He Might Be Talking About Budget Negotiations

“Makes the Marx Brothers stateroom scene look like the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.”

                                   — Dennis Miller    Read more »

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A Budget Deal Will Be Soon, Senate Leader Says

Democrats, abandoning their quest to increase taxes on cigarettes and oil producers in the face of GOP opposition, said on July 2 that a budget compromise could occur in a few days.

Lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are struggling to close a $24 billion hole in the budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.    Read more »

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A Somewhat Troubling Joke

(Editor’s Note: The following comes from a reader who, rightly, thinks it hits a little close to home.)

One Hundred Dollars 

It is the month of August, a resort town sits next to the shores of a lake. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.    Read more »

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Failed Budget Bills Give Schools Small Reprieve in Cuts

California’s 6.2 million public school students, 290,000 teachers and 1,050 school districts dodged a $1.3 billion budget bullet when the Legislature failed to pass three cost-savings bills by midnight June 30.

GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would veto the bills anyway since they solved only a portion of what was estimated on June 30 to be a $24 billion gap in the budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.    Read more »

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A Travelogue And Fundraising Appeal from Chuck DeVore

Subject: How 3 dollars can save Chuck’s life

Just after the historic election of President Barack Obama, when hopes for advancing conservative principles appeared at their lowest point since the election of FDR in 1932, I decided to declare my candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2010.  Since that day in mid-November, I have traveled the length and breadth of California, making 96 campaign stops, seeing 16,000 people, traveling some 13,000 miles, and gaining the support of more than 7,000 contributors.      Read more »

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Budget Deadline Looms – No Side Has Yet to Blink

At approximately 3:05 pm on June 30, with less than nine hours remaining in California’s current fiscal year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would veto three measures, which would save more than $3 billion but must be acted on before midnight, unless budget deal is reached.

For several days the 40-member Senate has been trying to convince two GOP lawmakers to vote for the measures, which require a two-thirds majority to pass.    Read more »

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Tom’s Not Alone — Comes Now Dean Florez and Alberto Torrico

Subject: Need Your Help: 48 Hours Left

 Friends:

 If you’re getting this email, it means that I have ONCE again reached into my personal email address book–because time is running out.

 I need your help in these last 48 hours before campaign reports close.

 I first want to thank the many who have responded with wonderful campaign contributions and words of encouragement.    Read more »

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Tom Campbell — End of the Fiscal Year Fundraising Solicitation

Dear Friend,

 California is in the most serious economic trouble since the 1930’s. But we can turn it around. I’m doing all I can, by running for Governor. And we can win.

 Several well known columnists have said I’m the best qualified of the Republican candidates to be Governor. I’ve given more than fifty speeches, dozens of interviews on radio and television, and conducted tele-town hall meetings in which thousands have participated.    Read more »

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Tokyo Culinary Adventures

Even without a foray into fugu or aburi toro-basashi, Tokyo still offers a cornucopia of culinary adventure.

Blowfish and seared horsemeat sushi, respectively, are not worth attempting to sell to a 17-year-old daughter who, to her credit, did acquire a taste for fried octopus during her 10-day stay with a family in Fukuoka before our rendezvous in the capital city.    Read more »

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The Curse of Spell-Check

The first sentence of a June 25 e-mail from Aaron McLear, the governor’s press secretary, is:

“I can’t imagine anyone is covering Assemblywoman Evans’s daily uniformed attacks on the Governor, but to the extent that you do please let me know so I can respond.”

(Editor’s Note: Emphasis added. California’s Capitol has found itself on the wrong end of Spell-Check more than once and, therefore, can easily relate.    Read more »

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