Orange-County Courant

The last post of this blog

2005-08-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader(s),

I would like to thank all of you for your patronage at the Courant these past three months. It has been delightful to read your feedback either in the comments or in your many emails. I have especially enjoyed the camaraderie of the other political blogs, most of all the men at OC Blog, who put this crazy venture into my head.

But recent events, like media coverage and the many potential political maneuverings, have made me think to put an end to my blogging for now. I can foresee a working stiff political junkie like me getting far too wrapped up in the blogosphere and succombing to a sloth-like existence. This I aim to avoid. Without getting paid for punditry - and I'm not saying it's worth buying - the time spent here is costly.

I thank Richard and Anthony for their insightful addition to this thread of commentary. And I wish them luck in their own blogging if they choose to continue.

So without fanfare or applause, I bid you all farewell.

Your Humble Servant,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

UPDATE: I have moved! Check out Hack n Flak and OC Blog for more of my analysis on California politics.

CA-48 makes uncharacteristically good posts (two)

2005-08-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I'll give "Sam Seaborn" points when he's deserving. I will. And sometimes I think it takes a fresh pair of eyes to notice certain goings on with the special election.

One: http://cafortyeight.blogspot.com/2005/08/ackerman-endorses-campbell.html was interesting because I didn't even read the press release that was emailed to me. I'm sure the guys at OC Blog, Hack n Flak, CalRaces, California Campaigns, and here have all been exhausted by the number of press releases we receive from countless campaigns. This, to the point where we don't really read them any more. Most of the elections are over a year away! I didn't even read Campbell's latest press release, but I recognized the headline.

Senate Minority Leader, and early 48th Congressional frontrunner (I wish he still was), Dick Ackerman finally strolled on back as I thought he would to the Campbell Establishment camp and offered his endorsement. Campbell's campaign foolishly didn't make enough of a story out of this. It merits its own press release for those of us still furious at Campbell over his temper trantrum-turned-Congressional candidacy! ACKERMAN ENDORSES JOHN CAMPBELL FOR CONGRESS, ASKS ALL FORMER ACKERMAN FOR CONGRESS SUPPORTERS TO SUPPORT JOHN IN HIS EFFORT! That should have been the headline. Get with the program Gilliard! Get with the program Terry!

The other: http://cafortyeight.blogspot.com/2005/08/will-chosen-people-choose.html interesting point made by Seaborn was that there are roughly 10,000 Jewish (almost always high propensity) voters in the 48th CD and the October 4th special election date falls on Rosh Hashanah. Seaborn presents this news in a stupid way, but I think that's just inevitable. He is, after all, a Dem.

My prediction, with regards to the Jewish vote, is that the Orthodox voters and maybe the Conservative voters won't. And the Reform voters will. That is if the election dates aren't changed. I feel for the Jewish voters in the district (I really really do), but realistically if sociopolitical event schedulers took into account all religions represented in the 48th and augmented their plans to conform with all rituals and holidays we might never have an election. I sincerely hope 48th CD Jews don't feel singled out about the date. Arnold's already denounced and divorced himself from the hateful activities of his father. He's a friend of the Jewish community in California.

UPDATE: Santana at the Register says the number of Jewish voters in the 48th is 100,000. That seems to be too high an estimation. If true, though, it would mean that roughly 20% of likely voters have a religious conflict with the election. That is serious. Here's the link: County braces for costly round of polls.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Don't blink

2005-08-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

"This tag is not a game" may be one of the only times you'll see me agree with the ACLU.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The 48th: The date

2005-08-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Yesterday, in typical 21st Century fashion, bloggers broke the news about the date(s) for the special election(s). OC Blog was the first, then others.

Here's OC Blog: We have a date...

Here's the Daily Pilot: Candidates For Cox Seat Have One Week To File

Here's the Los Angeles Times: Democracy by the Shovelful

Here's the Orange County Business Journal: Gov. Sets Vote for Cox Seat

Here's the Orange County Register: Election to replace Cox set for Dec. 6

Blogs are here to stay and will have a remarkable impact on the way we view this election. Some of the highest caliber political minds are communicating through spin and innuendo in a way never seen before, and the mainstream press get to see it up close. I think the transparency is terrific.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Tran for Senate!

2005-08-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I'm very pleased to see the blogosphere beginning to consider a suggestion of mine made months ago. Both California Campaigns and OC Blog are pondering a Tran campaign for Joe Dunn's soon-to-be-vacated 34th Senate District seat.

Here's the link to what was written about this possibility in June: Should Van Tran Adjust His Target?

Here's the OC Blog post today: Memo To Van Tran: Run For the 34th SD

Here's the California Campaigns post made late last night (Mr. St. John must not sleep): Van Tran for Senate?

"Pete St. John" explains the situation on the ground very well. Assemblyman Tran is like a god in the 68th AD. His staff are hardworking and politically-minded. Their District Director, Barrett Tetlow, was one of the guys organizing precinct walkers for San Diego Mayor hopeful Steve Francis here in Orange County. I have very little doubt they could pull a Republican victory in the area.

What's more, Tran's potential here doesn't conflict with any of the Establishment's political master plan. That means? Money, if Tran wants it.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Strickland lands prospective comrades' endorsements

2005-08-15T17:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Congratulations "Ralph" for being only the second individual to send a press release directly to the blog. Here are your winnings!

For Immediate Release
August 15, 2005
For More Information, contact:
Tim Clark @ (916) 473-8866 x5

GOP Board of Equalization Members Announce Backing for Tony Strickland
Strickland victory would give Republicans a majority on the BOE

(Thousand Oaks) - Today the two Republican members of the Board of Equalization, Claude Parrish and Bill Leonard, announced their support for Tony Strickland for Controller, pledging to help Strickland gain a seat that would give Republicans a majority on the BOE.

"Tony Strickland would make a fantastic Controller,"said BOE Member Claude Parrish. "And, since the Controller provides the fifth and decisive vote on the Board of Equalization, a Strickland victory would result in a major shift in California tax policy. Taxpayers would rest easy if Tony Strickland became Controller."

"Tony has never wavered in his commitment to lower taxes and less government," added BOE Member Bill Leonard. "We know where Tony Stands. We always have. He is a true watchdog of the treasury, and Tony will use the Controller's auditing powers to identify and root out wasteful government spending. Republicans should rally around his candidacy."

Both BOE Members Parrish and Leonard have anchored the pro-taxpayer side of the Board of Equalization, where, among other duties, various tax disputes are tried before the five member panel. The BOE also elects a Chairman, who then joins the Controller as two of the three votes on the powerful Franchise Tax Board.

"The BOE has a lot at stake in this election, and it's very significant that the only two Republican members of that Board have endorsed Tony Strickland," said campaign spokesman Tim Clark.

Parrish and Leonard join a long list of Strickland endorsers, including Campaign Co-Chairs Jim Brulte and Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. Tony Strickland has also gained the support of 25 GOP Assembly Members.

Strickland, who was first elected to the State Assembly in 1998, served as Republican Caucus Chairman during much of his legislative tenure, where he helped lead the GOP effort in the lower house. Since leaving the legislature, Tony has helped found the California Club for Growth, the state arm of the national donor group whose goal is to promote policies that aid small businesses and job creation.

###

www.tonystrickland.com

Hopefully, next time it will be formatted correctly for my emailbox.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The politics of video games

2005-08-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

John Hrabe, YRF Sacramento Valley's Communications Director, has to be feeling good after the Orange County Register's editorial board came out with a piece in today's paper agreeing with a column he wrote over three months ago.

Here's the link to the Register piece: Law would do violence to free expression.

Here's the link to Hrabe's column: Beware of Assembly censors.

Only notice in the Register version, the editors don't insult the Catholic Church. Congratulations Mr. Hrabe!

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Immigration politics

2005-08-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Four “must-read” articles today pertaining to the politics of illegal immigration.

First, go to the source: Bill Richardson’s comments in the Albuquerque Journal and LA Times.

Next, go see the analysis from California GOP consultant Dave Gilliard, and the most important of the day, from the Wall Street Journal’s John Fund.

Yours in Freedom,

ANTHONY AFTERWIT OC

Haynes's Monday, August 15 morning memorandum

2005-08-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

This one's on getting back to work.

The Russians Are Coming

We now know, from intelligence records seized in the Soviet Union after the fall of communism that the Russians were trying to turn Hollywood into their propaganda operation to lull us into believing that they were not trying to take over our country. Movies like “The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming” were part of the propaganda battle of the Hollywood left, portraying those who were concerned about security and liberty, and the Russians’ intent to take away our liberty, and invade our country, as paranoid.

While the Russians did not succeed nationwide, they did leave a remnant of socialists in California, and unfortunately many of them are now elected to the California Legislature. Since the Legislature is back is session next week, those of us who care about security and liberty need to rearm ourselves and try to hold off the relentless invasion by these socialists for one more month.

We all know that this state faces some serious problems—our freeways are overcrowded, our houses cost too much, we are running out of water, electricity, and gasoline, our state government is too big, and consumes too much of our income, illegal immigration is out of control, and our streets are overrun with child predators. Of course, the rulers in Sacramento have no desire to do anything about that. No—we won’t make it easier to build roads or houses, but we will micro-stamp bullets. We won’t increase the penalties on child predators and pornographers, but we will fight about legalizing gay marriage. We won’t do anything about the $9 billion that illegal immigration costs California taxpayers each year, but the Legislature will vote to give illegal aliens a driver’s license. The rulers will spend a tremendous amount of effort to protect the status quo, and no effort at all to solve the real problems of this state.

The current effort of the ruling left in Sacramento, and their allies in the press and public employee unions, is to damage Governor Schwarzenegger’s credibility going into the November election. The “paycheck protection” initiative, on the November ballot, is designed to eliminate the ability of the public employee unions to require every single state employee to pay them money, even if that employee doesn’t agree with the union. The current system allows the public employee unions to take people’s money, spend it on the left wing politicians in Sacramento, and then use the influence that the money gives these unions over the politicians to get more state employees to pay the unions more money, to get more influence, and so on. You and I pay the tax bill for this scheme, and the union and political bosses get the benefit.

These bosses fear Governor Schwarzenegger will come out in favor of the paycheck protection initiative, and his popularity will push it over the top, ending their control of the levers of power in Sacramento. So they are working overtime to destroy his reputation, his credibility, and his influence, so that his endorsement won’t affect the outcome of the election.

In an extreme demonstration of arrogance, the unions are forcing additional assessments on their membership. The California Teachers Union has already assessed its membership additional dues sufficient to raise $50 million to fight this initiative. The California Correctional Peace Officers Association are assessing their membership $30 million, and other public employee unions are in the process of following suit. They expect to raise $200 million to fight the Paycheck Protection Initiative and the other initiatives the Governor supports. They see this as a battle for survival; they will do everything possible to defeat the Paycheck Protection Initiative because it would greatly inhibit their ability to force people to continue to pay them money to sustain their power structure.

It appears that in the short term their strategy has had an effect. The press has been relentless in its attack of Schwarzenegger, and the television commercials have not let up. The only hope for this state is that people are smart enough to see through the hype, and end the current corrupt system. That really is the only way to stop the Russians from actually coming.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The 35th SD: The Buzz says Baugh is out

2005-08-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thanks to Martin Wisckol over at the Orange County Register for confirming suspicions that Assemblyman Chuck DeVore is eyeing the 35th Senate District race that could take place next year if Senator John Campbell wins the 48th special. Wisckol even throws in a vague jab at this blog for suggesting Tom Harman's campaign fund shuffle is legally suspect. No fair, Martin! You have a million-plus readers!

Here's the link: Harman hedges bets with political fund.

With Orange County GOP Chair Scott Baugh out of the race, the conservative field is wide open for DeVore. Silva and Harman are no match. Tran has to be giving a little thought to this, but he's probably received pressure to chase after Umberg and win back part of central OC for the Right.

Sanchez needs to sit back on the thoughts of Governor. Arnold would clean her clock.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

The 48th: Gilchrist for Congress, again

2005-08-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Leave it to other blogs to act as the clean-up crew for the Courant. Powder Blue Report and CA-48 are now reporting that Minutemen founder Jim Gilchrist is running for Congress. What a shocker! This, of course, was news broken here a week and a half ago. They're slowly recognizing Mary Parker Lewis and Chuck Muth are consulting.

Anyone who scrolls down to the bottom of the www.jimgilchrist.com website can see he's serious. The website says "Paid for and authorized by Gilchrist for Congress." What more do you need to know he's running?! He's soliciting donations!

What is news to me is what has now been reported by OC Blog, that local Republican activist Jim Bieber's company, Bieber Communications, is doing his mail pieces. Bieber adds some hardcore conservative support to the Gilchrist camp, as Bieber used to be the California Young Americans for Freedom (www.calyaf.org) Chair.

Here's the link to the post: Jim Gilchrist Is Running.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Orange-County Courant mentioned in Daily Pilot

2005-08-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thank you Assemblyman DeVore for the nonrecommendation recommendation of the Orange-County Courant in the Daily Pilot over the weekend. Assemblyman DeVore comments here from time to time. And when he does, we listen. We've always applauded him for his modernity in office.

Here's the link: Every blog has its day.

The quote:

No one ever said blogs had to be balanced.

And when it comes to political blogging, many choose not to cross party lines.

Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, a Republican, regularly reads a group of conservative blogs -- including Orange County Courant, the California Republican Blog and Powder Blue Report, run by an Irvine resident.

Let me be the first, but hopefully not the last, to say Assemblyman DeVore may come to us for some of his opinion intake, but we go to OC Blog for some of ours. I've seen DeVore posting over there many times before. I have a feeling the only reason why Elia Powers didn't mention the indespensible OC Blog in his column was because he didn't want to reveal the source of all Jean Pasco and Alicia Robinson's news. His colleagues would be out of a job. The link to OC Blog is on our sidebar, but if you can't find it there just type in www.ocblog.net.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Supervisor Silva seeking to be Senator Silva?

2005-08-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I went to an event over the weekend where I overheard two electeds conversing about the possibility of a Jim Silva candidacy for the 35th Senate District. Apparently, he's going around swishing the endorsement waters with his feet. He's trying to see what that race would look like.

I guess bankrupting Orange County with fee and pension increases isn't enough for the guy. The State is his oyster.

The Secretary of State's website has his COH at a little over $260 thou' which could make for a start on the Senate, but I think poses far more of a threat in a lower house race. Silva would spend a lot of it just trying to differentiate himself from the other liberal Republican in the race: Harman.

Thank you Cox. What a shake up this has been. What entertainment!

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

BREAKING NEWS: PROP 77 BACK ON BALLOT!

2005-08-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Governor's Office is breathing a sigh of relief about this I'm sure. I tip my bonnet to Bill Mundell for continuing the fight. After the Superior and Appellate Court rulings, I didn't think he'd win this one.

Here's the link the Register's story: Supreme Court allows redistricting initiative on November ballot

I will say, though, I heard it first alongside OC Blog from 640 KFI news. John & Ken are talking about it right now, but I think they're wrong in suggesting that the whole reason for the special election this Fall is the redistricting initiative. The failure of redistricting reform to qualify for the ballot shouldn't have resulted in a cancellation. Paycheck Protection (Prop 75) is tremendously important. The fact that former Governor Davis and Fabian Nunez and other Dems support redistricting gives me pause. I believe they're hoping redistricting will allow them to pick up House seats for their side of the aisle here in California.

UPDATE: For all my social conservative friends, I apologize. I didn't mean to exclude parental notification (Prop 73) from those initiatives that I believe are important. That one is important. It's important because it's a reassurtion of parental rights which have been all but obliterated over the years by NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the CTA, and the Democrat Party. And, hopefully it will preserve some unborn lives.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Gilchrist, Vasquez, Tancredo, Nunez, Haynes, Cosman in North SD last night

2005-08-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thank to Allan over at Powder Blue Report (what's that mean anyway?) for posting his observations on the event last night in Carlsbad. Sadly, I was unable to attend, but heard from a number of friends it was terrific.

Here's the link to Allan's post: Great Night In Carlsbad Tonight.

The fact that Arab Muslims care so dearly about enforced border security should worry us all. I refuse to believe it's ethnic profiling to recognize that all nineteen 9-11 hijackers were Arab. The millenium bomber we stopped at the Canadian border was Arab. Richard Reid is Arab. And all the Islamofascist terrorists (not insurgents or militants or freedom fighters) operating in Iraq right now are Arab. It's fact, not some radical racist agenda. Fact.

If anyone's forgotten, this:http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/911/images/

and this: http://www.serendipity.li/wot/firemenflag091201.jpg

and this: http://ewoodstock.com/news.h7.jpg

and this: http://www.mrdowling.com/images/608attack.jpg

is why I am concerned about immigration enforcement and border security.

State Senator Bill Morrow organized the event last night and for that he and his staff should be applauded. Republicans must erect this issue to the highest point of their platform lest the Demo union-types take ownership of it. Morrow should take the lead in the Congressional race to succeed Duke Cunningham, if he hasn't already, with more events like this.

Here's the link to the San Diego Union-Tribune, North County Times story: Confrontation contained.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Lefties dream on CA-48 blog

2005-08-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thanks to Jubal over at OC Blog for bringing this to our attention. There's a new Demo political blog up on the web specifically dedicated to the 48th CD.

Here's the link: http://cafortyeight.blogspot.com/

I'll make sure to add it to the Courant's sidebar. It's good for oppo research. Thanks to "Sam Seaborn" for putting the Orange-County Courant front and center in their list of conservative blogs.

