Marco Rubio for President

There has been plenty of talk inside the Republican Party about how Marco Rubio will absolutely be invited to be the choice for Vice President in 2012. He is at the top of almost every list.

My question is this.

If he is such a desirable candidate, why make him the Vice President?

I think he might be our best bet in 2012.

Yes, I know he is young and he has barely been in the Senate a year, but he is a fantastic political leader.

People forget that he aggressively challenged the RINO Charlie Crist in Florida when everyone else was saying it was Crists election to lose.

Rubio destroyed Crist so badly that it is difficult to remember that Crist was actually the favorite at one point.

Rubio shocked a world that had underestimated him. I think he could do it again.

I think if Rubio is our candidate in 2012, Obama doesn't stand a chance.

Putting Boehner on notice

I said last night in a Facebook post that I wanted Speaker of The House John Boehner primaried and put out of his job as a Congressman. I may have been a little rash, but it was a reaction to the anticipated deal-making that the Republican leader is about to do.

I did some research into his background, and Boehner actually isn't that bad of a guy. He's a blue-collar guy from a large family that had to work hard all his life to get where he is today. He is not some Ivy League elitist who lived off his fathers money all his life.

He has the right work ethic, but I don't think he is tough enough for this job.

The Democrats, when they were in control, had no problem with full-throated Totalitarianism as they forced Obamacare on the American public. This unconstitutional seizure of the health care industry caused a backlash that lost 60 Congressmen and women their jobs.

Boehner needs to show equal strength.

No compromises.

Republicans control the House.

They get our version, or they get nothing.

It's payback time for the Democrats abuses of power over the last two years.

I'm running for Congress in 2012 and I'm not doing it to go to Washington and cut deals.

I want to crush my enemies and destroy them. They are Totalitarians who hate freedom and they are a threat to our very way of life. Obama is the Looter-In-Chief and the Democrats are just looking for ways to steal a few more billion dollars.

Someone has to stop them.

If Boehner can't do it, he needs to find a new line of work.

The Angry Charge of The Last RINO

My friend Stephen and I often refer derisively to many members of our own party as RINOs.

They are Republicans In Name Only. RINOs

Basically, they are slightly less offensive versions of Democrats.

Mitt Romney is a RINO. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a RINO.

RINOs always claim to be Conservatives -- which humors us -- but they turn around and vote for everything the Democrats vote for.

My friend Stephen is disappointed he voted for McCain in 2008.

I'm not. The alternative was Barack Obama.

Obama is a looter and a destroyer of wealth.

McCain, on the other hand, was only a RINO.

I respected him until today.

Today he went berserk on Capitol Hill.

He ridiculed the idea of a Balanced Budget Amendment.

He read a Wall Street Journal article that ridiculed and mocked the Tea Party.

The article also slammed the GOP Senate candidates Sharon Angle and Christine O'Donnell.

Angle and O'Donnell -- whatever their faults may be -- had never done anything this contemptuous of John McCain. Except maybe to be more Conservative than him.

Three years ago John McCain wanted to be President of the United States.

Now he's taking cheap shots for laughs at former Senate candidates.

This man now embarrasses me. I want him gone.

Stephen has always said McCain was his "Last Rino"... the last one he would ever vote for.

I think Stephen has made a good call on that one.

Conservatives! Hold the line!!

To : My fellow Conservatives in Washington D.C.

From : 2012 Congressional Candidate Phil Jennerjahn

Re: Debt Ceiling talks

To my fellow Conservatives,

I am writing to you today to implore you to hold the line in these debt ceiling talks.

Caving in to fear or threats from the Democrats will only mean our total defeat.

Our country and its future are on the line. This is your time to be strong.

Tea Party activists sent 60 new freshmen to Congress in 2010. You were elected for one reason: To stop Barack Obama and his agenda.

There are long term legislators like John McCain who have been talking about "cuts" for 20 years, but who have instead only stood by and watched the disastrous growth of our federal government.

Let me be blunt.

The Harry Reid budget plan is crap.

A man who won't even cut government funding for cowboy poetry isn't serious about a budget.

The John Boehner plan is crap lite.

He's trying to bail out the Titanic with a mop and a bucket.

It won't work.

Don't listen to the media as they concoct stories and create fear.

The line has to be drawn. And you are there to draw it.

Hold the line.

Our country will reward you for your courage.

Gatto continues his assaults on Personal Freedom with ACA 6

Dangerous Enemy of Freedom Mike Gatto continues to reveal himself through his legislation.

He recently teamed up with fellow totalitarian Mike Feuer to hammer out Assembly Constitutional Amendment 6, which would radically reshape the power structure here in California.

ACA 6, as it has become know, would ban all further attempts by the voters to place initiatives on the ballot if they ended up costing the State over $5 million dollars. The problem here is that this decision rests in the hands of two bureacrats ...the Legislative Analyst and the Director of Finance. These two unelected bureacrats would have the power of veto over any voter initiative simply by deeming it "too expensive".

This action comes very close to tyranny.

Our country exists because of the tyranny of King George of England.

Now, we have a closet dictator named Mike Gatto telling the "little people" that they are no longer important enough to have a voice in the political decision making process.

If I was Gatto's opponent in the next election, I would make it very clear to voters how much Gatto hates freedom.... especially their freedom as voters to have a voice in matters.

