ICYMI: DeMaio Kick Off Speech

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio 3 Comments

DeMaio Kicks Off Mayoral Campaign Pledges to Implement His “Roadmap to Recovery” and Pension Reform City Councilmember Carl DeMaio launched his campaign for Mayor on Sunday in Rancho Bernardo. In his announcement, delivered to a crowd of 200 supporters, DeMaio focused on making city government work for San Diegans once again. What follows is the full text of his speech: …

Church Of The Poison Journalistic Mind

Bradley J. FikesBradley J. Fikes 2 Comments

“In my house growing up, The Times substituted for religion. If The Times said it, it was the absolute truth.” — Jill Abramson, new executive editor of the New York Times Of course, that quote was too provocative to remain in the New York Times’ story about Abramson’s appointment. So like a good disposer of inconvenient facts, the paper flushed …

DeMaio and Fletcher are In

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

Today… SDUT: Fletcher to run for San Diego mayor SDUT: DeMaio kicks off campaign for San Diego mayor Prior stories… Rostra: Heidi Klum’s Take on the San Diego Mayor’s Race Rostra: Deep Thoughts….By People Who May Be Your Mayor Someday SDUT: Kehoe explores run for San Diego mayor Voice: Kehoe Explores Mayoral Candidacy Voice: Kehoe — Let’s Talk Pensions Later …

UPDATE …. Draft 39th Senate seat voted 52% Meg Whitman, just 40% Jerry Brown — So Who wants to be a GOP State Senator?

Jim SillsJim Sills 1 Comment

Credible new number-crunching reveals the revised 39th state senate seat depicted above (held by Chris Kehoe now) would have a 38%  to 34% GOP registration edge, and backed Meg Whitman vs. Jerry Brown by a 52% to 40% margin in 2010.  (Hat tip to Redistricting Partners group.)  Stunner!  This would now be a clear-cut GOP seat, not just a competitive one, if adopted …

Diane Bell’s U-T Shout Out Re: Rider Becomes a GOPer

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

From today’s Diane Bell column in the U-T… Changing times: After 35 years as an outspoken Libertarian leader here, Richard Rider has switched parties. Rider ceremoniously registered as a Republican in front of 600 local GOP dinner attendees after impersonators of Barack Obama and Bill Clinton stunned the partisan crowd with the news that someone would be shifting parties. “I’ll be a …

Name That Palin — Which pictured Lady is Sarah ……. and which is her Look-a-like ?

Jim SillsJim Sills 9 Comments

During her current  Bus Tour, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin agreed to pose with a celebrity impersonator .  The nearby crowd was stunned by their resemblance.   Please examine the photo closely, and then tell us which you believe is the Real Sarah Palin … and which is the excellent impersonator.   (We’re entitled to relax and have a little Fun here …

Is California Trapped in a Debt and Tax Spiral?

Diane HarkeyBoard of Equalization Member Diane Harkey Leave a Comment

This op-ed originally appeared in the Orange County Register Is California Trapped in a Debt and Tax Spiral? I applauded when Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he was not asking Wall Street for additional long-term debt this year. While employment is showing modest gains, state debt and defaults are the topic du jour in financial circles, with California topping the …

Deep Thoughts….By People Who May Be Your Mayor Someday

Tony ManolatosTony Manolatos 8 Comments

In the spirit of election season, which officially kicks off Sunday, here are some deep thoughts by people who may be San Diego’s Mayor someday: “San Diegans want an app that routes all of their complaints to an intern in my office.” ~Carl DeMaio “San Diegans are tired of drinking at the beach.” ~Kevin Faulconer “San Diegans want a new Chargers …

Preliminary State Senate Maps — Toni Atkins now has a Rocky Road to the Upper House — Republicans could regain SD 39

Jim SillsJim Sills 14 Comments

Last January 31,  SD Rostra foresaw a Republican takeover chance in  mid-county’s 39th State Senate District.  That prediction looks pretty good in preliminary maps (see above) issued this week by the State Redistricting Commission’s staff.  The area now served by Chris Kehoe would add Republican strongholds like Rancho Bernardo, Penasquitos, San Carlos, Tierrasanta, and Scripps Ranch. The maps also seem to show El …

