I'm Back...

It has been a minute since I have written, but I am tired of thinking to myself and now feel the urge to write to myself (realizing that nobody reads this).  If you stumble across this blog, feel free to waste some time peruse the posts - who knows, you might learn something.

Hiding Behind Paper Thin Walls

Today the California State Assembly approved SCR 73 which encourages school districts to include instruction related to child sexual abuse in their curriculum notwithstanding the fact that  the state-adopted Health Curriculum Frameworks already includes instruction related to the issue of child abuse and sexual exploitation in elementary, middle and high school.  This resolution gives the appearance of positive intervention and action while the serious work of protecting children by allowing the expeditious dismissal of abusive teachers is left undone.

For example, on June 27, 2012, the Assembly Committee on Education approved SCR 73 with unanimous support by Democrats on the committee.  On that same day, those same Democrats could not muster enough votes to approve SB 1530 (Padilla), which would expedite the dismissal process for teachers who engage in child abuse.  One might describe this contradictory action as ironic, or one might prefer to subscribe to the thinking of the Mayor of Los Angeles, who called it "…part of a larger disturbing pattern of disregard for the safety, well-being, and educational needs" of our young students.  Suffice it to say, California must do better for our children than pass non-binding resolutions; indeed, Democrats in the Legislature must find the courage and conviction to provide them with truly safe schools.

The Myth of Temporary Taxes... It's Déjà Vu All Over Again

This article, although dated*, is truly instructive as voters in California consider "temporary taxes" to "solve" the structural budget catastrophe wrought by spendthrift Democrats who dominate the Legislature.  the author, David Doerr, was the Chief Consultant to the California Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation for 24 years.

* The article was published in 2002.  Yes, just a decade ago Californians were told "temporary taxes" would solve the structural budget deficit wrought by spendthrift Democrats who dominate the Legislature.

The Dangers of Temporary Tax Increases By David R. Doerr

 “If the tax bills pending before the Legislature are passed, it is likely that the temporary taxes will be around a lot longer than people realize.”

 Temporary tax increases are part of this year’s proposed tax package. They include a one-year increase in the vehicle license fee, a two-year suspension of net operating loss carryforwards and a one-year suspension of the teachers’ tax credit.

There is significant danger that once a temporary tax increase is on the books, it will be continued beyond its original expiration date. As history has shown, keeping a tax in effect can be the point of least resistance when state legislators try to balance budgets.

Because of the structure of this year’s proposed budget, that danger is magnified. Pending before the Assembly is a budget that shifts the “budget gap” significantly to future fiscal years and, as has been reported, could fall apart if the state’s economy dips ever so slightly.

In a recent Sacramento Bee column, Daniel Weintraub observed that the next spending plan will leave state finances in a “highly leveraged and precarious condition. The only question is whether postponing the eventual day of reckoning will give the state’s economy a chance to catch up with its budget or make matters worse. And things could get much, much worse.”

The Legislature’s budget analyst has projected fiscal crises recurring over the next four years, including a nearly $10 billion problem next year. In a July 9 memo, Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill said that even if the pending state budget and tax package passes, there will be ongoing gaps of $9.8 billion for 2003-04, $12.3 billion for 2004-05; $11.2 billion for 2005-06; $9.6 billion for 2006-07, and $8.7 billion for 2007-08.

Much of the “budget gap” is covered for this fiscal year by borrowing, one-time spending reductions and temporary tax increases. If this budget and accompanying tax increases are passed this year, how will the “budget gap” be filled next year and the year after that and the year after that?

Borrowing options will be significantly reduced and some of the borrowing for 2002-03 will be required to be paid back from current revenues. There will be upward pressures on spending because of the significant pay and benefit increases granted in long-term state employee contracts negotiated by the governor.

The likely scenario for future years will play out in the same manner as this year’s debate: Major legislative forces will say spending cannot be cut any further without jeopardizing vital services and therefore tax increases are necessary to balance the budget.

If these pending budget and tax increases (AB 433, AB 3000 and AB 3009)are passed, guess what will be most at risk in the next few years?

Obviously, it will be an extension of the temporary tax increases, primarily the vehicle license fee (a.k.a. car tax) increase and the suspension of the NOL, for these are the big-ticket revenue raisers. Politically, proponents will claim the extensions are not really tax “increases” because taxes will be no higher than in the prior fiscal year. The suspension of the NOL will be particularly vulnerable because the portion of the amount that can be carried forward will be increased from 65 percent to 80 percent.

Recent tax history gives little comfort that continuation of the temporary tax increases will not be the first option to deal with predicted future budget gaps.

In 1991, part of Governor Pete Wilson’s tax package was a “temporary” 0.5 percent sales tax increase. Because of continuing fiscal problems and the property tax shift to schools, voters made the temporary tax increase permanent in 1993. Additionally, the small business health care tax credit that had been enacted in 1988, and scheduled to take effect in 1991, was suspended. In 1992, it was again suspended. It was finally repealed without ever having gone into effect.

Even when the fiscal crisis had passed, a major effort was launched to make the temporary income tax increase enacted in 1991 permanent. In 1996, the spending lobby placed an initiative on the November ballot to keep the 10 percent and 11 percent brackets. It got 49.1 percent of the vote. Proponents argued that it was not a tax increase but was simply keeping taxes at the level they had been for several years.

The results of local elections also confirm that the public is much more likely to extend a temporary tax than to vote to impose a new tax.

If the tax bills pending before the Legislature are passed, it is likely that the temporary taxes will be around a lot longer than people realize.

  

David R. Doerr, is the author of “California’s Tax Machine, a History of Taxing and Spending in the Golden State,” published in 2000. He served as chief consultant to the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee for 24 years, until mid-1987.

Link to this article:

http://www.caltax.org/member/digest/july2002/7.2002.Doerr-TheDangersTemporaryTaxIncreases.04.htm

A Little Bold For a Nerd, Indeed.