Pocket tyrants Gatto and Feuer should be ashamed of themselves.

This is not what our founding fathers had in mind.

Obamas "Corpsman" lesson

Recently, President Barack Obama made himself look a little foolish when he mispronounced the word "corpsman" at a prayer breakfast. He pronounced it "corpse-man". He said it twice. The correct pronunciation is "core-man"...just like how you say "Marine Corps".

No big deal. Just a little harmless mistake, right?

Yes...and no.

It exposes a much bigger flaw in Barack Obama.

Our Commander-in-Chief knows very little about our military.

He never served.

Now, politicians misspeak all the time. They have so many speeches to give and public appearances to make. They are not machines and they make mistakes. President George W. Bush was so prone to misspeak that they actually published a book filled with his speaking gaffes.

Anyone can make mistakes.

But this one exposed a vital flaw about Obama.

Not only does he know nothing about our military, but he is surrounded by buffoons who also know nothing.

He did not have a single person on his staff who went over his speeches with him and made sure he knew how to pronounce words he was unfamiliar with.

The fact that our Commander in Chief did not know how to pronounce "corpsman" is very troubling.

The fact that he has nobody on his staff smart enough to know he was making a mistake?

That is extremely troubling.

Obama & The Gays

Even though Barack Obama claimed during the course of his campaign in 2008 that he was against gay marriage, he has recently - and officially - become the most pro-gay President in American history.

As a Conservative, I am virulently against his support of gay marriage. I feel that allowing gays to enact an agenda against heterosexuals -- and declaring the existence of "gay marriage" -- is an act of aggression that can not stand.

However, it might surprise the readers of TJR to find that I am not 100% against his actions concerning gays serving in the military.

My political hero, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, once famously said that "You don't have to be straight to be in the military, you just have to be able to shoot straight."

I agree with Barry. Our military leaders do not.

Saying that someone can't serve in the military just because they are gay is the same thing as saying someone can't serve in the military just because they are black. It's discrimination.

And our country shouldn't do it.

If you are a true Conservative, you respect our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution almost as much as you would respect a religious document like the Bible or the Torah.

Those documents describe equal protections for all.

And much like a Biblical passage, you either believe in these founding documents, or you don't.

I have always felt that we Republicans were going to be on the losing end of the battle with the gays.

Gay marriage? No. That is inventing something that doesn't exist and using force on heterosexuals.

But how can we justify not giving gays the same legal protections as a heterosexual married couple?

It is for this reason I agree to the compromise of a "domestic partnership" certificate for gays.

Legal protections, yes. Complete redefining of social structures? No.

And to defend our military, I need to say this....

The previous rules against gays in the military were generally there for the safety of the individuals involved serving in the military.

When I was 17 years old I attended U.S. Army Basic Training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Any soldier who was being accused of being a homosexual on a Southern Army base was putting themselves in a very dangerous situation. There is rampant homophobia in the military, and even being suspected of being gay could get a soldier severly beaten -- if not killed...at least back in those days. Maybe attitudes have changed, but I am not so sure about that.

I understand the reasons for the previous rules.... and I still prefer that gays not serve in combat units.

But there is no reason gays can't serve in the base hospital, or commissary, or the food preparation areas.

One indisputable fact about this subject is clear.

Gays have always served in our military. And they always will.

Right now we are just arguing about how honest they can be about it.

Amy Winehouse 1983-2011

I was saddened to hear the news yesterday that talented singer Amy Winehouse had been found dead in her London home.

Even though the official police statement said her cause of death was "unknown", most people in the world immediately assumed that she had died of a drug overdose. Winehouse had a well-known drug and alcohol problem. In fact, her biggest hit song -- "Rehab" -- was about her refusal to take the advice of others and go to a drug rehabilitation clinic.

I was crushed by the news yesterday because I was a big fan of her music. I thought she was incredibly talented and that there was a timeless quality to her music. In my opinion, she was so much better than most of the others young performers making music today. Justin Bieber? Give me a break. Do you honestly think they will be playing Justin Biebers music 50 years from now? But they will still be playing Amy Winehouse music.

Unfortunately, Amy had problems with drugs and alcohol that she couldn't conquer. She was on a list of people that -- if they told you they were dead tomorrow -- you wouldn't be surprised. Not to jinx them, but entertainers Charlie Sheen and Lindsey Lohan are also on this list.

I will miss Amy. I was looking forward to more years of great songs from her.

Above is a video clip of her performing the very underrated song "Valerie" during a live TV show in Belgium in 2007. Watch it.

I'll end this blog post with a quote about Amy from talented singer Annie Lennox.

"I love Amy Winehouse's music. I think she's a genius. I went to see her perform when she was 18... and I was like, 'This child, she is like whoa! How does an 18-year-old sound like she's 60 in the best possible way, i.e. a seasoned jazz singer like something you've never heard before?' So, to me, she's profound. There's something about her that resonates with everybody." -- Annie Lennox

You Decide

I still feel that Texas Governor Rick Perry is the GOPs best option in 2012. I have been calling for his selection and election for over 1 and 1/2 years now.

One of my best friends Stephen keeps badgering me about Michele Bachmann. He says she is the only Conservative in the race and that I need to support her. I told Stephen that leadership isn't based 100% on ideology. If it were, John McCain would be President right now.

