• Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for April 19th on 09:44

    These are my links for April 19th from 09:44 to 09:54:

    • Rob Stutzman is in final push to delay NBA’a Sacramento Kings’ move – Sacramento political consultant Rob Stutzman is on the verge of tossing a wrench into Joe and Gavin Maloof's efforts to move the Sacramento Kings to Anaheim.

      By early this week, Stutzman expects to have collected roughly 11,000 signatures needed to challenge by referendum Anaheim City Council's $75 million deal to upgrade that arena where the Kings would play, and help the Maloofs with the cost of relocating.

      "What we're doing is very real and matters legally," Stutzman said, adding that he can gather the requisite number of signatures with "one arm tied behind my back."

      He does, however, need a little more money. But assuming he gets it–and there are some wealthy people who have an interest in his success–the referendum would place the Anaheim financing deal on hold until the next election, likely in June 2012, long after the next basketball season is over.

      Stutzman's effort comes as lobbyist Darius Anderson and billionaire Ron Burkle press to try to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

      ======

      With the Clippers and Lakers in LA, I really don't see that much of a market in Orange County anyway.

      But, if the Sacramento Kings owners want to move the team and they are foiled then suppose they can sell.

    • California State leadership PACs loading up – California lawmakers are preparing to bankroll their congressional colleagues, some more aggressively than others.
      In new campaign filings, a special leadership committee established by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, surpasses most of its congressional competitors in amount of money stockpiled.
      Nunes can use the $120,000 he's saved to help his colleagues, and himself. But though he stands out, he's not alone. From conservatives like Nunes and Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River, to liberals like Lois Capps, D-San Luis Obispo, incumbents are forming leadership fundraising committees in record numbers.
      "It's something that as part of the team you're expected to do," Nunes said. "It's a way for me to help my colleagues, and possibly my future colleagues."
      More than 400 leadership political action committees are currently registered with the Federal Election Commission. They enable lawmakers to collect contributions in chunks of up to $5,000 each, and then distribute the money to colleagues. They also enable contributors to effectively increase the amount they give to politicians.

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      Read it all.

      With redistricting California Reps. had better stock up and stock up fast since some of their CD's will be competitive.

    • Arnold Schwarzenegger defends Nuñez sentence reduction, slams Whitman | – Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger justified his eleventh-hour sentence reduction for the son of a fellow Sacramento politician, saying “of course you help a friend” and that he felt good about the decision.

      Schwarzenegger came under heavy fire for the move, which took place hours before he left office in January. In May, former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez’s son Esteban accepted a plea deal in the death of Luis Santos, a 22-year-old college student. Schwarzenegger decided to reduce the sentence from 16 years to seven years, which infuriated prosecutors as well as the victim's family, which was not notified beforehand.

      “I understand people’s disappointments. I understand the parents’ anger. I would probably feel the same way,” Schwarzenegger told Newsweek in an article published Sunday. “My office definitely made a mistake in not notifying the parents beforehand … and I’m ultimately responsible.

      “I feel good about the decision …. I happen to know the kid really well. I don’t apologize about it,” said Schwarzenegger, who noted in his commutation order that Esteban Nuñez, 21, did not deliver the fatal wound that led to Santos’ death. “There’s criticism out there. I think it’s just because of our working relationship and all that. It maybe was kind of saying, ‘That’s why he did it.’ Well, hello! I mean, of course you help a friend.”

      ======

      Arnold was the worst California Governor EVER.

      Help a friend?

      What an idiot……

      Next time I see him riding his bicycle in Santa Monica I think I will shout out to him on what a despicable moron he is.

      And, yeah….no more movie tickets with him starring.

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for April 14th on 13:00

    These are my links for April 14th from 13:00 to 13:23:

    • Gov. Mitch Daniels calls for immigration reform – Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels called on state lawmakers Wednesday to pass a proposal aimed at implementing immigration reforms in the state, adding that changes in the bill were necessary before passage.

      Mr. Daniels says a bill aimed at implementing an Arizona-style law should focus more on Indiana employers and less on law enforcement. The Indiana governor is the latest governor to call on state lawmakers to implement immigration reforms.

      “I think that legislation will be changed,” Mr. Daniels said Wednesday. “I support this, to drop the law enforcement provisions that have been the ones that have bothered most people.”

      The Indiana Republican and potential Republican presidential candidate says he hopes the law enforcement provision is remove, refusing to note whether that provision would cause him to veto the bill.