During his distinguished tenure as the United States Secretary of Education, Dr. William Bennett coined the term “blob” to describe the people in the education system who work outside of classrooms, soaking up resources and resisting reform without contributing to student achievement (e.g. superintendents, district staff and school board members).  In The Educated Child the “blob” was described:

The public school establishment is one of the most stubbornly intransigent forces on the planet.  It is full of people and organizations dedicated to protecting established programs and keeping things just the way they are.  Administrators talk of reform even as they are circling the wagons to fend off change, or preparing to outflank your innovation… To understand many of the problems besetting U.S. schools, it is necessary to know something about the education establishment christened as the “blob” by one of the authors (Bennett, Finn, and Cribb, The Educated Child, 1999, p. 628).

I feel thoroughly inadequate to “improve” upon Dr. Bennett's terminology, but I am a bit younger than he and just bold (indeed, foolish) enough  to offer a modern “improvement” by suggesting the “blob” be renamed  the “Borg” - a term borrowed from Star Trek, the Next Generation.  For those of you not quite nerdy enough to be a Trekkie, you can learn more about the Borg here.  In the world of the Borg, “you will be assimilated” and “resistance is futile.” I would include teacher union activists and legislators among those “assimilated” by the “Borg” in addition to those identified by Dr. Bennett when describing the blob.

Unlike the Borg of Star Trek who use a cybernetic connection to plug the assimilated into a system of connected thinking, assimilation by the “Borg” takes place through regular local, state and national conferences and workshops produced by organizations that represent school board members, administrators and teachers, specific training programs like the California School Board Association’s “Masters in Governance” program, and the multitude of professional development opportunities offered (and sometimes required) for public school administrators and teachers.  With proper inculcation, reformers are quickly plugged into a system of connected thinking that diminishes their individual desire to press for reform, and ultimately causes the demise of such thoughts through the collective mind of the “Borg.”

Reformers are those who work, sometimes closely with the “Borg,” but somehow resist assimilation.  Perhaps it’s because they can see through fog of confusion that obscures clarity of vision and thought when navigating the channels of education reform but, that is the topic of our next post.

Econ 101 - Profits

In his recent column, Profits are for People, Walter Williams schools the left on the role of profits as a tool of correction that serves the interest of people. This concept is lost on many of those involved in the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrations as they call for the nationalization of industries with the hope that socialism will satisfy the needs of society. But, anyone who understands economics and the human spirit knows that without the hope of profit and the risk of failure there is no need for business or industry to meet the demands of people. I am reminded of when I traveled to East Berlin when it was still under the control of the Soviet Union; at the general store I could choose from a large variety of boots (if you consider multiple sizes a "variety"), and I could get them in my favorite color so long as it was black or brown. There was no need to make boots to meet my desire, they just had to make enough boots to meet their quota set by central planners in the government. Well, enough of my fond memories of shopping behind the "Iron Curtain" and on to the far more salient thoughts of Professor Williams...

Profits Are for People

The Occupy Wall Street demonstrators are demanding "people before profits" -- as if profit motivation were the source of mankind's troubles -- when it's often the absence of profit motivation that's the true villain.

First, let's get both the definition and magnitude of profits out of the way. Profits represent the residual claim earned by entrepreneurs. They're what are left after other production costs -- such as wages, rent and interest -- have been paid. Profits are the payment for risk taking, innovation and decision-making. As such, they are a cost of business just as are wages, rent and interest. If those payments are not made, labor, land and capital will not offer their services. Similarly, if profit is not paid, entrepreneurs won't offer theirs. Historically, corporate profits range between 5 and 8 cents of each dollar, and wages range between 50 and 60 cents of each dollar.

Far more important than simple statistics about the magnitude of profits is the role played by profits, namely that of forcing producers to cater to the wants and desires of the common man. When's the last time we've heard widespread complaints about our clothing stores, supermarkets, computer stores or appliance stores? We are far likelier to hear people complaining about services they receive from the post office, motor vehicle and police departments, boards of education and other government agencies. The fundamental difference between the areas of general satisfaction and dissatisfaction is the pursuit of profits is present in one and not the other.

The pursuit of profits forces producers to be attentive to the will of their customers, simply because the customer of, say, a supermarket can fire it on the spot by taking his business elsewhere. If a state motor vehicle department or post office provides unsatisfactory services, it's not so easy for dissatisfied customers to take action against it. If a private business had as many dissatisfied customers as our government schools have, it would have long ago been out of business.

Free market capitalism is unforgiving. Producers please customers, in a cost-minimizing fashion, and make a profit, or they face losses or go bankrupt. It's this market discipline that some businesses seek to avoid. That's why they descend upon Washington calling for crony capitalism -- government bailouts, subsidies and special privileges. They wish to reduce the power of consumers and stockholders, who hold little sympathy for blunders and will give them the ax on a moment's notice.

Having Congress on their side means business can be less attentive to the will of consumers. Congress can keep them afloat with bailouts, as it did in the cases of General Motors and Chrysler, with the justification that such companies are "too big to fail." Nonsense! If General Motors and Chrysler had been allowed to go bankrupt, it wouldn't have meant that their productive assets, such as assembly lines and tools, would have gone poof and disappeared into thin air. Bankruptcy would have led to a change in ownership of those assets by someone who might have managed them better. The bailout enabled them to avoid the full consequences of their blunders.

By the way, we often hear people say, with a tone of saintliness, "We're a nonprofit organization," as if that alone translates into decency, objectivity and selflessness. They want us to think they're in it for the good of society and not for those "evil" profits. If we gave it just a little thought and asked what kind of organization throughout mankind's history has accounted for his greatest grief, the answer wouldn't be a free market, private, profit-making enterprise; it would be government, the largest nonprofit organization.

The Occupy Wall Street protesters are following the path predicted by the great philosopher-economist Frederic Bastiat, who said in "The Law" that "instead of rooting out the injustices found in society, they make these injustices general." In other words, the protesters don't want to end crony capitalism, with its handouts and government favoritism; they want to participate in it.

Oh, I Get It...

Sometimes, actually almost always, it is necssary to explain a joke to my teenaged daughter who is brilliant, but a little slow on the uptake. It's a charming thing actually; she laughs at the joke and then looks quizzically into the abyss as she tries to noodle it out. That's when I have to explain the joke, and then she laughs again. It is cute and harmless; it's not so funny, however, when adults are so callow that they take years to noodle out the obvious, and it’s even less funny when it’s not a joke.