Sam Seaborn, for those who shun all forms of NBC political indoctrination, was one of the protagonists of the hit show The West Wing. Seaborn (played by Rob Lowe who in reality is a Republican) was a speechwriter and counselor for President Josiah Bartlett until a concerted Congressional effort by a dead guy (the good kind of Democrat) in Newport Beach forced a special election that was too enticing to ignore. Seaborn leaves the White House and the show leaves Seaborn not looking good in the campaign, never to return. (Lowe left for a show of his own.)

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

FlashReport features Leonard on nature of the BoE

2005-08-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The FlashReport today, published daily by Jon Fleischman, is a great read and today was no exception (to receive the FlashReport send an email to jonflash@earthlink.net). Fleischman has an exclusive piece by Board of Equalization member Bill Leonard on the nature of the Board.

Here's the text in full:

BOE: WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE SHOULD BE AN ELECTED BODY

By Bill Leonard

The FlashReport article about the Board of Equalization touched on the basics of the Board’s functions (administering sales and use tax, serving as the appellate body for income taxes), but neglected to highlight the important role the Board plays, particularly to people who would invoke the name of Frederic Bastiat.

The BoE is the nation’s only elected tax commission. California is the only state where taxpayers can appear before elected officials without counsel and explain why they believe they do not owe a tax, or why they should be relieved of a penalty. It is the only state where tax bureaucrats must answer to elected officials in a public forum about why they believe a taxpayer owes money or should be penalized. It is the only place where elected officials vote regularly to apply and interpret tax law openly, as well as provide direction to the tax agents about how they should be treating taxpayers.

For these reasons, it is important that the BOE remain an elected body. And for even more obvious reasons, it is important that we elect the right people to this body. Consider this one case the Board heard. An elderly man was appealing his income tax bill. He had been seriously ill one year and had neglected to file his return. Because he did not declare his own income, the state calculated it for him. Although he was long retired, he took pride in keeping his California insurance license active. The tax agents thus consulted Census data to determine the average income of insurance agents in California and assigned that amount of income to this 80+ year old man. How could this man prove he did not earn that amount of money? If all his old clients wrote to us and said they did not do business with him, the bureaucrats could argue that he had new clients. If all the companies he brokered for wrote to say they had not issued any policies through him, staff would tell us that he worked with new companies. Did we check his bank account for deposits? No. Yet the Board voted 3-2 against the man’s appeal and he was required to pay income taxes on some $40,000 of income he did not earn.

For other examples of horror stories that could have turned out differently if the BoE had more bleeding heart conservatives instead of hard hearted liberals, see “Horror Stories from the Tax Bureaucracy” at http://www.boe.ca.gov/leonard/info/taxrights.htm.

The State Controller's race will certainly be one to watch late this year and into next, for the Controller is the tie-breaking vote on the BoE. Right now on the Republican side there doesn't seem to be any sort of ambiguity over who's the more conservative. It's easily Tony Strickland. But he'll face tough opposition by Senate newcomer Abel Maldonado ("Maldo" to his friends). Strickland will be in town again later this month for a fundraiser at the Balboa Bay Club alongside local Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.

The race for the BoE seat in this area is contested, but not sharply. Michelle Park Steele is way ahead in fundraising and appearances after Jim Brulte jumped out to make way for Assemblyman Ray Haynes. A previous FlashReport featured the specifics on this race (along with a humorous mistake by Fleischman that had readers directed to a website featuring a strange-looking, bald, long bearded man in camo pants smiling for the camera).

By all appearances, this will be a very fun series of elections coming up. Stay tuned at the Orange-County Courant for frequent updates.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Where all the conservatives at?

2005-08-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

In Mel Brooks’ classic western, “Blazing Saddles,” one of the funniest lines of all-time is delivered by Cleavon Little. He deadpan asks a bunch of actors portraying Klan members, “Hey, where all the white women at?”

Today, conservatives in Orange County and in all parts of the state are asking a similar question. Seriously though, “Where all the conservatives at?”

In 2000, we were stuck with two disgraces to the Party, Tom Harman and Lynn Daucher, as they defeated two freedom fighters, Jim Righeimer and Bruce Matthias, respectively.

Remember, Harman’s race? The unions didn’t care for Righeimer and his Paycheck Protection ideas, so they dropped half a mil at the end to beat him, and we were stuck with Harman.

But it’s six years later now, and these good-for-nothings are being termed from office next year.

But where, oh where, are the Righeimer’s or the Matthias’ to run for these seats? So far as I can tell, they’re nowhere to be found.

In 67, Tom’s wife, Diane, Cypress Mayor Mike McGill, and County Supe Jim Silva are all vying for the seat. I’m not sure they’ve got a conservative bone combined.

What a shame that Righeimer could be pushing his successor in a seat like this!

In 72, conservatives have been hoping someone good would emerge to replace the dreadful Daucher. But again, when Mike Duvall and Marty Simonoff are all that are on the radar, there’s nothing to excite the base.

This, the land of Goldwater, the land of Reagan is now… Duvall-land? McGill Country?

What a shame.

Yours in Freedom,

ANTHONY AFTERWIT OC

OC Blog vs Courant on Gilchrist

2005-08-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I'm honored that Jubal from OC Blog is willing to engage in debate with this blog over the viability of a Gilchrist candidacy. I understand where he's coming from.

The thing about Republicans, like myself, is that we pride ourselves in our loyalty, whether that be to God, country, Constitution, family, or political party. Democrats and all the other lowly parties don't live that way. Jubal and others won't surrender their loyalty to a party (and it's platform) easily. And let me tell you, neither will I.

I like the (possibility of a) Gilchrist candidacy. It riles up this race that was - let's face it - a shoe-in for John "Mr. Howell" Campbell. I believe personnel is policy. I believe Gilchrist would hire an activist staff that, one day, we might see on CNN patrolling the border with their boss during Congressional recesses. Campbell has been abysmal in his hiring of good conservatives.

Jubal makes some very valid, common defenses of his own position. I'll try to tackle a few. I'll presume Gilchrist was joking about "taxing the ultra-rich more" because it just doesn't correlate with the rest of what he's said.

He will have a national fundraising base to work from. He will have the momentum of a late entry. He will advance to the final runoff. He will have a national grassroots effort. He will have the fiscal savvy to go at it with Campbell and Brewer in any debate. He will be able to point to the fact that he'll only be one member of Congress and won't stand out vocalizing his tax policies. He will stand out vocalizing his immigration policies.

Campbell or Gilchrist? It really makes no difference to me. Whoever it is will be the lowest of the low in Congress (unless you count the Demos). But, Gilchrist, a decorated Vietnam veteran and grassroots grownup, inspires. Sadly, Campbell doesn't. Believe me when I say I wish he did.

UPDATE: Daily Pilot story on the race: Dueling endorsements. Harvey Englander wins points for the jab at the end, saying, "We will be more than financially competitive with the car dealer." The car dealer, ouch! Watch for the Brewer crew to attempt to play down Campbell's incumbency.

ALSO: Frank Mickadeit's column in today's Register: Brewer senses sharks circling her. I can see now why Campbell didn't get the Minority Leader position. He was "fooled" into voting for in-state tuition for illegal's anchor babies. Right, right. That gives me so much confidence in his Congressional future.

AND: Campbell has signs all over Culver in Irvine. Once again, he's in the lead.

Both articles highlighting Brewer. Lucky for her.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Gilchrist clarifies position on Register estate tax remarks

2005-08-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I think a comment that Jim Gilchrist, Minuteman founder, posted on Hack n Flak pretty much bats away all criticism of his oft-repeated estate tax ("Death Tax") remarks. Campbell's going to really have a fight on his hands for the conservative vote here.

Here's the comment:

Unfortunately, recent press reports concerning my supposed support for the estate tax lacked any context, and are untrue.

In fact, I support Congressman John Linder’s House Bill 2525, known popularly as ‘the FairTax’.

Passage of the FairTax will make all discussion of the estate tax moot, since it totally ends all current forms of federal taxation, replacing them with one single-rate national retail sales tax.

If our goal is to leave our children and grandchildren a country that is free and prosperous, there are few things we can do on the economic front that will accomplish it as effectively as passing this fundamental reform of the way we collect taxes.

The day when Americans can take home 100% of everything they earn, saving and investing their hard-earned money with no fear of the ravages of the taxman, is one we should all look forward to and work towards. I will do so, in or out of Congress.

Can you imagine a world free of the paperwork nuisance of filing annual tax returns?

My goal is, and always will be, to lessen burdens on the American people and to restore freedom. Nothing will do that like the elimination of the federal income tax.

Those of you who wish to educate themselves about the FairTax, and its provisions to end the IRS once and for all, can find all the information they need at:

http://www.fairtax.org/

My website is:

http://www.jimgilchrist.com

Or, email:

ElectAMinuteman@yahoo.com

Thanks!

Jim Gilchrist, CPA, MBA(taxation)

Gilchrist proves here he can go toe to toe with any Republican in fiscal matters and present a credible, intelligent, argument on his behalf. He just eliminated their greatest weapon here. He ruined it! Way to go Jim!

Now if you can only distance yourself from the American Independent Party's history and neutralize the OC Republican machine, you're golden.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

U.S. Border Patrol agent, himself, an illegal alien

2005-08-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

This should be embarassing and disheartening.

Here's the link (via Drudge): U.S. agent accused of aiding illegals -- Revealed to be Mexican citizen...

It says they arrested him in Escondido, so it must have been at the station guarding the 15. Thirteen years for this guy, and others like him, is too lenient. He should be convicted of treason or espionage. How can we be sure he didn't aid violently hostile individuals (i.e. Islamofascist terrorists) into this country? How can we be sure he wasn't an agent of the Mexican government, doing the covert bidding of Vicente Fox? At the very least, he should be remanded for the duration of his trial, otherwise he'll just flee to Mexico. And we all know how they shelter criminals South of the border.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Redistricting will not make the special election ballot

2005-08-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thank you OC Blog for informing us of this bit of news.

Here's the OCR story: State appeals court keeps redistricting measure off ballot

My heart was never fully into the redistricting fight (not like my support of paycheck protection). I generally don't trust judges with anything. I especially don't trust the leftist California judges (excluding Rogan) appointed here by Democrat and Republican Governors. Redistricting will just have to be on the June 2006 primary ballot or later. Redistricting, of course, will inevitably reoccur in 2012 after evaluation of the next U.S. Census.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

No retraction, no apology

2005-08-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Anyone aware of American history or with any sense of observation can recognize the theme of this blog. The name Orange-County Courant borrows from the name of James Franklin's newspaper, published in Boston in the early part of the 18th Century. James Franklin would be Benjamin Franklin's older brother, for whom young Ben was an apprentice until he was removed from that post after the discovery that he had been printing his own opinions under the pseudonym "Silence Dogood."

After being sent packing out of Boston, Benjamin Franklin took up residence in Philadelphia, then London, then Philadelphia again, before making millions in printing and inventions. It was then that he was afforded the opportunity to leisurely go about publishing essays, like Poor Richard's Almanack, under noms de plume. "Poor Richard" was the nickname for one Richard Saunders. Hence that pseudonym here.

"Anthony Afterwit" was a nom de plume Franklin utilized often in the issues of his Pennsylvania Gazette, one of the major papers of its time.

All the contributors have Franklin noms de plume. That is their origin. (See: Benjamin Franklin . Wit and Wisdom for more on this.)

A peripheral theme of this blog is the disclosure of insider political news with a conservative perspective. We have no agenda other than our own as individual contributors. The contributors don't know my identity or each others'. And we certainly are not in the pockets of the powers that be in California.

We certainly will not shy away from threats.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Bill Leonard hates me

2005-08-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

It appears a previous post of mine on Assemblyman Ray Haynes has sparked the ire of Board of Equalization member Bill Leonard. A friend of mine unknowingly forwarded me "The Leonard Letter" for this week. In it, Leonard has a section devoted to me. Here it is in full:

AROUND THE STATE

***Internet Slander***

As a proponent of emerging technologies I look to the advantages offered, but the downside can also be very threatening. Thanks to e-mail and spamming operations it is now possible to slander someone anonymously at zero cost and distribute the slander widely. A friend of mine is a victim of this type of slander. I received an e-mail the other day that made strange and bizarre charges about conservative stalwart Assemblyman Ray Haynes. The author of the e-mail is a Richard Saunders, but no one has heard of him or even knows this name, so it seems that someone is slamming Haynes and hiding behind a phony name. If you know a Richard Saunders who wrote a nasty e-mail about Ray Haynes, please ask him to call me. Now, the challenge is: how does Haynes respond? If he stays silent then many people may believe the slander. If he wants to answer, how does he know who received the original nasty e-mail? In the pre-Internet days if someone wanted to slander someone they had to spend thousands of dollars printing and mailing the nasty note, but now its virtually cost free. So Haynes has to prove that he is not a bad person to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who may have read this one e-mail. You can help by letting Haynes or me know if you received Saunders’ note or any other nasty note about Haynes. Then we can clear the mud away and get back to discussing issues of real importance to Californians.

Mr. Leonard, you're a good conservative and I respect you so much for that. It's not slander. Slander is spoken. Libel is written down. But it's not even libel. New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) [39] protects the media from being prosecuted for libel even if information provided is false. Because I was told information about Haynes by another individual, and I have no reason to doubt that individual, I couldn't have forwarded that information in malice (which has to be proven in order to be convicted of libel). I don't believe I have acted maliciously against Assemblyman Ray Haynes.

But we're not even sure if the information I forwarded onto my readers was false. There have been no official statements on the matter.

Lastly, next time you label yourself a "proponent of emerging technologies" please know a little bit more about what you speak of. I DIDN'T EMAIL ANYONE. The Orange-County Courant is called a "blog." THIS ISN'T EMAIL. IT DOESN'T GET SENT TO ANYONE'S EMAILBOX UNLESS YOU COPY AND PASTE IT INTO AN EMAIL. It certainly wasn't "spammed" to anyone. Not by me. Only people who voluntarily decide to visit the blog over the internet can view what I wrote. I didn't advertise.

Ironically, your email was sent to my friend as bulk, or spam, email.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Re: Looks like Maddox is thinking

2005-08-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thank you, Mr. Maddox, for replying so quickly to the thought of running for the 35th SD again. I'm just a little envious that you decided to do so on OC Blog instead of here.

Here's former Assemblyman Ken Maddox's reply in full to my previous post:

"I appreciate all of my friends who have asked me to run for elected office. I have been incredibly fortunate to have served on the Garden Grove City Council and as a State Assemblyman.

"It is time for me to be gracious in defeat and seek to serve in a capacity other than elected office. I am thankful for all the continued support but it is time to move on with the next phase of my life.

"I am seeking a deeper relationship with the Lord and my son, lil' Kenny. They are my best friends.

"I wish John Campbell nothing but good things. I served with Marilyn Brewer in the State Assembly. We didn't agree on some things but she is a wonderful woman and would make a good Congresswoman.

"Anyone wanting to know what I'm up to need only contact me.

"God Bless,

Ken Maddox"

An honorable exit from public life. That is certainly a departure from today's norm. Thanks again.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

National Club for Growth endorses Campbell for Congress

2005-08-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I tip my bonnet to the boys over at OC Blog for posting the press release by Pat Toomey's Club for Growth.

Here's the link: Club For Growth Endorses John Campbell For Congress.

This is another huge endorsement for Campbell, who clearly holds the lead in this race with respect to endorsements because he entered the fray before anyone else (except, of course, Ackerman). No doubt, Tony Strickland, current Chairman of California's chapter of the Club for Growth, himself under fire for support of illegal immigrants while he was a State Assemblyman, had something to do with locking this up.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The 35th SD: Looks like Maddox is thinking

2005-08-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Late Friday, Ben Lopez posted this on Hack n Flak:

I'll be the first to admit that I am not a big John Campbell fan. He managed to go way beyond breaking Reagan's 11th commandment of not speaking ill of a fellow Republican. What he did to Ken Maddox and those close to Maddox is inexusable and unforgivable. Then what was done to Ackerman was childish.

Somehow Campbell has this idea that he is owed some sense of coronation. He barely gets his feet wet in the State Senate and now wants to jump to halls of Congress. There are far more other Republicans in office that have been waiting their turn in line far longer than Campbell. But oh well, he is in the race and by the looks of it today will be sent to Washington.

So here's my idea...since everyone seems to be clearing the way for him (the conservative donors, some of them since he as his own money, and elected officials), and he wins let's seriously look at KEN MADDOX to fill his Senate seat. Ken has a proven record in OC. He has definitely put in his dues, money, blood, sweat and tears so the speak into the party. Maddox, still young, has far too much yet to give to the area.

Ken, you up to it?

I'll start the DRAFT KEN campaign and get the 410's into the Secretary of State's office for you.

Well this had me thinking.

Ben Lopez currently serves as the California Legislative Analyst, Lobbyist, and Associate Communications Director for the Reverend Lou Sheldon's "Traditional Values Coalition." Lou Sheldon's son, Steve Sheldon, is the proprietor of the Sheldon Group, a public affairs, land use, and law firm in the 35th Senate District and 48th Congressional District. Who's the new Director of State Governmental Relations at the Sheldon Group you ask? Well, that's none other than Ken Maddox!

Steve Sheldon, Ken Maddox, and Ben Lopez are floating a trial balloon for a Maddox reloaded candidacy if John Campbell wins the 48th CD. I guess Maddox has now decided to support Campbell for Congress, because that vacates the seat he coveted and lost last year in a bitter Republican primary.

Maddox can add his name to those already mentioned here: Harman, Baugh, DeVore, Tran, Brewer... And this adds further evidence to the suspicion that Hack n Flak is operated by Johnson Clark consultant Tim Rosales.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Speaking of New Majority, their rugrat edition has new leadership too

2005-08-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I'm not one to normally delve into the depths of little-tike (ie, youth) politics, but sometimes something comes across that amuses me so, that I can’t help myself from taking an interest.

