Peak Oil: What We Can Do- A DFA-OC Special Event

OK, I know that this is on the event calendar...
However, I wanted to make sure tonight that all of you know about what's happening this Saturday (BESIDES MY BIRTHDAY!!!!) in OC. And for all of you in Southern California, the best birthday present that you could possibly give me would be joining me in Surf City this Saturday to learn more about peak oil, and what we can do about it.

Please Join
Democracy for America-Orange County
For an Evening with
Debbie Cook
Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem
And a Presentation on
Our Energy Future

Global oil production increased eight fold from 1950 to 2005. It has transformed the planet and the way we live. As the largest consumers of fossil fuels in the world, Americans need to educate themselves about this incredible resource and the geologic, political and economic constraints that will impact its quantity, quality and availability in the future.

Debbie Cook, a nationally recognized expert on this critical issue, will help us understand Our Energy Future.

For location, time, and RSVP info, please follow me after the flip...

Huntington Beach Central Library
6:30 pm, Saturday, March 3, 2007
7111 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Please share this invitation! Admission: Free
Sponsored by Democracy for America-Orange County
Co-sponsored by Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment

For more information, email Susan Kopicki, DFA-OC, sckopicki@yahoo.com

Now we at DFA-OC have been working really hard to put this event together, and we would certainly appreciate the support of our fellow Southern California progressives. Oh yes, and did I forget to tell you that Saturday IS MY BIRTHDAY??!! So please come, as we'd love to see you here. : )

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

Can Conservatives Turn Against the 241 Extension to Trestles?

Hmmm... This is interesting. I guess I'm not the only one who has questions about the proposed 241 Toll Road extension to Trestles. Art Pedroza also has problems with this, and he's talking about it on Orange Juice, albeit for a somewhat different reason.

I heard a strange story yesterday from a pajarito. Turns out that the proposed extension of the 241 will be done under the auspices of a PLA. I have not checked on that yet, but it could be true. All county public works projects were under a PLA for some time, and perhaps this one has been on the books long enough to do so as well.

For those who don't know, a PLA is a "project labor agreement." It bans non-union contractors from bidding on public works under PLAs unless they hire their workers from the union hall. PLAs reduce bidders, increase costs, and cause delays. The only ones who benefit from PLAs are of course the unions.

So can the TCA and the OC GOP machine lose their conservatives on the 241 Extension if it looks like they're getting "too cozy with the unions"? Follow me after the flip for more (including more San Onofre/San Clemente visuals!) on how conservatives may be torn on this prickly issue...

[DISCLAIMER: I have friends in the local unions here. In no way, shape, or form do I endorse ANY of the anti-union sentiment expressed by any of the conservatives that I mention in this article. I just wanted to clear the air before we get started. : ) ]



So how can conservatives not love the toll road extension? Well, for one, many of the unions are for it. And judging by Art Pedroza's new found suspicion, some local conservatives might be afraid that the TCA would actually allow the construction workers to collectively bargain and get decent benefits. And come on, we know just how anti-union our local OC wingnuts can be.

But still, I don't think this is the only issue that could kill the 241 Extension for conservatives. Despite what some people will say, even on this blog, most people in Orange County are not wingnuts. They are just looking for their local government to be responsible... As in fiscally responsible and environmentally responsible. And speaking of responsibility, let's face reality here: This project is NOT RESPONSIBLE in any such way!

After all, conservatives are supposed to like "saving taxpayers' money". However, this project is nothing more than a complete boondoggle that will likely cost taxpayers AT LEAST $875 MILLION! So much for the myth that this toll road won't cost local taxpayers a dime. Oh, and aren't conservatives also supposed to b for the "free market" and "free competition". Well, don't expect any of that from this protected monopoly! Thanks to the non-compete agreement between the state and the TCA, not only will our local government be required to protect the TCA monopoly on South County commuting, but our government will not even be able to FIX OUR FREE ROADS!!! So say goodbye to any of those improvements to the 5 that would also be needed to ease South County traffic.

And yes, even conservatives in South County love the great quality of life here. In fact, they love their life in South OC so much that they fought tooth and nails to prevent a gruesome and unnecessary airport from ever being built. So why would they now want one of their most cherished beaches to be ruined forever, all for a stupid toll road that doesn't even take them to where they want to go?

Now I don't know about you, but I'd certainly call this 241 Extension to San Onofre nothing more than "government waste"!





(Cross-posted at Calitics)

The Surreal Politics of Orange County: Doing the Can Can With Van!

Here are some wild and wonderful stories from behind the Orange Curtain, and direct from our friends at the Orange County GOP, that will make you laugh, cry, and scratch your head in total disbelief:

- "I Think I Can!" Yes, Trung Nguyen really thinks he "Can" Nguyen win this election, so much so that he's having his friend Can Nguyen file a lawsuit to overturn Janet Nguyen's win in the special election. Don't believe me? Well, go over and see Chris Prevatt's latest piece in The Liberal OC!

- Yes, Van Tran Can! Still, I wonder just how much of this "strategery" is really Trung's, and how much he is relying on Darth Schroeder and Lord Van Tran. Wait, are you wondering about that, too? OK, so let's both pay a visit to Art Pedroza at Orange Juice, where he's answering all our deepest and darkest questions about the Great Darth and Lord Van.

- No, you can't (smoke, that is)! In today's Register, I noticed that Irvine is now moving to ban smoking in all its parks...
Including the soon-to-be-opened Great Park! Good for them, as this will make it easier for them to keep those parks as lovely and clean and oh so inviting as ever. : )

- "What Can We Do About Janet?" That's what our other four lovely supes were asking themselves yesterday... And yes, Jubal/Matt Cunningham has all the video from yesterday's OC Board of Supes meeting at OC Blog.

And finally...

