It is my observation that most of the time we bloggers are negative posters, pointing out the perceived illsin our state and national political scene. Typically, weRepublicans demand a "throw the book at them" approach to public safety policy. Today, I am hypocritically providing information on avoiding justice, andreprinting a "consumer friendly" article on how to quibble your way out of a traffic ticket.Odds are you will not be successful, but long odds don’tdeter people from buying lottery tickets or heading out to casinos; so – good luck!

Fighting speeding ticket in court can be a gambleby Duane Guang, Riverside Press Enterprise

These days, Ruben Cardenas walks to work or bums rides from family and friends. He didn’t get into a wreck, but he did get dinged. The 18-year-old Rancho Cucamonga man fought a speeding ticket in court, and lost.

Not even the testimony of his mother and 10-year-old sister, who insisted Cardenas’ Civic grumbled if it exceeded 40 mph let alone the 102 mph he was accused of going, could sway the court… Read More

They say that only in the face of adversity can you take full measure of someone’s performance. Well, the multi-year overspending crisis that has created such a chasm between state spending and available tax revenues has really given State Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines an opportunity to demonstrate that they are great leaders.

Republican and anti-tax leaders and activists up and down the Golden State have taken note of this “GOP Dynamic Duo” – their leadership has the two Republican Caucuses working in tandem in a way that hasn’t been seen in many years.

Let’s remember that Cogdill and Villines are politicians in a Capitol that is overflowing with special interests and consumers of government — yet they are able to keep their grounding, and understand that their job is to represent all Californians. They have both demonstrated an understanding that growth in state government flies in the face of an American tradition of a truly limited role for the central state. They have also repeatedly made it clear that from a pragmatic point of view that increasing the… Read More

The Los Angeles City Council has decided to ban new fast food Restaurants in South Los Angeles.

Recently, I challenged the Governor to ban fast food restaurants as a way to eliminate distractions for drivers.

Little did I know that Councilwoman Jan Perrywould take the ball and ban new fast food restaurants.

See the people of South Los Angeles when left to their own devices like fast food. Jan Perry knows that if they ban new ones, then suddenly the residents of South Los Angeles will sit down and take the time to eat Alfalfa sprouts with alight vinaigrette.

Jan, it may not be targeting fat people instead of cell phones, butyou got more guts than the Governor.… Read More

They kind of go together like babies and puppies.

And yet there is an increasing volume from opponents of the system we have here in California that allows the voters to affirm, elect and re-elect judges. Or to turn them out in favor of another candidate. Opponents of this system suggest that judges should be beyond the political gamesmanship and not have to face the voters.

I think this is a great idea if the alternative was the system in place in El Salvador where attorneys nominate judges.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

They kind of go together like babies and puppies.

And yet there is an increasing volume from opponents of the system we have here in California that allows the voters to affirm, elect and re-elect judges. Or to turn them out in favor of another candidate. Opponents of this system suggest that judges should be beyond the political gamesmanship and not have to face the voters.

I think this is a great idea if the alternative was the system in place in El Salvador where attorneys nominate judges.

But back here in California a better idea is to encourage greater voter participation.

Orange County provides several great examples of how voters were informed and did the right thing. Back in 2002 Judge Ronald Kline had been charged with possessing a personal stockpile or child pornography AFTER filing had closed. Judge Kline had drew no opponent as is the case in most judicial races and so he was to be unopposed. But numerous media and party officials and write-in candidates waged a battle and John Adams a local business attorney was elected by write-in vote. I along with others advised Adams on his campaign. The voters got it.

Likewise… Read More

It is happening in Yolo County, Los Angeles County, and everywhere in between. Individual responsibility and freedom are being thrown out the window. The people that are expanding nanny government come from both parties.

In Los Angeles they are now going to ban new fast food outlets.

So now we tell people about nutrition in pubic schools, we don’t allow fast food in certain neighborhoods, and we are expected to care for them when they drive outside of their neighborhood to get their Big Mac.

Look. Have it one way or the other. We are paying tax dollars to teach people nutrition. If they graduated from high school in California they are required to know about calories and what they do for and to the body.

If they don’t accept what they are told it is their fault. It is not my fault. It is not the owner of a parcel of land in parts of Los Angeles that want to engage in selling a legal product. If they are going to ban fast food outlets then keep going.

Don’t allow supermarkets to sell bacon. Make people wear helmets when they… Read More

In Yolo County I have the pleasure of losing on 4-1 votes on a regular basis. Today in our meeting I had the pleasure of losing again.

Here is the agenda for today. The item we were discussing is 3.01.

We had a presentation from the California Product Stewardship Council regarding Extended Producer Responsibility. At the end of the presentation Supervisor Mariko Yamada said out loud "What is not to like?". I got to be the skunk at the party and spell out exactly why I was not going to vote for the resolution and felt that it sent the wrong message.

The argument here is that the burden for the cost of disposal of medical and universal waste should fall on the manufacturer. The disposal of these products is viewed as a cost to local government. Nonsense. Yolo County government has decided to enter into the landfill business and is not mandated. The way we handle out garbage is. We could choose to get out of the landfill business and then we would not have to deal with this mandate.

The whole justification… Read More

I read where this morning Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), the power utlility for most of the San Francisco Bay Area, has donated $250,000 to the campaign to defeat Proposition 8, the Protect Marriage Act.

I think it is pad policy for utility companies to get involved with an issue such as this, either for or against homosexual marriage. There are a great many Bay Area power users who have no choice about having PG&E as their provider, and should not have to have their power utlility company, spending money that way. The next time this utility looks for a rate hike, I hope everyone remembers that they actually have money to burn…… Read More