• Del.icio.us Links,  The Evening Flap

    The Evening Flap: January 3, 2013

    January 3, 2013 /

    These are my links for January 3rd.

    • Biden: Republicans had ‘epiphany’ on immigration – Vice President Joe Biden said Republicans have had a major realization in their approach to immigration reform in recent weeks.”Have you ever seen a time when Republicans have had a more rapid epiphany about immigration than they have this last election?” Biden said Thursday while speaking at an event for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington.
    • There’s No ‘I’ in ‘Kumbaya’ – A Uniquely Polarizing President – We’re all talking about Republicans on the Hill and their manifold failures. So here are some things President Obama didn’t do during the fiscal cliff impasse and some conjecture as to why.He won but he did not triumph. His victory didn’t resolve or ease anything and heralds nothing but more congressional war to come.

      He did not unveil, argue for or put on the table the outlines of a grand bargain. That is, he put no force behind solutions to the actual crisis facing our country, which is the hemorrhagic spending that threatens our future. Progress there—even just a little—would have heartened almost everyone. The president won on tax hikes, but that was an emotional, symbolic and ideological victory, not a substantive one. The higher rates will do almost nothing to ease the debt or deficits.

    • Charles Krauthammer: Return of the real Obama – The rout was complete, the retreat disorderly. President Obama got his tax hikes — naked of spending cuts — passed by the ostensibly Republican House of Representatives. After which, you might expect him to pivot to his self-proclaimed “principle” of fiscal “balance” by taking the lead on reducing spending. “Why,” asked The Post on the eve of the final fiscal-cliff agreement, “is the nation’s leader not embracing and then explaining the balanced reforms the nation needs?”Because he has no interest in them. He’s a visionary, not an accountant. Sure, he’ll pretend to care about deficits, especially while running for reelection. But now that he’s past the post, he’s free to be himself — a committed big-government social democrat.
    • Boehner reelected as Speaker; nine Republicans defect in vote – Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) was reelected Speaker of the House on Thursday after a week of rumors of a possible GOP revolt.Boehner won a bare majority in a vote that saw nine Republicans vote for other GOP members, and several others who abstained from voting or voted “present.” Two years ago, Boehner won all 241 available GOP votes.
  • Blogging Matters,  Day By Day

    Day By Day July 11, 2012 – Curtains

    July 11, 2012 /

    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    Children are wonderful and being a father of three daughters and one son, I can say this with emphasis.

    In fact, on Saturday, my oldest daughter, will be having a baby shower since she is due with her first child and my second grandchild in August.

    I am very happy!

    In blogging matters, I have been taking some time away from writing for some down time. I will resume more vigorous blogging and coverage of the Presidential campaign next week.

  • Ann Ravel,  Blogging Matters,  California Fair Political Practices Commission

    California Fair Political Practices Commission Chairwoman Ann Ravel Calls for Blogger Political Disclosure

    April 19, 2012 /

    California FPPC Chairwoman Ann Ravel

    This blogger disclosure is referring to campaign political donations.

    California would push political bloggers to disclose payments they receive from campaigns under a proposal that the state Fair Political Practices Commission will consider in coming months.

    In closing remarks Thursday at a Sacramento symposium on a wide range of political and campaign issues, FPPC Chairwoman Ann Ravel announced plans to seek a vote by her commission on blogger disclosure.

    Details of the proposal have not yet been worked out, such as what level of payments would trigger disclosure to readers on websites where bloggers post their political or campaign-related opinions

    Ravel said she initially plans to ask the FPPC to pass an advisory measure, meaning that disclosure by bloggers would be suggested but not required for the November election. Her goal for future elections is mandatory disclosure, she said.

    Campaigns already must disclose expenditures to bloggers but this requirement would affect political bloggers like me. In other words, should a campaign donate say $500 to my marvelous blog for the excellent coverage that I have on California and other political matters, I would have to submit a form.

    I have no problem with the disclosure, but the devil will be in the details of the rule/law.

    What about advertising?

    What if a political consultant donates and not the campaign? A media or communications firm?

    I understand the intent of the rules and I have known of some egregious abuses AND payments to bloggers.

    But, how about the mainstream media outlets and their reporters/producers? Will they have to disclose, particularly those freebee tickets to another party, political or sports event in return for coverage?

    By the way, all of you POLS out there and political consultants, I WILL accept your contributions and your paid advertisements.

    As always though – no quid pro quo.

  • Blogging Matters,  Los Angeles Marathon

    Flapsblog.com Readers: Please Support @Flap – Gregory Flap Cole in the Los Angeles Marathon

    March 12, 2012 /

    Here I am finishing the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon in the rain

    Please support me in my seventh Los Angeles Marathon. It looks like rain again, too.

    Check out this video from ASICS, a Los Angeles Marathon sponsor:

    Never run a marathon alone, thanks to the Asics ‘support your marathoner’ program

    So, how can you support me at the Los Angeles Marathon?

    • Go here to the ASICS Support Your Marathoner Website.
    • Search for me under Friends Find runners: Gregory Cole, Los Angeles Marathon Bib Number 12852.
    • Upload your text, Photo, or Video onto their website.
    • Your submission will be displayed on the large video screens throughout the race on ASICS’ large video displays.

    And, thank you!

    If you don’t want, to go to the ASICS site, please send me a text or a photo text on Marathon Day, Sunday, March 18 DIRECTLY. You know where to find my mobile number.

    The race will begin around 7:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time.

    Race Day tracking will be here starting on the 13th and you can sign up here.

    I have trained for six months and am ready for this race, despite the early weather forecast of rain. But, I need your help to finish.

    Thanks again…..
  • Blogging Matters,  Day By Day

    Day By Day January 10, 2012 – Horse

    January 10, 2012 /


    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    I am back from a family funeral in Santa Fe, New Mexico and California looks REAL good – plus it it nice and warm here in Thousand Oaks today.

    I had the opportunity to watch the Saturday night New Hampshire Presidential debate on ABC and wondered why the candidates are so accepting of the format and the frequency. There have been way too many Presidential debates this GOP nomination season and in the next cycle I doubt there will be as many.

    The New Hampshire GOP primary election is tonight and all of the pundits will be checking and double checking their polling models after the vote is counted.

    Stay tuned for more election coverage here and on Twitter @Flap.