Watch these videos. You decide.

Not even your genitals are safe from Mike Gatto

The news in this world continues to get weirder and weirder.

You always think you have seen it all ....and then.......

Burbank Assemblyman Mike Gatto starts new legislation (AB 768) dealing specifically with male genitalia... meaning that, yes...

...not even your genitals are safe from Mike Gatto.

Why does notorious Enemy of Freedom Mike Gatto feel that he has to legislate something -- or anything-- concerning male genitalia??

I don't know. He's a Democrat. They do things like that.

Gatto created this disturbing piece of legislation along with fellow Dangerous Enemies of Freedom: Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and State Senator Mark Leno.

Gatto, Ma, and Leno are reacting to an even more insidious power grab by their fellow lunatic liberals.

I wish they would leave everyones genitals alone. It's none of their business.

I really don't want to discuss this....

I don't see how government has any role in this matter.

By the way, Burbank Voters...you really need to get your heads examined!

You send this guy Gatto to Sacramento -- so he can hang out with notorious homosexual activist Mark Leno and write legislation that will have a big, intrusive, government making outrageous laws about male genitalia for the entire population of California!!

Really!!??

Is that what I'm spending my tax dollars on?

You can read the press release from these disturbed lunatics below...

****************************

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (7/21)- Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-CA) announced today that he has introduced AB #768, a measure that would protect the rights of California parents to make decisions regarding the circumcision of their sons. Joining him were fellow State Senator Mark Leno (D-CA) and Majority Whip Fiona Ma (D-CA) at the North East Medical Services (NEMS) medical center in the Sunset. According to sponsors, the bill contains an urgency clause that would allow it to take effect immediately after passage. It would thus preempt municipal laws affecting circumcision, including the intiative that has qualified for the November ballot in San Francisco that seeks to ban the practice. A similar ballot initiative in Santa Monica has been abandoned for the moment.

In a press invitation to the media, it was stated,"Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) and Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) will be joined by Pediatrician Dr. Kenneth Tai at a Thursday press conference in San Francisco at the North East Medical Services community health center. They will discuss AB 768, legislation authored by Gatto and joint-authored by Ma whereby the state occupies the field of male circumcision, pre-empting local jurisdictions from enacting a patchwork of local regulations and/or bans. AB 768 has been introduced at the state level in response to efforts on the local level in some California jurisdictions, including a local San Francisco initiative attempting to outlaw circumcisions in San Francisco. A similar measure, H.R. 2400, by Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) has been introduced at the federal level. WHO: Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco and San Mateo Counties), Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) Pediatrician Dr. Kenneth Tai Also Invited: Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), and Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) WHERE: North East Medical Services, 1450 Noriega Street, San Francisco, CA 94122 (Cross Street 22nd Avenue) WHEN: Thursday, July 21, 2011 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m..."

"To enact an outright ban on an expression of personal, medical, and religious freedom is an affront to me and a majority of Californians," said Gatto. "Such municipal measures are an improper, frivolous use of the intiative process, and would result in a confusing patchwork of regulations across the state that would leave many Californians feeling unwelcome in certain cities..."

Dr. Kenneth Tai spoke about the medical benefits of circumcision, pointing out that "An estimated 60-80% of male patients have undergone the procedure. Not only does the procedure have religious and cultural aspects to its nature. Studies have shown that it reduces the rate of penile cancer, reduces the risk for STDs, but according to a recent study from South Africa the procedure also reduces the rate of HIV/AIDS transmission..." State Senator Mark Leno added, "My sister currently works for the World Bank. And in study after study, in over a dozen African nations, the first line of defense is circumcision...."

Mmebers of Intact America attempted to disrupt the press conference stating,“Many doctors say that they do circumcisions because parents request it. Under accepted bioethical principles, parents cannot give proxy consent for elective procedures. Just as physicians must, and do, refuse to surgically alter the genitals of a girl child, they should refuse to alter the genitals of a boy... Intact America believes the same human right to an intact body that currently extends to girls should be extended to boys. No reputable medical authority currently recommends routine neonatal male circumcision, which the American Medical Association calls "non-therapeutic...”

The proponents of the San Francisco ballot measure have circulated a comic book about circumcision that has been widely decried for its anti-Semitic imagery. According to Mark Gatto, "The stereotypes portrayed in the comic book are typical of something from 1911, and not something from 2011. Imagery and language like the type used in the comic are completely inappropriate in a political discourse... " Senator Mark Leno echoed those sentiments saying,"Clearly the 'Foreskinman' comic book contains anti-Semitic images. The fact that the national director of this campaign, Matthew Hess has not only kept these images on the campaign website, but has actively defended them is extremely disturbing... The depictions of Jews are straight from Nazi propaganda, with the villianous rabbi and the square-jawed Aryan hero out to rescue the helpless female character.... Images like this should be enough to bring concern to San Franciscans..."

Protesters defended their action, stating on their website, " It’s astonishing how comfortable physicians feel blaming parents for ‘insisting’ on circumcision for their sons. Would a doctor – a licensed professional who has taken an oath to do no harm to his or her patients – perform an unnecessary appendectomy on a child if a parent requested it? Would a doctor remove a baby girl’s genital labia, or pierce her hymen or clitoris, because a parent insisted? We know the answer to these questions is ‘no,’ yet doctors continue to circumcise baby boys, blame the parents, and perpetuate this senseless custom...”

