Politics 101 on the 101

The Smiling SpotlightThe Smiling Spotlight Leave a Comment

This found its way into the Smiling Inbox today regarding the Encinitas Special Election known as Prop A. The election date is June 18: Inbox:“How about a ROSTRA posting about how the Yes on A proponents are illegally littering the public ROW w/ signs costing the Taxpayers money to remove them?” TSS: It’s true that in Encinitas one is not …

New Majority Endorses Carl DeMaio

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio 23 Comments

DeMaio is “New Generation Republican” Who Will Bring Needed Fiscal and Economic Reforms to Washington San Diego, CA – Today the San Diego chapter of the New Majority, one of the largest Republican PAC’s in California, announced its endorsement of Carl DeMaio for the 52nd Congressional District. “After undergoing our candidate endorsement process, we are pleased to select and support …

Gun Regulations Should Match Voter Regulations

Brian BradyBrian Brady 13 Comments

Second Amendment supporters are often painted as extremists for believing that the natural right to life should not be infringed.  The regulators argue that “reasonable” regulations can and should exist in a “civil society.”  Why then,  is the right to vote considered to be “unalienable”  by those very same regulators?  Are those who believe the right to vote should not …

Why OC Is Losing $73 Million in Property Taxes and More

Diane HarkeyBoard of Equalization Member Diane Harkey Leave a Comment

This op-ed originally appeared in the Flashreport Sometimes being in the room helps get the story straight. Orange County lost its case to retain $73 million in property tax revenue, in a legal decision stemming from the 2011 state budget deal. The decision will be appealed, as County Supervisors struggle to fill the gap which will decrease employment and services …

DeMaio’s Congressional Bid

Thor's AssistantRostra Administrator (Thor's Assistant) 4 Comments

Carl DeMaio’s Congressional campaign website… http://www.carldemaio.com/ UT San Diego: DeMaio launching bid for Congress… http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/may/29/demaio-52nddistrict-peters/ Some of the Twitter coverage/reaction… https://twitter.com/search?q=Carl%20DeMaio&src=typd DeMaio press release… For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 30, 2013 San Diego – Carl DeMaio made it official today: He’s running for US Congress. The businessman-turned-government reformer said he is frustrated with partisan bickering in Washington and intends to …

IRS, Obama, and Plausible Deniability

Bob SiegelBob Siegel Leave a Comment

Originally published by Communities @ Washington Times SAN DIEGO, May 24, 2013 — “Plausible deniability” is a tried and true maneuver in the history of modern politics. The idea is quite simple. When a President’s desire or intentions are more or less understood, without anything actually appearing in writing, surrogates can get a job done all the while making very …

If Syria… Where would San Diego Stand?

Guest ColumnGuest Column 5 Comments

Guest Commentary by Elliot Schroeder Scandals abound, but Syria is still a mess and the world is looking for Obama to step in. It’s the usual case where the world hates U.S. involvement, but when the U.S. stands aside the world clamors for intervention. As for President Barrack Obama, he did not come into the office with much foreign policy …

CA average income higher than Texas? Yes — but no.

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters 4 Comments

According to the latest U.S. census figures, the 2009 median household income in California is significantly higher than Texas… CA — $58,931 TX — $48,259 But, ADJUSTED FOR THE COST OF LIVING, the Texas median household income is significantly higher than California… TX — $53,009 CA — $44,456 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States#Median_income

Was Benghazi the Republicans’ Fault?

Brian BradyBrian Brady 1 Comment

Was the terrorist attack on the “diplomatic outpost” in Benghazi, Libya ultimately the fault of Republicans in Congress? In a word… No…and Yes….”probably maybe” might be a more accurate answer. Let’s first start with the obvious — if  President Obama hadn’t invaded Libya, intervening in a foreign civil war, the attack on the “diplomatic outpost” in Benghazi never would have …

Common Core State Standards in Education: Part Four — Who should set standards for local school districts?

Guest ColumnGuest Column 12 Comments

The last three weeks SD Rostra published the first three parts of a presentation by Citizens for Quality Education made during the April 22 Poway Unified School District Board meeting on the implementation of Common Core State Standards in schools. Below is the last of that four-part presentation. The concerns expressed by the group are of impact to all schools, …

Ruth Institute: First Annual Gala June 2

Thor's AssistantPress Releases / Media Advisories Leave a Comment

http://ruthinstitute.org/ITAF13/gala/index.html Join the Ruth Institute in Mission Valley on June 2 for their First Annual Gala Dinner! There will be a live auction and raffle with fantastic prizes, dinner, and live music. Patrick Coffin of Catholic Answers will be the Master of Ceremonies, and Tim Clemente is the Keynote Speaker. Meet Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, president and founder of the …

Yesterday’s Elections: Running Towards and Away From Big Labor

Brian BradyBrian Brady 2 Comments

Yesterday’s special elections are showing that, in California, political parties may be losing influence to Labor unions.  I’m going to look at four races, held yesterday, and approach them from the point-of-view that each one (in overwhelmingly Democratic Party controlled districts) was a statement either for or against the most powerful rent-seeker in California politics, labor unions. Lorena Gonzalez won …

ObamaCare / Covered California update

Jerome StocksJerome Stocks 2 Comments

This landed in my email inbox today: Covered California to release list of health plans, rates Sacramento Business Journal by Kathy Robertson – Monday, May 20, 2013: Covered California, the new state health benefit exchange, will release a tentative list of health plans and rates for the program at a board meeting in Sacramento Thursday. The meeting will be held …

Governor’s State Budget – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Diane HarkeyBoard of Equalization Member Diane Harkey Leave a Comment

This op-ed originally appeared in the Flashreport As budgets go in California there is much to be liked about the Governor’s May revise. First, it balances and does again reduce the accumulated structural deficit (internal and external borrowed monies used to plug holes since 1999) projected to fall from a height of $35 billion to $26 billion. The budget establishes …

What a Week: Some Fun and Some Video

Thor's AssistantRostra Administrator (Thor's Assistant) 1 Comment

Jay Leno: Do you know that this week marks the 40th anniversary of the Watergate hearings? For those of you too young to remember, back then the Administration had an enemies list. They were spying on reporters. They used the IRS to harass groups they didn’t like. Thank God those days are gone forever. David Letterman: People always say this …

UCSD College Republicans Host National RNC Committeeman Shawn Steel, May 20, 2013

Brian BradyBrian Brady Leave a Comment

Shawn Steel will be speaking to the UCSD College Republicans this Monday night, at 6PM, in the Thurgood Marshall Room at the Price Center West on the UCSD campus.  Shawn is a former CRP Chairman and is currently the National Committeeman, from the California Republican Party, to the Republican National Committee. You may recall that I encouraged  conservatives to contact …