      “The idea I like is to deny them the tax deduction if they’re caught doing it,” he said. “It’s a fairly clean way to get at it, and really employment is the magnet that leads to the illegality.”

      ========

      Again, the right will go wild here but Daniels is practical again.

      The Arizona law will be declared unconstitutional since the states are precluded from immigration enforcement – it is a federal responsibility.

      But, E-verify or state laws that give a disincentive to employers who hire illegal immigrants is a practical and realistic goal.

      Daniels should he run for President will be able to elaborate in a debate against the others.

      In the meantime, the Tom Tancredo right will go crazy against Mitch.

    • California Teachers’ Union plan built on emotion – The California Teachers Association this week declared a "State of Emergency" over the state budget and potential deep cuts to schools. It posted a 15-page "plan of action" on its website to help teachers, parents – and apparently children – lobby for tax extensions.

      Some of the union's ideas went beyond the usual letter-writing and rallying:

      • Attempt to close a major artery into town/cities.

      • Turn fire/earthquake drill into crisis response drill to the budget cuts (involve students and the community).

      • "Penny drive" where kids empty piggy banks to support teachers and deposit in the state Capitol.

      • Pay for everything with $2 bills to show the true impact of teachers.

      • Have students create a BIG poster on a school bus that is sent to Sacramento.

      • Take mug shots of teachers and students to make the point that prisons receive better funding.

      By Wednesday, the more creative ideas on the list had been removed. CTA spokesman Mike Myslinski said the list was "brainstorming" from the union's 800-delegate state council, and that CTA is not suggesting students be used as props.

      ======

      Guess some of the leftists in the CTA (California Teacher's Association)thought the Wisconsin protests were a good thing?

    • Thousands rally at Cal State University campuses to Protest Education Cuts – Decrying what they called an assault on higher education, thousands of faculty and students at California State University campuses across the state rallied, marched and held teach-ins Wednesday to protest steep funding cuts and rising tuition.

      Dubbed the Day of Class Action, events were held on all 23 Cal State campuses, featuring speakers, workshops, gospel singers, guerrilla theater and, on one campus, a New Orleans-style "funeral" march.

      The protests were largely peaceful and there were no reports of disruptions, although student groups staged sit-ins in hallways outside the offices of presidents Jolene Koester at Cal State Northridge and James M. Rosser at Cal State L.A.

      No arrests were made, and students left the buildings by the end of the day. Peaceful sit-ins were also held at campuses in Pomona, San Francisco and the East Bay.

      With education funding at risk and higher tuition possible in many states, students and faculty at public universities elsewhere also held rallies and teach-ins Wednesday, including at Portland State in Oregon, Rutgers University in New Jersey and the University of Massachusetts' Boston campus.

      The goal, organizers said, was to raise public awareness of the consequences of continued disinvestment in higher education and to give faculty and students a greater voice in policy decisions.

      ========

      The students and faculty should really direct their protests to the Democrat Governor and Legislature who have been ruling California for decades now.

      For every action the left-wing California Legislature takes there is an equal and opposite reaction by private business who vote by their feet – and leave.

      Also, for every new entitlement program and cost of living adjustment the California Legislature makes, there is less money for other programs, including a heavily subsidized public university education.

      But, true to from the left faculty will try to convince their students that it is the rich who are refusing to pay their fair share or something.

      Sometimes the truth is hard.

    • Texas reporter weighs in on California lawmakers’ visit – "People out here laugh at Perry walking down the main street of Dallas, waving a pistol around and talking about the crazy people in California who want to legalize marijuana," said veteran Democratic political consultant Chris Lehane.

      But some facts are clearly on Perry's side. Texas created more jobs last year than any other state: 253,900 vs. California's 89,400.

      Texas has no state income tax. It's a right-to-work state, so there are none of the collective-bargaining issues bedeviling states such as Wisconsin and (with high public-employee pensions) California.

      In the games that statisticians play, there are numbers favoring California, too.

      Texas has higher property taxes and oil extraction taxes. Its jobs pay less. It leads the nation in uninsured people and chemical pollution. And while Texas has created more manufacturing jobs, California's created more in semiconductors, computers, communications equipment and medical equipment.

      Texas has the Alamo; California has Disneyland . Texas has Ted Nugent ; California has Charlie Sheen.

      Which is to say we're different. So it's no surprise that Texas and California are taking different approaches to solving their budget shortfalls.

      ======

      California and Texas are different states with different demographics and priorities.

      If they both can learn from each other, this is great.

      But, I would not hold my breath.