Fiona Ma stated,"California cannot have a patchwork of extreme local laws that criminalize doctors for performing medical procedures. They are plenty of things that are against the law. And it takes all our resources to enforce those laws, It seems that making circumcision a crime is foolish, unenforceable, and a violation of religious and parental freedoms..."

AB #768 was recently amended and is expected to be heard in the California Senate's Judiciary Committee during the week of August 15th.

***********************************

Bachmann vs. Perry

One of my good friends, Stephen, called me yesterday to really chew me out over supporting Rick Perry for President over Michele Bachmann.

Stephen made the very good point that Michele Bachmann is 100% Conservative and should be my choice.

I agreed with him that Texas Governor Rick Perry had made some mistakes during his ten years as the leader of Texas, but I said that overall, I felt I could trust him.

I told Stephen that leadership isn't all about policies. Sometimes you look a person in the eye and decide in your gut if you trust them. Leadership also has some qualities that can't really be defined on paper.

Sure, Michele Bachmann has the right ideologies... but that alone is not enough.

She has never been an elected executive and it is unclear how she would govern....although I feel that I could trust her.

People like Sarah Palin and Rick Perry have already had every attack in the world thrown at them. There will be no more surprises. Bachmann, on the other hand, is an unknown quantity....with a bit of an oddball husband... and that worries me.

There are only three potential candidates that I feel can mobilize a national "army" of supporters to get them elected: Rick Perry, Sarah Palin, and Chris Christie. None of the three are running yet, but I think Perry and Palin both will go for it in 2012.

Stephen made a good point that ideologically, I should be with Bachmann. And don't get me wrong, I do love her. But the biggest factor is... Who can beat Obama in 2012?

I am extremely confident that Rick Perry can win.

I am not so sure Michele Bachmann could do the same.

West vs. Wasserman-Schultz (Round 1)

If you watch the above video, you will see Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz giving her opinion about not supporting a Republican bill called "Cut, Cap and Balance", which attempts to deal with Americas budget crisis by cutting spending.

Like all lunatic liberals and totalitarians, Wasserman-Schulz believes in the enslavement of certain productive sections of society in order to pay for the non-productive sections. It's Democratic dogma, and they will never give that up.

It seems that in the video she makes a passing reference to fellow Florida Congressman, Allen West. Although she doesn't mention him by name, West feels it was quite obvious she was speaking about him.

West was livid and sent the following email out to several Capitol Hill power players....

******************************

From: Z112 West, Allen
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 04:48 PM
To: Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Cc: McCarthy, Kevin; Blyth, Jonathan; Pelosi, Nancy; Cantor, Eric
Subject: Unprofessional and Inappropriate Sophomoric Behavior from Wasserman-Schultz

Look, Debbie, I understand that after I departed the House floor you directed your floor speech comments directly towards me. Let me make myself perfectly clear, you want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige. You are the most vile, unprofessional ,and despicable member of the US House of Representatives. If you have something to say to me, stop being a coward and say it to my face, otherwise, shut the heck up. Focus on your own congressional district!

I am bringing your actions today to our Majority Leader and Majority Whip and from this time forward, understand that I shall defend myself forthright against your heinous characterless behavior……which dates back to the disgusting protest you ordered at my campaign hqs, October 2010 in Deerfield Beach.

You have proven repeatedly that you are not a Lady, therefore, shall not be afforded due respect from me!

Steadfast and Loyal

Congressman Allen B West (R-FL)

**********************

Wests email hit the media, and became quite the sensation. Many of his followers were saluting him all over Facebook and Twitter for using the language he did in addressing Wasserman-Schultz. I agree with him that Wasserman-Schultz, like most Democrats, is "vile, unprofessional, and despicable"...but throwing around this type of language isn't going to help anything.

Now, to be quite honest, I think West kind of over-reacted here. Wasserman-Schultz barely mentions him at all. Clearly, there is some bad blood between them, as West makes reference to some event at his campaign headquarters in Oct 2010. I am not familiar with their personal conflict, but other political figures get criticized a lot worse than this. West appears to be a bit thin-skinned in this conflict.

Hell, I take a beating from Sunland Tujungas aspiring Totalitarian Strongman Joe Barrett on pretty much a weekly basis, but if you run for political office, you have to deal with detractors. It doesn't matter how oddly they may behave or act. It is part of the job requirement.

I called this blog post "West vs. Wasserman-Schultz" for a reason. I think there are unfinished issues between them, and it doesn't look like these two are going to be able to be cooperative anytime in the near future.

Expect more fireworks from them.

The Manchurian President

I have often referred to President Barack Obama here in my blog as "The Manchurian President".

For those of you who don't know, it is a play on words to the title of a 1962 Frank Sinatra movie called "The Manchurian Candidate". In the movie, Sinatra plays a U.S. soldier who is kidnapped along with several other soldiers during fighting in the Korean War, and taken to Manchuria. There, he and the others are brainwashed by Chinese Communists to commit political assassinations when they return to the United States. The psychological "trigger" to activate Sinatra as a "sleeper agent" and an assassin was for him to see the Queen of Diamonds playing card.