Most of us “inside-baseball” types no doubt remember Mike Davidson going around the state, touting his “conservative” credentials. Well, BREAKING NEWS here on the Courant, this “conservative” is now employed by the NEW MAJORITY: RUGRAT edition, otherwise known as GENERATION NEXT.

Take a gander at this article from June, and next time you see Mike, remember just how full of it he really is.

Monday, June 27, 2005

Elite and hip make up new GOP set Generation Next putting the 'party' in Republican Party as it defines where it stands on the issues.
By MARTIN WISCKOL The Orange County Register

These aren't your father's Republicans.

Paul Makarechian, 31, showed up in jeans to host an event with Assembly GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. That was at Fashion Island's trendy Ozumo Japanese restaurant. Another of the group's events, this one featuring a congressman, was held at Costa Mesa's hip Sutra Lounge.

One of the group's board members, land broker Craig Atkins, is spending much of the year surfing the world's best waves. Makarechian, the chairman, gleefully lists the spiky hair of one favored candidate as an attribute. The group, less Atkins, flew to Vegas this month for its board retreat, which included diversions beyond politics.

Welcome to Generation Next, a group of young entrepreneurial millionaires - and aspiring millionaires - gearing up to shape the GOP of the future. It's about fun. It's about image. It's about power. It's about networking.

Oh yeah, and it's about politics.

"Young people look at Republicans, and it's like a parental thing," said Makarechian, CEO of the company that runs the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort. "We're finding more and more there's a void. ... We're building a network of Gen X entrepreneurs who are taking a progressive, practical approach to business and politics. Who look at what the education system and the business environment will be five, 10, 15 years from now. Who are shapers of culture."

Since forming last year, the Orange County-based group has signed up 20 members - by invitation only, with $10,000 in annual dues. Members include Bill Lyons, the son of developer William Lyons, and Jeff Gehl, the son-in-law of developer and former Ambassador to Spain George Argyros.

The group has had audiences with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Karl Rove's staff and the political director of the Republican National Committee. They've hired their own political director and have spent nearly $100,000 on various campaigns.

Yet they're still largely under the radar. Tom Fuentes, county GOP boss for 20 years until last year, has barely heard of them. Same with political insider Mike Schroeder, a former state GOP chairman.

That's by design, said co-founder Sinan Kanatsiz, who runs his own public-relations and marketing company.

"We've been very stealth. We want to establish ourselves first," said Kanatsiz, 30. "When we get to 50 members, then we'll be ready to hit."

They're also still developing their politics.

In broad terms, their stance is similar to that of the New Majority, a county group of multimillionaire businesspeople who tout fiscal responsibility and business-friendly government while advocating an open mind toward abortion, gun control, gay rights and immigration.
Indeed, Makarechian and Kanatsiz are also members of the New Majority.

"We are conservative on fiscal issues and mainstream on social issues," said Makarechian, whose father is developer and Republican donor Hadi Makarechian.

Policy specifics are few and far between, but here's a glimpse: The group supports Schwarzenegger's reform package, having contributed $10,000 to the campaign so far. They like that the governor comes from outside politics and is taking a different approach to government.

The group is backing Michael Davidson to head the College Republican National Committee - between group and individual donations, they've contributed nearly $50,000. This is the guy with the spiky hair, whom they see as a good spokesman for the generation and a future leader. They like that he favors abortion rights and is sensitive to environmental issues.

But they also spent $30,000 to help President George W. Bush, who opposes abortion rights, in his Nevada campaign last year. One thing they like is Bush's attitude toward Social Security reform, even if they aren't sure it's the best one.

"We need to think outside the box," Makarechian said. "The world our children grow up in is going to be vastly different than ours. ... We can't just be thinking about the next election cycle."
When it comes to illegal immigration, they say they're still studying the issue.

Of course, their political inexperience and lack of specifics hasn't stopped them from winning fans.

"They're not looking at it from a micro point of view," said McCarthy, who took his own step toward modernizing the GOP at Christmas by handing out iPods to all Assembly Republicans. "It's from a macro point of view – the broader issues. ... These are people who are driving industry. They will be the leaders of the future. And they're helping to update the image of the party."

McCarthy also praised the group's diversity. While some GOP organizations seek to recruit minorities, Generation Next draws different cultures naturally. Makarechian was born in Iran to an Armenian father and a German mother. Kanatsiz's parents were born in Turkey. Two of the seven founding board members are Hispanic.

Many grass-roots activists are energized by opposition to abortion rights, gay rights and illegal immigration causes, but Makarechian says "the game is in the center" rather than based on those hot-button issues. That is bound to rile some, but so far even some who favor those causes - such as Irvine Assemblyman Chuck DeVore - are giving the group the benefit of the doubt, welcoming their activism and money.

Some likely opponents outside the party are also treating the group gently, like a coach going easy on the other team's rookie.

For example, county Democratic Party boss Frank Barbaro.

"I think it's time a group of moderate Republicans who are not knee-jerk automatons comes out and looks at the entire forest," he said. "We're so polarized. I'm looking for Republicans who can work together with us. It's the inability to work together that is the problem with the country and the state."

Yours in Freedom,

ANTHONY AFTERWIT OC

New Majority has new management

2005-08-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I tip my bonnet to Martin Wisckol for the news that Paul Folino will take over the reigns of the liberal Republican "New Majority" from Larry Higby. I don't know how this changes anything for conservatives, but it's still news.

Here's the link: Carona foe says deputy endorsement vote rigged.

Why am I not commenting on the Sheriff's race on this blog? Because I don't care to compete with the phenomenal discussions that occur over at OC Blog. We try to stick to coverage of local news, just not the same news.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The 48th: Some more info

2005-08-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

After a much needed vacation, I returned to Orange County over the weekend and was immediately excited by the news of Minutemen founder Jim Gilchrist's entrance into the race to succeed Christopher Cox. I mentioned Gilchrist as a possible contender for this seat months ago after he spoke at the Saddleback Valley Republican Assembly meeting. It's good, every once in a while, to see a wrench thrown into the mix of the OC Republican VIPs' plans for the area. It's also good that Campbell won't be able to just waltz into Congress. He'll have to spend some real dough here to compete with a national fundraising effort.

I can confirm what "Pete St. John" at California Campaigns is reporting, that Mary Parker Lewis of RenewAmerica and Alan Keyes fame (see: Mary Parker Lewis) is the chief consultant for Gilchrist in this campaign. This conservative Washington powerhouse is just a taste of the national appeal Gilchrist's campaign will enjoy.

I have also seen that Chuck Muth (see: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsandviews/) will be assisting with the Gilchrist effort in one way or another.

The non-California Republican support of Gilchrist is telling. It signals to me that word has spread. Any OC Republicans will be destroyed for assisting the Minuteman's opposition candidacy for Congress. They'll be seen as Republicans protesting against our President, our Party, and the potential for a Republican to hold this seat. Watch for Gilchrist to try to play down his AIP affiliation and play up his reasoning for leaving the Republican Party, i.e. because its leaders failed to address the issue of illegal immigration in an adequate fashion. Also watch for reiterations of the Minuteman policy. Here it is from Minutemanhq directly:

"The Minuteman Project is affilitated with MinutemanHQ.com the new National Organization for the original Minuteman border project. It is the only group authorized by Chris Simcox and Jim Gilchrist. MMP has no affiliation with, nor will we accept any assistance by or interference from separatists, racists or supremacy groups or individuals, no matter what their race, color, or creed."

This, in order to neutralize arguments presented by Republican loyalists, like Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (see: http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/08/jim_gilchrist_t.html#comments), and articles like this: Center protest gets tense.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

GILCHRIST CAN WIN!

2005-08-07T03:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Call me crazy, but I think Gilchrist can win this thing.

Before you dismiss me as a kool-aid drinking, tinfoil hat-wearing, black helicopter-seeing kook, hear me out.

Point 1: Gilchrist will have the necessary funding to make this run. He will have the capability of building a nation-wide donor network, almost assuredly giving him the funding necessary to get his message out.

Point 2: Illegal Immigration matters. As Kinney’s poll shows, 56% of voters care about illegal immigration. Gilchrist will win this sizable group of voters.

Point 3: He transcends partisanship. While surely some partisan hacks (yes, I am looking at you Assemblyman DeVore) may look past Gilchrist because of his association, that feeling does not represent the rank and file voters. They are solution-oriented people, for whom partisanship matters less than issues. While Campbell and Brewer battle for the partisan GOP vote, Gilchrist will have independent Republicans, Decline to States, and conservative Democrats for the taking.

Point 4: Endorsements don’t mean a damned thing. If someone can explain to me the importance of the endorsements of Sam Blakeslee, Jeff Denham, or Wally Herger for a candidate in Newport Beach, I’m all ears.

Point 5: Voters are fed up with status quo. Examples being the Recall and the abysmal approval numbers of Arnold, the legislature, Congress, and even President Bush.

Summed up – it’s a long shot, but if the vote is split and it doesn’t require 50% to win, Gilchrist has a darned good shot.

Yours in Freedom,

ANTHONY AFTERWIT OC

BREAKING NEWS: JIM GILCHRIST FOR CONGRESS!

2005-08-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I have been checking up on the websites quite frequently since my original blogpost. I direct all my readers to www.jimgilchrist.com. It wasn't up just a few days ago (see: The 48th: THE WEBSITES!)

Watch out for this campaign! This is the powder keg!

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

The 35th SD: Baugh and DeVore serious

2005-08-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Daily Pilot's Alicia Robinson has some ruminations of her own on the race to succeed State Senator John Campbell in the 35th. Campbell, after the early endorsement of the Governor, appears to be a shoe-in now for the United States Congress.

Here's Robinson's story: Who will take a seat?

She lists four Republicans (shows how cynically aware she is of the political trends in California) who might make strong candidates for the race: Assemblyman Tom Harman, OCGOP Chairman Scott Baugh, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, and real-estate executive Kevin Hayes. She doesn't mention Tran, whom she may believe to be running against Umberg in the nearby SD. She only quotes two.

Hayes: Asked how serious he is about a Senate run, Hayes said Tuesday, "I'm a pretty serious guy in general, but as for a run for that seat, I can tell you I'm still undecided."

DeVore: DeVore said Tuesday he's interested in the seat, but the timing of the election will clinch things for him.

"When these things come up, especially in the era of term limits, you never lightly dismiss it," he said.

But on the other hand, with a safe Assembly seat and more than five years before he's termed out, DeVore said, "there's a lot to be said for just sticking to the task at hand."

DeVore was thinking about the 48th a few months ago, but the 35th may just be too enticing for him to pass up. After considering the names Robinson mentions, Chuck DeVore, a stalwart conservative with name ID, would really only face competition in this district from Scott Baugh. Kevin Hayes would have to spend too much money to get the kind of name ID DeVore enjoys. One would think Hayes and his New Majority friends would have learned their lesson from just last year. I think they have. While Harman represents a good chunk of the district, let's not forget that this is an area that elected both Christopher Cox and Dana Rohrabacher to Congress. Meaning: it's a conservative area. Harman is decidedly not conservative.

Baugh wouldn't have to relinquish his Chairman's title were he to run, if my understanding of the CRP bylaws are correct. He has great name ID. He has great credentials, having been in the Assembly as Leader of the Republicans. And this race would set him up in the area to pull a Campbell-style succession of Rohrabacher. "Does he want to run?" seems to be the only question left unanswered.

Here's for hoping both DeVore and Baugh give this race their time in thought.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

The 48th: The Blog

2005-08-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The following was posted by Dana Point City Councilman Jim Lacy over on OC Blog. I thought it would be good to post it again here.

Next week participants in this blog will be able to view the only website and blog devoted entirely to the 48th CD special election at: www.thesuccessorproject.com. This site, brought to you by The Successor Project, a conservative PAC, will include a blog for debate, as well as all the news on the race, the candidate's records, and answers to questions with links to the candidate's sites. TSP will include streaming video interviews with the candidates to succeed Chris Cox and post them on the website as they are completed.

TSP is going to be nonpartisan and seeks only to draw the candidates out on the issues and their records so voters will be informed. Unfortunately, right off the bat we need some help from John Campbell! Senator Campbell and Campbell supporters, listen-up! Please ask your staff to supply us a picture and 800 word bio/statement to put up on the TSP site. We've asked for it, gotten it from Brewer, but Campbell's managers have not responded to our request to have it to us by August 1. Also, we are dishearted that Campbell's campaign office has refused to answer Conservative Victory Fund's questionnaire. CVF is a member of The Successor Project Coalition. CVF is a venerable old DC based conservative movement PAC that supported Chris Cox for years and helped Chris in his first election to Congress. A staffer for CVF called the Campbell campaign last week to inquire why they hadn't received a completed copy of their questionnaire and was told "Campbell does not do questionnaires." But that is not really the case. Just check California Pro-Life's website for evidence of the Senator's past participation in questionnaires. Come on, John Campbell, answer CVF's questions! They will like your answers! You are going to get a lot of questionnaires in this campaign, and you'll have to give in on this anyway, so get back in touch with CVF at 202-547-7177 and tell them you've overridden whoever answers your campaign phone and tell CVF that you will answer their questionnaire!

This blog has already linked to The Successor Project on its sidebar, under "Other Blogs." We here at the Courant will no doubt be spending quite a bit of time perusing that site if it is regularly updated. Thank you Councilman Lacy for keeping us informed on this web development.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Tom Harman's campaign for the 35th SD

2005-08-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Big kudos are in order for "Jubal" over at OC Blog for following up on State Assemblyman Tom Harman's funneling (dare I say laundering?) of campaign funds from his committee for Assembly accounts to his committee for Senate account. It appears like Harman has really been scared off of the County Supervisor race by Tom Moorlach, who has gotten a lot of ink as of late in the local press because of Orange County's financial travails.

Read here: Where's Tom Harman's Campaign Report? and here: Harman Update.

Now all this financial activity is probably meant to serve a purpose. What could that be?

Well, it could be a way of posturing Harman ahead of others in the predicted Senate special election to come. Would $100,000 scare off a defeated Marilyn Brewer? Would it scare off Scott Baugh? Tran? DeVore? My hunch is probably not. Brewer loaned herself $150,000 for this year's 48th congressional special. Baugh makes $100,000 in a lunch meeting. Tran shouldn't even be running in this race. (Instead, he should take a shot at Umberg in the race to succeed Dunn.) And DeVore's a good conservative freshman legislator with a lot of money left to be tapped. Would any of these folks be scared off by a fluffed-up Senate campaign committee that's essentially the entire product of Harman's vigorous fundraising over the past couple of years? I highly doubt it.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

National Review visits LA

2005-08-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Our rivals to the North have something to brag about:

Bill Buckley Brings NR to LA!

Join WFB, Rich Lowry, Jonah Goldberg, Jay Nordlinger, Kate O’Beirne, Ramesh Ponnuru, and Kathryn Jean Lopez on Sept. 17 for a private cocktail party and dinner in Los Angeles. Details.

It's more than I'm willing to spend to see people I've already seen and met before, but I understand the need for fundraisers like these. National Review was created by Buckley to be a publication that makes little profit. The writers provide National Review Online absolutely free (totally magnificent of them). Both were made and maintained for the movement. That's why you don't see the really coveted, full-color, pricey advertisements from auto companies and alcoholic beverage distributors splashed upon its pages. And anyone who knows publications, knows one doesn't turn a profit on subscriptions or rack sales.

I pray this won't be Buckley's last trip to the Left Coast. We need him here more than ever!

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

The 48th: Campbell terminates the competition

2005-08-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

This comes courtesy of the OC Blog: Schwarzenegger Endorces Campbell For Congress. It shouldn't be much of a surprise.

With this juicy quote:

"Senator John Campbell has been a strong and sometimes lonely voice against the special interests that dominated the Legislature in recent years," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "John has offered bold and innovative solutions to our budget crisis and steadfastly resisted calls for higher taxes. His vision and leadership are needed in Washington, DC, where he will be a tremendous advocate for Orange County and California."

One thing is for certain: John Campbell has been lonely in Sacramento. His attempt at securing the Senate Minority Leader position was a lonely effort. Governor's lap dog is a lonely position. And having ex-Campbell staffers and associates working with the Governor can't hurt.

If I were to offer one bit of advice to Gilliard and the Campbell Team it would be to make these releases email based. Hardly anyone uses faxes anymore! And put the bloggers, even the anonymous kind you loathe, on your email list. It may really pay off for you in the long run.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

The 48th: THE WEBSITES!

2005-08-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Since this can be said to be the first real day of the special election campaign to succeed Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox, I thought I'd try to reach the Congressional campaigns online somehow. Here's the results:

State Senator John Campbell: www.campbellforcongress.com It's a website at least, with links to online contribution capabilities, a contact email, and rotating photos (a cleverly placed one has Senator Campbell smiling next to the avowed politically neutral Congressman Cox).

Former State Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer: www.brewerforcongress.com Gives you a "COMING SOON! This name was recently registered at Register.com." Nothing up yet.

Minutemen Organizer Jim Gilchrist: www.jimgilchrist.com Gives you a "Coming soon - check back" message from domainspot.org. Nothing available on www.gilchristforcongress.com.

UC Irvine Professor John Graham: www.johngraham.us Is still an active website from his 2004 Congressional campaign and could easily be converted to '05.

Newport Beach Attorney Steve Young: Nothing available.

What does this tell me? John Campbell, like it or not conservatives, has a lead on the web as well as a lead in the polls and funds.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Big victory for Chuck DeVore in El Morro Village

2005-08-03T09:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Daily Pilot posted an article up on the website late last night detailing the California Department of Parks & Recreation predicted inability to stick to appropriations agreements and timelines. This, for locals unaware, has been a source of controversy for Assemblyman Chuck DeVore since he took office. El Morro Village, nestled within Crystal Cove State Park, has been the focus of the Department's land grabbing interest.

