the Supreme Court can do the same thing. I agree with critics that we shouldn’t have to pass these types of amendments. There right we shouldn’t have too, unfortunately activist liberal judges make it a necessity. To find out what other liberals Dreier and Bono voted with click here.Good news is that Newest Congressman Brian Bilbray voted yes on the amendment.… Read More

All the talk in Sacramento over the past couple of weeks has centered around a new arena deal. The negotiations have centered around a 1/4-cent sales tax increase to fund the $500 million new entertainment facility that would be home to the Sacramento Kings/Monarchs. It is likely to be financed with 80% public money and 20% private dollars (Sacramento Kings ownership).

Negotiators from the county and the NBA have a deadline of this week to come up with a deal that will allow the Board of Supervisors to put the measure on the November ballot.

The rumor is that they will split the measure into 2 questions. Part 1, would be the question to raise the sales tax and Part 2 would be how to spend it. By splitting the question, they will avoid the 2/3rds vote requirement and the measures will need only a simple majority. The strategy has some risk, opponents will likely take the measures to court if they pass, charging that splitting the vote was a end run around California law that requires tax increases that are "earmarked" be approved with a 2/3rd vote.

In order… Read More

Just hearing the word conflict gives government watchdogs a warm fuzzy feeling and the media just can’t help themselves from writing a story ANY time someone suggests a conflict exists.

Few people, even those engaged in the business of government and politics and public policy can cite what, under the law, actually constitutes a conflict. Thus every time someone lobes an accusation of conflict, it becomes news.

Not being a member of the State Bar I cannot offer legal advise, but I do know that there is NO law that would put a political consultant who is not on the government payroll in the position of having a legal conflict.

So you can imagine my frustration when I read a story in the LA Times today with an Internet link that reads: Conflict of Interest for Gov.’s Aide?

**There is more – click the link**… Read More