The film was clever, and interesting, but pretty much got scrubbed out of existence after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. After that happened, the film was considered "in poor taste" and few copies of it even exist now. But the concept of someone at the highest levels of power being a secret agent for the opposition has always fascinated writers and film directors.

One of my friends who is a liberal Democrat once pointed out to me that Barack Obama is the only candidate for President who was ever asked to produce his birth certificate. He said that it was racist and only happened because Obama is black.

I told him that I disagree with that opinion.

I told him that part of the reason is that there are public documents in Indonesia that state that Barack Obama is actually named "Barry Soetoro" and that he is a Muslim. Now to be quite honest, I think this paperwork exists only because Obamas step-father was a little embarrassed about his wife having previously had a child with another man, and he decided to cover it up by "fudging" the information on the school paperwork.

But the facts remain the facts.

Barack Obama is the only American President who has lived outside of the United States and conspired with people who are our enemies. Obama lived in Indonesia with his step-father and attended a Muslim school. He listened to years of indoctrination... that there is only one God, and his name is Allah. He was told by those in that faith that the killing of Christians and Jews is a perfectly acceptable practice, because the long term goal of Islam is the enslavement and domination of the entire world.

Now, to be fair, maybe Obama was able to shrug off this Muslim indoctrination.

But...what if he wasn't?

Saint Francis Xavier of the Jesuits had one of the most famous quotes in world history when he said ....

"Give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you the man."

Translation: Childrens formative years are the most crucial of all.

Is it possible that Barack Obama is a sleeper agent for the Muslims of Indonesia?

Is the Muslim call to prayer Barack Obamas own personal "Queen of Diamonds" activation trigger?

Probably not. I certainly hope that isn't the case.

But the fact that I even have to think about it upsets me greatly, and I am angry with the Democrats for making such an incredibly poor choice as Barack Obama as their ultimate leader.

For me, Barack Obama will always be The Manchurian President.

Congratulations to Japan!

I had kind of become interested in the Womens World Cup starting back in 1999 when the USA won it in a thriller at the Rose Bowl. Ever since then I've paid a little bit of attention. Usually getting more involved when they got closer to the finals.

This year I was surprised that Japan had beaten mighty Germany on their own home field. I decided to watch their match against Sweden, and I couldn't help but root for these scrappy, determined, small women who were trying to fight the Viking ladies who were much larger and more physical than they were. As it turned out, Japan used tactics and skillful passing to win that match. I was impressed and became a bit of a fan of what announcers called "The female Barcelona".

As an American, I wanted the USA to win, but I am not crushed by the loss. The Japanese really needed an emotional boost right now, after the recent tsunami killed 20,000 of their citizens.

Japan had never beaten the USA in 25 previous attempts.

You will probably never see another team ecstatic about having a 1-25 record against another team.

But these Japanese ladies will gladly accept that number.

Congrats to the Japanese Womens World Cup team.

World Champions.... and they deserve it.

A Peaceful Republic, or a Police State?

I was thinking about Judge Andrew Napolitano this week when I had to go to traffic court and pay a fine.

I had been ticketed for driving a large vehicle (over 6,000 pounds) on a restricted street. I pled no contest and was assessed a $225 total penalty. I am considering taking the City and State to Federal Court over this.

There used to be a situation where you were given a ticket, and they sent you a bill and you wrote a check. Now, in order to crank up the fines, they drag you into court and waste half your day and slap on a bunch of nonsensical judicial fees. The judge reduced my ticket to $35. The court system decided to make a hefty profit on my appearance... which is not what the courts are supposed to be doing.

Judge Napolitano makes a valid point here.

Are we a peaceful republic, or are we a police state?

Some of the other people in line with me at the cashiers window had some sad stories to tell.

$400 for not wearing a seat belt?

$600 for throwing a cigarette butt out a car window?

Insanity.

It's here. Carmageddon.

On Thursday, I decided to cut through the Sepulveda Pass on the 405. I hadn't been through there in a while, and I wanted to see what all the changes were that CalTrans is about to make. I didn't seem to be the only one. There was a lot of slow driving and a lot of people taking pictures.

It was interesting to see the prep work they had done for ripping things up and redesigning the lanes.

I also found the front page story about it in the LA Times very interesting.

The 405 freeway, as much as we hate it, has become a cultural touchstone for those who live in Southern California. If you live in the Valley, you have probably driven this route a thousand times.

I thought about all the odd things that had happened to me on the 405.

Once I had pulled up behind a stalled car and used my car to push them over the hill into the Valley.

Another time I had to swerve through the wreckage of an RV that had overturned and disintegrated.

I had to carefully drive around the stove, the shower...etc...

Back in the 90's, I was driving a taxi on the 405 near Mulholland and it caught on fire. I didn't want to get stuck there in that pass, so I kept driving all the way back to the company headquarters in Van Nuys, even though flames were shooting out from under the hood. I got a lot of odd looks from people that day.

Some other people were also feeling nostalgic. There were people at the intersection of Ventura and Van Nuys who were selling t-shirts with the 405 freeway symbol on them. I almost pulled over and bought one, but then I suddenly remembered.. "Wait a minute, I hate the 405!!" And the 405 is not going away, it is just getting a facelift.