Here's the link: Cuts likely in El Morro work.

UPDATE: Assemblyman DeVore, in a fashion befitting a very active writer, has sent out an email to supporters regarding this new development. I'll post it here in full.

More multi-million dollar overruns at State Parks

The most frustrating part of my job in Sacramento hasn’t been dealing with the Democrats. For the most part, they do what you would expect them to do: expand the size of government and try to raise taxes. No, the most frustrating part of my job has been dealing with the bureaucracy – that permanent government seemingly unmoved by any election, completely immune from any attempts at reform.

Both the Daily Pilot (see below) and the O.C. Register ran stories this morning detailing yet again one particularly constant irritation I’ve had with our state bureaucracy: the State Parks Department and the park at Crystal Cove in my district.

No, this time the story wasn’t about the multi-million dollar overruns in the so-called “restoration” of the historic cottages (only a bureaucrat could call the complete destruction of a 70-year-old shack followed by totally new construction “restoration”). This time the story was about the multi-million dollar overruns for State Parks’ plans to destroy El Morro Village (a source of more than $1 million a year in revenue to the state) and replace it with a 250-car parking lot and campground (a money-losing venture for the state).

We are now seeing a pattern emerge with State Parks – a pattern manifested in one park in one Assembly district, but no doubt common throughout the state. The pattern? As the Daily Pilot wrote today:

In DeVore's view, starting a project and then asking for more money before its completion has become a pattern for the state parks department.

"As policymakers, it doesn't do us any good to approve multimillion dollar projects and then find out in the middle of the project, oh yeah, we need several million more dollars," DeVore said. "Once you're in the middle of the project, what do you do?"

I’ll tell you what State Parks expects us lawmakers to do: shut up and give the bureaucrats more tax money.

I have other plans.

All the best,

Chuck DeVore
State Assemblyman, 70th District

www.ChuckDeVore.com

This latest bit of news just makes DeVore's past emails seem prophetic.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Seeking: Candidate for Office in AD72. Experience Not Required. Steady Heartbeat Preferred. Principles a Plus.

2005-08-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

In all seriousness, is anybody of any legitimacy going to run for Daucher’s seat? Looking at the finance reports for Mike Duvall and Marty Simonoff are just sad.

Duvall has raised a total of $67,000, having spent more than $20,000 of it – most of it wastefully. He’s reserved only one slate, so that explains $1,000 of it. But given that he’s raised only $50,000 legitimately ($25,000 was from his own pockets), how absurd is it for him to have spent more than $7,000 on fundraising??? Is there NO low hanging fruit for him to have picked on his own? Is he already having to shell out a commission to raise ANYTHING? He’s in trouble.

But Marty Simonoff isn’t in much better shape. Yes, he has only spent $3,000 – a much more acceptable sum this far out. But Marty’s only legitimately raised around $28,000, as he’s put $50,000 of his own money towards his total of $78,000.

What this race desperately needs is a third option. Preferably a conservative, and even more preferably one who has the resources to loan his campaign the allowable $100,000 off the bat. We’ll see if any such person emerges. If they do, this race is theirs to lose, despite the late start.

Operators will be standing by at all Sacramento consulting firms.

Yours in Freedom,

ANTHONY AFTERWIT OC

Local Demo high schooler seeking spot on Board of Ed

2005-08-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I want to thank Greg Hardesty at the Orange County Register for giving conservative Republicans a good heads up on this prospective local politician. The participation in Model United Nations gives her up before the punchline at the end. And it is only a punchline because it's Orange County. Anywhere else in California, this would just be another high-minded young kid seeking statewide recognition.

In the words of this young lady's mother, "If she could major in Ruling the World, she would." Not much different from most other Democrats. They're infected so young these days. I love how the CTA has this girl wired with budgetspeak to stand up to Arnold.

Here's the link: A chance to represent millions.

It's just a shame that her education will no doubt be stunted when she reaches college, because she'll only be exposed to a single, leftist, orthodoxy that thumbs its nose at open discourse. She won't have the opportunity to develope her Demo viewpoints until she's too warped to take on a Walters, or Bates, or whoever is in office and seeking office at the time.

The ambition is something to marvel at. She's a young woman after John Kerry's Yalie heart.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Christopher Cox says goodbye to Congress

2005-08-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thank you, Orange County Register, for printing this wonderful letter by Chris Cox to his constituents. I have voted for the guy for a long time and I am appreciative of his service here and in Washington.

The changes I've seen
I've watched the march of freedom in Washington and the world

By Chris Cox

This evening, my time in the House of Representatives will come to an end. I'm deeply grateful to the people of Orange County for the opportunity to have served you and our country in Congress since 1988.

Today, Orange County's values are dominating the debate in Washington. It wasn't at all like that back in the 1980s, when I first came to Washington to work as a lawyer in the Reagan White House. But that's certainly when the trend started.

By 1989, when I was in the House of Representatives and President Reagan came to the House floor just before leaving office for a private valediction with our Republican members, all the pieces were in place: Where once the economy had suffered years of "stagflation," over-regulation and punitive taxation, now it was strong. And where once the Soviet Union had been on the march, waging proxy wars across the globe and threatening the world with nuclear annihilation, now it was in retreat.

At the Pope John Paul II Polish Center in Yorba Linda in 1988, I remember telling a gathering with great certitude that "Poland will be free in my lifetime." That turned out to be an excessively cautious prediction. The following year, as a newly minted representative in Congress, I served as a U.S. election observer in Poland. Solidarity swept the nation's first free elections - and the communists were swept out.

The march of freedom in our own hemisphere has been just as exhilarating. With a State Department delegation that included my friend and colleague from the White House and Congress, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, I monitored the first post-civil war elections in El Salvador. We wore bullet-proof vests, and our hotel was blown up. Just this week, nearly two decades later, the Congress voted to approve a free trade agreement with Central America. Instead of guns and body armor, we're now sending computers and breakfast cereal.

Here at home, too, we have come to recognize that "as government expands, liberty contracts." One of my purposes in running for Congress was to eliminate waste and bureaucracy in government. Over the years, I've occasionally been able to take a nip here and a tuck there out of the federal behemoth. For example, we eliminated the oldest government regulatory agency, the Interstate Commerce Commission; and my closure of the wasteful National Helium Reserve was the third largest privatization in American history, yielding $2 billion for taxpayers.

But I am also leaving Congress with some unfinished business. I may have overestimated the time it would take for Eastern Europe to be free, but I confess that I also underestimated the time it would take for communism to fall in China. But if I've learned anything over my career in Congress, it is that we must never underestimate the power of freedom. While their governments may be repressive, people everywhere yearn to be free. And across the globe, the trend is toward free markets and free speech, and away from the statist ideologies of the past.

And finally, with 9/11, our focus has shifted to what we now call homeland security - an organized effort to share information in new ways, in order to stop terrorism before it happens. For the last three years, this has been my main calling. If we give up our freedom to suit the exigencies of the war on terror, we will give al-Qaida the victory. That must never happen.

To the wonderful people who for nine terms gave me the support that made it possible for me to serve our country: thank you. It has been a privilege to represent you.

We can only hope to have another like him succeed him.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Who's in touch with the 48th?

2005-08-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

With all the high-priced consultants Marilyn Brewer has on staff, you'd think they could at least attempt to connect to the voters in the district. Today's Daily Pilot has an hilarious piece by Alicia Robinson, offering an immediate comparison of whom the candidates are respectively targeting for endorsements.

Here's the link: House race candidates get support.

John Campbell has the Orange County Lincoln Club, a well respected, conservative, influential group of local donors.

Marilyn Brewer has ... Senator John McCain! From f*%#ing Arizona! What the hell does his endorsement buy her?!

First, he's from a state whose residents come and defile our beaches and coastal communities every summer with their weird clothes, tanlines, and haircuts. Second, he's from a state that's not California. Third, he's from a state that's not even close to this district. Fourth, did John McCain even poll that well in Orange County during the 2000 Republican Primary? Fifth, he's from Arizona!

I could care less if Marilyn Brewer has John McCain's endorsement. I really care that John Campbell has the Orange County Lincoln Club's endorsement. That's key. They have friends outside the Club who will give in this contested race.

At the end, Robinson gives us another bit of good news: B-1 Bob won't run as an American Independent. Two things may have happened here: either Dornan was deluged with phone calls from past Republican supporters and the Party asking him if he needs to be institutionalized in his retirement or some other big boy may be running as an AI, like Jim Gilchrist of Minutemen fame. Either way, big news: Dornan will stay a beat down Republican.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Irvine may see apartment high-rises

2005-08-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Here's an article on today's Orange County Business Journal website that corroborates a point made by Silence about a week ago: Irvine May See Apartment High-Rises.

Not all infill in South Orange County will be light residential. Some of it - especially in Irvine - will be high-rise residential.

This may not have the same effect, politically, as the kind of suburban population growth the guys at CalRaces were talking about. High-rise residential doesn't typically attract the kind folk that make up the Republican Party. In fact, it attracts the opposite.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

What the political gossip columns missed...

2005-08-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

It has now been confirmed by multiple sources. Assemblyman Ray Haynes has disclosed (to some) that he is romantically involved with Assemblywoman Mimi Walters's Chief of Staff, Gina Zari. They have been seen canoodling arm in arm around the state's capital.

This comes shortly after the breakup of Assemblyman Haynes's second marriage. And it may explain his strange endorsement behavior last year in the 70th AD race, when Haynes first endorsed DeVore, then Cristich, then everyone else. At the time, Zari worked for Cristich.

Assemblyman Haynes, who I still respect (albeit less than I did before), has been going through many changes these last few years. He's lost good staff members to controversy. He's taken up relations with a younger woman conspicuously close to the dissolution of his second marriage. He's lost massive amounts of weight. And it all seems very unhealthy. Don't they warn members of the state and federal legislature about things like this?

I'm worrying about our once really conservative friend, Assemblyman Ray Haynes. I know he's a tough, grown man, but still. Anyone else have an update on this?

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

OCR political gossip columns today

2005-08-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Frank Mickadeit and Martin Wisckol are both regular columnists for the Orange County Register. Mickadeit's column goes all over the place with regards to topics. Recently, he's written on politics. Wisckol's column, "The Buzz," is always about politics.

Here's the link to Mickadeit's column today: Harry has Voldemort; we have Charmin' Ron.

After going through the intern's Harry Potter court session, you get snippets of Corona/Hunt news as well as some social background on the Igers.

Here's the link to Wisckol's column today: Schwarzenegger donor sued.

Now, the first part of Wisckol's column is only interesting because the donor happens to be one of Schwarzenegger's top three donors and Wisckol is trying draw a pattern of sexual misconduct between birds that flock together.

The second part gives us some great insider information on the OC ballot initiatives' support/opposition within the ranks of the firefighters and sheriffs deputies as well as the controversy over early union endorsements for Sheriff.

The third part shows Corona, expectedly, dwarfing all other candidates for Sheriff with his nearly half-million dollars COH.

The fourth part, a rarity, gives some ink to Matthew Harper for his YRFC Chairman's victory in Sacramento two weekends ago. (I don't believe there was a Buzz column last week, so I'll let Wisckol get by for tardiness on this bit of news.) Congrats Harper!

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Poizner blob destroys all in IC race

2005-08-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I just received this in my email box:

August 1, 2005
Contact: Tim Clark
Phone: 916-473-8866 x5

Poizner Reports $2.25 Million in Total Funds Raised Through June 30th

(Sacramento) - According to the recently released campaign finance reports, Republican Insurance Commissioner candidate Steve Poizner raised $550,000 from almost 500 donors in just 24 days during the month of June, and then gave his campaign another $1.7 million, bringing his total campaign funds to $2.25 million, with $2.1 million in available cash on hand.

During this period, Poizner far outpaced the two other potential Republican candidates. After subtracting outstanding debt from reported cash on hand, one potential opponent had a negative balance of -$58,832 while the other had just $6,713 in available funds.

"Steve's support among donors and Republican activists is truly remarkable," said campaign spokesman Tim Clark. "The first contribution Steve received was on June fourth of this year, and in the next twenty-four days, he raised over half a million dollars above and beyond his own personal contribution."

The Poizner report's expenditure list also revealed the campaign's plans to feature the candidate on most of the major GOP slate cards.

"It is clear that Steve is the strongest candidate for Insurance Commissioner and that's why so many Republican leaders and volunteers have already endorsed his candidacy," said former Senate Republican Leader Jim Brulte.

Poizner has been endorsed by dozens of Republican legislators, leaders, and other activists throughout the state.

Anne Dunsmore and Michael Sowers from Capital Campaigns are heading up the Poizner finance team, while Senator Jim Brulte is serving as the Campaign Chairman. Wayne Johnson and Tim Clark of JohnsonClark Associates are the campaign's lead strategists, and Campaign Solutions is handling the internet strategy.

I used to play the X-Men arcade game all the time when I was younger (gives you one clue as to how old - and nerdy - I am). It was the one with all the X-Men superheroes' old costumes (Wolverine had a brown and yellow suit). The first big villain "boss" that the X-Men team encountered in the game was a guy called "The Blob." The Blob just walked around slapping and sitting on your hero, all while growling out, "Nothing can stop The Blob!" It always annoyed the hell out of me. Well, that's what Steve Poizner's race for Insurance Commissioner reminds me of.

Poizner is The Blob. His infusion of $1.7 million just makes you laugh, in agony, at the thought of attending a Phil Kurzner fundraiser at Jeff Corless's Orange County apartment for $40 a person. The guys at Hack n Flak can add this finance report to their lineup. It's frightening that a Democrat, who supported the 2000 Presidential recount in Florida that threw away American servicemembers' ballots cast overseas in order to admit Democrats dual and dimpled votes, could get so many Republican endorsements and so much Republican money.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

New wordsmith at the Courant, Part Deux

2005-08-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Please welcome Anthony Afterwit to the growing list of contributors to the Orange-County Courant. I trust you'll find him a knowledgeable addition to this political forum.

(I know I'm supposed to be on vacation. But even while out of town, I've been hard pressed to put the electronics away. I can't seem to do it. I'm sure none of the readers have similar problems.)

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Haynes's Monday, August 1 morning memorandum

2005-08-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Here is Assemblyman Ray Haynes's latest defense of his California Border Patrol Inititative. I'll post it in full. Besides the silly title, it is a good read. I like how, this time, Haynes provides us with cost predictions and comparisons. It's important to reiterate.

Enforcing The Law Is The Right Thing To Do

My Democrat colleagues on the Assembly Judiciary Committee recently killed ACA 20, the constitutional amendment designed to create the California Border Police, a state agency whose sole purpose, if we can ever get it formed, would be the comprehensive, uniform, and statewide enforcement of federal immigration law. The full text of ACA 20, in its current form, is available on www.calborderpolice.com if you would like to see exactly what the bill would do. Within two weeks of the death of the bill, the Attorney General also released his title and summary of an initiative with the same language as ACA 20. That initiative is now out for signature gathering, so the people may have the opportunity to enact the terms of ACA 20 over the objection of the liberal majority of the California Legislature. Only time will tell on that account.

However, I was intrigued by the arguments used by the opposition to the idea of the California Border Police. These arguments generally fall into three general categories: (1) The California Border Police would cost California taxpayers too much money; (2) Patrolling the border is a federal job, and only the federal government should do it; and (3) Illegal aliens do jobs that Americans won’t do, so stopping the flow of illegals would destroy our economy. Those arguments persuaded the Democrats on the committee to vote against my bill. I’d like to address those arguments.

First—the Border Police will cost too much money. I wish that my Democrat colleagues worried this much about the cost of illegal immigration back in 1999 when they gave illegals free medical care in California. California taxpayers now spend about $4 billion a year on the cost of free medical care for illegal aliens.

More important, the total cost of illegal immigration to California taxpayers is approximately $10 billion a year, when education, welfare, health care, and prison costs are combined. The California Border Police will cost between $200 and 300 million a year, but will reduce our social service costs by between $3 to 4 billion a year. That is a bargain. In addition, that $300 million is only 3% of the $9 billion increase in the 05-06 budget over the 04-05 budget, 3/10ths of 1% of total state spending. We really can’t afford not to do it.

Second—enforcing immigration law is a federal responsibility. The federal government isn’t doing its job. Federal law grants the states the authority to enforce the law, and since the California taxpayer pays a disproportionate share of the cost of illegal immigration, California should do everything in its power to reduce those costs.

Finally—illegals may do jobs Americans won’t do, but they live a life of fear, abuse and exploitation. It is not right that human smugglers endanger their lives, and that American employers exploit their labor with substandard wages or working conditions. It is not right that criminals target illegals, who cannot report a crime for fear of deportation. It is not right that illegals pay into a social security system in which they will never participate, or get injured on the job without compensation, all for fear of deportation. They should come to this country legally, and enjoy the safety and protection of our laws. Those who justify the current condition, including many of my liberal colleagues, are actually advocating that illegals continue to live in these subhuman conditions indefinitely.

Enforcing the law is right for everyone. It is right for Californians, it is right for the federal government, and just as important, it is right for the long term good of the illegal. That is why we need the California Border Police, and why I am supporting the initiative. If we just do the right thing first, everything else will fall into place.

This, when Drudge is linking to a new article on the feds' arrests of more illegal alien gang members here: Feds Make More Than 500 Gang Arrests... I believe they made a number of arrests in California just a few months ago. (Maybe a reader can dig up the Register or Times article where I saw it.) This, in addition to Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Jo Murphy's boyfriend (see: Charges Filed in Weapons, Drug Probe).

The San Diego Union-Tribune did a front page story on MS-13's operations up in Los Angeles and their affect, after deportation, on their countries of origin. The guy pictured in the U-T was one of their prettiest, with MS-13 tattoos on his forehead, cheeks, and body. I believe he was from El Salvador.