- Romney Can, No He Can't, Yes He Can... Do you just love Mitt Romney like the OC GOP machine does? Well, you won't like this at OC Blog. Frustrated Republican just found out that Romney is a flip-flopper.

Now ain't that SURREAL, or what?!

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

OC Special Election: Janet's Now the Official Winner, But Still Not the Supervisor

Today, the OC Registrar of Voters has now posted the final numbers for the OC Special Election for County Supervisor. Here they are for the top four vote-getters:

JANET NGUYEN 10919 24.1%
TRUNG NGUYEN 10912 24.1%
TOM UMBERG 9725 21.4%
CARLOS BUSTAMANTE 7460 16.5%

However, the other four Supervisors declined to seat Janet Nguyen today. So what happened? Darth Schroeder struck. Want to find out more? Follow me down below...

Remember when GOP Kingmaker and omnipotent "OC Godfather" Mike Schroeder called Janet Nguyen a "the next Al Gore", and a "sore loser"? Well, guess who's acting like the "sore loser" now? Schroeder now wants to overturn the election results!!

So now, it looks like the special election is heading into court. However, this won't be the first time for Schroeder. He tried to overturn Loretta Sanchez's defeat of incumbent Republican wingnut Congressman "B-1" Bob Dornan in 1996. However, I don't know if he really wants to pull the "voter fraud" card again. After all, all the alleged voter fraud committed during this special election all seems to be the work of Trung Nguyen and his creepy crony buddies. Yep, the voter fraud argument might not help Schroeder's client this time around.

But still, stay tuned as the special election melodrama moves into a court of law...

UPDATE: Darth Schroeder has officially filed a lawsuit in Superior Court. Go ahead and see the lawsuit for yourself. I guess we'll see what the courts have to say about this never-ending special election.

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

Speeding Our Way to Trestles on the 241

Last night, the Orange County Democratic Central Committee narrowly approved a resolution opposing the extension of the 241 toll road through San Onofre State Beach. The vote was 30 in favor, and 26 against. Environmentalists from South County rose to the podium to demonstrate how the 241 extension through San Onofre would destroy the world-famous beach that everyone so loves. Soon after, labor leaders rose to the podium to stress to everyone that this project means good union jobs, and that to lose this project would mean losing these good union jobs. Even after the vote had been completed, the controversy remained. Frank Barbaro, the DPOC Chairman, even asked both sides to come to the next Executive Board meeting early so they can all work out some sort of compromise that everyone could live with. Amazing how one little resolution could cause so much strife...

But it isn't just one little resolution. It is about a contentious stretch of land that can either bring good jobs and an easier commute, or a great beach and great wildlife, depending on who one asks. So what's the big deal about this? Follow me after the flip and see why this all matters (and yes, I have more photos for you as well)...



So what's the big deal about this toll road extention? After all, business AND labor seem to be united in wanting the 241 extension completed. For local businesses in South County, this means improving traffic congestion and the movement of goods between San Diego and Orange Counties. And for the building and trades unions, this means 21,000 new UNION construction jobs. So what's not to love about this deal? It looks like a win-win situation for business and labor...

But wait! What about San Mateo Creek? What about all the new pollutants that would flow into Trestles as a result of the new 241? After all, what makes Trestles Beach so special is that San Mateo Creek flows freely into the ocean here... And that all of that water is CLEAN AND UNSPOILED! And while we are talking about San Mateo Creek, what about all that inland park land that would instantly vanish if the toll road were to be built here? 60% of the acreage would have to be closed to make way for the toll road extension. Isn't that why the California SEIU opposes the 241 extension through San Onofre?



But wait! Do people even care about the inland portion of the park? People go to San Onofre for the beach, not the campground. And weren't the other toll road and non-toll road alternatives already analyzed? Wouldn't the alternative route of widening the 5 in San Clemente mean the destruction of some 800 homes and nearly 400 businesses? Wouldn't some 5,000 jobs be eliminated if the 5 were to be widened?

And come on, didn't the Marines already authorize this project. After all, Camp Pendleton is a military base, and the state is only leasing San Onofre from the federal government. So now that Congress has authorized the Marines to allow the TCA to build the 241 extension, should we really try to stop progress?

But wait! So San Diego County doesn't matter in this whole process? After all, the last four miles of the 241 toll road extension do cross the Orange County line into San Diego County. And no, the project has not received approval from SANDAG. In fact, no one in San Diego has had any say in the proposed 241 extension. Even though North San Diego County residents would be the ones suffering the additional southbound traffic on the 5, they have not had any chance to offer their two cents on what the TCA likes to think is a purely Orange County project.

And wait! Will this damn toll road even do anything to ease congestion on the 5 through South County? According to new traffic studies, NO!!! The LA Times reported on this last November:

New traffic studies contradict optimistic predictions that a proposed tollway through San Onofre State Beach would eliminate much of the congestion on Interstate 5 in South County.

Most of I-5 in South County will be "consistently congested" at rush hour by 2030 even if the controversial Foothill South toll road extension is built, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority's long-range transportation plan for 2006.

The forecasts assume construction of the tollway, a carpool lane each way on the I-5 and some interchange improvements. If only the tollway is built, the study suggests, the situation will be even worse, with motorists on the interstate seeing "severely congested" conditions.

So if this toll road extension destroys an important wildlife habitat, puts the jobs of San Onofre park employees at risk, ruins a great campground, annihilates one of the last great unspoiled beaches in Southern California, and doesn't even do a damn thing to ease traffic, then what good is it? After all, there are better alternatives. We can connect the 241 to the 5 AND the 73 at Laguna Niguel, and avoid the San Onofre wilderness while actually connecting South County commuters to where they want to go in OC! Additionally, we can do away with the non-compete agreement with the TCA that only serve to enrich the toll road operators while doing nothing for the people of Orange County. And perhaps if we start putting into practice better urban planning in South County, we won't have to worry about losing the beautiful wild spaces that make South County living so fantastic.