The guest editorial, It's a Full Moon And The Governor's Transformation Is Complete by Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association that ran on the FlashReport yesterday caused me to think of my teenaged daughter. The op-ed (see excerpt below) was enjoyable, but it is necessary to take issue with the characterization that a “transformation” has occurred; that presumes that Governor Schwarzenegger started out as one thing and became another. This has been a subject on OAF Blog before and it remains amazing that anyone is shocked by any decision made by this Governor. Sadly, it appears that what is occurring is a final recognition of the mistake made by so many who lined up behind the “we gotta get a win” mantra when they helped elect Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor in 2003. Like the second laugh that occurs once my teenaged daughter "gets it," there is a certain amount of satisfaction in the awakening by those who are finally "getting it" about Arnold Schwarzenegger; only it's just not that funny (and it comes with significant costs).

IT'S A FULL MOON AND THE GOVERNOR'S TRANSFORMATION IS COMPLETE
by Jon Coupal

We are all familiar with those scary movies where the seemingly nice guy morphs into a threatening monster over a very short time.

Excuse me if I now find myself thinking of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his real life role as California Governor.

With his announcing yesterday that he would oppose Proposition 98, which would protect property owners from eminent domain abuse and provide additional property rights protections, the governor's transformation is complete.

His change was so quick that some may have missed it.

So let's look back to 2003, when citizen Schwarzenegger was running to replace an unpopular governor who was being recalled, largely because of his inability to manage the state budget that was billions of dollars in the red.

Schwarzenegger promised a bright future with strict fiscal discipline.

The state must live within its means, he said.

The budget must be balanced without tax increases.

He promised to "blow up the boxes" -- that is, consolidate government departments and programs and seek every available economy and efficiency in the provision of state services.

"We don't have a revenue problem," he famously declared, "we have a spending problem!"

Since Schwarzenegger took office, little has changed in state government, but the governor no longer resembles that citizen politician he promised to be.

In the last four years, revenue has increased by 29% while spending is up by 36% and the state faces, by conservative estimates, a $16 billion deficit.

Somewhere Gray Davis is chuckling.

(read the full op-ed here.)

Another Example of Limousine Liberal Disconnect

Look at the two pictures below and ask yourself; in which community would I feel at greater risk of contracting a communicable disease? The fact that Democrats in Congress sought immunizations before attending a NASCAR event is one more example of just how thoroughly disconnected they are from middle America. I wonder if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gets immunized before and after visiting her home in San Francisco?

NASCAR Fans

San Francisco

NASCAR cooties
Audrey Hudson, Homeland Security reporter, The Washington Times

House Homeland Security Committee staffers are on a peculiar mission to study "public health issues at events involving mass gatherings," which has personally insulted Rep. Robin Hayes of Concord, North Carolina.

The event: NASCAR.

The rub: the requirement that the Democrat and Republican staffers attending first be immunized against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, and influenza.

"I have never heard of immunizations for domestic travel, and as the representative for Concord, North Carolina, I feel compelled to ask why the heck the committee feels that immunizations are needed to travel to my hometown," Mr. Hayes, a Republican, said in a letter to Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi Democrat and committee chairman.

"I have been to numerous NASCAR races, and the folks who attend these events certainly do not pose any health hazard to congressional staffers or anyone else," Mr. Hayes said.

A committee staffer says that the Republican staffers have declined the shots but that two Democrat staffers were immunized before attending the race at Talladega last weekend.

A phone call to the committee spokesman was not returned.

That’s Just so Middle Class

Or, it’s All About Me.

The jet-setting “middle class” Speaker of the California Assembly has asked for each of his Assembly Democrat colleagues to donate $50,000 to an initiative that will allow him to serve an additional six years as Speaker. $50,000, that’s just so middle class; everyone knows that anything less than $100,000 is chump change.

The Speaker's press flack, Steve Maviglio says that the Speaker supports the term limits extension because it will make “the Legislature more effective…” It causes one to wonder; more effective at what? Shopping? Perhaps finding a really good deal on Berluti shoes in London?

Núñez's Prop. 93 plea to caucus
Speaker privately asks all Assembly Dems to donate $50,000 each to term limits measure.
By Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee
10/11/07

Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez privately has asked all 47 Assembly Democrats to donate about $50,000 apiece to help pass an initiative that could give all of them extra time in office.

The measure, Proposition 93, would reduce the total number of years that an elected official could serve in the Legislature -- from 14 to 12 -- but provide at least one extra term for incumbents.

Núñez solicited his Democratic caucus at a breakfast meeting Aug. 30 at Chops restaurant near the Capitol, but the session was private and details were unknown until Wednesday.

The issue surfaced after campaign disclosure statements showed identical $50,000 donations, each filed Sept. 8, from Assembly Democrats Karen Bass of Los Angeles and Ted Lieu of Torrance.

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma of San Francisco filed documents Tuesday showing her campaign gave a $45,000 contribution to the term limits initiative, which will appear on the Feb. 5 ballot.

"The speaker believes this campaign is about making the Legislature more effective and reducing the amount of time that legislators stay in office," Steve Maviglio, Núñez's spokesman, said of the measure.

But Kevin Spillane, spokesman for the anti-Proposition 93 campaign, blasted Núñez's actions as "an obvious sign that this initiative isn't about strengthening term limits."

"It's written by political insiders, and it benefits political insiders," he said. "It's an incumbent protection initiative -- and the incumbents are ponying up their dues so they can stay in office longer."

…The full story is here.

Political Vanguard on Speaker Nunez

This is funny. A hearty thank you to Tom Del Beccaro at Political Vanguard for this contribution:

Pv's Humorous Take On Politics . . . .