I honestly don't think things will be all that bad.

The City has warned people for months.

I think Topanga Canyon, Beverly Glen, Coldwater Canyon, and Laurel Canyon will get a workout.

I think the 101 and 110 and the 5 will be busier than usual, but I think it will all work out.

Krekorian unleashed!!

If you haven't had the chance to see The Dark Lord up close at Los Angeles City Council meetings, you will have another opportunity today.

Except that today Council Member Paul Krekorian will be over 20 feet tall!!

(He will be appearing in movie theaters nationwide.)

Go on in and plunk down your $12.

Buy the ticket.

Take the ride.

You can tell your friends that you saw The Dark Lord at his most fearsome...

...(except for days when he is stealing your freedom in Los Angeles City Council Chambers...)

Sarah Palin inches closer to declaring her 2012 candidacy

Last night on the Sean Hannity program, Sarah Palin finally started giving some better hints as to her plans as to what she will do in the 2012 campaign. I have already stated (and wagered) that she is going to jump into the race.

She admitted that are "legal deadlines"...and by that I think she meant the deadlines for filing paperwork to get on the ballot in certain states. Iowa is a caucus state, so you don't technically even have to be on a ballot there... you just have to have your supporters ready, present, and vocal. New Hampshire is a different story, though...being an actual primary. I think the deadline for getting on the ballot there is the true deadline for Sarah Palin.

Last night Sarah also threw out the phrases "August or September" when referring to a time frame where a potential candidate would be forced to make a decision.

Sarah also used her powerful phrase "a servants heart" when referring to qualities needed for our next President. It's code talk for Christians, and the Fundamentalists and Evangelicals will come running to support her when she declares. There can be no doubt about that. This segment of voters is her strongest core of support.

Then you add the Newsweek cover story where she says "I can win"... and for me, this really takes a lot of the guesswork out of it. I have said it before. The tea leaves are getting obvious. She is running.

The #1 reason? Her husband wants her to.

She won't let him down.

Tragedy strikes Los Angeles: Janice Hahn elected to Congress!

A terrible tragedy has befallen the City of Angels.

Janice Hahn -- a Big Government Socialist with "spending issues" -- has been elected to the United States House of Representatives.

A woman who shows very little leadership, and who has few creative ideas has been made the elected choice of the voters in the 36th Congressional District.

Congresswoman Janice Hahn will head to Washington D.C. to replace the retiring Jane Harman.

Conservative candidate Craig Huey fell in this election by about 9%. But not a bad effort from the first time candidate. In fact, when this District gets re-apportioned, Huey might want to try again in 2012.

At least Hahn will no longer be able to do any more harm to voters in Los Angeles, who are often subject to the capricious whims of the maniacal, power-mad City Council.

One vote out of 435 doesn't hurt us nearly as much.

Vote Craig Huey today!!

Today is the day!! All you South Bay voters ....get out there and vote for Craig Huey!!

If you know anyone in the South Bay, call them and remind them to go vote!

Jane Barnett and the Republican Party of Los Angeles County have done a very good job of organizing volunteers and most of the precincts have been walked by Huey supporters.

I hope to be celebrating a victory with Craig Huey tonight...

Defeat Janice Hahn, Vote Craig Huey

It causes me great pain to say this but....

...I don't hate Janice Hahn.

I don't think she is a particularly good political leader. I don't think she has done anything notable or worthwhile in her term serving on the Los Angeles City Council. I am ideologically opposed to her because she is a Big Government Socialist who believes the government can solve all problems. (It can't)

But I don't hate her.

She is a nice enough lady who seems to be inadvertently offensive rather than outright offensive.

If Hahn wasn't a politician, she might have become a school teacher, or an attorney, or worked for a public relations firm. She doesn't seem like she has evil intentions...unlike her fellow Council Members like Richard Alarcon and Tony Cardenas, who have always seemed like they were pre-destined to wear orange jumpsuits.

Hahn has a decent shot to win her Congressional election tomorrow, but I will be pulling for her defeat. I am supporting businessman Craig Huey. I admire Hueys solid Conservatism. Huey also said some nice things about me on his voters website when I was running for Mayor. We have never met, but ideologically, I consider him to be a friend.

Hahn is actually ideologically to the left of retiring Congresswoman Jane Harman, who was what they call a "Blue Dog Democrat". A victory by Hahn would not change things much in Congress, but a victory by Huey would be a thunderous blow to the Democrats.

Judge Napolitano: The Federal Reserve is guilty of counterfeiting

Here is a clip of Judge Andrew Napolitano from his popular program on Fox called "Freedom Watch". Napolitano is always provocative because he often accuses the Federal Government of committing crimes.

In this clip he states that the Federal Reserve is guilty of counterfeiting our currency. I agree.

Our Federal Government is leading us on the road to ruin.

They need to be stopped.

No debt limit increase. We need spending cuts.

Bachmann soaring, Romney stumbling

Can this really be happening? New polls are saying that Michele Bachmann has literally caught Mitt Romney -- and in some polls, they actually have her leading.

Amazing.

I knew Romney was a bad candidate and that his support could evaporate quickly, but this is still stunning. Bachmann was in the single digits just a few weeks ago. The debate appearance in New Hampshire really turned things around for her.

