I was a little taken aback this morning when I read in the Stockton Record that the City of Stockton, or shall we say the City Manager (since it seems from the article that none of the elected officials on council were aware of what was going on), is attempting to cobble together a way to purchase the Stockton Thunder hockey team from owner Michael Reinsdorf. The excuse is that because they feel they have an unfavorable lease that the city can then either keep the team or re-sell it to ownership with a lease agreement that is favorable to the city. The only person on council who opposed it immediately was uber-left councilwoman Susan Eggman.

As many of you know, I am a rabid hockey fan. I have also been an active participant in the debates over public financing of sports teams and facilities. It is a much easier case to make in spending public dollars for facilities than it is to actually BUY a franchise.

The interesting side to this story is the dramatic success of the Stockton Thunder hockey franchise that has become the crown jewel of the ECHL with attendance that other franchises could only hope for. This success has led the ownership to upgrade… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary e-mail. Red font added by me.

Escape from Pelosi Island

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Over the years, I have had my share of hands-on campaign experience. Besides my term as Executive Director of the California Republican Party, I was intimately involved in key positions in campaigns for a statewide candidate and a ballot measure (one won, one lost), as well as numerous campaigns for Congress and the State Legislature. This is relevant because I want make it clear that when I write about political strategy and tactics, it is not from the perspective of a conservative columnist, but rather from the perspective of having over two decades of hands-on involvement in the “contact game” of politics.

Yesterday State Senator Jeff Denham (pictured to the right) announced that in the pursuit of the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor that he has successfully reserved (or “locked up” as we say in the biz) 14 of… Read More

Over the years, I have had my share of hands-on campaign experience. Besides my term as Executive Director of the California Republican Party, I was intimately involved in key positions in campaigns for a statewide candidate and a ballot measure (one won, one lost), as well as numerous campaigns for Congress and the State Legislature. This is relevant because I want make it clear that when I write about political strategy and tactics, it is not from the perspective of a conservative columnist, but rather from the perspective of having over two decades of hands-on involvement in the “contact game” of politics.

Yesterday State Senator Jeff Denham (pictured to the right) announced that in the pursuit of the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor that he has successfully reserved (or “locked up” as we say in the biz) 14 of the major GOP slate… Read More

Lincoln Club Secretary and former Wilson Administration official Jeff Reid has prepared a devastating and irrefutable opposition piece to the May ballot initiatives. We are offering to debate the proponents of these initiatives any time, any place and any where.We expect no takers because the proponents have an indefensible position.

A power point presentation and coherent arguments against the fraud being perpetrated by this Governor will be up on our website very soon, as www.fresnolincolnclub.org.

Its time to kick some you know what on this.… Read More

On Monday Assemblyman Van Tran was invited to attend President Obama’s Town Hall at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Assemblyman Tran is a Republican, but the event was in his district. Normal protocol would dictate that the elected officials from any party be invited. Tran was. And the White House staff spoke to Tran’s staff a few times about the event.

Just heard that after flying down to attendTran was denied entry because his name wasn’t on the list. Incompetence or just another example of Obama’s bipartisanship?… Read More

From the U-T, about the U-T. May James Copley continue to RIP, knowing that his once great publication — including staff members that advised presidents — is no longer in the hands of an idle son of a wife, and that there may be a glimmer of hope for the newspaper’s future.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/18/bn18sale105226/… Read More

Congressman Tom McClintock took to the House floor yesterday to talk about his constituents’ outrage over the government mortgage bailout fiasco. Sacramento-area talk show hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty got over 6,000 listeners to send in postcards protesting the bailout. Watch McClintock’s fantastic speech, which unlike the unrighteous indignation on parade on Capitol Hill right now, represents true taxpayer outrage:

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