While I do feel for the Orange County unions, I really don't think that they will lose any jobs if we go with any of the alternative options. And especially if we just connect the 241 to the 73, then we have a true win-win situation that works for labor, the environment, business, AND South County commuters. How could one not love that? And besides, with these great alternatives, why should we ignore them just to build this great boondoggle to San Onofre that would destroy this great stretch of coast.

Go ahead and look at my pictures again, and try to tell me why.

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

BREAKING- OC SPECIAL ELECTION: Final Results Expected TODAY!

This just in from Total Buzz:

Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley just determined that it's okay to do a quick electronic download on the recount, rather than hand counting all the paper ballots generated by the electronic voting machines. Within a couple hours, we should have a newly certified result.

And at 5:00 PM, Janet Nguyen plans to hold a press conference...
And yes, I will be there to cover it for you!
Stay tuned as it looks like I finally find out who the heck is going to be my next County Supervisor!

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

BREAKING- OC SPECIAL ELECTION: Janet Nguyen Closes Ahead by Six Votes!

This just in from Jubal/Matt Cunningham at OC Blog:

The disputed ballot resolution session is over, and Trung Nguyen picked up 5 votes, Janet Nguyen picked up 2 votes and had 1 voided -- meaning Trung picked up 4 votes in the challenges.

However, Janet picked up 10 votes during Friday's recount, so she's still ahead by 6 votes.

Team trung Attorneys Mike Schroeder, Steve Baric, Mike Houston plus advisors Lan Nguyen and Dina Nguyen are strategizing in the lobby and poring through a heavily tabbed book of California codes.

So it looks like Janet Nguyen won the special election after all. However, don't count out Trung just yet. Rumor still has it that Trung Nguyen's legal team may take this to court.

Stay tuned for more as we wait and see whether is recount is over just yet...

Baracking the Vote in OC! I Get Local with OC for Obama

Yesterday, I saw a pretty amazing thing happening on my home turf. For once, people in Orange County were getting excited about the next election. They also seemed to be thrilled about supporting a candidate who, for once, is not the "lesser of evils", but the greater of goods. Yesterday, I dropped by the OC for Obama meet-up in Fullerton, and I was quite amazed by the enthusiasm of these folks for not just Barack Obama, but also for changing American politics for the better.



Join me down below for more on what happened yesterday, along with more pictures!

(Disclaimer: Yes, I am now part of the OC volunteer grassroots effort for Obama. No, I am not a paid staffer for ANYONE. Yes, I'm so far liking what I see with Obama. No, I don't think he's perfect. And yes, I am striving to continue giving fair treatment and a fair chance to all the other candidates.)

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

I was quite amazed when about two weeks ago, I began exploring the My.BarackObama.com web site. It almost seemed like one huge online community. And then, my heart nearly stopped when I was looking for anything in Southern California... And lo and behold, there's an Orange County group! I was quite heartened to see that there's already a Presidential campaign right in my area, and that this grassroots group was already getting organized. I wanted to find out more about Obama and about what the local campaign intends to do here, so I signed up for the two meet-ups.

At the first meet-up last Thursday in Costa Mesa, I was amazed to see that over thirty people braved the rain outside to come and talk about a candidate in a Presidential Election that is nearly a year away. However, what amazed me even more was that at the meeting, the Obama folks were already setting up a grassroots infrastructure for the entire county. Now all along I have been hoping that with the California Presidential Primary moving to February, that the campaigns would invest in local grassroots outreach efforts throughout the state to get people involved as well as to win votes. While the candidates may not be able to meet every California Democrat between now and next February, they can help local activists set up grassroots campaigns to reach out to EVERY CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT. Now while I know that some here have been worried that this early primary will mean the end of democracy as we know it, I think this already budding Obama grassroots movement demonstrates to us how the early primary can be a great tool for reviving Democratic activism in California.

Yesterday, I saw the same thing at the Fullerton Obama meet-up. Again, people from all walks of life and from throughout the county braved the gloomy weather outside and the always busy freeways to come and meet fellow Obama supporters in OC. And yes, about halfway through we were all setting up a real grassroots primary campaign here in Orange County, a place with so many Democrats, yet a place that is often ignored by the national Dems (except when they want money). And yes, you heard me right. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been so moved by all the local action for Obama that I want to volunteer and help. After all, what good is my ranting against the typical media-driven, consultant-crazed California campaign if I just stay at home and allow this to happen? Instead of sitting at home fretting about how everyone hates all these stupid robocalls and annoying TV ads, why not get out and talk to my neighbors about the campaign? And why not reach out to all my friends in my local Democratic clubs? And why not just engage in some real person-to-person contact that is all too often lost with these huge campaigns?

When I first heard about Obama's run for President, I wasn't all that enthused. However as time wore on, and I began to find out more about the Senator from Illinois, I became quite impressed. As I've said before:

OK, so Barack Obama does not have much real Beltway experience. However, he has fast been gaining experience on dealing with tough issues that aren't always considered "sexy" by the Beltway Pundits. For instance, Obama has worked with Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) on nuclear non-proliferation. He's also worked on lobbying reform and ethics oversight. And let's not forget what he's done on energy security, trying to make our nation safer AND stop climate change by reducing American dependence on fossil fuels.

And you know what? These are all issues that matter to Americans, and issues that Californians care about. I know that I want a safer nation, and that I don't want complete nuclear annihilation. I know that I want a more ethical government, and an end to the same old culture of corruption. I know that I want to stop climate change, and for America to break free from its dependence upon fossil fuels. Obama has been coming up with practical solutions to these serious problems. And yes, he has been able to reach across the aisle without selling out his progressive soul.