Here's the link to one of the only articles that paper has published on Washington's attempts to curb the gang threat in America: House passes tough anti-gang ... This is certainly a danger to Southern California. Thank you Minutemen, for all you have done.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

THIS JUST IN: U.S. Senate approves Cox SEC nomination

2005-08-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Let the games begin! According to the Orange County Register, on Tuesday, tomorrow, Congressman Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) will no longer be a Congressman. And he says he's done with politics. Does that include the race to succeed him?

Here's the link to the Orange County Register article: Cox says he's out of politics.

Here's the link to the New York Times article: With Ease, 3 Nominees Win Seats on SEC - New York Times.

Shame on the Los Angeles Times for not having anything on their Orange County edition website's front page.

UPDATE: A hat tip is in order to Jubal at OC Blog for bringing this Daily Pilot/Alicia Robinson story to my attention. It answers the question I posed above.

Here's the quote with the answer:

But he won't have a presence in the political scene, and he won't be endorsing a replacement or even giving money to candidates, he said.

"As the head of an independent regulatory agency, I am completely removed from politics," he said.

Here's the link: Before he leaves, Cox has work to do.

And another at the Daily Pilot published the day after confirmation: Senate confirms Cox as SEC chairman.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Re: Mickadeit recommends you do not miss Great Pork Board meeting

2005-07-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

He has the follow-up for us here: Another chapter written in Irvine political weirdness.

(I'll have more to say later. Working on a longer post.)

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Where are all the dead people going at UC Irvine?

2005-07-29T12:05:00.001-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Register has a story that follows up on the case regarding a family that wants the University of California, Irvine to tell them where their mom's body went after she died.

Here's the story: UCI mortician called fall guy.

Now, even if the University of California encourages professors to have outside relationships with other universities, non-profit, and for-profit agencies, one still has to admit the idea of running, "a private consulting business that provided feet to podiatrists and heads to plastic surgeons," is still really creepy. A paper trail should have amounted from it, at the very least. Moyer, a fellow UCI professor at the time, admits her envy - her envy! - at the practice in the article. Envying the profitability of dead people just makes my skin crawl.

I like how the article shows the Register is digging into whether or not the university is trying to pin all the mismanagement on one guy to divert the blame.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Ahern smartly opines on Bluebird Canyon fix

2005-07-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Coastline Pilot printed a great op-ed today by Tom Ahern, a past President of the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, that compares per capita spending by the City of Laguna Beach to similarly small cities in the area.

Here's the link: Cost cutting can pay for canyon fix.

I believe I remember Silence registering her distaste for a tax hike to pay for restoration of the slope. I second that distaste.

Ahern's presentation of numbers at the bottom is superb. Thankfully, the left-wing editors of the Coastline Pilot agreed to run the sensible piece.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

The moderate/conservative gauntlet has been dropped again, in the Iranian community

2005-07-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

My apologies to readers for not noticing this sooner. There's a long, expansive piece in this week's Orange County Business Journal on the local Iranian community. Buried within is a section on Iranians' political dabblings. Once again, Generation Next and the New Majority get some space.

Here's the link: Iranians Thrive in Business, Embrace Philanthropy, Politics.

The "Big Givers" portion of the article is what interested me. I'll post it below.

Merage and Maseeh made news this year by giving money to the University of California, Irvine. Merage, cofounder of Chef America Inc., donated $30 million to UC Irvine’s business school, which now bears his name.

Maseeh, who started electronics company Intellisense Corp., pledged $2 million to UCI for a Persian study center. Maseeh also runs investment firm Picoco LLC in Newport Beach.
Iranians see the giving as part of an evolution from the world of business into education, philanthropy and politics.

“It’s not a coincidence,” said Ali Shakeri, president of mortgage banking company Global Estate Funding in Irvine. “Right now, Iranians are on the path of economics. Usually politics follows economy.”

Capital Pacific’s Makarechian is a big backer of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and has hosted him at Makar’s St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa. Maseeh has given $10,000 to the governor.

Makarechian, Maseeh and other Iranians tend to lean toward Republicans, primarily out of disdain for President Carter’s handling of Iran during the last years of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s rule and the Iranian Revolution.

But, like any group, there are no absolutes. Many supported President Clinton.
Iranians are “very passionate one way or the other,” said Jamali, who describes herself as an independent.

Iranians are likely to side with Republicans on business issues, she said, but their history of oppression gives them a liberal social bent.

The New Majority, a moderate GOP group, is a fit for some. Maseeh and Capital Pacific’s Makarechian are members. Son Paul heads Generation Next, a group for moderate young Republicans.

“Iranians are more practical than ideological,” Shakeri said. “They are afraid of extremism.”

Most Iranians oppose their home county’s radical Islamic regime. But their skepticism of extremism also extends to President Bush’s labeling of Iran as part of an “axis of evil,” Shakeri said.

During November’s elections, many Iranians backed female Republican Goli Ameri, who challenged Democratic incumbent David Wu for a House seat in Portland, Ore.

Ameri lost, but she attracted support from Iranians here, including the Fakhimi family, owners of Newport Beach-based cosmetic store chain Planet Beauty Inc.

Shakeri said he is a Democrat and opted not to back Republican Ameri, even if she is Iranian. Jamali said she would be happy to support anyone in Congress who could find Iran on the map.

The Fakhimis backed Gov. Schwarzenegger but now worry if he’s on the right course.
“He started very good, but continuing is the hard part,” said Ghobad Fakhimi, chairman of Planet Beauty.

Ghobad Fakhimi, the patriarch of the family business, represents the mix of pragmatism and liberal thinking among many Iranians.

He’s founder of a group to save the Caspian Sea from oil pollution—and a former oilman. He was executive director of Iran’s National Iranian Oil Co.

“Oilmen in Iran aren’t like oilmen here,” he said.

So, there you have it. Conservatives are "extremist," as well as "impractical." And Iran shouldn't be considered a member of the Axis of Evil, despite military threats on Israel and nuclear aggression against Western civilization, despite they're deplorable conduct of sending young people to clear land mines with their feet during the Iran-Iraq War of the 80's, despite the fact that Iran holds the top spot on a short list of states that could provide safe-haven to Usama bin Laden, and despite the taking of American hostages. Are apologists or revisionists of violent extremism extremists, themselves? You tell me.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Mickadeit recommends you do not miss Great Pork Board meeting

2005-07-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Frank Mickadeit, a regular columnist with the Orange County Register, has an excellent bit of commentary today on the issues surrounding the City of Irvine PR nightmare better known as Great Park.

Here's the link: A don't-miss meeting; secret joke.

ADDED BONUS: Mickadeit catches Fountain Valley Republican Mayor, Larry Crandall, with his pants down at the OCSD Board meeting. It seems like the OCSD should be used to that by now, with all the crap they've seen.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

YRFC elections debate continues

2005-07-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

As the informed readers were aware, the Young Republicans Federation of California (not to be confused with Young Republicans of California, the liberal version) held their statewide elections this past weekend.

Frank Hilliker was the only candidate for Chairman of the statewide organization since this past winter. Hilliker was going around making deals to ensure it would remain a shut out. Then something happened. Someone must have gotten mad, or disatisfied, in OC, because the Orange County Young Republicans endorsed Hilliker for Chairman months ago (can readers tell me who). Two weeks out of the election, Huntington Beach School Board member Matthew Harper, a great conservative, YAFer, former CRP Associate Rep, and OCYR member jumped in the race and soaked up all the momentum. Hilliker, obviously freaked out by the challenge, lets the race end up uncontested in Harper's favor in Sacramento.

Now there's a post on Hack n Flak that continues the battle that began, and was thought concluded, in the state's capital.

Here's the link: Jeff Corless: The Jim Jeffords of Orange County.

Corless, a former CRP Associate Rep and Bill Jones for California (ha ha) Youth Coordinator, I guess, bit off more than he could chew by forcing his own candidacy for Chairman and using threats of pulling OCYR's charter. How much are the call rates to bin Laden's Afghan cell phone, Mr. Corless? A sense of humility could have saved you here. Sad, very sad.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

THIS JUST IN: Banking Committee approves nomination of Cox

2005-07-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

This Reuters story comes by way of Human Events Online.

Here's the link: Rep. Chris Cox Approved by Senate Panel to be SEC Head, Awaits Senate Confirmation.

Events are transpiring just the way the FlashReport predicted, so far.

UPDATE: Here is Elfrink's Register article on the unanimous endorsement to the Senate floor: Cox's SEC nomination advances. (I prefer to link to local sources.)

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Grave trouble in Santa Ana

2005-07-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Neither Shakespeare nor Hemingway could have written this tragedy any better.

Here's the link: It's a Grave Misunderstanding.

I really don't know what to think of Platt. On the one hand, he was attempting to preserve American history (Civil War history) with a vigor we rarely see these days. That deserves our praise. On the other hand, he did not do adequate research into the best method for preservation of the gravestones.

I do admire, though, how he caused the issue of crumbling Civil War headstones to make the front page of the Los Angeles Times's Orange County edition. I would gladly fork over more column inches of the paper from car crashes, fires, and murders to stories like this.

UPDATE: Here's the link to the Register's article, run the following day: The Morning Read: Grave consequences.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Re: Cox to be confirmed soon

2005-07-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Tim Elfrink of the Orange County Register has a great piece today expanding on the one posted on the paper's website late yesterday.

Here's the link: Cox takes a step forward.

Elfrink does a great job in almost bullet pointing the major topics the Banking Committee set upon Cox in the hearings.

All this news, of course, means loads to the local political community because a swift confirmation will open the 48th CD to bidding. And today, the Jon Fleischman's FlashReport had a prediction of confirmation events. Here's the text in full:

COX CONFIRMATION

Christopher Cox had an easy go of it yesterday in the Senate Banking Committee, as he undergoes the confirmation process for his new post as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The timeline....Full Committee vote tomorrow...Full Senate Confirmation on Friday... This will trigger Cox to shortly-thereafter resign from the House of Representatives, and start the race (isn't it already started?) for his coveted seat. There is an article below about a Democrat getting into the race -- yawn -- a Dem has NO SHOT in this district. However, a strong Democrat on the ballot could hurt moderate GOPer Marilyn Brewer. Brewer and State Senator John Campbell are the only two prominent GOPers in the race thus far...

The article he mentions above is the one from yesterday's Daily Pilot (another good dig by Alicia Robinson): Newport lawyer eyes Cox's seat. I second his yawn and admire the cleverness with which he views a Democrat's affect on Brewer's chances. Check out OC Blog for the campaign teams (see: http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/07/marilyn_brewers.html and http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/07/and_heres_the_j.html).

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Are these the guys Bush calls vigilantes?

2005-07-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thanks are very much in order to Jason Trippet commenting on OC Blog about Gordon Dillow's column in the Orange County Register today.

Here's the Register article: Night with Minutemen borders on dangerous.

These people want to protect their country with civil action. They want to serve as witnesses in the line of fire to a robbery of the American people by unskilled, illegal laborers. Reading Dillow's column is an eye opener that makes me love this country more. We are a land that will and has been pillaged by dangerous individuals who will take from us without a second thought. As a citizen, I'm ashamed of the San Diego Sheriffs deputies who threatened the California Minutemen with arrest and lined them up for questioning. As a member of the Republican Party, I'm ashamed of the President's prior remarks on the Minutemen. This is a concern for national security. At the very least, Minutemen should be allowed to carry their own firearms for protection from the drug dealing, gun running, people trafficking scum that populate the borderlands.

On a side note: Ken Masugi over at the Claremont Institute's Local Liberty blog has a great post on the fallacious arguments presented by the lawbreakers' lobby. See: $41 Billion to Remove Illegals?

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Environmentalists at it again in Newport Harbor

2005-07-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Daily Pilot has a great piece today on a new measure that may jump start unrest on the Orange County coast.

Here's the piece: Boat paint could face new rules.

The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (SARWQC), being the activist regulators that they are, are attempting to enact rules in Newport Harbor that would double the cost of rudimentary boat maintenance. Here we have another case of government taking what works, and breaking it. SARWQC is trying to take copper-based paints, that serve the good purpose of defending boat hulls from algae and destructive fungi, out of the hands of boaters and replacing it with epoxy-based paints that are twice the price and ineffective. And SARWQC (a mouthful of an acronym) won't even tell me what's wrong with the copper levels in the Harbor!

What are the copper levels in the harbor? They don't know! How does copper seriously affect the human body?! They haven't told us!

Leave it to environmentalists to take any sort of recreation out of the environment. By doing so, they only make more enemies. They only take environment out of the hands of more people, the same people they will need to rely on in the future to popularly support their candidates and other measures.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

OC Weekly gets it wrong on the Guard

2005-07-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Nick Schou, a reporter for the OC Weekly, like Senator Joe Dunn, has an axe to grind on the California National Guard. More than likely, Schou and Dunn, have both felt fear or resentment for those in the military, because when they were in college, girls went for the uniforms.

Here's the OC Weekly article: Who Dunn It?

Here's the link to the story that started it all: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/12073328.htm

The San Jose Mercury News story on the Guard's so called "surveillance" of anti-war protesters was total misrepresentation of the facts. From what I've been told by members of the military aware of the situation, Guard members merely watched news coverage of an anti-war protest as they watch all news related to the Guard in California. They weren't spying on American citizens or violating the posse comitatus Act of 1878, which prevents U.S. military from taking part in domestic law enforcement.

Senator Dunn has an axe to grind, just like all the other leftists who see the military as an agency full of Right-wing jingoists. Just like all the other leftists who carried signs along the streets of San Francisco in the first weeks of the Iraq War, proclaiming, "We'll support the troops, when they shoot our officers." These are the same leftists who have time and time again shoved cameras in my face at counter protests, who have attempted to spit and grab and curse at me. These are the same leftists who assaulted vehicles of the elderly in Garden Grove for merely listening to Jim Gilchrist speak! These are the same leftists who slashed tires in the Midwest to prevent Republicans from getting to the polls. They are, to some extent, domestic terrorists, who glorify Che Guevarra and anarchy symbols on college campuses all over California. They should be observed for their lawlessness!

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Picking up where Silence left off on "Great Pork"

2005-07-26T17:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

As mentioned on OC Blog, the OC Weekly has a terrific story up on their website written by Scott Moxley. It seconds thoughts Silence mentioned on this blog.

Here's the link: During Brain Surgery, Keep Your Eye on the Ball, You Cockroach.

It's interesting that Moxley uses "cockroach" as a term for resident of the City of Irvine, or concerned constituent. Cockroaches are the only (?) critters able to survive a nuclear blast (see: Cockroaches and "The Bomb"), which is precisely what I predict we'll see in the next city election.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Cox to be confirmed soon

2005-07-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thank you to Tim Elfrink at the Orange County Register for posting a story on the Cox confirmation hearing. I was clawing for some news on this, as there was no coverage of it on CSPAN. It's been a big news day, with the space shuttle launch (woohoo!), and the SCOTUS nomination coverage, and the London bombings coverage, and the Israeli pullout of the Gaza Strip coverage. Christopher Cox's Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman confirmation hearing seems like soggy bread in comparison, despite the fact that Cox will now be in a position to affect, potentially, trillions of dollars.

Here's the link to the Register story: Smooth sailing for Cox at SEC hearing.

I was surprised that even Boxer got in the act of singing Cox's praises. Is that right? But Cox must attempt to reverse the regulatory environment set forth by Donaldson. I suspect his testimony on Donaldson was merely to placate Dems on the Banking Comm.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Polls have yet to close in San Diego, Orange County watching

2005-07-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

As just about everyone in the nation is aware of the Mayoral elections in San Diego, Republicans have two candidates to watch: Steve Francis and Jerry Sanders.

Here's the San Diego U-T gameday article: Candidates cast votes.

I am aware the Orange County Republican Party was organizing individuals to walk precincts this past weekend for Francis, the candidate endorsed by Ron Nehring's San Diego Republican Party.

Here's the link to the SDGOP website: http://www.sandiegorepublicans.org/.

On it, you will see the party's statement on the endorsement. I'll post in here in full.

Republican Party Endorses Steve Francis for Mayor

The Republican Party of San Diego County, recognizing the need to elect a strongly anti-tax mayor who will cut back city bureaucracy and focus on neighborhoods, officially endorsed Republican business leader Steve Francis and outsider, to be the next mayor of America's Finest City

"Steve Francis is an outsider, a leader with the skills and tenacity to see the city through this crisis," said Nehring. "Steve Francis opposes raising taxes, and opposes sending the city into bankruptcy. His plan outlines a tough, common sense approach for restoring the city to fiscal health without increasing the burden on San Diego taxpayers." Union Tribune story

Good luck Mr. Francis! It's not over yet. Polls close in two hours, and you know Frye's union support will be busing people to vote until five minutes after seven post meridien.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Seiler: one minute your with him, one minute you're not

2005-07-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I believe OC Blog ran a post of frustrations they had with the Orange County Register's website. The Orange Punch Blog clearly does need links to specific posts. Or, rather, I need links to specific posts for this post.

John Seiler, a senior editorialist at the Register, is also a frequent poster on their blog, Orange Punch. I'm in agreement with the guy on most of his domestic political rantings. I'm in absolute opposition with him on his foreign policy positions.

Here are two examples:

If we had Gov. McClintock

Just think what would have happened had Arnold not run in 2003. McClintock would have won the recall election. As governor, he would have put a strict spending initiative -- spending rising only as fast as inflation plus population growth -- on the March 2004 ballot. It would have passed. By now, the state would be overflowing with surpluses. So he'd put a tax cut on the July 2006 ballot.

