California Archives
This is a very large file. For the full smaller digest version, click here.Lawsuit challenging California in-state tuition for illegal aliens reinstated
From this:
A state appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit [Martinez v. Regents of the University of California, CV052064] challenging a policy that allows some illegal immigrants to pay lower in-state tuition to attend California's public colleges and universities.It's worth pointing out what the Associated press isn't being as clear as they should be regarding this issue: U.S. citizens were required to pay a higher rate than foreign citizens who are here illegally. That's a direct threat to the entire concept of citizenship.
The 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento said Monday that a lower court erred in dismissing the suit brought by 42 students who paid far more to attend college because they were out-of-state residents.
The University of California is looking into appealing the ruling.
Gavin Newsom: fines unless Frisco residents meticulously sort their trash
From this:Garbage collectors would inspect San Francisco residents' trash to make sure pizza crusts aren't mixed in with chip bags or wine bottles under a proposal by Mayor Gavin Newsom.Read the whole thing for much more, such as this handy chart showing what would go where. And, below the chart is Newsom's new theme song.
And if residents or businesses don't separate the coffee grounds from the newspapers, they would face fines of up to $1,000 and eventually could have their garbage service stopped...
California Department of Public Health backs away from Balkans ("Our Neighborhood, Our Rules")
One of the many ways the California Department of Public Health spends "their" money is on the "Network for a Healthy California" (cachampionsforchange.net), which operates a website promoting a healthy diet and which puts up billboards such as that seen here or in the following screengrab of this page cachampionsforchange.net/en/OurCommunity.php:
There are many things one could say about this effort and the billboard specifically, with nanny statism being the least concern. The main concern is that such billboards foster the belief that one group of people - specifically, one ethnicity - "owns" a neighborhood. Don't think that? Well, then imagine the "concern" if a billboard similar to the above used a white woman; wouldn't non-whites be more than a bit concerned and wouldn't they have a point?
As another example a new form of the billboard has been spotted using a less Balkans-oriented tag line: "My Kitchen, My Rules" (photo of a similar ad here). I spotted that billboard on Western around Pico on the edges of Koreatown; the area where it was spotted is a previously mostly black area now trending Latino, and the billboard featured a black woman. I doubt whether Latinos in the area would appreciate her image proclaiming it to be "her" neighborhood.
I don't think anything - except the absurdly easy task of completely discrediting the far-lefties in the California legislature - could be done about campaigns like this, but perhaps even the CDPH realized there are limits to far-leftism.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: don't blame illegal aliens for California budget woes
Continuing his descent into becoming a PC Democratic clown, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was asked today what he wants to do about the costs of illegal immigration on the state. He said blaming illegal aliens would be a "big mistake". How about we blame illegal immigration supporters - or passive enablers like Arnold himself - for their actions, which have indeed played a role in the state's financial difficulties? Unfortunately, whatever the original question was it wasn't subtle enough, enabling Arnie to basically engage in lawyerly obfuscation:
"There is, you know, always a time like this where you start pointing the finger at various different elements of what creates the budget mess, and, you know, some may point the finger at illegal immigrants... I can guarantee you, I have been now four years in office in Sacramento, I don't think that illegal immigration has created the mess that we are in."
It certainly hasn't "created" it, but it has played a role. And, if Arnie had fought those who support illegal activity - such as Fabian Nunez - instead of collaborating with them, he could have had an impact on both reducing illegal immigration and also with cleaning up Sacramento in relation to other matters.
Vote No on Prop 93 (bogus term limits proposition would keep Fabian Nunez, Gil Cedillo in office)
I urge all Californians to vote No on Prop 93, the term limits proposition. It's an obviously deceptive measure that pretends to limit term limits for legislators, but which in fact would allow people like Fabian Nunez, Don Perata, and Gil Cedillo to remain in office instead of being termed out.
In fact, if the proposition passes, Nunez could remain Speaker until 2014 and Perata Senate president until 2012. For more information, see the opposition site at stopprop93.com.
Those who will be termed out also include such worthies as Lloyd Levine, Paty Berg, Mervyn Dymally, Betty Karnette, Mark Leno, Sheila Kuehl, and Gloria Romero. A full list is in the PDF available here. Unfortunately, Tom McClintock would also be affected, but at least temporarily depriving the rest of their power is worth it.