And now to make things better, his campaign is now building that grassroots movement that inspires people like me to get involved. And now, I look forward to working with the dedicated activists at OC for Obama to make a difference here! Oh and by the way, if you like the pictures included in today's story, then please thank Beckie Smith for these awesome photos. And oh yes, check out her blog as well!

: )

Can Hillary Make Her "Comeback" in the Golden State?

She's loved. She's hated. She's brilliant. She's misunderstood. She's stylish. She's shrewd. She's whatever we want to see out of her. Like it or not, she's Hillary. And she's in... To win.

Early on, Hillary Clinton was the unconquerable front runner for the Democratic nomination in 2008. However, no one expected her to win the general election...
Until she began pulling even, or even ahead, of the possible Republican nominees in the polls. However in the meantime, it seems like Hillary's lock on states like California is being called into question as old issues from the past continue to haunt her.

So what can Hillary do? What can she do to stop Edwards or Obama from taking the grand prize of California next February, along with the Democratic nomination? Follow me after the flip for more...

(This is another article in my occasional series on the 2008 Presidential Primary in California. Take a look at my last article on Barack Obama. And no, I am not endorsing Hillary. I'm just taking an unbiased look at her campaign, and what she can do better.)

Ever since the last Presidential Election, everyone had pretty much seen Hillary Clinton as the likely Democratic nominee in 2008. After all, she has the name. And yes, she has the money. And oh yes, she probably has the best political adviser right at her fingertips. Everything seemed to be so right...

Until it all went wrong. For one, Hillary still cannot put her vote for the Iraq War behind her. As long as she continues to avoid explaining and/or apologizing for her vote to put America at war, she will probably only continue to suffer for that vote. But of course, that is not her only problem. In fact, one of her greatest assets may also be one of her greatest liabilities. As the David Geffen incident reminded us all, there's still all that old controversy that the "vast right wing conspiracy" continues to salivate over. I guess if anything, David Geffen's doubts about Hillary only serve to remind us all about her very real vulnerabilities as a Presidential Candidate.

So what can Hillary do? Well, she still seems to have many friends here in the Golden State. Last week, she seemed to do a good job at appealing to Silicon Valley techies. She talked about health care,recruiting more math and science teachers, and investing in alternative energy because it’s “good for the planet but it can also be good for the economy”... And Silicon Valley seems to be listening. Perhaps she can win the same "tech support" that her husband could count on. And despite "Geffengate", Hillary still seems to enjoy plenty of support in Hollywood. After all, Liz Taylor did say, "I like the way she thinks. She is very savvy and a smart leader with years of experience in government, diplomacy and politics." And Liz Taylor is probably not the only one who appreciates Hillary's experience.

So perhaps, this is how Hillary can come back. Perhaps if she finally deals with her Iraq vote while she still has time to do so, she can quell much of the antiwar fervor working against her. And perhaps if she can bring to the table new, fresh ideas on issues like climate change, health care, and the "new economy", then perhaps we in California will give her a fresh start. After all, Californians care about these issues... And Californians seem to like fresh, innovative solutions to tough problems. And as for all the old crap from Bill's years in the White House, she will always have the "vast right wing conspiracy" against her. However if she can break through her Iraq conundrum and take the lead on Iraq, climate change, health care, etc., she can perhaps break through that "vast right wing conspiracy" in the same manner that her husband did with the impeachment debacle.

Perhaps we were all wrong in considering Hillary to be "inevitable". But still, we may also be wrong in counting her out now. Like it or not, she's in...
And she's in it to win.

(Cross-posted at Calitics and MyDD)

BREAKING: Janet Nguyen Takes Lead in OC Special Supe Race

This just in from Total Buzz:

Looks like Janet Nguyen gets to spend the weekend as the higher vote-getter in the First District supes race as she's up by at least nine votes. But she better enjoy it while she can. Trung Nguyen's people say they fully intend to get back their lost votes when Registrar Neal Kelley makes his rulings on contested ballots first thing Monday morning.

Art Pedroza is already declaring victory for Janet Nguyen on Orange Juice. It looks like my friend Art is already plotting Janet's immediate political future. Meanwhile, Jubal/Matt Cunningham is saying that Trung Nguyen's team is hoping to make up today's losses in the Monday morning challenge at OC Blog. I guess with about 75 ballots that were marked for the write-in option (just below Trung Nguyen), yet no candidate written in (Were these votes for Trung?), expect plenty of action on the final day of challenges in this recount...

And stay tuned for more of the beginning of the end of the OC Special Election saga.

NEWS FLASH! Corrupt, Wasteful GOPers Now "Taxpayer Friends"

This just in from our friend Fleischman at Flash Report:

The FlashReport would like to congratulate the three members of California's Congressional delegation who have been tapped with 'high honors' from the National Taxpayers Union -- receiving their coveted "Taxpayer Friends" rating... And the winners are... Dana Rohrabacher, Ed Royce and our own FR Beltway Correspondent John Campbell!!

OK! So I guess if you're a best buddy of Jack Abramoff, or you have the state buy you a Mustang Saleen AFTER YOU ANNOUNCE YOUR RUN FOR CONGRESS (!!!), or you direct a $300,000 State Department grant to a Russian hospitality school run by your wife's employer, then you're a "Taxpayer Friend"...

Want to find out more? Follow me after the flip...

So how exactly does this National Taxpayers Union base these "taxpayer friendliness" scores?

The Taxpayer Score measures the strength of support for reducing spending and opposing higher taxes. In general, a higher score is better because it means a member of Congress voted to spend less money. [...]

NTU believes a score qualifying for a grade of "A" indicates the member is one of the strongest supporters of responsible tax and spending policies. We are pleased to give these members of Congress our "Taxpayers' Friend Award."

OK, so these folks don't like government spending...
So I'd think that these folks do not appreciate WASTEFUL GOVERNMENT SPENDING...