There's more. Arnold would have released Terminator 4 this summer, ending Hollywood's depression. He'd be working on Terminator 5 for 2007. And he wouldn't have had to cancel his magazine contracts.

So the budget crisis would be over, we'd have less of our money stolen in taxes, and we'd be better entertained.
Posted by John Seiler - jseiler@ocregister.com at 2:40 PM

And:

National Review vs. Dana Rohrabacher

I grew up reading National Review, back when it was a bulwark of liberty against liberal tyranny. Now NR supports such tyrannies as the USA "Patriot" Act (better named the USSR Traitors' Act).

NR contributor K.J. Lopez attacks our local Rep. Dana Rohrabacher here for voting against renewing the "Patriot" Act. And she attacks Dana for saying America now isn't at war.

Well, Lopez, when exactly did Congress declare war, as required by the Constitution? We do have a major problem of terrorists coming into this country and blowing things up, but that's mainly a police action. 9/11 occurred to a great extent because the FBI and other agencies were incompetent, as we since have learned. For example, FBI agents warned about strange goings-on at pilot training centers, but the bureaucracy did nothing about it.

And the fighting in Iraq had nothing to do with fighting the terrorism, but was an invasion the Bush regime lied us into, as the Downing Street Memos showed, with its false claims about Saddam's WMDs, which never existed.

The real war that's going on in this country is being conducted by the Bush regime, NR and others against our precious and sacred liberties.
Posted by John Seiler - jseiler@ocregister.com at 11:25 AM

The former post I totally agree with. I'm still bitter about the Party's treatment of McClintock. The latter post just makes me mad. Does Seiler forget the War Powers Act of 1973? Or the Emancipation Proclamation? Or the many other precedent setting instances when Congress has allowed the Executive to engage the United States military in actions without a declaration of war?! It's not an illegal war! When will the Democrats, and Greens, and Libertarians like Seiler lose this baseless objection?

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

Strickland hit on his Right flank

2005-07-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I'm going to introduce myself with this first post. I consider Silence of like mind. She and I read similar news publications. And we most often agree. Perhaps there will be opportunities for you, the readers, to see on what issues we disagree. The following post is not one of them. I know, because I ran it past her while she was leaving.

***

Tony Strickland is running for State Controller, a statewide constitutional office. He formerly served as a State Assemblyman, and while Assemblyman served as Chair of the Republican Caucus. He had a reputation in the lower house as a conservative golden boy, despite some liberalization towards the end of his three term tenure. This may have only been to secure his chances in a statewide contest. He made a brief run at U.S. Senate in the 2004 primary, when it was just Rosario Marin, a moderate, in the race. (I think he was merely placeholding for Bill Jones.) He currently serves as Chairman of California's Club for Growth, an organization of staunch fiscal conservatives. Now he's running for a seat that Senator Tom McClintock once sought. McClintock, if you'll remember, made the 2002 Controller race one of the closest (the closest?) in California political history.

So, I was surfing the California blogs yesterday and keeled over in laughter at the sight of a new website on Mr. Strickland. A hat tip is due to a commentator on Hack n Flak for posting it.

Here's the link: http://www.tonythestrickland.com.

This website isn't something to scoff at. These are real legislative measures that I always knew Strickland supported. It's a website constructed by conservatives. I have my hunches as to who they are. The problem is, because he's the conservative in the match against Maldonado (a really liberal Republican), and because he has already gathered endorsements and raised the money, he's conservatives' best shot.

Perhaps this website will push Strickland to the Right, much like the McClintock candidacy did with Ahnuld. If it does, it's alright with me. If it doesn't, at least it encourages informed voting.

Virtue, Liberty, and Independence,

RICHARD SAUNDERS OC

New wordsmith at the Courant

2005-07-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I will be going on a summertime vacation of sorts soon and I wanted to make sure the Orange-County Courant maintained its reputation for stinging commentary and breaking news. Thus, I have asked a good friend to comment on this blog in my stead. I trust all my readers will treat him with their interest and respect.

Thank you all for reading. I don't expect I'll do well on my vacation, knowing all these big events are transpiring without my observation. See you when I return.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

OCR Editorial on "Great Pork"

2005-07-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I tip my bonnet to the Register's editorial staff for remaining vigilant on Great Park for residents of the City of Irvine. I am glad they question the need for mailers in the first place.

Here's the link: Hints of some pork at Great Park.

Irvine doesn't work for Lennar. Irvine City Councilmembers shouldn't be doing the work of Lennar.

I don't care about the glories of Great Park. I am living comfortably where I am right now. I'm not interested in purchasing a house there.

I am interested in where my tax monies go. I am interested in the City of Irvine's growing budget. I am interested in the increased traffice flow in Irvine and on the freeways as a result of Great Park. I am interested in what sort of financial support Larry Agran receives in the next election from Forde & Mollrich, or anyone related to Forde & Mollrich. Mail me something about those issues on plain, white, 20 pound stock, in simple black ink. Use numbers. I don't need pictures to tell me a story, especially pictures that aren't even of Great Park!

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

LARRYLAND, Register's Great Park cartoon

2005-07-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Thanks are due to the boys of OC Blog for linking to the cartoon on their website. It's a riot!

Here's the link: LARRYLAND.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Re: Forde & Mollrich gets kickback from Agran-run Great Park Board

2005-07-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Buried on the 20th page (that online viewers probably will never get to), the editors of the Irvine World News have a nice tax advocate opinion (see: "Can city answer $600,000 question?"). In it, though, is more juice to the story. Take the following quotes, from the editorial:

The city’s response from acting City Manager Sean Joyce: As long as the work is done within budget and on time, then the city usually does not verify receipts and invoices.

AND

Stu Mollrich of Forde & Mollrich would not say who produced the eight-page, four-color, glossy mailer, and would not say how much the private company charged his firm for the work. “The simple fact that a private company is doing business with a public agency,” he said, “doesn’t mean that all of their private business records become public records.”

Understood. But can we have the name of the printer that did the work? The name was redacted from the bill submitted to the city. Joyce said he doesn’t know the name of the printer. But, hypothetically, what if a subcontractor commits a crime while doing work for the city, and the city is sued. Does the city then get the name?

The arrogance of Joyce, F&M, Agran, et al. is just baffling! I think someone needs to begin considering a lawsuit of some kind. That's the only way you'll get these people to budge. Mollrich is clearly hiding something, as is the City of Irvine.

I would also like to tip my bonnet to the folks at the Orange County Register for rerunning the article in the wider-circulated paper, in addition to the Irvine World News. It's important to enlighten people on corruption within one of the largest cities in the county.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Forde & Mollrich gets kickback from Agran-run Great Park Board

2005-07-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I tip my bonnet to OC Blog frequent commentator "Hanna" for the lead on this disturbing bit of news. If I ever picked up the dead tree version of the IWN, or any other paper for that matter, I might have seen this splashed on the front cover. It's conspicuously missing from the front page of the Register.

Here's the link to the Irvine World News's weird pdf/webpage: www.irvineworldnews.com. Then proceed onto the paper. (It may ask you what your web browser is first.) I really wish the Register's IT people got their butts in gear on this one.

Here's some juicy paragraphs that say it all:

The city paid a consultant more than $70,000 to produce a glossy mailer on the Great Park project. Printers surveyed by the Orange County Register and councilman Steven Choi said they could have produced the project for less.

A review of the invoice obtained by the Register also showed that consultant Forde & Mollrich added $10,000 to the mailing and distribution charges.The invoice showed that Forde & Mollrich charged $70,308 to produce 197,000 copies of the Great Park Winter 2005 Benchmark report, a mailer sent residents about progress of the future park. Production charges included printing and “creative components” such as “writing and editorial,” according to Forde & Mollrich.

The total charged to the city for the mailer was $112,979, including $36,671 for mailing and distribution, as well as $6,000 for layout and design costs.

AND

Five printing estimates obtained by Choi’s office and three by the Register came in under the $70,000 charged by Forde & Mollrich. Seven of the eight estimates are from $24,000 to $35,000. One estimate from a Santa Ana printer came in at $60,000.

I wish I were more astonished by the improprieties here, but frankly this is how Agran operates. He smooths over a company's overcharging and accepts very generous donations from them in election seasons. Dave Gilliard says Forde & Mollrich charged twice the commission and reimbursement charges for consultation! The city paid at least $40,000 more just for the production of the mailer!

One thing's for certain: some staffer in Irvine City Councilman Choi's office deserves a raise for doing the research on other bids. Choi deserves Irvine residents' gratitude for lending his name as a dart board for Agran, Inc. And the Irvine World News deserves encouragement to run more taxpayer interest stories like this.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Calling all OC political consultants!

2005-07-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I rarely ever post links to national news stories. I try to keep things local. Sometimes, "local" means close to home in the professional sense for my friends and this is one of those times.

The Washington Post has a story today on True Entertainment's plans to create a reality series in the mold of "The Apprentice" called "Red/Blue" that would place 12 or 14 aspiring political consultants in a Georgetown house to duke it out in contests of political strategy and skill.

Here's the link: Reality TV Gets Political Spin.

The creator's a Demo, but he admittedly is trying to seek the next Karl Rove. He also admits to believing the show will more likely end up on FX than NBC.

My opinion: Anyone who signs up for the show deserves to be eliminated immediately for lack of political sense. Politics, like war, is all about deception. How is living under glass going to help one maintain an air of deception? Perhaps the monikered political consultants over at OC Blog disagree.

I'll admit the idea's humorous.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Watch out Agran, Krom, Kang, says CalRaces's Ross

2005-07-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I'm not sure if this is new news, but I presume it is because CalRaces.com, a blog by Meridian Pacific political consultants out of Sacramento, is reporting it like it is. Blog (if you can call it a blog without links) "editor" Tom Ross makes the prediction that the City of Irvine, because it has been marked by the U.S. Census Bureau as one of the fastest growing cities in America, will see suburbanization and thus Republicanization. Ross has a long history in political consultation and is a partner with Matt Rexroad at Meridian. Rexroad's had intimate involvement with population growth and political trends as he has handled the redistricting process for legislative Republicans. Meaning: this prediction is qualified.

Here's the link: http://www.calraces.com/blogs/.

I will disagree a little with the thought that Irvine will see purely suburbanization. Anyone driving along the 405 can see the construction of new condo highrises around Jamboree, Von Karman, and MacArthur. Irvine Co. and the City of Irvine, I believe, would like to see the buildup of highrise residential within the city's limits. I remember reading something in the Register not more than a week ago that plans are being laid out to begin the same work around the Spectrum and the 405/5 split/merge. Irvine won't necessarily see suburbanization. We'll probably see a lot of high class densification.

Some will recall that BC04 garnered the majority support of 90+% of the nation's fastest growing counties in America. And if the trend can be shown to have been followed at the municipal level, then Ross may be correct. That's great news.

Ross points out the Census Bureau found Irvine's population grew by 25% between 2000 and 2004. This is before any transfer and construction on Great Park. So, Irvine's got a whole lot more growing. Hopefully, it will indeed shift the political atmosphere of Irvine to the Right.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Too old and cheap to negotiate, because they're on social security

2005-07-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Democrat Mayor of the City of Laguna Woods, Brenda Ross, is leading her Council in an effort to seize the building from which they conduct operations out of the hands of its owner using eminent domain.

Just reading over the article, it doesn't appear that the City's use of eminent domain here is a direct result of new powers granted to municipalities by the recent Kelo decision. Cities have used eminent domain in the Laguna Woods fashion long before this new bout of SCOTUS activism. Kelo allowed eminent domain to be used by cities or townships to confiscate land and sell it to another private party, with the expectation that that sale would achieve greater profitability in the new party's hands (resulting in an increase in tax revenue). Because eminent domain, in this case, will be used to make private land the property of the City of Laguna Woods, you can pretty much be assured there's no profitability going to be found here. One almost wished there were.

Here's the link to the Register's article: Laguna Woods weighs taking over City Hall.

I will say, though, the City has some really poor timing with regards to when the Register would cover this story. Kelo's hot right now in the news and in the hearts of the voting constituency of this country. People are mad as hell about it. Senator (soon to be Lieutenant Governor) Tom McClintock has proposed a State Constitutional Amendment (15) to strip away powers granted by the Highest Court to cities in California and that measure has vast bipartisan support. (McClintock has a very good way of tying his campaigns with specific measures, i.e. Governor "Stop the Car Tax!" and now this. It not only has the effect elevating his name and credentials, but also elevating the issue.)

The City wants to pay $2.7 million. The owner wants $7 million. The lease is up in 2010. So now the City wants to make the owner sell for $2.7 million. How is this different than actions carried out by a schoolground bully?

Bully wants lunch. Little Kid wants to keep lunch because its his and he doesn't want to go hungry. Bully wants to supplement lunch his mother already packed for him. Bully will sock Little Kid if he doesn't fork over the lunch on his terms. Bully doesn't remember that he's only one guy and his reputation as a bully depends on all the other little kids letting him go feared without confrontation.

Well, now one of the big kids from a local high school steps on campus, and his name's McClintock. He used to be just like Little Kid. For all the other little kids who'd like to help him reign in bullies, here's his website: http://www.tommcclintock.net/eminentdomain.htm.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Re: Laguna Beach spends $80,000 on public art

2005-07-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Both the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register have articles describing the City of Laguna Beach's surprise at the costs of just stabilizing the Bluebird Canyon landslide area before this next winter's rain storms exacerbate the problem. That is not reconstruction, which is expected to eat up another $9 million of the City's coffers. The City Manager's previous estimates were $5 million for stabilization. Now they're $6.5 million, and he's beginning to freak out. Meanwhile, the City's Arts Commission recommended Laguna Beach spend $80,000 on a sculpture celebrating the city council.

Here's the link to the OCR: Laguna slide costs increase.

Here's the link to the LAT: Laguna Beach Frustrated as Slide Costs Keep Climbing.

The Mayor and City Council need to get their priorities strait here. In times of disaster, one needs to part with the luxuries and approach the essentials. Laguna Beach is a healthy, and wealthy, community. Tax revenues are already quite good. Taxes shouldn't be raised because that may disturb the fiscal status quo. But prioritizing does need to take place down at City Hall. The Mayor expressed over and over that she understood this. Now it's time to act.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Breaking News: Two San Diego City Councilmen convicted

2005-07-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

And then there were five (members of the council). Immediate past mayor pro-tem Toni Atkins, a lesbian Democrat, is the acting mayor for a week. Elections to come soon.

Here's the link: Verdict: GuiltyFederal jury convicts Zucchet, Inzunza.

Now's the time to run in San Diego! It's a revolution!

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Laguna Beach spends $80,000 on public art

2005-07-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot today has an article about a sculpture that was chosen by the City of Laguna Beach's Arts Commission to be purchased by the City and placed in front of City Hall downtown.

Here's link: Panel picks public artwork.

Here's a few thoughts:

Why the hell does a city, even a city as artistic as Laguna Beach, need an Arts Commission?! It's so New Deal. It's big government at its worst. It's government funded, and government regulated, art work. Yuck! And why hasn't the City of Laguna Beach's Republican Mayor, Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider, not gotten rid of this absolutely inappropriate commission.

It's a tragic irony that the sculpture is named "The People's Council." The name would seem right at home in an Orwellian novel, or China. In addition, the fact that the Arts Commission chose a piece of art celebrating themselves is wrong. With government officials choosing the artwork, how is this "the people's" council, or "the people's" choice?

The Laguna Beach City Council will consider the Arts Commission's recommendation to pay $80,000 for this sculpture on the 19th of this month, while just a few weeks ago the Mayor, City Council, and City Manager were contemplating tax increases for city residents to pay for Bluebird Canyon reconstruction. The Mayor went crying on television about how much her community needs our assistance with the landslide victims, and now she's silent about the city purchasing abstract art?! (I have had the link to the Laguna Relief non profit on my website since its creation and I recommend donations be made.)

The City of Laguna Beach isn't alone in public art purchasing. So many government agencies fund things like park sculptures and highway art, and all those purchases add up to real money. We don't need it. If the community wants art displayed in public places, it should form a nonprofit to raise the money needed. Government officials shouldn't be in the business of buying art and frequenting galleries on the public dime.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

OC Weekly covers "Asian persuasion" of local officials

2005-07-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

All the talk about Gustavo Arellano over at OC Blog had me perusing through the OC Weekly this morning on the web. In an informal column, titled "The Asian Persuasion," the Weekly asks locals of note what their favorite Asian restaurant in Orange County is. Three local officials were mentioned in the article speaking of things you don't normally hear them speak of: food. The three: Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, Irvine City Councilman Dr. Steven Choi, and Assistant District Attorney Susan Kang Schroeder, Republicans all. I thought it was funny, so I'll quote the three officials' sections here.

CHUCK DEVORE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLYMEMBER, 70TH DISTRICT
We hate Chuck DeVore because he doesn’t see anything wrong with creating a bill that would allow residents in the El Morro Mobile Homes in Crystal Cove to stay after he accepted more than $74,000 in political donations from them. We respect Chuck DeVore, though, because he’s the most accessible of our Assembly, state Senate or congressional delegates and usually answers e-mails within the day. And we love Chuck DeVore because he’s a best-selling author . . . in Taiwan?! Allow Chuck to explain: “In 1999, I co-authored China Attacks, a techno-thriller that was published in 2000, then translated into Chinese in 2001. Since I am not a credentialed China expert, I figured no one would be interested in a nonfiction book by me about this topic. On the other hand, a fact-based, action-packed novel might be read by many for enjoyment, some of whom might actually revise their opinions about China’s intentions and capabilities.” China Attacks proved so popular that DeVore toured Taiwan in 2001—where Chinese officials called him an “imperial dog.” ETHNIC EAT (CHINESE): “The only Chinese restaurant we consistently frequent is Chinatown. My wife loves their aromatic shrimp—‘aromatic’ as in garlic, and it’s a good thing I love both her and garlic, or else that dish would be a bit too much! I generally gravitate towards Mongolian beef or kung pao beef, either of which is always fresh and savory. And, as if all this isn’t enough, we’ve even seen Commie Girl there once or twice.” 4139 Campus Dr., Irvine, (949) 856-2211. AMAZING ASIAN: Koki’s Teppan and Sushi: “Koki’s is an inexpensive version of Benihana’s. My two daughters love the place. With the chefs’ knife play, the culinary acrobatics, and the ever-popular flaming onion volcano, what’s there not to like? I usually order the steak and shrimp combo with fried rice. We can usually feed the entire family of four for about $50.” 3957 Irvine Blvd., Irvine, (714) 508-1668; also 1061 E. Main St., Tustin, (714) 505-6738.