Democrat Assembly Leader Fabian Nunez Has Been Living the High Life Using Campaign Funds for $47,000 on United, Lufthansa and Air France airlines this year, $5,149 for a meeing at Cave L'Avant Garde, a wine cave in the Bordeaux region of France , and over $2,500 at Louis Vuitton in Paris for what he described as office expenses. Beyond that he has spent nearly $13,000 in florist purchases, nearly $3,000 in limousine services, nearly $1,000 in rare collectibles purchases, over $1,100 in personal reading purchases, over $1,250 in high-end cookie purchases, over $1,100 in fine and rare wine purchases, over $13,500 in payments to Janine Schwartz described as everything from "petty cash" to "civic donations," and more than $10,000 in additional travel expenses.

PV wondered why and now we know . . .

PV's Top 10 Fabian Nunez expense explanations

10. I DID fly to France to buy wine. But it was California wine, I swear!

9. $9000 for a hotel in Barcelona? I knew those money changers were ripping me off!

8. You mean to tell that the middle class doesn't eat cavier?

7. $400 for a John Edwards hair cut? Looks pretty good right about now, doesn't it?

6. Come on . . . I really can't use those $699 stamps to mail campaign literature?

5. $5,149 for a meeting in a cave? At least it was cheaper than the hotel.

4. Yeah I flew to Europe and shopped. But those Vuittons were totally knock offs.

3. Trip to Sweden: to study universal preschool. Trip to Spain: to see high speed rail. Trip to Coloseum: to study throwing christians to the lions.

2. Hsu defense fund, Perata defense fund, Jerry brown defense fund, Sandy Berger defense fund, William Jefferson defense fund........

1. $13,000 in Flower purchases: I felt bad for Antonio's girls, so I gave each, a flower.

Special thanks to talk radio host Inga Barks of KERN Radio & KMJ radio and Hector Barajas for their help with this column.

Rare - That's How California Democrats Serve It

Democrat flack site, The California Majority Report, regularly posts a summary of news under the title "Today's Fresh Meat." One can't help but notice, however, how rare it is for the Democrat spin doctors to include meaty issues about their employers. For example, the latest news on the middle-class Assembly Speaker and his high-roller lifestyle. I guess maybe that meat is a little too red for their taste.

Shameless Self Promotion

This is a "re-post" from the past, but worth repeating.

It dawns on me that someone might actually be reading OAF Blog on occasion. If you are, and you like what you read, please feel free to let your friends know. Also, just because I get a little lonely - well, not lonely actually, but because I like a healthy discussion, please feel free to leave comments. My rule on comments is that I will not moderate them unless they are inappropriate (foul - after all, my children read this blog sometimes) or an unfounded personal attack on somebody. I also encourage you to use your blog name or choose a name - a quirky or fun name is better than "anonymous." Finally, if you do leave comments, check back - I usually reply.

OK, enough shameless self promotion (actually, this is all about my self esteem).

They Just Can't Help Themselves

No wonder politicians in Sacramento are trying to fool the voters into granting them an extension of their term limits. While it would be easy to write extensive commentary about this subject, it is not necessary because the mainstream media has actually done a pretty good job of covering the issue.

Politicians living large under fire
By Dan Walters - Sacramento Bee Columnist
10/9/07

When Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez launched their drive to change legislative term limits and thus extend their reigns in the Capitol, they made themselves and their conduct legitimate subjects for media scrutiny. So far they aren't faring very well.

…An intensive analysis of campaign finance records ... shows that California's most powerful Democratic politician has a long history of living large on money raised for his various campaigns," the newspaper said in its article by Robert Gammon, adding that over the previous decade he had spent "more than $1 million on parties and high-end lifestyle expenditures."

Last Friday, Núñez's hometown newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, weighed in with a remarkably similar account of how he, too, has been living large on his campaign funds.

"As leader of the California Assembly, Speaker Fabian Núñez has traveled the world in luxury, paying with campaign funds for visits to some of the finest hotels and restaurants and for purchases at high-end retailers such as Louis Vuitton in Paris," Times reporter Nancy Vogel wrote, adding that "the Los Angeles Democrat refuses to provide details on tens of thousands of dollars in such expenditures."

Read the full article here.

Nuñez middle class? Boy, that's rich
Steve Lopez - Los Angles Times
10/7/07

If he crashes and burns in politics, California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez could have a great future as a travel agent.

As my colleague Nancy Vogel laid out in a jaw-dropping exposé Friday, L.A.'s man of the people has not missed a trick while traveling extensively and luxuriously about the world, throwing campaign funds around like confetti.

Italy. France. Spain.

Our very own rascal in paradise has been there, and he's tasted the world's finest offerings.

A $1,795 meal in Paris. An $8,745 hotel bill in Barcelona. A $5,149 meeting at a Bordeaux wine shop.

"There's not too big a difference," Nuñez told Vogel, "between how I live and how most middle-class people live."

Hands down, it's the quote of the year.

I'm not sure what middle-class people Nuñez is talking about, but I'm worried that he's spending entirely too much time with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Could the speaker be talking about Brentwood's middle-class?

We're talking lifestyles of the rich and famous here, not Applebee's and Ramada. Nuñez may even be trying to compete with Schwarzenegger, who's been using an obscure nonprofit group to finance lavish overseas travel involving private jets and exclusive hotels, as detailed recently by my colleague Paul Pringle.

Read the full article here.

While they can't help themselves, but they do scurry from the light like... well, you know.

Update: Underwriting Perversion

When I posted the commentary Underwriting Perversion, I promised to update OAF readers (all several of you) about any communications I received from Miller Brewing Company in relation to my inquiry about their corporate sponsorship of the Folsom Street Fair.

The following is the text of a message I received this morning in my email box:

Thank you for contacting Miller Brewing Company.

While Miller has supported the Folsom Street Fair for several years, we take exception to the poster the organizing committee developed this year. We understand some individuals may find the imagery offensive and we have asked the organizers to remove our logo from the poster effective immediately.

We regret that our failure to adhere to our own policy led to an inappropriate use of our trademark and apologize to anyone who was offended as a result, particularly members of the Christian community who have contacted us to express their concern.

We are conducting an immediate audit of our procedures for approving local marketing and sales sponsorships to ensure that this does not happen again.