Like Dana Rohrabacher's involvement in a multimillion-dollar Hollywood scam:

A promotional video on the website for ``DHS: The Series'' follows the program's supposed star, Alison Heruth-Waterbury, on a mid-2004 trip to consult with Washington terrorism experts. ``We're here talking to some very important people in the government so they can help us create and make this `DHS,''' Heruth-Waterbury tells viewers. [...]

Her first videotaped VIP: fellow Californian Christopher Cox, then Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' Homeland Security Committee.

Over the past two years, Bush, Cox and other officials who had at most passing contact with [Joseph] Medawar's program wound up lending unintended credibility to a television project that federal prosecutors now call a multimillion-dollar scam.

Trading on Hollywood glamour and Washington power, Medawar, a Los Angeles-based producer of a half-dozen low-budget feature films, collected $5.5 million since 2003 from investors in ``DHS: The Series,'' prosecutors say. Television viewers have never seen a single episode.

OK, so this case isn't exactly wasteful government spending. However, this is still an illegal action that defrauded investors of their money. And oh yes, these "DHS" folks were USING THEIR GOVERNMENT CONNECTIONS TO CHEAT THEIR INVESTORS!!! Oh, and how was Medawar able to do this?

Rohrabacher, who says he went to the church that relatives of Medawar attended, arranged Heruth-Waterbury's meeting with Cox and [Michigan Congressman Mike] Rogers, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, after the producer sought assistance in making his show more authentic.

And why did Dana Rohrabacher do this for Medawar?

Medawar contributed $2,000 to Rohrabacher's re-election committee in 2003, campaign records show. That same year, the nine-term California congressman also received $23,000 from Medawar for a two-year option on the right to film an action-movie screenplay called ``Baja'' that Rohrabacher wrote in the 1970s.

Rohrabacher, 58, says Medawar seemed sincere about promoting moral values. ``That was one of the comfort factors he provided, some guy talking about his religious faith and how I went to church with his family,'' Rohrabacher says.

``He was flamboyant, he exaggerated, he had flash and glitter,'' Rohrabacher says. ``He fit into my image of what Hollywood was all about. None of that translated to me that he couldn't do the project.''

OK, Dana! You're flamboyant. You exaggerate. And yes, you have plenty of flash and glitter. But "friend of taxpayers"? Gimme a break!

Still, at least Dana Rohrabacher can say that he never used California taxpayers' money to buy a new Mustang Saleen... And then KEEP IT AFTER HE ANNOUNCED HIS RUN FOR FEDERAL OFFICE!! When John Campbell was still a State Senator, he asked the state to buy him a fancy sports car. OK, so each lawmaker is entitled to a state car. But a Mustang Saleen? And right when he announced his run for Chris Cox's vacated Congressional seat?

John Campbell was elected last year on the promise that he wouldn't waste tax dollars.

About two weeks after the then-state senator announced he was running for Congress, the state bought him a yellow 2005 Ford Mustang Saleen. The price: $41,000.

Eight months later, after the Irvine Republican was elected in December, the state sold the limited-edition Mustang for $27,000 – a loss of $14,000.

It had been driven exactly 3,676 miles.

Taxpayers pay when lawmakers turn over their state-owned cars in a short period of time. Legislative staff tried to get another lawmaker to take the Mustang, but nobody would because of its color.

"I thought it was a strange request for a fiscal conservative," said Secretary of the Senate Gregory Schmidt, who approves the purchase of cars and works for a Senate controlled by Democrats. "I imagine it was a pretty big hit to the state," he said.

Yes, this seems awfully strange for a self-professed "fiscal conservative". Oh, and isn't it funny how his first victory party in 2005 was at SALEEN HEADQUARTERS IN IRVINE??!! Well, so much for Campbell being a "friend of the taxpayers"!

But how about good ol' Ed Royce? After all, he's a "Taxpayer Hero"? Oh wait, what did Royce ask the State Department to spend $300 thousand on?

Fueled by an unprecedented grant of nearly $300,000 from the U.S. State Department, Russian university professors will get help here in developing their own hospitality curriculum from the faculty of the Collins School of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University.

Teams of professors from Petrozavodsk State University will take turns visiting the Collins School over the next three years, starting next month, as they develop a 14-course hospitality-and-tourism curriculum for their students. PetrSU, the largest university in Northwestern Russia, is in the city of Petrozavodsk, about an eight-hour train ride from St. Petersburg. [...]

The Russians will be studying materials used in training managers employed by many of the leading U.S. foodservice and hospitality operators and are expected to get hands-on experience through internships with California restaurants and hotels.

OK, and who is leading this effort at Cal Poly Pomona?

When the State Department grant was approved in August, Garner and Collins School lecturer Marie Royce, whose husband is U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., met with professors at PetrSU in October. [...]

Four faculty members from PetrSU will come to Cal Poly in January for 10 weeks. One of the professors who is the most fluent in English will stay and assist another group of four more professors who will come in April for another 10 weeks, said Marie Royce, who is the project director for the universities' joint effort.

My goodness! So it's OK to spend $300 thousand on your wife's pet "Russian hospitality exchange program", but not on feeding our nation's poor? What type of "taxpayer friend" is that?

Actually, what type of "taxpayer friend" is ANY of these wasteful dudes?

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

The Surreal Politics of Orange County: Nasty, Nasty, Nasty!

Here are some wild and wonderful stories from behind the Orange Curtain, and and across the Land of the OC, that will make you laugh, cry, and scratch your head in total disbelief:

- Congressman Oblivious. Guess who said this about Iraq: “We are in a long war with people…who want to kil [sic] us. No one has yet offered an alternative plan.” Wow, so I guess the bipartisan Iraq Study Group report doesn't count? Ah, more wisdom from the same person who proclaimed that "Baghdad is safer than Washington, D.C." Dan Chmielewski has more at The Liberal OC.

