Assemblyman Jones Expresses Frustration with First Assembly Budget Hearing on Governor Brown’s 2011-12 Budget Plan SACRAMENTO – Assembly Budget Committee member Brian Jones, R-Santee, today expressed deep frustration with the Governor’s budget proposal, which is short on cutting the size of government and long on smoke and mirrors. “I almost want to support the governor’s proposed initiative, if for no …
For Maher, Tonight Was Not A Good Night
Originally published by The Washington Times, 1-14-11. Used by permission. Although it has become fashionable for liberals to challenge right-wing “hate speech” with patronizing pleas to “tone down the rhetoric” and a microscopic ability to examine their own verbal ammunition, the discussion reached an all-time low this week following Arizona’s fateful shootings. Quick to add his personal spin on recent …
Michael Steele is Out as RNC Chairman — defeated by Reince Priebus of Wisconsin — And Finally, A new start for the RNC
Michael Steele has committed his last gaffe as Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Yesterday he lost a bid for a second 2-year term, defeated by Wisconsin GOP head Reince Priebus. Priebus won on the 7th ballot with 97 votes from the 168 RNC members. Steele dropped out after the 4th ballot, endorsing another candidate who also lost. Priebus [pronounced …
Is it Live …. or is it Datamar? …. SD pollster Raul Furlong believes automated Telephone surveys get more Accurate Poll results
Successful San Diego-based pollster Raul Furlong tells us how automated phone polling works well for his clients. If you’ve heard the voice of radio/TV legend Clark Anthony asking your views on politics, it was likely Raul’s firm Datamar calling you. [Last month John Neinstedt of San Diego’s Competitive Edge firm made the case for ‘live’ surveys (a real-time interviewer asking questions]. …
Global Warming Panic Explained
Now I understand. Click graphic for video:(Disclaimer: This post does not necessarily reflect the views of my employer, the North County Times.)
City Hall and the Tea Party – 2011
Dave Maass asked me earlier about what I thought the Tea Party would be watching locally in 2011. As the unofficial chief ideologist, I thought the question deserves an answer. (By the way, no one selected me, in a decentralized organization, people just do the job that needs to get done. Shared vision is the glue that keeps the Tea Party together, not a party organization.) Here is what we will be watching:
Cost-Cutting Before State Tax Hikes
This op-ed originally appeared in the Orange County Register As promised Gov. Jerry Brown released his budget, asking for a five-year tax increase to help close the state budget deficit. Playing to his special interest groups, a coalition of public employee and teachers’ unions, as well as environmental interests, we should expect this governor to request tax increases. And, playing …
DeMaio Pension Reform Proposal Becomes Centerpiece of Mayor-Council Offer to Unions
It has been a very good week for fiscal reform! The public pressure is paying off and the Mayor and City Council have agreed to offer our pension reform package as part of a settlement offer to the labor unions. Now the ball is in the labor unions’ court. If they do not want to join us in this …
Another Candidate Declares for an Assembly Seat that Doesn’t Exist
A couple of weeks ago I reported that Del Mar Councilwoman Crystal Crawford had already declared herself a candidate for the non-existent 74th Assembly District (all lines will be redrawn by a state commission by August of 2011). Yesterday afternoon at the Fairbanks Republican Women luncheon Republican Sherry Hodges declared herself a candidate for the 74th AD. Hodges is District …
A Pious Bob Filner talks and talks… but not about his own outbursts
San Diego’s Democratic Congressman Bob Filner chatted with Nancy Cordes on CBS about “political discourse.” He alleges that he was threatened in the last election cycle. “Like many of us across the country – including Gabby (Gabrielle Giffords) – we had, I’ll just lump them together as Tea Party opponents, people who went really beyond the bounds of political discourse,” …
A Liberal Bargain: Silence A Whole Movement For The Price Of One Man
Originally published by The Washington Times, 1-11-11 Used by permission. SAN DIEGO — January 11, 2011 — It began with the words of Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, when he suggested that the wicked, lunatic, Jared Lee Loughner, (who shot 19 people, murdering 6) committed his crime as a result of “irresponsible political rhetoric of conservatives.” Did Dupnik later apologize …
Howard Kurtz Talks to Bardella, Mistakes Him For Issa
It’s an understandable error. To the Eastern press, we Rostrafarians all look and sound alike; so debonnaire and intelligent. What’s really embarrassing for media watchdog Kurtz is that he didn’t correct the error in his purported interview with Issa in a Nov. 27 Daily Beast column until Jan. 11, although by his own admission he was told of the error …
Want to go to college? Not in California
California’s budget crisis will now be handled by adults according to newly-minted and former California Governor Jerry Brown. Nothing is off the table Brown said — except those who have collective bargaining contracts. That grown-up budget conversation came at the expense of the state’s coveted higher-education programs. The billion-dollar cuts shocked college administrators and prompted warnings to high school seniors …
Bond, James Bond (the Encinitas one) endorses Steve Danon for District 3 County Supervisor
The June 2012 prinary election is still 17 months away, but the District 3 race for County Supervisor continues to make news! Last week incumbent Pam Slater-Price filed preliminary papers to seek a 6th term. This week, rival Steve Danon is endorsed by new Encinitas Mayor (but longtime councilman) James Bond. In a press release today, Bond explained, ” It is …
Rally in support of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial
Come Rally in support of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Saturday January 15 10am – 12 noon Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial (atop Mt Soledad) 6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive South, San Diego The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the war memorial cross is unconstitutional because it conveys the message of “state-endorsed religion.” Please join with leaders: …
San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council Offers an Enemies List and a Parade
Brothers and Sisters (yes, this is how Secretary-Treasurer Lorena Gonzalez actually addresses union members in her message): Did you know the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council actually has an enemies list? The businesses with which they have grievances are described as “unfair employers and adversaries of the labor movement” on their Do Not Patronize page. ‘Adversaries’ is such …
UPDATED: Gov. Brown A Welcome Ally Against Redevelopment’s Corporate Welfare
(UPDATED: See end of article for more info) As a card-carrying member of SD Rostra’s Tiny Libertarian Conspiracy, I’m ecstatic that Gov. Jerry Brown (how strange not to say this in the past tense) plans to help balance California’s budget by ending the corporate welfare of redevelopment agencies. It’s long been a scandal how these agencies have been abused by …
SD Supervisors decide to starve the poor
San Diego County Supervisors decide to starve the old, the disabled and the homeless New restaurant food stamp program likely will leave these unfortunate people without food two weeks every month by Richard Rider, Chairman San Diego Tax Fighters Phone 858-530-3027 11 January, 2011 For Immediate Release San Diego – Today the San Diego County Supervisors voted to starve the …
City Attorney Validates DeMaio Pension Reform Proposal
Mayor and Council Can Legally Freeze “Pensionable Pay” and Prevent Pension Spiking Councilmember Carl DeMaio heralded a memorandum released by City Attorney Jan Goldsmith that confirms the City’s legal ability to implement a major pension reform proposal outlined in DeMaio’s Roadmap to Recovery Plan. One of the major elements of DeMaio’s comprehensive pension reform package is to freeze city employees’ “pensionable …
SD Rostra: The Virtual Gathering Place
A new Democratic, left-leaning blog, Two Cathedrals, has entered the San Diego blog-o-fray in recent days. The website refers to itself as “an organization…” — sounds more robust than simply a weblog — “…committed to reasserting the role of progressive principles in San Diego’s communities and government,” and “as a centralized resource for analysis, research, organizing and communications outreach towards …
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