It is important to understand that the Folsom Street Fair does not target the general public in its communications. The fair itself and the organization’s website are only intended for the adult alternative lifestyle community.

Sincerely, Miller Brewing Company Consumer Affairs Department

While I am thankful for to Miller for their reply and their promise to audit / review their procedures for approving local marketing and sales sponsorship, it appears that they are still fixated on their logo being on the offensive poster. My request was that the company not sponsor the event in the future; I will wait to see if Miller is a sponsor next year.

Also, I have to take issue with the assertion that the Folsom Street Fair and its website are only intended for the adult community. With due respect, anyone - anyone - can access the website without any screening for age (even Miller asks people to say they are 21 y.o. before entering their own website). Further, links to sponsors of the fair provide access to graphic nudity without any type of age screening. To imply that this is a "closed" venue is incorrect.

To reiterate, there is no attempt to request government intervention or censorship here; rather, it is merely a request that a responsible company not sponsor, and therefore promote, such filth.

The Art of the Smear

This one is “twofer”

Democrats, who fear democracy like an aulophobic fears a flute, have launched a smear campaign against Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani and the Presidential Election Reform Act, a proposed initiative that would alter the allocation of California’s electoral votes.

As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle today, Democrats want the federal government to investigate the electoral college ballot initiative and its supporters (read the article here). The article reports that “Democratic Party activists” have filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission seeking a Department of Justice investigation and alleging that Giulani engaged in “money laundering” to support the ballot initiative.

The purpose of the complaint isn’t to actually ferret out any real criminal activity; according to the Democrat activists the real purpose is “to send a message to any Republicans who might consider reviving the measure.” What message; that Democrat activists will threaten you if you attempt to engage in the democratic process?

Democrats have pulled out all the stops to kill this initiative "in the cradle" and in doing so have also smeared GOP candidate Rudy Giuliani – that is what is commonly referred to as a “twofer”.

Folsom Street Fair

A reminder of what’s wrong in San Francisco

As San Francisco winds down from this year’s “grand daddy of all leather events”, the Folsom Street Fair, it brings to mind an OAF commentary posted in January of 2006 titled, Where Have All the Children Gone? There is no need to reiterate what was written in that previous commentary. Instead, I’ll just remind Mayor Newsom that he does not need an advisory group to determine why families with children are fleeing the city by the bay; he merely needs to attend any number of the city’s “festivals” to understand why responsible adults with children would choose to live elsewhere. The following story from the San Francisco Chronicle is self-explanatory.

Folks in leather, chaps and thongs throng Folsom Street Fair
Heather Knight, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, October 1, 2007

It's not usually polite to stare, but Phil "Tats" Payton doesn't mind being ogled. When you're a 69-year-old man covered in more than 100 tattoos - including all over your bald head - and sporting a leather vest, chaps and a nose ring a few inches in diameter, it comes with the territory.

"I've gotten used to it," he said as he was stopped by strangers asking to take his photograph. "It's my own fault - I can't blame anyone else."

Payton and others bedecked in leather - or in many cases, nothing at all - were the stars of Sunday's 24th annual Folsom Street Fair. The San Francisco rite is a celebration of leather culture and sexual fetishism, and draws not only those who enjoy the lifestyle, but also those who enjoy gawking at them.

"This is like Disneyland - you'll never see anything like this in the world," said Jaeleen Bennis, who in her long skirt and tank top could just as easily have been shopping at Bloomingdale's.

Folsom Street, once a gay hub with bathhouses and sex clubs, is now filled with restaurants, condos and furniture stores. But on the last Sunday of September, it shuts down between Seventh and 12th streets as thousands of people pack the festival, which raises money for charity.

This year was no different, as couples led each other up and down the street with dog collars and leashes, men in thong underwear played Twister, women in stilettos and fishnet stockings spilled out of their corsets, and shoppers browsed stalls selling products such as baseball caps reading "Master" or "Slave" and a book entitled "Dungeon Emergencies and Supplies." (Emphasis added.)

"Very painful - very nice," said a woman as she fingered a "Stingy little pocket paddle" that came in red or black.

In the next stall over, Rodger Rosenberg explained why it's much more enjoyable to be tied up with rope made of 100 percent silk than rope made of nylon or hemp. By noon, he already had sold silk ropes to people from England, Ireland and Spain.

Tom Maiolo came all the way from Tampa, Fla., for his first Folsom Street Fair. Wearing a leather vest and chaps with no pants, he said at noon that he was already having a fabulous time. (Emphasis added.)

"So far, so good," he said. "I love this, and I'm just getting started."

He said he recognized some stars of porn movies he had seen and said they were like celebrities to him. Asked if they would ever hold an event like this in Tampa, he said, "No. Hardly."

People paid money to be flogged in front of crowds of onlookers. One man looked like he was crying, and red lash marks covered his back. (Emphasis added.)

"Lovely start to a Sunday afternoon!" exclaimed a man with a microphone trying to persuade people to get flogged.

Two women who said their screen names are Zoe Zane and Andrea Storm dressed as dirty martinis in teeny silver dresses shaped like martini glasses and bra cups decorated like green olives.

"It's totally fun," Storm said. "I don't get very far because I keep getting photographed. I feel like I'm on the red carpet."

Not everybody was into the scene, though. Jason Reed stood in boots and a thong and posed for pictures outside a stall run by SX Video, which makes gay porn movies.

"I'm just here to work - it's not really my thing," said Reed, who works in the company's marketing department. "They think I look good, so they want me to walk around in a jockstrap."
He got a good view of all the passers-by - sometimes, too good a view.

"Some of them who walk around naked really shouldn't be," he said.

Inside the stall was a wall of dildos and leather hoods. Bob Findle, the company's creative director, said it's fun to see people come from all over the world for a true San Francisco event.

This is what San Francisco's about - being crazy and expressing yourself," he said. "Where else could you do this?" (Emphasis added.)

One parting thouht: despite the exodus of families with children living in San Francisco, it appears there is no end to those who behave like toddlers; that is, those who still have not learned what is appropriate or in appropriate public behavior.

Is there a bear in the woods?

