Juan Vargas now within 150 Votes of Mary Salas in the three-county 40th state senate Democratic race

Jim SillsJim Sills 9 Comments

In recent days, Juan Vargas has quietly closed ground on Mary Salas in their contest for the 40th senate Democratic nomination. The district includes parts of S.D., Imperial and Riverside counties. But today Vargas really surged. Imperial County’s update showed the Vargas lead there growing to 911 votes, up from 809 yesterday. The San Diego update reduced the Salas lead here from 928 to 907 votes. …

Chula Vista race now Tied —– Jill Galvez 6,554….Patricia Aguilar 6,554….St. Anthony may be responsible

Jim SillsJim Sills 3 Comments

Just 1,000 more votes countywide were tabulated at the Registrar of Voters today (Tuesday) but that’s  enough to shake up results for Chula Vista council seat #2. Aguilar added 56 votes to her total since yesterday, while the Galvez number rose 36 ballots. That puts them even at 6,554 votes. They are competing for a runoff spot against Larry Breitfelder, who is well ahead in 1st …

Obama trades punches with Arizona Senator over secure borders

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak 1 Comment

After a one-on-one meeting with President Obama, Arizona Senator Jon Kyl dropped a bombshell about the White House’s lack of concern for securing the southern borders. At a town hall meeting in the Senator’s district of Tempe, Arizona on Friday, Kyl explained to the audience that President Obama told him in the oval office the problem with securing the borders …

Close Race Update —– 99% counted —- Steve Rosen, Jill Galvez, Ron Nehring, and John Mullen enter The Winner’s Circle

Jim SillsJim Sills 9 Comments

With 99% of all SD County ballots now counted, the “photo finish” race pictures are finally clearing up: * Jill Galvez (6518) hangs on to a 20-vote lead v. Patricia Aguilar (6498) for the runoff spot in Chula Vista council seat # 2. * Steve Rosen (11,310) KO’s SD school board incumbent Katherine Nakamura (11,003). * Ron Nehring (14,805) appears …

TBI and PTSD leaves the health of our troops in limbo

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

The signature wounds of the “War on Terror” are ones not readily visible to the human eye; the disability resides in the mind and body of the soldier and the complexity that is the human brain. Many times these wounds of warfare do not rear their ugly heads immediately, but can manifest when warriors return to their lives in America. …

Competition Initiative Endorsements: Taxpayers Savings and Pension Reform

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio Leave a Comment

We’re pleased to announce two key endorsements for the San Diego Competition Ballot Measure.  We will be announcing a new set of endorsements each week over the summer… -Carl Groups Cite Taxpayer Savings and Pension Reform in Endorsing Competition Ballot Measure Measure Wins Endorsement of 2 Statewide Taxpayer Groups SAN DIEGO – The campaign to pass the San Diego “Competition …

A city of 90,000 — with TWO city employees. It works!

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters 6 Comments

Carl DeMaio’s San Diego managed competition proposal is a tad short of my ideal model – but a quantum leap forward from our present predicament. I enthusiastically support his efforts. Yet it does raise the question – what WOULD be my ideal model, given the constraints of the real world we live in. My proposed model is indeed not a …

Honest pension liability accounting will bring needed change

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

Posted on my blog: RiderBlog.NotLong.com It appears that reality finally is coming to the arcane field of government pension accounting. So why should you care? Consider the following. If (as the Dan Walters article below suggests) we start getting really serious about fully accounting for the unfunded liability of government pensions, bankruptcy can’t be far behind for many local jurisdictions. …

Summer Reading List — The 3 Best-Ever American Novels about Elections — “The Ninth Wave”, “Last Hurrah”, “All the King’s Men”

Jim SillsJim Sills 11 Comments

Here are the three best American novels ever written about politics and elections. Each is first and foremost a Work of Art, but they are also entertaining and brilliant, making for good Summer Reading. Here they are: “All the King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren. Pulitizer Prize winner, and Academy Award for Best Picture when Hollywood did its version. “The Ninth Wave” by Eugene Burdick. …