- It's a strange, strange world in Costa Mesa. How the heck can a known Neo-Nazi become a political powerhouse in Southern California? Ask Allan Mansoor, Wendy Leece, and Eric Bever- The Costa Mesa city council members who owe their political careers to anti-immigrant white supremacist Martin Millard. My friend Claudio tries to make sense of it all over at Orange Juice.

- Mr. NAMBLA goes to court. Jeff Nielsen is a hard-core Republican Party activist... And he is a pedophile. Well, he was recently caught with his pants down... And now, his trial begins. Hmmm... And the GOP is supposed to be the party of "moral values"?

And finally...

- Ya think this is over? Nope, just a "new day"! Janet Nguyen's legal team is still basking in the glow as they've made this still unfinished Special Election a literal dead heat. Also in recount news, the drama probably won't end on Monday, as Total Buzz is hearing that the mysterious Fred Woocher may file a legal challenge. Stay tuned as the OC Special Election melodrama continues...

Now ain't THAT SURREAL, or what?! ; )

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

OC Special Election UPDATE: It's a TIE!!

This just in from Total Buzz:

Just got back from the Registrar of Voters office...Janet Nguyen has pulled even with Trung Nguyen on Day Three of the recount of the First District supes race.

And oh yes, this is from Trung Nguyen's campaign team. No word yet from Team Janet on what their count looks like. But still, I have a feeling that they will also say that Janet picked up about four votes today.

And in other OC Recount news today, the recount will probably not be finished until Monday. Jubal is reporting at OC Blog that the final disputed ballot resolution has been postponed until 9:00 AM Monday. Stay tuned for more on the never-ending drama that is the OC Special Election and the ongoing recount. : )

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

Correa's Iraq Vote: Lou Makes a Public Statement

After all the discussion at The Liberal OC, and after all the discussion here...
Lou Correa is now officially on record on his vote against a resolution condemning the escalation of the Iraq War. He talked to OC Register reporter Brian Joseph about it:

"It's very straightforward," the senator told me. "The Iraq resolution is a well intended one, but yet I personally believe that the real issue in Iraq is, first of all, as a country, as a people, the first question is: should we be in Iraq or not? Second question: if we decide we should be out, then the question is, what's our pullout policy? What's our withdrawal strategy? How do we get out of here? [...]

"In the meantime, we have to continue to support our troops. Should we send in more M1 Abram tanks? Should we send more Kevlar vests? Absolutely. We got to support our troops. We have to make sure that they're well protected. Those are central, core issues."

Thanks to The Liberal OC for keeping up on the latest developments here.

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

NEWS FLASH! McCain Now an "Environmental Extremist"

Watch out, John McCain! Jon Fleischman, of the GOP consultant insider blog Flash Report, is now on the hunt. Yes, and he is ready to call out McCain for his "embrace of environmental extremism".

The convention wisdom in modern American politics is that in a primary, a Republican should run to the "right" and a Democrat to the "left" -- seeking to tie down core base voters of their party. Then, in a general election, the candidates who emphasize those issues that would appeal to voters in the other party.

Apparently no one has given John McCain the important memo -- the one that has two parts. First, you're in a GOP primary. And the second -- you do not get the 'internationally famous movie star turned politician' exemption to this rule.

And what exactly is Fleischman deriding as "environmental extremism"? He appeared with Arnold to talk about climate change. More after the flip...

From the LA Times

"I would assess this administration's record on global warming as terrible," McCain said, recalling that he got "no cooperation from the administration" at Senate hearings on the subject. He pronounced himself "very happy to see the president mention global warming and a renewed commitment from the administration to this issue." But he added tartly: "It's long overdue."

Wow, so this is "environmental extremism"??!! But wait, it gets better! Fleischman calls out Arnold's "lurch to the left".

Last year, one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's lurches to the ideological left that most infuriated GOP leaders and activists around California was his calling for the passage of Assembly Bill 32, dubbed by the environmental-extremist community as the "Global Warming Solutions Act" -- legislation which has called for increasing regulations in California to fight an alleged nexus between human action and global climate change...

Apparently John McCain doesn't know, or doesn't care that this legislation that McCain heralded yesterday at an appearance with Governor Schwarzenegger was that only one Republican legislator, a moderate from San Diego, out nearly 50 in the State Capitol, voted for this ill-advised legislation.

Wow, so now Arnold's signing of AB 32 into law is "environmental extremism"? Even though he is hardly even acting to ENFORCE THE NEW LAW? Even though Arnold talks about market trading schemes, but does nothing to enforce the new regulations?

Oh, and can we really call John McCain an "environmental extremist"? Look at the bill he is co-sponsoring with Lieberman. Though it is a good first step, the legislation still does not cut emissions as much as we need to. I guess that if this is "environmental extremism", then Barbara Boxer and Bernard Sanders have really "fallen off of left cliff" with their legislation that calls for reductions in carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping emissions to 80 percent below their 1990 levels by 2050.

But hey, if Fleischman really wants to move his party to the extreme right with extreme denial of reality, then more power to him. : )

Will Climate Change Leave SoCal Dry? Not If We Do Something to Stop It!

This morning, I was perusing the LA Times when I found this. Apparently, our main source of water is at serious risk... And once again, global climate change is the culprit.

Global warming will worsen drought and reduce flows on the Colorado River, a key water source for Southern California and six other Western states, according to a report released Wednesday.

The study, prepared by a National Research Council committee, paints a sobering picture of the future as the water needs of a rapidly expanding population test the limits of a river system further strained by the effects of climate change.

"The basin is going to face increasingly costly, controversial and unavoidable trade-off choices," said Ernest Smerdon, who chaired the panel of academicians and scientists who wrote the report. "Increasing demands are impeding the region's ability to cope with droughts and water shortages."