While we appropriately fight against the evil and expansionist Islamo-Facists, we must not forget to keep an eye on the bear. Testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 2005 by Anders Aslund should provide those who are paying any attention with concern. Further, the violence perpetrated against those who criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his drift away from relations with the West is chronicled in numerous reports from writers of all political and philosophical persuasions. The question is, do our political leaders appropriately recognize this threat and take it seriously? Perhaps it is time to run the old Reagan advertisement to remind them:

Underwriting perversion

I generally don’t engage in promoting boycotts based upon the politics or even social positions of various companies; except, of course, anything associated with the treasonous Jane Fonda.

Having said that, I am now declaring that unless Miller Brewing Company withdraws its support of San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair (billed as the "world's largest leather event") I will never wet my palate with a Miller product again. This is not much of a sacrifice on a personal level because my beer of choice comes from Colorado. But, I will resist allowing any of the number of organizations I am involved to purchase Miller products for events, and I will decline the offer of any Miller product and explain my reasons to the generous host.

Miller is the major sponsor of the Folsom Street Fair, and I have written and asked that they withdraw their support. The following story explains my consternation.

California Taxpayers Subsidize Gay Mockery of Last Supper

Organizers of San Francisco’s hedonistic Folsom Street Fair -- sponsored by Miller Brewing, Co. -- have portrayed Christ and His disciples as half-naked homosexual sadomasochists in the event’s promotional advertisement. The bread and wine representing Christ’s broken body and lifegiving blood are replaced with sadomasochistic sex toys in this twisted version of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper.





Read the full story at Human Events.

UPDATE:
The media relations department at Miller Brewing Company has indicated that the company does not support the offensive poster (above) and that Miller has asked that their logo be removed from the poster immediately. This did not satisfy this consumer, so I submitted an email asking if Miller will remove its corporate funding of this offensive event. I'll keep OAF readers (all several of you) posted about any response I receive from Miller.

Grading the Governor

Working with Senator Dennis Hollingsworth and Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, FlashReport (FR) has compiled the FR's 2007 Top Twenty Bills the Governor Should Veto. FR will track the bills and issue a letter grade to the Governor based upon his actions. OAF readers (all several of you) should check in at FR daily and monitor the status of the actions of California’s “post-partisan” Governor. Does anyone wish to hazard a guess on what grade will be earned?

Accountability and school choice are benefits for children

The following story from the San Francisco Chronicle highlights not a failure, but a success in public education; a success that has only been achieved by allowing public charter schools to be opened in spite of huge opposition by the monopolistic “education coalition” (non-charter public school advocates).

Why would one call the closing of two charter schools a success? Simply put, because the failing schools were closed, and the students will be required to find new schools. Ask yourself, when was the last time a traditional non-charter public school required to close due to academic failure? It doesn’t happen; instead, the state calls them “high priority schools” and gives them more money.

As a society we would be better off if we allowed more choice in education and then held schools truly accountable for providing an education to children; charter schools are one positive development toward that goal.

2 Oakland charter schools ordered to shut down
Nanette Asimov, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, September 20, 2007

(09-19) 22:09 PDT Oakland -- A pair of space-themed Oakland charter schools with roughly 80 students between them must shut down because of substandard instruction and low enrollment, the state Board of Education voted Tuesday, upholding a school district decision.

The Space Exploration Academy high school and the Junior Space Exploration Academy middle school had been open just five months when the Oakland Unified School District decided in February to shut them down.

School officials appealed the decision to the state Board of Education. Tuesday's board vote means today will be the last day the schools can operate.

The schools - which offered classes from sixth through tenth grade - had enrolled far fewer than the 200 students promised, according to district documents.

Classes were also in disarray, said administrators who made unscheduled visits last fall.
"The sixth-grade math instructor did not probe for understanding, explain erroneous answers, or engage nonrespondents," according to a report by Liane Zimny, then the head of the district's charter schools, who visited the schools in November with Kimberly Statham, then the state administrator for Oakland schools.

Zimny reported that the ninth-grade had few books and no textbooks. The task list on the blackboard had a misspelled word - "d-e-f-i-n-a-t-l-y" - and instructed students to do work that was far below grade level, such as writing the word "find" four times in cursive, Zimny wrote.

The science lab was also not operating, and "a large, dirty rag was on the floor of the multipurpose room where students ate lunch," she reported.

In all, both schools failed to fulfill 15 of 33 operating conditions, according to district records.

"We're disappointed," said Camron Gorguinpour, the schools' executive director. "I'm particularly concerned that there was little discussion about the actual merits of our school - especially in light of positive test scores that both of our schools received."

The schools enrolled only two grades last school year: sixth and ninth. State records show that of 29 sixth-graders who took the state's English language-arts test in the spring, 17 percent scored at grade level or above. Of the 15 ninth-graders who took the English test, 47 percent scored at grade level or above.

Gorguinpour, who said he is mystified about why the district tried to close the school before the scores were in, had disputed each of the district's allegations in a February memo. He said the administrators were making snap judgments based on insufficient time observing classes and without giving the school enough time to respond to its requests.

Gorguinpour's Web site says he holds bachelor's degrees in physics and astrophysics from UC Berkeley. The site also describes him as president and co-founder of a Berkeley educational nonprofit group called Space Science Outreach and Research, listed in state records as the schools' sponsoring agency.

The schools' Web site says that NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View is "involved in the development and operation of the Space Exploration Academies," promising professional development programs for its teachers.

Gorguinpour appealed the district's February decision to revoke its charter. On Tuesday, the state Board of Education voted 6-0 to uphold the district's decision.

District officials said they will help the Space Exploration Academies' students find other schools to attend.

Make way for Moonbeam

Sacramento Bee columnist, Dan Walters, paints an accurate picture of Attorney General “Moonbeam” Brown today in a column regarding the bogus lawsuit that would assign blame to auto manufacturers for global warming. Walters writes, “Brown, meanwhile, clearly wants to return to the governorship three years hence and will use global warming as his vehicle. That's why, for instance, he's been suing, or threatening to sue, local governments for their alleged failure to consider global warming in their development planning.”