Breitfelder Resignation Announcement

Barry JantzBarry Jantz 1 Comment

Following up on my post of Thursday about Chula Vista City Council candidate Larry Breitfelder’s surprising resignation as an Otay Water District trustee, he sent me this press release… For Immediate Release:  Thursday, June 17, 2010 Breitfelder to Resign from Water Board Today Larry Breitfelder, winner of the Chula Vista City Council primary, will resign today from the Otay Water …

No on Crash Tax in Chula Vista

Guest ColumnGuest Column 1 Comment

Guest Commentary by Ed Herrera As municipal government and public agency budgets continue to feel the ripple effect of the nation-wide recession, we have begun to observe one of either or a combination of reforms, budget cuts, and increased scrutiny of wasteful spending, followed immediately by an action plan, or a simple refusal to make reforms and/or adopt aggressive economic …

Iran’s ability to strike Europe prompts White House to update Missile defense

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

Iran’s ability to launch several hundred missiles into Europe prompted the White House to begin overhauling the U.S. missile defense program. In a U.S. intelligence briefing, Defense Secretary Robert Gates informed cabinet and congressional members that Iran was getting very close to procuring 100s of missiles capable of striking most European nations. The United States will begin work on the …

Marti Emerald: Biting Her Own Tongue

CriticusCriticus 1 Comment

Before today I heard very little about a serious decision to recall Marti Emerald. Today, I’ve had the conversation a dozen times. There is a movement afoot. I don’t know if this movement will succeed or fail, but it is afoot. What I think is that Marti is rather foolish for bringing it up the way she did — it …

Emerald Melt Down On KPBS

Mr. MurphyMr. Murphy 41 Comments

It’s no secret that community leaders in the 7th Council District have been seriously discussing a recall of Councilwoman Marti Emerald. Recently, though, more serious ‘downtown’ types have also been overheard having similar discussions. A poll taken several months ago showed pretty conclusively that a funded recall would succeed. Apparently the buzzing is getting to Emerald, never known for stability. …

Obama’s handling of the oil spill sinks his popularity

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak 1 Comment

Back in February a billboard was placed along side a freeway in Minnesota displaying a picture of former President George W. Bush stating; “Do you miss me yet?” The billboard created an instant internet buzz something President Obama could use right about now. It’s no secret that Obama’s poll numbers are sliding south to 40 percent and his continued inaction …

Larry Breitfelder, leading vote-getter for open Chula Vista seat, resigning as Otay Water District trustee

Barry JantzBarry Jantz 9 Comments

When was the last time a candidate for office voluntarily gave up an existing elected title in the middle of a campaign? It’s happening in the Chula Vista City Council election.  What’s more, it’s happening in a contested race, in a key business-labor battleground city, as the leading vote-getter in the June 8 primary is now seemingly dismissing the very …

Equality Is Not Enough For Them

Bob SiegelBob Siegel Leave a Comment

A while ago, I wrote in one of my blogs that groups once persecuted who come into power are never satisfied with mere equality. Feminists, for instance, began with the proper assertion that women were equal to men, but today radical feminists insist they are superior to men. In that vein, I predicted the day would come when militant gay …

The costs of the ‘War on Terror’ escalate with each deployment

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak 6 Comments

As the nine-year “War on Terror” rages onward, high suicide rates, multiple deployments and lack of psychological treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) alarms military personnel and many point to the real cost of the Middle East offensive will be health care after the war has ended. This disparity will likely exact a large toll on the nation’s military …

UC-Irvine MSA Suspended: A Milestone in the Battle Against Islamo-fascism

Gabriella HoffmanGabriella Hoffman Leave a Comment

Read my NewsReal Blog debut piece here! UC-Irvine MSA Suspended: A Milestone in the Battle Against Islamo-fascism After a year filled with anti-Israel sentiments at University of California campuses, society can find solace in UC-Irvine’s decision to punish its Muslim Student Union. On June 14, 2010, an AP piece revealed that the infamous UCI “11,” MSU hecklers that disrupted Israeli …

Slater-Price’s Ticketgate Scandal = Need for a Gift Ban

The Smiling SpotlightThe Smiling Spotlight 13 Comments

 The Smiling Spotlight keeps Smiling because people send us such enlightening emails! Thank you, and keep ’em coming. By Steve Danon San Diego Union-Tribune investigative reporter Jeff McDonald has just been nominated for a “Golden Watchdog” award by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association for breaking the story how San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price has funneled millions …