OK, so we can't get water from the Colorado River. So what's the big deal? Apparently, the big deal is that about 30% of the water deliveries to the Metropolitan Water District cam from the Colorado River. And oh yes, 25% of our OVERALL water needs are fulfilled by the Colorado River alone. So yes, this is a HUGE DEAL!

So now, what can we expect?

The report acknowledges some uncertainty over whether climate change will alter the amount of precipitation in the basin. Even if it doesn't, Smerdon added, "the preponderance of scientific evidence suggests that warmer temperatures will reduce Colorado River stream flow and water supplies."

That is because the snowpack that feeds the Colorado will shrink as the climate grows hotter. More precipitation will fall as rain instead of snow, and the snowpack will melt earlier, diminishing late spring runoff.

As the mercury rises, water demands will also increase. There will be more evaporation from croplands and reservoirs, and wild land vegetation will suck more moisture from the soil, reducing runoff.

"I think a reasonably savvy person would have to say you're going to see less water in that river," said Brad Udall, director of Western Water Assessment at the University of Colorado, who was not a member of the report committee. "The real question is how much less. Is it 5% less or is it 40% less, and by when?"

So what can we do about this? What can we do to secure water for the future? Well, for one we should stop USING SO DAMN MUCH! We shouldn't water our lawns more than we have to, and we shouldn't be filling our pools with more water than we have to. That would probably be a good start.

Oh, and here's another suggestion: DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE! Seriously now, we all that it's happening. Now how about developing some solutions to stop this from becoming a major catastrophe...
And sucking up all our water!

And finally, perhaps the rest of Southern California should pay attention to what we are doing in Orange County:

The Groundwater Replenishment System will provide a high quality, reliable water supply for Orange County's growing population. The system, which is scheduled to go on line in 2007, will divert highly treated sewer water currently discharged into the ocean, and treat it through advanced techniques, including microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection and hydrogen peroxide. The resulting water will be so pure, it will actually improve the overall quality of the groundwater basin by lowering the mineral content.

Yes, you heard me right: Let's reuse all that damn sewer water that we create! This has been proven to be an effective method to provide a safe, clean, and reliable water supply for Orange County, and I am sure that this can do the same for the rest of this arid region. And after all, doesn't it feel good to recycle?

So perhaps if we become a little more water-wise, and if we put a whole lot more of our ingenuity to work, we can prevent this water crisis from becoming any worse.

Get Ready, OC! Hillary's Coming to Town!

This just in from Total Buzz:

Yes, a lot of Republicans in OC ... but there are a lot of wealthy Democrats too. If you're one of them, you might be interested in Hillary Clinton's March 3 fundraising luncheon in Laguna Beach. $2,000 a head. For reservations, call 310-740-6866.

OK, so we have a whole lot of fabulously wealthy conservative Newporters. But hey, we also have plenty of fabulously wealthy liberal Lagunatics! And yes, it looks like Hillary Clinton is coming over to take their money. So far, this is the first OC appearance by any of the 2008 Democratic candidates since they all announced...

And this happens to be on my birthday, too! I don't know if it means anything, since I probably won't even be there, but whatever. ; )

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

Between Mike and Us, Lou Correa Called

After NINE DAYS of waiting for an explanation of why Lou Correa voted against SJR 1, the resolution opposing escalation of the Iraq War, Mike Lawson (of The Liberal OC) finally received a call. It was Lou, and he was willing to talk to Mike about his vote.

I got a telephone call from State Senator Lou Correa today. He asked me to keep the conversation between the two of us and to not post it on TheLiberalOC.com, but he agreed that I had every right to share his reasoning if I chose to do so.[...]

Correa said that his “no” vote was a straight-forward thing. “This resolution missed the mark,” he said. “We can’t send the wrong message to our soldiers over there.”

Until Congress makes the decision to bring home our troops, Correa thinks that we should do all that we can to support them—and opposing Bush’s troop surge, in Correa’s eyes, is not supportive.

“Are you going to be calling 250,000 people to tell them what made you vote ‘no’ on SJR1?” I asked, referring to the number of voters that are registered in the 34th State Senate District. “I actually represent more that 850,000 people, Mr. Lawson. Thanks for the call,” he said before hanging up.

Well, I am certainly glad that Lou finally returned Mike's call. And yes, I certainly appreciate that Lou was willing to talk to Mike, and to me, about this. But still, I would feel much better about this if Lou's office were to just give a public statement about this.

If you happen to live in Central Orange County, and you would like to talk to your State Senator about his Iraq vote, go ahead and give his office a call at (916) 651-4034. Senator Correa seems quite willing now to sit down and discuss this with his constituents. : )

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

Lou Correa Called, Here's the Response

For the last eight days, we have all been wondering why State Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) voted against SJR 1, the resolution opposing the escalation of the Iraq War. I especially wanted to know why Lou Correa voted against this bill, since he is my State Senator. And now, I have an answer.

Lou gave me a call, and I picked up the phone. He gave me that answer. Follow me after the flip, and I'll explain it to you...

Here's what Senator Lou Correa had to say to me:
"The issue for me is this: Are we in or are we out, and if we're out, how do we get out? And until we decide to get out, we have a commitment to our troops."

What Lou was saying here was that until we, as a nation, decide how to leave Iraq, we should honor our "commitment to the troops". I guess he felt uncomfortable voting for the resolution because, according to his reasoning, this was sending out "the wrong message" to the troops. He said that he's personally against the war, and that he'd like to see an end to the war sometime soon. However Lou also told me that he feels that we should not withdraw our troops immediately, and that we need to develop a good plan to bring the troops home without leaving too much damage to Iraq. Actually, Lou made a good point. We shouldn't just withdraw our troops immediately, and without a plan to leave while leaving minimal damage to Iraq. However, I do think that we need to begin planning as soon as possible, since right now all our troops are doing is fighting Iraq's civil war.