“Cynical? Of course, but classic Jerry Brown, who has always sought to exploit the currently trendy issue, whatever it might be.”

The Walters column highlights the cynical and exploitative actions of now-Treasurer Bill Lockyer and AG Moonbeam – it is really worth a read: Auto suit unmasked as a stunt.

I am not sure which frightens me more, that Moonbeam wants to be Governor again; or, that the people of California would actually elect him to anything.

Post-partisan Schwarzenegger purges all remnants of conservatism that plagued him during his quest for election

He ran as a “blow up the boxes” fiscal conservative, garnering the support of “win at any cost” Republicans, and then:

Led the year of “post-partisan” legislative liberalism, enacted major government regulations on business and promoted nanny-state social liberalism.

Crushed his fellow Republicans during a statewide reelection campaign to ensure “post-partisan” Democrat hegemony in Sacramento.

Proved that he has absolutely no core principles by breaking the one promise that seemed to be believable – embracing tax increases.

Does the following demonstrate political hypocrisy, lack of any principles, political expediency, or all of the above? You be the judge:

Candidate Schwarzenegger
"I feel the people of California have been punished enough. From the time they get up in the morning and flush the toilet they're taxed. When they go get a coffee they're taxed. When they get in their car they're taxed. When they go to the gas station they're taxed. When they go to lunch they're taxed. This goes on all day long. Tax. Tax. Tax. Tax. Tax." Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, August 20, 2003

Newly-Elected Governor Schwarzenegger
“A tax increase would be the final nail in California's financial coffin. The people of California did not elect me to destroy jobs and businesses by raising taxes.” Governor Schwarzenegger, State of the State, January 6, 2004

Social and Economic Liberal "post-partisan" Arnold Schwarzenegger
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday said he's open to a general tax increase to pay for health care for the uninsured, but will leave it to voters to decide. The governor, who has adamantly opposed proposed tax hikes in the past, told a Capitol news conference, "I never close the door on anything." Sacramento Bee, Governor talks of health care tax 9/18/07.

Hopefully, Republicans in Sacramento read Philip Klein's post-election analysis and will prove to the people of California that genuine Republicans still stand for less government and more freedom.

A Rose is a Rose

The great debate over whether Governor Schwarzenegger’s health insurance mandate includes a tax increase or not is raging at the FlashReport in articles penned by Jon Coupal from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and Mike Genest who serves as the Governor’s Finance Director. I commend both columns to the few who actually read this blog:

Dead Parrots and Tax Increases by Jon Coupal; and the less creatively titled

Governor's Health Care Reforms Do Not Include A Tax Increase by Mike Genest.

The clearest statement on the tax issue is articulated by Mr. David Henderson of Stanford’s Hoover Institution in his article Terminator Care published in the Wall Street Journal…

“It [the Governor’s plan] would require employers to provide health insurance; give them the option of paying a tax instead of providing health insurance…”

He [Mr. Schwarzenegger] would require employers with 10 or more workers to provide health insurance or pay a 4% tax on all wages covered by Social Security… Gov. Schwarzenegger would throw in a 2% tax on doctors and a 4% tax on hospitals to help fund Medi-Cal, California's name for Medicaid.

I just can’t wait for Mr. Genest’s next column about the personal income tax fee.

Steven Maviglio's Rants Are Laughable

Or… Bipartisan means “Democrat Agenda”

It is really kind of funny that every time Governor Schwarzenegger proposes anything that does not emanate from the agenda of the radical left, Democrat flak Steven Maviglio accuses the Governor of trying to play to the “right wing.”

I refer you to two of his recent rants on the Democrats blog.

The first rant, railing against the idea of making those who receive taxpayer funds through government transfer programs (i.e. welfare) actually play by the rules, makes perfect sense to me; when Democrats promote socialism they mean it… and there darn well better be no rules that might make it difficult. Ok, I’m being a little silly here but two things are true: first, the Governor said he would remove people from the program if they are not following the rules of the program (e.g. participating in job training programs); and second, the Democrats always oppose anything that might result in reducing the welfare state and in doing so they accuse Republicans of trying to starve children or the elderly. So, the first rant made sense – after all, it is from the standard Democrat playbook (you remember, when all else fails accuse them of being “mean spirited.”)

The second rant is the one I don’t fully understand. Since when did the idea of building dams become a “right wing” concept? I’m fairly certain that there was a time when Democrats believed in building infrastructure – even dams. For example; Shasta Dam was built between 1938 and 1945 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) and Gov. Frank Merriam (R); Friant Dam 1939-42, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), Gov. Culbert Olson (D), Folsom Dam 1948-56, President Harry Truman (D), Gov. Earl Warren (R), Bradbury 1950-53, President Harry Truman (D), Gov. Earl Warren (R); and the New Melones Dam built 1966-79, President Lyndon Johnson (D), Gov. Pat Brown (D) and Gov. Ronald Reagan (R). It all seems pretty bipartisan to me.

But in 2007 building dams is evidently a “right wing” agenda item. Why, one might wonder, is building dams no longer a bipartisan agenda? The answer is actually simple; because the radical environmentalists are a major special interest in control of the leftwing Democrat party. Why do radial environmentalists hate dams? Well, that is a discussion for another day. Suffice it to say – radical environmentalists hate dams, legislative Democrats hate dams.

Make no mistake, when Steven Maviglio talks about bipartisanship he does not mean an agenda that draws support from both parties; he means an agenda that is put forth by leftwing Democrats and embraced by Governor Schwarzenegger. Mr. Maviglio’s rants about Governor Schwarzenegger “veering” right (in the midst of the Governor’s proposal to raise taxes and socialize healthcare) is a bit laughable.

Indulge a little digression and “funning” for a moment…

Perhaps Republicans should accuse Democrats of being “mean spirited” for opposing the construction of dams for several reasons: (1) Democrats are just being mean to retirees who like to fish – fewer dams means fewer reservoirs; (2) Democrats are damaging the environment – all those folks in the city who like water recreation (e.g. water skiing) have to drive excessive miles to reach the current reservoirs – more fossil fuels burned hurts the environment; (3) by preventing the expansion of environmentally friendly hydroelectric power Democrats are driving up the cost of electricity thereby hurting the neediest in California – pretty soon children of single mothers will be homeless and shoeless; and, (4) ultimately, by denying the development of additional water storage, Democrats are trying to dehydrate older people and young children which is a serious health risk – pretty soon dehydrated people will start dropping like flies in Walmart stores all over California.

