** UPDATED ** With each new read of the President’s national address on immigration reform, I find a new nugget. So following are my delayed reactions to his speech….with updates (because some of the absurdity of the President’s speech is taking a while to register).

The President’s immigration proposal is like an abridged twelve-step program.

First, admit there’s a problem and that we’re powerless over illegal immigration.

“We must begin by recognizing the problems with our immigration systems. For decades, the United States has not been in complete control of its borders.”

Second, admit there’s a power greater than ourselves that can restore us to sanity.

“We are a nation of laws….” Indeed, America as a nation is greater than all the President’s advisors, pollsters and policy wonks. Thankfully.

Third, make an inventory of our wrongs.

“For many years, the government did not have enough space in our detention facilities to hold [illegals] while the legal process unfolded. So most were released back into our society and… Read More

If the 16 minute national address that President Bush gave tonight were a parody, he would’ve said something like this:

"Sneaking into America and breaking in the law is hard work."

But alas, it was not a parody it was an outline of the single biggest domestic policy agenda in the country. And I believe that the President fell short in his attempt to convince Republicans that he truly as a "comprehensive" proposal.

The President laid out five objectives for "comprehensive" immigration reform. (Fact: The word "comprehensive" was used four times in the speech.)

1. Secure the border

"The border should be open to trade and lawful immigration — and shut to illegal immigrants, as well as criminals, drug dealers, and terrorists."

– 6,000 new Border Patrol agents by 2008

– Construct high-tech fences in urban corridors, build new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas.

– 6,000 National Guard members deployed along southern border.

– Ensure that every… Read More

“I have decided to mount an aggressive campaign for the Republican nomination to save this seat for the Republican majority in Congress. I will campaign seven days a week between now and June 6th and spend whatever it takes to prevail in next month’s Republican primary,” Bill Hauf said.

“Brian Bilbray, my opponent in the June 6th primary, has achieved what no one thought possible. He has single-handedly taken a safe Republican congressional seat in North County and placed it in jeopardy and, according to one recent poll, he now trails Democrat Francine Busby by 5%,” Hauf added. “Brian Bilbray has come up from his lifelong home in South County with a liberal agenda that has… Read More

Following are excerpts from President Bush’s address to the nation this evening about illegal immigration. And yes, the rumors are true, the President uses the words "melting pot."

(No word yet on whether or not Mexico’s President Vicente Fox approved these excerpts.)

You can watch or listen to the speech live at 5 PM PST. On the President’s vision for comprehensive immigration reform: “We are a Nation of laws, and we must enforce our laws. We are also a Nation of immigrants, and we must uphold that tradition, which has strengthened our country in so many ways. These are not contradictory goals – America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time. We will fix the problems created by illegal immigration, and we will deliver a system that is secure, orderly, and fair.” On Border Security: “Since I became President, we have increased funding for border security by 66 percent, and expanded the Border Patrol from about 9,000 to 12,000 agents. . . .we have apprehended and sent home about six million people entering… Read More

Before we started having kids, my husband John outlined his plan to ensure that they would grow up conservative. He wanted us to act and talk like bleeding-heart liberals so when our kids rebelled, they’d run to the right–exactly where we wanted them to be.

We couldn’t really follow his plan, but as long as we have legislators like Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, in office, our kids will learn the value of limited government simply by reading the newspaper.

Evans’ Assembly Bill 2108 proposes to ban children under 13 from sitting in the front seat and also would require children to use car seats or booster seats for two additional years – until their eighth birthday or are 4 feet 9 inches tall.

I can’t wait to show my oldest daughter the article in today’s Sacramento Bee on the bill. I know that she’ll ask me why that lady in the legislature thinks that she… Read More

While many of us wonder what happened to the GOP courage in the midst of the recent negotiations and votes on the bond bills (although Democrat Assemblymember Juan Arambula had the guts to stand up to his party and vote the way he thought his district wanted him to), I did witness a display of courage Friday night at Pacbell, I mean SBC, no it’s AT&T Park (I meant to post these sooner, but Mother’s Day festivities kept me from my computer). My husband—a Giants fan—hates to go with me to Dodger-Giant games because I wear all my Dodger paraphernalia and he’s sure that he’s going to get punched out. So I took my mom this weekend to celebrate our day and we were awed by this fellow Dodger fan who had the guts to wear an anti-Barry Bonds t-shirt in the midst of the upper-deck ticket holders (who seem drink a whole lot more than the folks sitting in the charter seats down below). Of course, Giants fans are waiting (and waiting and waiting) for Barry to hit his 714 home run to tie Babe Ruth’s… Read More

My understanding is that only half of the Sample Ballots and NONE of the actual ballots have been mailed out from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. DEVELOPING…… Read More

Sunday, the Union-Tribune effectively ended the campaign of candidate Scott Packard in San Diego’s 74th Assembly District GOP Primary. Until fairly recently, Scott (son of former Congressman Ron Packard) was a Nevada contractor. Turns out Scott got his contractor’s license revoked in Nevada because he was found guilty serious ethical and financial violations. And he didn’t pay the fines, or a $100,000+ lawsuit judgment from one of his clients that successfully sued him. Then the Union Tribune pointed out that Scott now works for a local construction company (you guessed it) without a California contractor’s license. A representative of State of California was quoted as saying “it doesn’t sound good” that they will grant him a license after his antics in Nevada. Spiraling…

The majority of Scott’s endorsement’s are local city mayors (Carlsbad Mayor Lewis, Encinitas Mayor Guerin, Oceanside Mayor Wood, San Marcos Mayor Smith, and Vista Mayor Vance). This morning, there has been much speculation on whether or not they were made aware of Scott’s history before they endorsed, and when they will start jumping… Read More