In a stunning upset, conservative businessman and Tea Party activist Craig Huey appears to have defeated heavily-favored Democratic Secretary of State Debra Bowen for a runoff spot to succeed Rep. Jane Harman in Congress. Huey came from behind to finish 206 votes ahead of Bowen last night and will now face LA city councilwoman Janice Hahn in a July 12 …
California conceal carry gun rights case dealt another setback
A developing trend in California courtrooms has purveyors of the Second Amendment up in arms- in order to protect oneself outside their domicile gun owners must pass muster with county Sheriff Departments, according to a federal judge. Yesterday U.S. District Court Judge Morrison England in Sacramento, CA ruled that Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto indeed had the right to choose …
Supporting San Diego’s Small Businesses with Better Policies
May 16 to May 20 marks National Small Business Week. This is a time to honor small businesses in our community and the vital role that they play in our local economy. It is also an opportunity for city leaders to examine ways to better support small businesses and remove impediments to their success. I have proposed a number of …
Help For Small Businesses in San Diego?
Lorie Zapf and Tony Young have released a Small Business Assistance Package designed to help small businesses cut through the red tape of city government and get the local economy growing. The effort is in part the result of an outreach effort by Zapf to small businesses. Some key provisions. 1. Code Compliance Amnesty 2. Small Business Liaison / Code …
Mixed Message
I encountered this mixed message at the American Museum of Natural Hstory in New York City. Click the link below to see the clash of messages:
An Evening of Pleasure… and PAIN
As readers know, a night with The Barkeep is always pleasurable (he’s insightful from decades in local politics) and painful (the next morning). I got up at 10am this morning. I usually get up at 6am. Enough said. The Barkeep on redistricting: “Everyone’s seen the Empower San Diego map now. It was b******t. If the commission approves something as obviously …
Dems push the DREAM Act and use passage as a carrot for entitlement reform
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (D) encouraged Republicans to consider passage of the DREAM Act as a good faith down payment on immigration reform; one that could lead Democrats towards meaningful entitlement reform he said. Durbin told Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) on Fox Sunday News program that if the GOP passed the DREAM Act, Democrats would be more willing to talk …
Mitt Romney: A Politician For All Seasons
Written by bob Siegel and originally published by The Washington Times Communities, 5-12-11. Used by permission SAN DIEGO, May 12, 2011 —During a much anticipated speech today in Ann Arbor, Michigan, potential presidential candidate Mitt Romney talked frankly about the state wide Massachusetts health care plan, which came into being under his watch as governor, and bears an uncanny resemblance …
As the Albondigas Turn: May’s Meatball Mayoral Poll
In the previous edition of the already legendary Albondigas San Diego Meatball Poll (and who are we to argue with this assertion), Councilmember Carl DeMaio, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, and Congressman Bob Filner were the top three picks in February for the San Diego Mayor’s race. Back when this poll took place, Charlie Sheen was still on “Two and a Half …
Google Does Evil
Popular blogger Ann Althouse suddenly lost her blog on Google’s Blogger platform. There’s been no explanation and no help from Google. Indeed, one of Google’s (presumably non-employee) blog liaisons, pseudonymed nitecruzr, has been taunting Althouse. Althouse’s blog has now been restored — without its years of content. On her blog, Althouse wonders if her coverage of the Wisconsin protests (which …
Redistricting Proposal — A Power Grab by Democrats and Labor in the City of San Diego
Let’s put aside for the moment the well-debated controversies over the partisan backgrounds of some of those holding the reins of the City of San Diego Redistricting Commission. After all, it still comes down to the maps the Commission is to consider, whether pulled out of their hats, drawn by a consultant, proposed by the community, or some combination thereof. …
$1.8 Billion Retiree Health Care Giveaway
The public deserves to know exactly what is in this deal how the numbers were reached. Once again, the labor unions and politicians are telling the public to trust them to give public employees an enormous benefit in a backroom deal. If this was really the good news it’s being sold as, then the public should have been given more …
Bible-Thumper Mixes Religion, Politics
Separation of church and state is a cornerstone of American freedom. Yet a disturbing group of religious activists seek to blend politics and religion. It’s an unhealthy blend, tainting both politics and religion with an air of fanaticism that would have horrified Thomas Jefferson. I saw such a manifestation of this disturbing religious intrusion into politics this week in Manchester, …
Mark Kersey Files for DeMaio’s Seat
According to a tweet today from the Voice of San Diego’s Scott Lewis, Mark Kersey is running for DeMaio’s council seat. @vosdscott Scott Lewis I hear this guy is hoped for successor to @carldemaio, which would indicate DeMaio’s definitely running for mayor. http://vosd.org/ilPXSN I didn’t think it was a secret that DeMaio was running for mayor but I guess he …
Fantastic news: Obama’s immigration speech notes the border fence is finished
President Obama stood before thousands of Texas Democrats and La Raza (The Race) supporters and told a whopper of a lie: “They (GOP) wanted a fence. Well, that fence is now basically complete.” This is welcome news for those who live near the 2,000-mile southern border; unfortunately it is another propaganda-type lie. Let’s educate Mr. Obama regarding what exactly a …
First Managed Competition Results Will Save Taxpayers Over $1 Million
I’m pleased to hear that the first managed competition results will save taxpayers over $1 Million. Congratulations to the City print shop employees for winning the bid by streamlining their operation and reducing their costs by 30%. My hope is that other departments will follow the print shop’s lead and aggressively rethink service delivery through the managed competition process. It …
P.C. Look Back At Mother’s Day
Last Sunday, churches, stores, and homes were filled with the joyous phrase, “Happy Mother’s day.” But a wise, modern mind would question whether or not to repeat those words. We have to maintain our Political Correctness after all. Saying “Happy Mother’s Day” could be showing insensitivity and discrimination to fathers or to children or to women who are not mothers. …
So a Socialist, a Fascist and a Reporter Walk Into a Bar… Part II
Honestly, I was there last time and I can’t say I remember the punch line to that joke. But I can report this, Rostrafarians, it was fun. Big fun! If you know what’s good for you, and I think you do, you’ll join us this week for the second tweet-up with our good frienemies over at that “other” local political …
San Diego Border Patrol snags $786k of cocaine, meth and marijuana
Border Patrol agents at the I-8 checkpoint near Pine Valley/San Diego prevented three drug smugglers trying to bring Mexican drugs into the U.S. The net resulted in the seizure of more than 220 pounds of illicit drugs and the arrests of four suspected drug smugglers. “The first smuggling attempt was stopped when agents arrested a 24-year-old male United States citizen …
Pinal County SWAT team discovers drug cartel lookout posts
Despite pronouncements from Department of Homeland Security’s big “sis” Janet Napolitano that the southern U.S. border is “secure as ever,” the Pinal County SWAT team found several drug cartel lookout posts on the American side of the border. The Pinal Regional SWAT team conducted a Desert Operation that focused on the interdiction of individuals/groups involved in smuggling of illicit drugs, …
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