O.K., I admit, this list is a little over the edge, but I’m just trying to keep the discourse on public policy in the same spirit as promoted by the leftwing Democrats.

The Politics of the Bizarre

Vice Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee Jim Battin posted on Flash Report today making the case for Senate Republicans to stop the appointment Joe Nunez, CTA lobbyist and Arnold Schwarzenegger antagonist, to the State Board of Education. Senator Battin’s post can be read here.

Making the case for Senator Battin is the California Democrat Party who posted the following on their own website:

Arnold's Own Appointee Presses Charges: The Sacramento Bee reports that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently reappointed Joe Nuñez to the State Board of Education. One day later, Nuñez courageously announced that he is "filing a five-page complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) against Schwarzenegger and the governor's old campaign vehicle, the California Recovery Team." The complain demands that "the FPPC investigate and file a civil suit against Schwarzenegger and the California Recovery Team over what the alliance charged were 'blatant violations' of the Political Reform Act" - violations outlined in the 3rd District Court of Appeal's rulings. Nuñez urged the FPPC "to depose Gov. Schwarzenegger and his political consultants" to find out if there was "an overall plan by his campaign to hide from the press and the public the true nature of his committee's expenditures."

The appointment (actually, reappointment) of Joe Nunez to the State Board of Education by Governor Schwarzenegger caused Dan Weintraub to comment:

This is the equivalent of George Bush appointing Michael Moore as his ambassador to Iraq. Either Schwarzenegger has figured out a very creative way to shore up his relationship with the CTA or he has very strange judgment in appointments. And given the Nunez quote in today's press release, it doesn't look as if the governor's guy is building many bridges. Bizarre.

Chalk this up as just one more example of a rudderless and drifting vessel – in this case it appears to be one completely bereft of any political common sense.

RIP President Gerald Ford

"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," Mrs. Ford said in a brief statement issued from her husband's office in Rancho Mirage. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."

Read the full story from AP here.

Mr. Mayor's LAUSD Powergrab is Tossed

Judge tosses out mayor's takeover of L.A. schools
A law giving Villaraigosa control over some campuses violates state Constitution, jurist says.
By Howard Blume and Joel Rubin
Times Staff Writers

December 22, 2006

A Superior Court judge Thursday struck down legislation that gave Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa substantial authority over the Los Angeles Unified School District, a stunning setback to his plans for assuming direct control of dozens of Los Angeles schools.

Judge Dzintra Janavs said the law, which would have taken effect Jan. 1, violated multiple provisions of the state Constitution and the Los Angeles City Charter. She ordered public officials "to refrain from enforcing or implementing" any part of Assembly Bill 1381, which codified Villaraigosa's powers.

The full story is here.

The best thing to do at this point would be to break up the LAUSD using a mechanism like AB 2071 proposed by Assemblyman Keith Richman last year. If the Mayor is sincere about wanting to affect schools or implement reforms in a high profile way, he could work with the district to establish charter schools – taking a high school and all of its feeder schools. Such a proposal would not have to mean that unions are “out of luck” because a charter could include a provision to honor the UTLA union contract within all of the charters; having said that, if I were Mayor Villaraigosa I would want my charter to be non-union. Such a plan, however, would not allow the Mayor to control the hiring of the Superintendent and therefore would reduce his influence over $19 billion dollars in school construction contracts.

Dan Walters is a Bigot?

More on the antics of Democrat Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, the Chairman of the Assembly Health Committee…


Dan Walters: Dymally's epithet an honor
By Dan Walters - Bee Columnist
Published 12:00 am PST Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The official stationery of the U.S. House of Representatives has yellowed with age, but the angry words of the letter still leap from the page.

Then-Congressman Mervyn Dymally sent the missive to this columnist in 1992 in response to a column about those retiring from California political office that year, listing Dymally among those who wouldn't "be found in the political hall of fame."

"I would have thought that time would have tempered your bigotry," Dymally wrote. "But I am told that hatefulness is a sickness, so you are to be forgiven.

The full story is a must read.

Digging Deeper

The first rule in trying to dig out of a hole… stop digging.

Dymally regrets using 'racist' label
The assemblyman was attacking a colleague probing his issuance of badges to supporters.
By Nancy Vogel, Times Staff Writer
December 20, 2006

Five days after he called a fellow lawmaker "the most racist legislator I have encountered in over 40 years," Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally (D-Compton) expressed remorse.In a four-paragraph statement to Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles), Dymally, an African American, said, "I have been around long enough to know that you do not mix your personal feelings with public policy. I deeply regret my statement about Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, and it is my hope that this is now behind us."

So, to understand it correctly… personally, Democrat Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally believes Democrat Assemblyman Hector De La Torre is a racist; however, Mr. Dymally regrets having said it out loud and thereby injecting the accusation into "public policy". No where in the story is there any indication that Assemblyman Dymally apologized to Assemblyman De La Torre or that Mr. Dymally retracted his accusation that Mr. De La Torre is a racist.

Assembly Democrats seem to have a real problem on their hands. I wonder why this subject has not been mentioned in the leftwing Democrat blog, The California Majority Report, which regularly comments on internal Republican matters?

A Little Parody...

... always bears a little truth (unfortunately).




Zucker Takes on James Baker
David Zucker's Iraq Study Group ad from CrockettFilms.

This "Diversity Moment" brought to you by Reuters

Groups offer Web festival sacrifice
Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:34 AM ET

KARACHI (Reuters) - Religious organizations in Pakistan are using the Internet to help Muslims in Western countries buy and sacrifice animals for an annual festival. (Full story linked above.)

OAF: I can't wait to see PETA's response to this activity, if they respond. Can the radical left bring itself to criticize Muslims? (You didn't actually think I'd link to the nutcases at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals did you?)