STEVEN CHOI
IRVINE COUNCIL MEMBER, GREAT PARK SAVIOR?
Choi is a teacher by trade, but now the county is looking to the Irvine council member for salvation. Choi also sits on the board of directors for the Great Park and is, along with fellow Irvine Council Member Christina Shea, one of the two voices not controlled by longtime Irvine political force Larry Agran. Catch Choi at the Great Park meetings—he’s the one arguing against sweetheart contracts and exorbitant government pork as Agran and his allies turn the Great Park into the Irvine Spectrum II. ETHNIC EAT (KOREAN): Korea House BBQ: “I like this restaurant because you can either grill your own meat at your table—marinated beef, chicken or pork—for a unique experience of pleasure and taste or have it prepared in the kitchen. The restaurant is relatively new with one year three months old operation history, during which time its popularity has spread to non-Koreans as well.” 5305 University Dr., Irvine, (949) 552-9998. AMAZING ASIAN: Agora Churrascaria is an all-you-can-eat Brazilian BBQ restaurant, says Choi, but the owners are Korean: “I just went there for the first time a couple weeks back. The taste was so superb, I had to try all of the courses coming my way, which was I don’t even know how many kinds of meat. The result? I was full.” 1830 Main St., Irvine, (949) 222-9910; www.agorachurrascaria.com.

SUSAN KANG SCHROEDER
DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY; SATAN
We love to hate Deputy District Attorney Susan Kang Schroeder, and—since we’re a force for good, and she’s a force for evil—she loves to hate us right back. We’re like nemesiseses and stuff. But she’s so cute when she hates us—wrinkling up her nose like she smells something bad, making vomiting noises like she needs to vomit, and then treating us to dinner (and a nice gossip) anyway. If there’s one thing Susan and her husband Mike (local Republican fixer extraordinaire) are good for (aside from hammering people into the ground with one swing of their meaty fists), it’s taking us to dinner (and a nice gossip). They’re gourmands with heavy wallets, and they’re a-OK with us. Go ahead! Be evil! We don’t mind! ETHNIC EAT (KOREAN): “Seoul Oak has uncharacteristically great service for an Asian restaurant and clean-tasting food that tastes like my mom’s cooking. You cook your own meat on a griddle in the middle of your table. I recommend the spicy pork and the ribs (gal-bi). Really fast service: Koreans expect to have food on the table within two minutes of arriving. And Koreans don’t eat sweets generally, so the ‘dessert’ is a sweet, cinnamon drink with floating pine nuts to rinse the garlic away from your breath.” 8295 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove, (714) 530-5388. AMAZING ASIAN: Schroeder says crime takes a break at Pho Hien Vuong, supposedly the county’s first place to sell the aromatic Vietnamese beef noodle soup. “Cops, crooks, D.A.s, judges, interpreters, court staff, reporters all hang out and eat $4 noodles here,” says Schroeder. “They also give you a plate of uncooked bean sprouts, cilantro and basil. I recommend the #11 pho: well-done brisket soup with lots of Sriracha sauce. Many of my friends order the #16, which has the chicken. I see Orange County Register reporter Martin Wisckol here almost every time I go, confirming my paranoid delusion that Martin is stalking me.” 2525 W. 17th St., Ste. H, Santa Ana, (714) 554-2696. AMAZING ASIAN: THE RETRIAL: Can’t decide on Chinese food or sushi? Schroeder recommends you plop yourself at China Palace Restaurant and get both. “You will never get a bad meal there,” claims Schroeder. “The owner, Jack Mau, is often there to greet you and give you advice about life, politics and child rearing—we call him Chairman Mau. You should definitely order the Peking duck there . . . and unlike most places, you don’t have to order ahead. They put the crispy rich duck in a thin tortilla-like wrapper with sliced scallions. On the sushi side, get the ‘yum yum’ roll that has crab and shrimp tempura. Mike and I go there every Sunday night because it’s also the local GOP hangout. On any given night, you will see Tom Fuentes, Scott and Wendy Baugh, Dick and Linda Ackerman, Dana and Rhonda Rohrabacher and the pips.” And Satan too! 2800 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, (949) 631-8088.

Here's the link to the article: Cover: The Asian Persuasion.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

And on OCSD

2005-07-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Why can't other legislators be this responsive?

This is another email sent out by DeVore related to the Dharma Consulting contract with the Orange County Sanitation District. It's also - I guess - published on Human Events Online, giving the OCSD and its shit some serious exposure to sunlight. It's sure to really stink over at the sanitation district soon. The Assemblyman must easily hold the title of the most interactive and vocal member of the state legislature.

I'm only providing the link because I believe Human Events Online owns the copyright to the material and I don't want to violate any laws here. It's appropriately titled "Holy Sewage." DeVore emailed it out in full.

The link: http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?print=yes&id=8098

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Wow, DeVore at the pen on China

2005-07-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

This email was sent out likely as a reaction to the Drudge Report's top headline yesterday. That headline was to a story that quoted a "hawkish" Chinese general as saying the communist dictatorship was willing and able to launch nuclear weapons upon the United States if there was intervention on behalf of Taiwan. Here's Assemblyman Chuck DeVore's reaction. (Keep in mind he is an Army Intel officer and the author of a book titled "China Attacks" that presents a gameplay for this occurrence. I love - really, love - how in good ol' capitalist fashion he pitches his novel at the end of the email.)

News: China ready to use nuclear weapons against US over Taiwan

As the two stories below suggest, China has once again threatened America with a nuclear attack, should we come to the aid of the democratic nation of Taiwan if it is attacked by China.

Chinese general warns U.S. over Taiwan - newspaper

BEIJING (Reuters) - A senior Chinese general has warned that China was ready to use nuclear weapons against the United States if Washington attacked his country over Taiwan, the Financial Times newspaper reported on Friday.

CHINA 'READY TO USE N-WEAPONS AGAINST USA'...

China ready to use nuclear weapons against US over Taiwan: media
BEIJING (AFP) - China could use nuclear weapons to retaliate against the United States if it attacked in any conflict over Taiwan, reports said citing a Chinese general.

China ready to use nuclear weapons against US over Taiwan: media

As some of you may recall, I wrote a book back in 1999 about China attacking Taiwan. Entitled, CHINA ATTACKS, the book was translated into Chinese in 2001 for sales in Taiwan where it has sold quite well.

With the recent news, I thought some of you might be interested in an update on China.

The People’s Republic of China is the 21st Century’s Nazi Germany: a revanchist nationalist ideology, state-guided capitalism, a massive military build-up, and a repressive one-party state. Most in the West are blind to this, of course, with business being the sole concern. Very few Americans know the history of Chinese repression in Tibet, or care about the mass imprisonments of Christians and Falun Gong practitioners, or are aware of the increasingly violent crackdowns on protesting workers and farmers. And even those who are conversant in China’s internal repression shrug off China’s war rhetoric as just that: rhetoric.

First, a brief tutorial would be in order on China to dispel some myths. The CIA sets China’s economic output at $7.3 trillion with a 9.1 percent growth rate. This is double the purchasing power parity of Japan and now more than half of the U.S. economy. China makes the most steel, consumes the second highest amount of oil (the U.S. is first), and burns the largest quantity of coal in the world. They spend about $67.5 billion per year on their rapidly modernizing military, the second highest amount in the world. China has active territorial disputes with India, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, and possibly Brunei, while lingering issues remain with Russia and Burma.

And then there’s Taiwan, the democratic island nation of 23 million people that China claims as a renegade province, unworthy of independence. Earlier this year, the rubberstamp Chinese legislature passed an anti-succession bill aimed at justifying a war should the Taiwanese declare themselves independent through a national referendum. This parallels Nazi Germany’s actions in 1938 when they invaded Austria the day before a scheduled Austrian referendum to affirm independence from Germany. This became known as the Anschluss or annexation.

Chinese policy on Taiwan is that there would need to be no annexation as Taiwan is already a part of China. Further, it is simply a matter of time and opportunity before Taiwan is brought back under the full control of Beijing, as was Hong Kong, Macao, and Tibet before it.

U.S. policy is more subtle. Under a U.S. law known as the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) passed in 1979, the U.S. considers “any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including by boycotts or embargoes, a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States.” The TRA does not require the U.S. to protect Taiwan in the event of an attack, however, a deliberate omission designed to discourage the Taiwanese from declaring their independence. In other words, American policy is to encourage the continuation of the peaceful status quo on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

All the best,

Chuck DeVore, State Assemblyman, 70th District
http://www.chuckdevore.com/

The Chinese language edition version of “China Attacks” (volumes 1 and 2).

http://www.book4u.com.tw/goods_template.asp?goods_ser=sb0084448

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Reporters circling around Ray?

2005-07-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

"Marvin Lucas" over at Hack n Flak is reporting that an Orange County paper (probably the Orange County Register) has started making phone calls up to the Capitol to ascertain the truth or veracity of rumors floated on that blog these past few weeks (see: Sacramento Whispers). These rumors are related to Ray Haynes and Umberg-style extramarital improprieties.

See: the "OC for Haynes?" original post which started it all

Lucas wrote in Sacramento Whispers, "A reporter from an Orange County newspaper is beginning to contact people around the capitol regarding recent questions related to Assemblyman Ray Haynes." He also linked Haynes's name to U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy which may be going too far. No Republican deserves that comparison.

The guys on Hack n Flak have this annoying tendancy to remove posts that are found to be particularly controversial. One of the posts that had comments full of innuendos is no longer posted on their site, and thus unable for me to quote for or forward onto readers.

The rumors I read - and I'm working from memory here - insinuated that Assemblyman Haynes was having marital problems, that he'd been uninvited from the Capitol Bible Study for members of the legislature, that he'd had extramarital hanky pank with Assemblywoman Mimi Walters's Chief of Staff, Gina Zari. And it seemed to me like Zari was trying to anonymously defend herself in the comments section to no avail. I have no reason to believe any of these rumors are true, or false.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The "Duke" says he won't seek reelection

2005-07-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Breaking news on Drudge: California Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, under investigation, intends to announce he will retire when term ends...

Congressman Cunningham couldn't take the heat. Two of California's House Republican seats are now up for grabs. This has been discussed at length on Hack n Flak and OC Blog. I suppose Assemblyman Mark Wyland has got to gear up for a totally different race now.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Re: OCSD employees treating crap while being treated to crap

2005-07-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I tip my bonnet to the boys over at OC Blog for posting a link to OCSD General Manager Blake Anderson's response to the Register's probing. If a concerned taxpayer tried to find the response from the OCSD homepage, they'd have no luck. Ask me how I know. The Sanitation District's in damage control.

Here's the link: http://www.ocsd.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=362.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Editors at the Register agree with me

2005-07-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

In an editorial that "Jubal" over at OC Blog uncharacteristically missed in his "News Roundup", the Orange County Register's well-respected staff published a short editorial in agreement with a post I made here earlier. (I wonder if they read the Courant.)

Here's the link: It could have been worse.

After a short period of conservative criticism of Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (see Re: My resolution of the budget vote debate and on OC Blog), those with the ability of second glancing are starting to come around. And its happening quicker than I expected.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

El Toro now semi-privately owned land

2005-07-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, and the Orange County Business Journal all covered this event yesterday. Meaning: it's huge. Hopefully, it will put an end to all the bickering back and forth online about the possibility of another airport. Unless, perhaps, someone suggests that the City of Irvine use its newfound Kelo authority to sell the land to an airport developer, but I don't believe an airport would end up with greater profitability. Am I wrong here readers?

Orange County Register: Military era ends at El Toro

Los Angeles Times, Orange County Edition: El Toro Base Is Private Property

Orange County Business Journal: Lennar Takes Control of El Toro

Now we have to deal with auditing the Agran-led, two-faced Great Park Board on a regular basis.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

OCSD employees treating crap while being treated to crap

2005-07-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Orange County Register today again upheld its reputation as a stern, viligant government watchdog with an article on its cover exposing the Orange County Sanitation District's $180,000 a year investment in Dharma Consulting (http://www.dharmaconsulting.com/wweare.html) to engage in spiritual exploration, inspired leadership, and teambuilding exercises.

Here's the link to the Register's piece: OC Has Joined The Sewage Of Enlightenment.

OC Blog has some great commentary that I recommend readers follow on this developing issue. Ken Masugi over at Local Liberty raised the great point that there may be a First Amendment violation here, on top of the waste of taxpayer dollars by local officials who sit on the OCSD Board.

Reading over Dharma Consulting's website is moderately frightening. Eric Klein, its founder and yoga priest/chosen one, is described almost as a cult leader would be with "Eric this..." and "Eric will help you do this..." (His short bio was probably written by him, along with the rest of the language on the website.) Eric doesn't list his own education credentials, but his underlings do. And given that the company is based out of Leucadia, a small coastal surfing village in San Diego County lacking any serious office space, I wouldn't be surprised if a visitor found the company's associates on beanbag chairs smoking dope from their hookas during strategy sessions, with surfboards hung from the walls as office decor. Incidentally, there is a famous surf spot just to the south called "Swami's" for the temple that sits on the cliff there. But all that is tangential.

The real issue is that the County's taxpayers have foot the bill for this enchanted bull load and no one in OCSD Board meetings gave a shit (pardon the pun).

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The 34th SD: The Buzz

2005-07-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Martin Wisckol surprised the insiders today with a piece revealing Rosario Marin as a possible candidate for the 34th Senate District race. I hadn't heard or read this on any of the local blogs, but I wouldn't throw it away either.

Former U.S. Treasurer Marin's a name I haven't heard in a while, not since her failed run at U.S. Senate from California. Remember "She's on your money!"? The West Wing once made fun of the U.S. Treasurer's position saying the Secretary of the Treasury was the important life and death position, the Treasurer only "decides the color of money," or something like that.

Sorry, here's the link to the story: Carpetbaggers could pack state Senate race.

Wisckol finally gets around to agreeing with "Jubal" on OC Blog and I that Assemblyman Van Tran has the best Republican chance of taking that seat. Tran, who really doesn't live in his own district right now, wouldn't have a hard time packing up the few things he stores in the 68th AD and moving them across the Senate District line into the 34th SD. (He is a newly wed with no kids. His primary residence is in Sacramento where his life is more likely to go on without dangerous disruptions.)

I also like how Wisckol covered Ackerman's excuse of bad food for the budget agreement. The legislative staffers, apparently lacking the sophisticated taste of Ackerman and his millionaire friends, fed them bad food to make them work harder. They probably did so to let the good Senator know what it felt like to survive without a paycheck. (If the budget doesn't pass, no government employees get paid.)

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Re: Umberg admits extramarital affair

2005-07-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

The Sunday Left Angeles Times had a bland article about the resignation of Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D - Anaheim) from the California Army National Guard. The article stubbornly refuses to delve deeply into the four year romance and how potential military discipline could be a reason for the resignation. It also fails to deal with information researched by the Register, information regarding the supposed whereabouts of Mr. Umberg while his wife was out telling voters that he was in Guatanamo Bay.

Here's the link the story: Umberg Retires From Reserve Duty.

The Times article does mention the how the Register "scooped" them this time by publishing the story on Saturday. That article mentions Umberg's entire ordeal, including the fact that Colonel Umberg would have been forced to retire if he didn't receive a promotion to Brigadier General in 2007 anyway. To my amusement, they keep printing his wife's quote calling him "a compulsive liar". That should make for a few good mailers to high propensity voters in the 34th SD. "If his own wife cannot trust him, why should you?" That kind of stuff. You know.

Here's the link to that story: Umberg quietly quits Reserve.

Assemblyman Tran? Are you up for this? Umberg would be little competition for the South Vietnamese army of support you have amassed in central OC. Let's put the "R" back next to the number "34".

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Re: My resolution of the budget vote debate

2005-07-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

All right. I'm not quite resolved on this thing yet.

I noticed there was lots of action on OC Blog. Some was prompted by things I wrote. Much of it was not.

Both "Lurk" at OC Blog and John Seiler (who I almost never agree with) at the Orange County Register's Orange Punch Blog have cited Senator Tom McClintock's take on the budget as the sole source of voting wisdom.

Here are the links:

OC Blog
http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/07/the_budget_vote.html#comments

Orange Punch Blog
http://www.ocregister.com/blog/commentary/

And the primary source document:

Senator McClintock's budget vote press release
http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/mcclintock/article_detail.asp?PID=296

Seiler cites only two lines. The latter of the two might offer some key support to Assemblyman DeVore's argument that, "If enough Republicans vote 'no' prevent passage of the budget,the majority swings into action, offering pork or other incentives to lash together the needed votes to capture the two-thirds support required in bothhouses."

The McClintock quote is this: "I suppose it is a blessing that the negotiations didn’t go on any longer."

And it comes in the second paragraph. Here is that paragraph in full:

"Nor can I join applauding the “painstaking negotiations” that have produced this document. The fact is, in May the Governor proposed spending $88 billion (General Fund), the Democrats countered at $89 billion, and they have now compromised at $90 billion. I suppose it is a blessing that the negotiations didn’t go on any longer."