Preliminary North County Assembly Maps— Rocky Chavez vs. Sherry Hodges on The Coast— Marie Waldron now the Inland District Republican frontrunner

Jim SillsJim Sills 8 Comments

The State Redistricting Commission will view these draft maps drawn by their staff this week.  View all of them here for the entire state: http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/meeting_handouts.html If they are adopted (no certainty!) here’s how they appear to affect North County’s Assembly districts.  Caveat:  These analyses are written on the fly, and the Maps may well be changed later. First,  the COASTAL …

Other San Diego Assembly Maps — Martin Block’s AD 78 is “dismembered” — and GOP gets pick-up Chance on Coast

Jim SillsJim Sills 4 Comments

If the preliminary California Staff-prepared maps stand up, here are the remaining SD County Assembly maps, and they all spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E for Assemblyman Martin Block (D), and an OPPORTUNITY for Republicans to win a Coastal district from Democrats. http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/meeting_handouts.html Block faces 3 options: (1) stay in his current East SD home and challenge popular GOP incumbent Brian Jones in a …

Heidi Klum’s Take on the San Diego Mayor’s Race

The Libertarian Lass, Gayle FalkenthalThe Libertarian Lass, Gayle Falkenthal 14 Comments

Do I know what will drive Rostra reader traffic, or what? While Mrs. Seal hasn’t technically made any direct comment, her admonition to contestants on her reality show “Project Runway” applies nicely. As in fashion, in politics one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out. In a few short days on June 5 when fundraising can begin, all …

Regional MSCP report coming on the 29th

Jerome StocksJerome Stocks 2 Comments

This email came from the County Dept of Parks and Recreation. I thought some may find it useful information: The San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) Annual Report Workshop will be held on Wednesday, June 29th from 9:00am-noon at the Balboa Park Club Ballroom.  The workshop is a collaborative effort between local jurisdictions, state and federal agencies to highlight …

Christine Kehoe for Mayor! She wants to (again) screw up San Diego

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters Leave a Comment

Hoh boy! Christine Kehoe, has decided she’d like to return to city hall and again screw up the city. During her city council days, she backed the unjustified, retroactive pension increases — including a lame duck session where she granted herself a pension to start IMMEDIATELY after she was termed out of her city office. This will be fun! Well, …

Congressman Hunter says charter schools make sense for parents and teachers

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

A Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education hearing yesterday examined the possible role of charter schools in the nation’s failing education system. “Republicans on this committee have been strong proponents of charter schools for many years, as we recognize the opportunities they offer parents and students,” said Committee Chair Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA). “Charter schools empower parents to …

Fun Police Take Away Firecrackers, Lollipops are Next!

Erica HollowayErica Holloway 25 Comments

Ooooooh! Aaaaaah! Oh, would ya’ look at the pretty firecrackers. Uh-oh. The Fun Police just arrived. I’m sorry, kids. Gonna have to take your happiness. I’ll be back later for your lollipops and American flags. And while the fireworks debate goes national, as the San Diego Union-Tribune notes so (melo)dramatically, my hometown of Flint made the FBI’s list for most …

Afghan Heroin and Mexican cartels are a recipe for disaster

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

There’s no doubt about the wreckage that illegal drugs and their pushers leave behind. In Mexico’s case, the five-year narco battle with the cartels has taken 40,000 lives, but to make matters worse, Afghanistan, the central battlefield for the “War on Terror” has company — the Mexican drug cartels. A recent El Universal story confirmed that “Mexican narco-traffickers operate like …

Is Fletcher About to Enter the Race for Mayor?

Mr. MurphyMr. Murphy 18 Comments

I got an email today from a friend that seems to be in pretty close touch with Nathan Fletcher and company. She will remain nameless, but I thought it was worth publishing. I’ll skip the chatter back and forth and just hit the part I thought was important: “Yes I think NF is going to be in. I hear in …