Who GIves a F*CK About “Hope” Anyway?

The card at left and below adorned the tables at a December 14 Birthday Party for California Democratic Party Chair John Burton, who turned 80 the following day. Burton, former president pro tempore of the state Senate and longtime San Francisco Assemblyman, expressed gratitude and a measure of surprise at reaching the milestone. 

Brainstorming and bankrolling of the handbills is the work of a member of Congress who chooses to remain anonymous.

(Numbered, autographed lithographs no doubt will be available through the state Democratic Party in 2013.)

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First Assembly Constitutional Amendment of the New Legislative Session a Non-Starter

The first constitutional amendment in the Assembly introduced in the two-year legislative session that began December 3 won’t be appearing on the state ballot.

First, a two-thirds vote is required to place it on the ballot. That’s great if the author were a Democrat who hold super-majorities in both the Assembly and the Senate and, should they wish to, can palce anything they want before voters without a single GOP vote.

Unfortunately, the author of the measure, Assemblyman Tim Donnelly of Hesperia, is a Republican.

On the off chance Donnelly can escape political reality, the policy change proposed in Read more »

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Study Shows Social Media Has Different Take on First Presidential Debate Than Mainstream Media

President Obama floundered – or got flummoxed – in his first debate with GOP rival Mitt Romney, according to most initial polls and media reports.

But the assessment of the debate on social media was less critical of the president, according to an October 5 analysis by the Pew Research Center Project for Excellence in Journalism.

This is probably a good thing for President Obama because so-called independent voters tend to be more likely to be engaging in Twitter back-and-forths and scanning Facebook posts.

Independent voters, particularly younger ones, broke hard for Obama in 2008 in part because his campaign reached out to them Read more »

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The Intent Is to Encourage Voters to Say “No” To This Candidate But the Graphics Don’t Seem To Convey That

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Not A Lot of Surprises in The Candidates and Ballot Measures the GOP Recommends

(Have yet to meet the “Volunteer Republican Neighborhood Precinct Representative,” however.)

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The Rep. Dan Lungren Campaign Mailbag Begins to Runneth over

The Sierra Club Independent Action committee has spent $625,000 through September against Rep. Dan Lungren, a Gold River Republican. The once-a-decade redrawing of legislative lines make Lungren’s seat less safe for the GOP. Democrats and their allies are taking a shot.

Click on the headline to see one of three mailers to date paid for by the Sierra Club claiming Lungren is beholden to the oil industry. I one, Lungren is “$elling out California.” Another says Lungren “Protects Big Oil, Not California.” Similar television commercials echo the message. 

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Sad Day for the GOP and America: Fred Karger Presidential Campaign Ends

“After 2 ½ years of campaigning as a candidate for President of the United States I am officially ending my historic campaign today June 29, 2012. It’s been one hell of a ride, and I want to thank the thousands of people across this country who volunteered, contributed, opened their homes, came to our events and cheered me on. Special thanks to the thousands more who shared their stories with me in person, via email, facebook, twitter, etc. Every one of you kept me going.

“It’s been the experience of a lifetime. I’ve made many new friends and undoubtedly picked up Read more »

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More From the Overflowing “No on Proposition 29″ Mailbag…

A key reason the mailbag is overflowing is that in the month of May alone tobacco giant Philip Morris reports cash contributions of $12.5 million to the “no” campaign. R. J. Reynolds, the maker of Camel and Winston cigarettes, reports contributions of $5.5 million for May.

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Opponents of Jerry Brown’s November Tax Increase Initiative Already At Work

This mailer comes from the “No New Taxes Committee, a Project of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.”

The back of the nevelope says “If you make at least $250,000 annually, look out! Your state tax rate could go up by 29 percent.

“You could pay $19,000 more! See page 3 for details!…”

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From the June Primary Mail Bag…

The Independent Voter Network, the backer of Proposition 14, the so-called “open primary law,’ which goes into effect on the June 5 primary, has sent this mailer to voters who don’t state a party preference. 

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