Bachmann is the furthest to the right of any candidate in the field.

This is a good thing for Conservatives.

There is still time for other candidates to jump into the race, but that window is closing. We are seven months away from the Iowa Caucus, and if voters don't know you are running for President by now, you might not have enough time to persuade them by then.

Craig Huey gaining momentum

This video was shot on election night as Craig Huey shocked the experts and earned a runoff with Janice Hahn for the 36th Congressional District seat.

Ever since then, Craig has had an army of volunteers walking precincts and spreading his message of financial discipline and jobs growth. It seems to be working. Polls show that Huey is closing in on Hahn in these last few days left in the campaign.

Can Huey pull off the historic upset in a District that leans more Democrat than Republican?

Hahns crowd seems a bit nervous, even releasing a hit piece video against Huey...(more on that later)..

Craig Huey for Congress!!

Hopefully, we will be calling him "Congressman Craig Huey" in just a few days.

Janice Hahn hasn't done anything of value while serving on the City Council in Los Angeles. In fact, she has been an accomplice to some high crimes against the taxpayers.

Her support of a program handing over taxpayer money to violent gang members is starting to cause a whispering campaign against her in Congressional District 36....

2012 Presidential Odds (Updated)

I wrote a blog post back in March where I analyzed the 2012 Presidential Race. I correctly predicted that Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump were not going to be in the race, and they are not. However, I also said that Sarah Palin would be running for President, and as of yet she has not entered the race.

Several important things have happened in the last few months. Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump declined to run. Huckabees decision was quite puzzling because polls had him near the lead in the race for the 2012 GOP Nomination. But Huckabee decided he enjoyed being a TV show host and living a good life -- without all the headaches of running for the White House.

Donald Trump was making the biggest noises in the race for a while, until President Obama stuck a dagger in his back and actually produced a long form birth certificate, making Trump a bit sheepish and embarrassed over some of his wild claims. There are some in the Conservative camp who believe that Obamas birth certificate is a fake based on inconsistent typefaces....but I believe the President was born in Hawaii...and this line of attack really goes nowhere and is best forgotten.

Haley Barbour and Buddy Roemer both declined to run. With Huckabee, Barbour, and Roemer all out of the race, it leaves an opening for a Southern Conservative. Governor Rick Perry of Texas might be just the guy to take advantage of this opening.

President Barack Obama

The President is still defeating other candidates by slim margins at this point in most polls, however, this is not necessarily a good sign... as voters are not happy with the economy, joblessness, and high gas prices. Any two of those three issues can kill a Presidency all by themselves. All three in the mix might spell certain doom for Obama in 2012. However, Obama is the sitting President, and he is still the favorite in this race. The Democrats seem to be too gutless to run anyone against him in a primary.

Mitt Romney

Romney is the top candidate in the GOP. A fact that I'm not happy about, but a fact nonetheless. Romney has raised a ton of money and is near the top spot in most polls. However, Romney has a big anchor around his neck called "Romneycare" and the weight of it is starting to pull him down. Michele Bachmann has exploded out of the pack and is now only inches behind him in some polls. And that is without any of the Big 4 jumping into the race.

Michele Bachmann

The Congresswoman from Minnesota really put on a show at the New Hampshire debate, separating herself from the rest of the pack of candidates by using her style and charm and well-worded attacks on the policies of President Obama. Bachmann, to me, is the only good candidate the GOP is running at this point. She is a true Conservative who will vote against big government policies and I trust her more than I do any of the other candidates at this point. However, some segments of the GOP do not want her to be the candidate, and if Bachmann wins Iowa, (which is highly possible) all hell will break loose as the RINO segment of the party tries to drag some of the Big 4 into the race out of fear of Bachmann losing a general election to Obama.

The Big 4

There is a segment of candidates that I call "The Big 4" because of their power, prestige and national appeal. Any one of them could jump into this race and immediately soar to near the top of the poll rankings.

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey

Governor Rick Perry of Texas

Former Governor Jeb Bush of Florida

Former Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska

The two of the four in this category that I would call "somewhat unlikely" candidates would be Christie and Bush. Christie has repeatedly denied interest in running for the White House, but has an emotional appeal to many serious donors and campaign volunteers, all of whom seem to be hoping and praying that Christie jumps into the race. Conservative columnist and icon Ann Coulter has been banging the drum for Christie for quite some time. Bush has denied any interest in running, but a weak field may make him rethink his position.

The two that I suspect will actually run are Rick Perry and Sarah Palin. Governor Perry has the successful economic growth record of Texas to run on, and many in the party (myself included) think he is just the right guy to defeat Obama. Sarah Palin has never been one to run from a challenge. She may eventually jump into the race, but she needs to do it sooner rather than later, as voters are starting to commit to specific candidates now. Palin is a charismatic figure, but also quite polarizing. I predict that if she jumps into the race, she will do quite well, but she won't win. She will finish in second or third place.

Gingrich, Pawlenty, and the others...

Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty did reasonably well at the New Hampshire debates, but along with the rest of the candidates, they are losing ground right now. Pawlenty isn't even the best candidate from Minnesota right now, which does not help in a national contest. Most of these "other" candidates are struggling right now... and if Rick Perry or Sarah Palin jump into the race, it is pretty much over for them. Perry or Palin would suck up all the media attention and the other candidates will end up being lost and forgotten in the mix. The rise of Bachmann subtracts from all these other candidates, and as such, I am adjusting their odds downward.