Interestingly, in the case of this year's budget vote we - the general public - can see political strategy if we look hard enough. McClintock feared a larger budget just as DeVore did. This is obvious. Both - and I mean both - are good conservatives. Both feared prolonged negotiations. McClintock speaks of a generally enlarged budget. DeVore specifically cites pork-enticed colleagues as his reason to fear prolonged negotiations. Both are men of principle.

When examined in this fashion, it seems to me neither vote is perfect. Shockingly, the vote comes down to politics and strategy. I imagine both McClintock and DeVore are fairly experienced in these arts. McClintock's been in the legislature a while. DeVore's been in the military and a conservative Republican activist for a while. As far as their campaigning is concerned, both men seem to have similar success rates. Why did these two smarties arrive at different approaches to the budget process? I don't know, but perhaps we could begin to discuss the matter in a civilized way.

In closing, I will say that the Assemblyman has been quite persuasive in his own defense. Here are two items that DeVore mentioned in comments on OC Blog. The first is Bob Mulholland's blog post on how little the Republicans support the Governor in the legislature. The second is an article by the Los Angeles Times lamenting the fact that Democrats made sizable concessions in order to gear up for what they believe to be a tough special election later this year.

The first: "July 08, 2005

"SEVENTEEN REPUBLICANS STIFF SCHWARZENEGGER

"In another example of how weak Schwarzenegger is, there were 13 Republicans in the California State Assembly and four Republicans in the State Senate who voted 'no' on Schwarzenegger’s state budget on Thursday. Schwarzenegger had ordered them, then begged them, to vote 'yes' and 17 basically told Arnie, 'you’re in such bad shape in the polls, we don’t need to deal with you.'
"Posted by bob at 07:09 AM"
http://blog01.kintera.com/Bobs/

The second: Election Strategy Drove Budget Accord

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

My resolution of the budget vote debate

2005-07-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I am publishing a set of entries I made in the “Comments” section of an OC Blog post. I want this to be the end of the debate on this blog on this topic. I am ready to move on. (For some reason, the formatting function of my blog is acting up. So if the post appears a little different than previous posts, that's why.) Here's the two texts combined:

I, too, believe DeVore to be a hardcore conservative. I don't think he's gone soft on principle at all. His votes are evidence of that.

I think he has gone a little soft on the Governor, though. I know many conservatives who did during the '03 Special. I know many conservatives who continue to be. I am not one of them, but I still count them friends (to an extent).

I know I was an early critic, but the pile-on has got me near disgusted.

I just may have to go with Assemblyman DeVore on this one. It's sounds like a total about-face, but I just may. Like matters of national security, because I'm not at the table and I'm not in the meetings and I'm sure as hell not privy to all the information, I may just have to trust that a principled guy like DeVore knew what he was doing. I may have end-of-the-day numbers, but I don't have tomorrow's or next week's. DeVore probably did. He's in the military. He knows strategy. He's a friend of the movement. He's been a friend of the movement. My trust in his budget vote is my reciprocity.

Thanks for your hard work these past few months Chuck. Take it to 'em next week and the following one and the one after that and these folks will come crawling back.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Did Assemblyman DeVore wince at "tear down this wall!"?

2005-07-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

An anonymous respondant to a previous post labeled me a "hypocrit" for stating that his budget vote explanation was "one of the most solid defenses of pragmatic conservatism I have ever seen." By that statement, I can only see that my opinion of his email was ambiguous. I have never considered myself a pragmatist. How has "pragmatism" gotten this positive connotation?

Assemblyman DeVore has already stated that he's cast the most "no" votes out of any member of the Assembly. I do not doubt that that is a confirmable fact. Chuck DeVore is a conservative. Many of those votes were - let's face it - probably just symbolic. Why would Assemblyman DeVore part with the conservative symbolism he usually projects? His "yes" vote wasn't absolutely necessary, was it?

Perhaps DeVore is a pragmatist in the end. Perhaps he really did fear more spending if he held out.

If readers will recall, there was a great chasm in the Reagan Administration between the "Pragmatists" and the "True Believers". Neither side, I would say, had a roster comprised only of individuals I would associate myself with. But it was the Pragmatists who would have had Reagan's "Tear down this wall!" out of our Cold War history. That position alone is deserving of my scorn.

And so I ask: Did Assemblyman DeVore wince at "Tear down this wall!"?

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Protest illegal immigration in Laguna Beach

2005-07-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I'm not entirely sure of the accuracy of "Save Our State's" allegations about Mayor Pearson-Schneider here, but I'll reward "Debbie" for making her's the first group to have the good sense to email the Orange-County Courant with specs of the rally.

Here's the announcement in full:

http://www.saveourstate.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3209

On Saturday, July 16th, there is an event to protest the Laguna Beach, city-santioned day laborer site, funded in part by the Laguna Beach Art Festival.

LAGUNA BEACH

Laguna Canyon Road/Laguna Canyon Frontage Rd.
JULY 16TH SATURDAY
10AM-12PM
This is NOT at the day labor site
ARTS FESTIVAL RALLY!

The City of Laguna Beach supports an Illegal Day Labor site through income generated by their World Famous Art Festivals. We are gathering in a peaceful rally in front of the arts center to educate those entering the festival and the drive-by public to the illegal activities their tickets are paying for.

Directions:

From Los Angeles: take the 405 Freeway into Irvine. Take the 133 Highway (south) towards Laguna Beach. This highway turns into Laguna Canyon Rd.

From San Diego take the 5 Freeway to 405 Freeway, take 133 Highway (south) towards Laguna Beach. The 133 turns into Laguna Canyon Rd.

Parking:

There is metered parking up and down the street ($1.50 per hour. Quarters only) Or there is a free parking area as you enter the canyon called ACT V parking. You will then take a shuttle bus to the Sawdust Festival site.

http://www.sawdustartfestival.org/

(Last month several American citizens and residents of Laguna Beach lost their homes in a major landslide. They were not insured, therefore have lost everything. Instead of using city money to help these good Americans, the mayor of Laguna Beach funds an illegal resource center, which includes a hiring center, counseling, and housing for ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.)

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Senator Dick Ackerman's budget vote explanation

2005-07-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

I tip my bonnet to "Jubal" over at OC Blog not only for the ink, but for directing me to Ackerman's budget explanation. He has conscientiously posted it on his website.

Here's the link: http://republican.sen.ca.gov/news/33/pressrelease3521.asp.

Here's the Orange County legislators' budget vote lineup (courtesy of OC Blog, thank them for doing all the work):

Senate

Ackerman (R) -- Yes
Campbell (R) -- No
Morrow (R) -- Yes
Dunn (D) -- Yes

Assembly

Van Tran (R) -- No
DeVore (R) -- Yes
Daucher (R) -- No
Harman (R) -- No
Huff (R) -- No
Walters (R) -- No
Spitzer (R) -- Yes
Bermudez (D) -- Yes
Umberg (D) -- Yes

Looking only at the Assembly, DeVore's not really in good company. But judging from his email, I don't think he cares.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

To all state staffers: The Orange County Register is watching you

2005-07-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Kimberly Kindy, the author of the Register's aptly titled "Capitol Watchdog" column, has been questioning the state's system with few results. And she admits as much. Perhaps I can help by further publicizing the story.

Here's the link to it: Misappropriation probes dodged.

The actions of the Attorney General's Office and the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) are not atypical of government in this state.

That said, asking a politician's office to refrain from political action seems confusing to me. On the one hand, I don't want my tax dollars going to fund leftist partisan ventures. Too often that happens with Democrats in control of so much of the appropriations process in Sacramento. On the other hand, I can be realistic and see that the folks who staff these kinds of offices are usually the biggest political firecrackers in the neighborhood. They're from today's California, arguably the most politically turbulent state in the union at the most political turbulent time. Republicans and Democrats are at war both on the foreign and domestic front. Are the people who get paid to carry on that war supposed to reach a personal armistice when they open the office door?!

Tell me if I'm wrong here. I really don't have a strong opinion either way.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Assemblyman Van Tran's budget vote explanation

2005-07-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Here's a press release issued by another Orange County Republican state legislator. Tran has a reputation as a good conservative, but some of his votes over these past few months have had me doubting this on fiscal matters. So his vote may just be posturing. As DeVore mentioned in his email (posted below), a clear majority of Assembly Republicans voted in favor of the budget without the pork barrel district kickbacks you usually find in late-year budget agreements.

One issue Tran failed to mention, but I remembered Mountjoy mentioning from what I caught in the streaming video, was the state's continued funding of abortions. This is something that has to stop. I am deeply disturbed that my tax dollars go toward funding the killing of innocent human beings.

Here's Tran's press release in full:

Assemblyman Tran Votes To Oppose Budget

Government spending continues to grow out of control

7/7/05
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Paul G. Hegyi
(916) 215-9842

SACRAMENTO– On Thursday, Assemblyman Van Tran (R-Costa Mesa) voted against the 2005-06 budget.

“This vote was a very difficult decision for me. There are many things in this budget that are great improvements over past budgets, but my concerns are far greater.

We can not spend the state out of the fiscal crisis created by Gray Davis. I was elected to reduce government spending and make allocations based on our priorities. Instead, this budget increases spending $10.6 billion, 13.5%, over last year’s budget. That can only make the problem worse in the future.

This budget makes the problem worse next year. As adopted, the structural deficit will be over $4 billion dollars next year. It is a mistake to continue pushing the hard decisions off to the future. Instead, we should buckle-down now and make the choices we were elected to make.

Another huge problem are the taxes hidden in this bill, by the old ploy of ‘fees’. Fees are increased for CEQA, the Coastal Commission, landing, streambed alteration, and home movers. These are important areas that will continue to hamper California’s economy. We need to cut the red-tape and make California a business-friendly state again.

I did vote for SB 62, the transportation budget bill, because I believe fully-funding transportation is a high priority for California. This is a needed investment and I am proud to support it as did the vast majority of Californians when they passed Proposition 42.

Just because state revenues are up, we can not continue to spend taxpayer’s money like they will remain year after year. That is the process which put our finances in such dire straights and must be stopped.

My commitment is to a budget that makes California government smaller. We must do a better job of setting our state’s priorities and funding those we can afford. While I applaud this budget for not raising taxes, fully funding transportation and repaying local government, I can not in good conscience vote to increase spending another $10 billion.”

###

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore's budget vote explanation

2005-07-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

This may be one of the most solid defenses of pragmatic conservatism I have ever seen. The one thing DeVore neglects to mention is how his vote gave a crutch to our ailing Governor and bloated government-type Republicans like McCarthy. Having a staunch ideological conservative, like DeVore, in their corner is a sign of the historic times. Here's the text of his email in full:

Voting on a budget

The California Legislature approved the budget for 2005-2006 yesterday, seven days into the fiscal year. I voted in favor of passing the budget.

Interestingly, no one asked me for my vote or pressured me – perhaps since I’ve racked up the most “no” votes of any of the 80 members, leadership figured I was an automatic “no”. But, as with all of my votes, after analysis and reflection, I voted my conscience.

In the Assembly, the vote was 63-13 for passage with 54 votes needed for the required two-thirds threshold. Of the 13 members who voted “no” all were Republicans while 19 Republicans voted to support Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget. At the last tally, two Democrats present didn’t vote for the budget, presumably because it didn’t spend more tax money.

Some in the GOP may criticize this budget as too large. I agree. However, given that Republicans in Sacramento barely have more than one-third of the members of either house, the question needs to be asked, could we have done better?

The budget has no new taxes. The budget sticks closely to the governor’s proposal for education spending, rejecting the CTA union and Democrats’ calls to add another $3.1 billion of spending on top of the $3.1 billion increase proposed by the governor. The budget for the first time fully funds Prop. 42 road construction spending at $1.3 billion. And, the budget pays back a year early the full $1.2 billion the state took from local government in recent years. Most importantly, the budget passed will be almost $1.7 billion more in balance next year than the budget last proposed by the Democrats three weeks ago – a budget I voted against.

A budget, unlike a standalone bill, is a product of intense negotiations between the governor and the four legislative leaders – the “Big Five” as they’re called – it is, by definition, a consensus document. Usually, voting “no” on a budget is the default vote for members of the Republican minority. If enough Republicans vote “no” to prevent passage of the budget, the majority swings into action, offering pork or other incentives to lash together the needed votes to capture the two-thirds support required in both houses. On June 15th, not one Republican voted to approve the Democrats’ budget. Because we Republicans held firm under the steady hands of the two leaders of our respective houses, Sen. Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine) and Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), we were able to support the governor’s efforts to trim more fat out of the budget and pre-pay debts. What we ended up with was a victory.

Could we have gotten more concessions? Remember, we only have 32 of 80 members in the Assembly and 15 of 40 in the Senate. Had we tried to hold out, Democrats would have pushed back, dangling budgetary prizes in front of certain Republican members. A good indication of the danger in this can be found in a press announcement from one of my colleagues. The punch line occurs at the end of the release explaining their “no” vote when it is revealed that the budget didn’t spend enough on schools!

Lastly, some complain that this budget increases spending 14.5 percent over last year’s budget. That’s a bogus comparison. The budget enacted last year contained many accounting gimmicks. While it was to have spent $78.7 billion as passed by the legislature, the actual expenditures were $82.0 billion. This still yields a 9.9 percent increase in state spending for the new budget. However, $2.5 billion of that consists of loan repayments to local government and road construction spending (spending that is finally not being diverted to social welfare programs). Excluding these spending categories from consideration, you get an apples-to-apples budget increase of 6.9 percent. California’s inflation rate was 3.5 percent over the past year while our population increased another 1.5 percent meaning that this budget increased real government spending per capita 1.9 percent. Is this too much? Yes. Does it slow the rate of growth? Yes. That’s why the structural deficit was cut in half. This is progress.

The real solution to solving our spending problems is to elect more Republicans. The only way we can do that is to support the redistricting initiative and the paycheck protection initiative during this November’s special election. That, and the extra budget-cutting powers contained in the governor’s “Live Within Your Means” initiative will reshape the budget landscape and allow us to begin retiring some of that mountain of debt built up from the overspending of the Governor Davis years.

All the best,

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, 70th District
www.ChuckDeVore.com

I'm curious as to whom he's speaking of in the seventh paragraph. Can any of my readers point me in the right direction here?

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

SB 77 California State Budget Act of 2005 passes off Assembly floor

2005-07-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

My Assemblyman, Chuck DeVore, voted for it. I couldn't catch the final vote tally from what I watched online through streaming video. My computer doesn't process fast enough. More later.

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

The 48th: B-1 Bob now says thinking of run, as an American Independent

2005-07-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Looks like Jim Gilchrist, if he does happen to run, will have some competition for the American Independent Party's nomination from chronic campaigner and former Congressman Bob Dornan.

The Los Angeles Times' Jean Pasco has the story here: Dornan Eyes Cox's Seat in Congress Bid.

The potential for this was discussed weeks ago and everyone I spoke to chuckled at Dornan's chances here. He'd be abandoning his party, to the disgust of Scott Baugh and everyone else, to be a carpetbagging candidate. Not a recipe for a win. Add to it that he may be opposed by a nationally recognized political newcomer without a sullied past, like Gilchrist, and you have serious problems. Even Campbell, who seems like the kind of rich person that claws his hair when there's any resistance to his demands, is unafraid.

Dornan needs to spend these final years of his life making a concerted effort to tackle his senility. And Campbell needs to stop using that word "mainstream". No one's impressed with "mainstream". Ronald Reagan was not "mainstream". He was a "radical conservative".

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC

Enough Reps & Dems reach state budget agreement

2005-07-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Sir or Madame,

Late yesterday, the Governator and the leaders of both parties of both legislative houses reached the earliest budget agreement in recent history. And since the agreement has been reached it has been splashed and praised and criticized all over the state's media. Below is a list of worthwhile local reads regarding the state budget:

Orange County Register: Purse strings loosen

Orange County Register: New state budget sees compromise on both sides

Orange County Register: Printing money (Editorial)

Local Liberty: http://www.claremont.org/localliberty/archives/003406.html#more

The fact of the matter is that Schwarzennegger and the legislature only arrived at this budget agreement early to placate a state that has gotten extremely frustrated with broken promises (Arnold promised real reform, Demos promised their cronies real money) and to gear up for the November 2005 Special Election Death Match. If we didn't have a special election this year, we wouldn't have an early budget. And this budget's not great. Some aspects of it are absolutely frightening.

Take Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez calling it, "the best marriage of ideals." Eesh. Why does he seem to be enjoying this? That makes me wonder.

Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy commends his work with, "This budget continues California’s fiscal recovery. It provides a record $3 billion increase for our schools, bringing the state’s per pupil spending to an all-time high, and also invests $1.3 billion in transportation projects. The budget agreement also keeps our commitment to cities and counties by paying back the state’s $1.2 billion debt."

You have McCarthy admitting to the FACT that this budget will continue the Davis trend of record-breaking budgets. More will be spent this year than last year. There will be another deficit left for the upcoming year. $117 billion?! I think things in this state have become so unfathomable that our Republican legislators have lost sight of their mission.

The Republican votes must be lined up for this or it wouldn't have been announced. These are Republicans who take pity on the Governor and his weak numbers. Nevermind that Republicans have the unions and Democrats on the run with the upcoming initiatives. They're desperate to grab a victory, having already forgotten that we achieved one only a year and a half ago with the recall. Sad. Very sad.

There's going to be a press conference in Sacramento tomorrow morning to announce the upcoming process of making this "agreement" into reality. If you are lucky enough to have a Republican represent you in the state legislature, keep the pressure on them to vote red (yeas are green).

Yours in liberty,

SILENCE DOGOOD OC