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, …
Dispelling the Public Sector Salary Myth
Here is an absolute first rate commentary by Daniel Borenstein dissecting the myth that public employees are compensated less than private sector folks. Included in this article is an amazing 100+ page study that should serve as a reference for many debates to come when having this discussion. Borenstein’s article: http://bit.ly/mdCIFO Full study: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/78892940/pensionstudy
Death Of A Terrorist Brings Life To A President
Written by Bob Siegel and originally published by The Washington Times Communities, 5-6-0-11. Used by permission. SAN DIEGO, May 6, 2011 —In the shadow of the biggest news since 9/11, a small group of Republican candidates held their first 2012 presidential debate yesterday in Greenville, South Carolina. Credit was given to President Obama for taking out Osama bin Laden, and …
Project Gunrunner (Mexican Drug Cartels Say Thanks!)
The BATF’s anti-illegal-gun program has accomplished the opposite of its mission, reports Fox News: It is the closest thing to a smoking gun congressional investigators have in their probe of Project Gunrunner — a program that was intended to stop the flow of guns to criminals in Mexico but instead allowed those guns to be smuggled to Mexico instead. An …
Rostra’s Jantz in Good Company on SDCTA’s 2011 Golden Watchdogs List
This year’s list of Golden Watchdog Award and Media Watchdog Award finalists is out from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association (full disclosure: SDCTA is one of my public relations firm’s clients). On behalf of San Diego Rostra, we congratulate all the nominees. A full list is available here. We take particular pride in one of our OWN being on …
City Attorney: Retiree Health Agreement ‘Achieves an excellent result for City’
Historic agreement helps San Diego avoid years of costly legal battles City Attorney Jan Goldsmith lauded the agreement the City reached today with labor unions to drastically reduce retiree health costs — a move that will save San Diego taxpayers more than $700 million. “This settlement … achieves an excellent result for the City,” Goldsmith said today at a joint news conference …
DeMaio Opposes Massive $1.8 Billion Retiree Health Care Giveaway
15-Year Contract Creates De-Facto “Vesting” of Life-Long City Employee Benefits On Top of Medicare Just when you thought bad pension deals were a thing of the past at City Hall, along comes this unprecedented 15-year binding contract that guarantees life-long taxpayer-funded health benefits to city employees that are far in excess of private sector benchmarks. How can city leaders actually …
Granite State Greetings
Manchester, New Hampshire, to be precise, where I’m visiting maternal relatives. My mom had six sisters, so there’s a ton of relations here. I’m staying with my uncle Bill and aunt Shirley. If you’re reading this, hi! New Hampshire, of course, grabs the national spotlight once every four years with its first-in-the-nation presidential primary. Candidates have already begun their cicada-like …
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