Lou told me about a military widow that he met while he was County Supervisor. He was telling me about all the hardships that she's had to endure since his death, and about the kid that she now has to raise... And she's only 20. He told me that considering her, and other military families, he felt uncomfortable voting against "the mission" so long as there are still troops serving that mission, and the federal government has not determined how to end the war. Now I understand that we have a commitment to these military families, and that we should honor the service of our troops. However, I don't think that we have a duty to honor the mistake that George W. Bush made in sending these troops off to war, the mistake which is causing so much grief in the lives of these military members and their families.

I guess Lou also made a valid point that until Congress decides when to bring the troops home from Iraq, we should support the troops. However for me and many others, we feel that the best way to support the troops is by bringing them home. And for me and many others, we appreciate the effort of the majority of the State Senate to urge Congress to act in bringing the troops home as soon as humanly possible. We so desperately need an end to this war, and we appreciated the twenty-two State Senators who called on Congress to stop the escalation, and to end this war. It's just too bad that my Senator did not feel comfortable being the twenty-third.

Although I still disagree with his vote, I certainly appreciate Lou Correa's willingness to discuss his vote with me. It helps me reestablish my faith in him as someone who cares about our community in Central Orange County. I hope he continues to respond to all the other calls and letters that he has received from constituents about his vote on the Iraq resolution. And yes, I hope that he continues to stay in touch with the concerns of the people who live in our community. And yes, I hope he issues a public statement that everyone else in the community can see. Lou has conversed with me about it, and now I only wish that he will let all the rest of his constituents in on the conversation.

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

Correa's Iraq Vote: My Letter's in the Mail

Remember last week, when the State Senate passed a resolution opposing the escalation of the Iraq War, and my Senator voted against it? And remember the other day, when I drafted a letter to Lou Correa about this?

Well, I finally took complete action. My letter is now in the mail:



Let's see what response I'll get from Lou's office.

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

The Surreal Politics of Orange County: Fun & Games with the OC GOP!!

Here are some wild and wonderful stories from behind the Orange Curtain, and direct from our friends at the Orange County GOP, that will make you laugh, cry, and scratch your head in total disbelief:

- What the dealio with AD 69? My friend, and former OC GOP Central Committee member, Art Pedroza has all the scoop on what sounds like a real fiasco in Central OC for the Republicans.

- Meet the Godfather. Who ever knew that "Godfather" Mike Schroeder would allow Don Daucher, husband of former (moderate GOPer) Assemblymember Lynn Daucher, to make nice with him. I guess Trung Nguyen really is bringing everyone together...

- And speaking of Mr. Photoshop... The California Republican Lawyers' Association has agreed to help Trung Nguyen in the recount. And why? Because “Ms. [Janet] Nguyen claims to be a Republican, and we found it puzzling she has involved so many Democrat Attorneys.” 'Cuz ya know, them Democrat Attorneys like to make sure that elections ain't stolen, and they care about the law...
And it ain't that much fun to win an election legally... hehe ; )

- Intrigue in Irvine. Martin Wisckol reveals in today's OC Register who was REALLY behind the nastiest political mailers in Irvine history. Wow, wouldn't Honest Abe be proud of what The Lincoln Club is doing in his name? Dan has more at The Liberal OC.

And finally...

- DeVore's Smokin'!! OK, maybe not... But our favorite Irvine Assemblymember is teaming up with Mark Leno (??!!) to reintroduce legislation that would legalize industrial hemp. As DeVore says in a recent interview with the ABC affiliate in SF, "It's absolutely criminal that American farmers, the most productive and efficient farmers on the planet, cannot be allowed to grow a naturally occurring plant, that grows wild in America." Wow, I actually agree with DeVore on something...

Now ain't THAT SURREAL, or what??!! ; )

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

The REAL Laguna Beach: My Beloved California Dream

Laguna Beach has always had a special place in my heart. Perhaps it is because Laguna is so unigue among the beach cities here. Or perhaps, it is all the natural beauty. Or perhaps, it is the flavor of the town itself. Or perhaps, it is all of this and more...

But what happens if all of this is lost? What happens if my beloved Laguna is lost as it gets sucked into the surreal circus of MTV? What happens if Laguna loses its own self and gets lost into the unreal "reality" of its neighbors?

This is why I wrote my letter to Laguna. Follow me down below to see more (including more photos!)...





(Cross-posted at Calitics)

My Darling Laguna,

I've always loved you. Ever since I was a small child, and my parents would take me to the tidepools at Moss Street Beach, I have been captivated by your sheer radiance. Ever since my first visit to Heisler Park, I have been awestruck by the near supernatural quality of your natural beauty. Ever since I began swimming at Treasure Island, I have been amazed by your sheer brilliance.

For some reason, I have always felt at ease within your borders. You have never ostracized me over my queerness. You have always let me explore my artistic side. And oh yes, you have always seemed to appreciate my inner "enviro-nut". I guess since you are so eclectic and creative, you don't mind me being the same way. Perhaps that's why we're so good together.

OK, so you have gone through some growing pains lately. We still don't know if we can save your marvelous Boom Boom Room. We don't know how you will adapt to being so famous, Yes, these best of times have also been the worst of times for you.

But you know what? I'm confident that you will survive... And thrive! Those other folks don't know the real you like I do. They don't understand that there's more to you than just the glitz and glamour. You have a rugged side, and an artistic side. And I have seen them both. You have always delighted me in so many ways, and I don't know what would ever happen if I were to lose you. I guess that's why I have such hope that you will make it through these growing pains. You have gone through rough times before, yet you have always come out stronger than ever.

Yes, you will continue to be as wild and untamed as ever. And yes, you will continue to be as fabulously queer as ever. And yes, you will continue to be as artistically creative as ever. And yes, I will always love you.

After all, you are my sun-kissed California dream come true. I love you, Laguna.