NEW ODDS (as of 7-6-11)

Obama 6/5

Romney 4/1

Bachmann 8/1

Christie 8/1

Perry 10/1

Bush 15/1

Palin 15/1

Pawlenty 20/1

Gingrich 25/1

Cain 35/1

Paul 35/1

Johnson 40/1

Santorum 50/1

McCotter 50/1

Happy Birthday to President George W. Bush!!

Arrogant Villaraigosa: Laws Do Not Apply To Me

More troubling news today out of City Hall. Our arrogant, lawless Mayor continues to operate in a manner that is both criminal and unbecoming of an elected official. For about the one millionth time during his reign, he has basically given the voters the middle finger and told them that the laws do not apply to him, personally.

It is always a dangerous warning sign when your elected leaders start to feel as if they are above the law.

It leads to troubling consequences and eventually, shocking outcomes.

Most recently, Villaraigosa has decided to build a six foot wall around The Getty House, the Mayors official residence. So what, you say? It's just a wall, right? Not exactly.

There are several problems here....

1) There are already laws prohibiting this type of fence in Los Angeles. Other city residents, including many of those who live right next door to the Mayor there in Windsor Park, are not allowed to do the same thing.

2) Building this wall sends a horrible, horrible message that our City leaders are not willing to respect or live under the laws that they enforce on their citizens. Eventually, this is the type of thing that leads to public riots and revolutions. I'd like to know who the members are on this zoning commission that changed the rules specifically for Villaraigosa. I'd like them investigated to find out how much of their salary or power depends on Villaraigosas political party connections or power base.

3) This house does not belong to Villaraigosa! It belongs to the City of Los Angeles and was a gift from the Getty Family. Villaraigosa will be leaving office in only two years. Any particular architectural desires of his for this public property are irrelevant.

4) It makes him look petty, and scared. Tom Bradley lived in that house for 16 years and didn't need to build a big fence. Bradley lived through the L.A. riots and still didn't do it. Villaraigosa himself has lived there for six years without this addition.... but now, suddenly, it is a crisis?

We shouldn't be surprised by the continued poor behavior of this Mayor, a puppet of the labor unions who was shoehorned into a job he was completely unqualified for and eventually, unable to perform with any level of competence.

He went on to violate ethics laws by accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from companies who did business with the City, creating the appearance of graft and corruption.

Go ahead, Los Angeles. Let him build the fence.

It seems like there isn't much you care about anymore, anyway.

But I warn you, you have two more years left with this man in charge.

If you keep letting him do whatever he wants, you will eventually regret that decision.

56 Men

I hope most of you will take a few moments today to remember the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. It was a bold, daring move that immediately cast them as traitors to the King of England and put all of them in jeopardy of being hung if they were apprehended by British troops.

Our forefathers were rebels.

We need to be more like them, not less.

They didn't put up with any shit from the British. The Stamp Act started it all....the British said that they had the right to tax every piece of paper and every kind of document that existed. That didn't go over so well....and Revolution wasn't far off.

I think our forefathers would be a little embarrassed if they could see us today.

Many States vote in Congressman and Senators who want to take away our rights to own firearms.

And then you have a huge, aggressive Federal Government that says they have the right to control the entire medical industry....and many voters, for some odd reason, think that this is OK.

Our forefathers would never have dreamed of letting a government tell them what type of light bulb they could use.

Kevin De Leon is a Dangerous Lunatic

There are many depressing things about being involved in politics in Los Angeles County. The Socialist nature of the voters here, who prefer to be government dependents, leads to a lot of terrible people getting elected.

State Senator Kevin De Leon is a perfect example of this.

He wants to make light bulbs illegal.

He wants to make plastic bags illegal.

He wants to make mop handles illegal.

He wants to make broom handles illegal.

He wants to make bedsheets illegal!

He is also a dangerous gun-grabber and a mind-blowing hypocrite. He is willing to steal gun rights from private individuals, but wants to make sure government officials always have them. (So they can enforce their social tyranny on whomever they please...)

If you doubt any of the above statements...go check his website.

He will make it very clear to you exactly which freedoms of yours he wants to trample on.

Kevin De Leon is a dangerous lunatic.

He would fit right in with Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Moammar Ghaddafi, Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro and all the others.

Voters in his State Senate District need to get their heads examined.

Thaddeus McCotter for President?

Word on the street is that Michigan Congressman Thaddeus McCotter will jump into the Presidential race starting today. Interesting.

Do I like McCotter? Yeah, I do.

I had a chance to talk to him for a few minutes at CPAC 2010. He was very approachable and down-to-earth and didn't have a big staff of handlers trying to shoo people away from him. I liked that.

He's a good man and he would make a great President.

Do I think he will win? Probably not. He's getting a really late start when Romney and Bachmann are already getting about 23-24% support in the polls.

But he will make the race more interesting.

I loved his video "Speaking Democrat". (above)

Four More Years

Troubling times ahead for City residents as The Dark Lord was sworn in for another full term.

Krekorian is not done yet. It doesn't end on 7 - 15.

In fact, the worst part is just beginning.....