Those who are pushing the proposition (link) include the CA Democratic Party, former governor Gray Davis, Rep. Barbara Lee, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, and various union, business, racial power, and environmental groups such as the Sierra Club of California. Needless to say, those groups have power over many of the legislators who would be affected.
Another pusher is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who offered "Reform term limits" (link) earlier this month and even appears in an ad for the measure (link). Oddly enough, he doesn't mention that the measure is obviously intended to deceive and would keep people like Nunez and Cedillo in power.
Related to that:
But state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, the only other Republican holding statewide office in California, suggested Schwarzenegger agreed to back Proposition 93 to get concessions from legislative leaders on other issues... "That's my conclusion after looking at all the facts I have," said Poizner, a wealthy former Silicon Valley businessman who has contributed $1.5 million of his own money to the anti-93 campaign. "I'm disappointed and not too surprised that in this type of environment that the governor got pushed into a corner where he thought he had to make this kind of a deal in order to make progress with legislative leaders." ...Schwarzenegger is seeking legislative support this year for a $14 billion health care reform plan, a constitutional amendment to change the state budgeting process and massive upgrades to the state's water system.
Fabian Nunez has healthcare activists arrested at California Capitol?
I haven't researched this, but Jamie Court of the "Foundation For Taxpayer and Consumer Rights" (and founder of an anti-Arnold Schwarzenegger site) says:Even I was shocked to hear that California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez directed the California Highway Patrol to prevent our consumer group and an uninsured Massachusetts teacher from speaking out inside the Capitol against mandatory health insurance. The Capitol's famous rotunda is routinely used for press conferences by lobbyists and politicians...UPDATE: Nunez spokesman Steven Maviglio - or at least someone using his name - posts in comments an alternative view of the incident. This doesn't appear to have been covered by the MSM, and no video is provided by Jamie Court.
Though they complied with the California Highway Patrol's order to leave the building, my colleagues Jerry Flanagan and Carmen Balber were later informed they are being written up for misdemeanors. They were also told our consumer group would not be able to speak to the press in the rotunda in the future. Nunez and the CHP will be hearing from our lawyers soon...
ArnieCare: budget busting universal healthcare in California (illegal aliens, Fabian Nunez, Don Perata)
Unlike, say, Grover Norquist, I'm not a reflexive opponent of some form of universal healthcare, at least on the face of it. But, as with other things there's frequently a hidden agenda, such as people pushing UHC who have wider goals. Does anyone think Arnold Schwarzenegger, Fabian Nunez, and Andy Stern of the SEIU (pictured right) are just humble albeit misguided progressive servants of the greater good?
And, there's the matter of corporatism, as those who are some degree of crook want everyone else to pay the full and true cost for their workers. And, of course, there's the insanity of providing a huge array of public services at the same time as allowing loose borders. And, there's the insanity of threatening to declare a fiscal emergency and then just a few days later having a vote on a massive UHC plan.
Yes, the insanity I'm discussing is in California, right now. From the 14th (link):
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will declare a state of fiscal emergency under never-before-used rules that would force lawmakers into a special session to address a $14 billion deficit. The governor, touring a hospital in Long Beach, said he will declare the emergency in January when lawmakers return from recess. Under the action, the Legislature would have 45 days to find ways to plug the shortfall, including cutting spending from the current budget.Flash forward to earlier today ("California Assembly approves plan to overhaul health care system", Tom Chorneau, link):
California's Assembly approved a landmark overhaul of the state's estimated $190 billion-a-year health care system Monday, setting the stage for a vote in the state Senate in the coming weeks.The problem is that a large part of that 6.8 million are illegal aliens who should not be here in the first place. And, by offering benefits, we'll attract even more people, leading to an even greater problem. By restricting benefits (as Proposition 187 tried to do), we can reduce the number of those who shouldn't be here. That will to a certain degree reduce consumer spending and the like, but overall it will leave more for U.S. citizens and those who are here legally. If the Legislature wants UHC, they should be responsible enough to try to reduce illegal immigration in California. And, that will make the sales job even easier, as people no longer have to guess whether those pushing this scheme are in one way or another agents of or at the least useful idiots for the Mexican government. Of course, whether people like Fabian Nunez, Gil Cedillo, and others really represent U.S. interests or Mexican interests is a very open question.
The proposal, which has the support of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as well as some key labor unions and a handful of big corporations, would require all Californians to have health insurance through their employers or government-sponsored programs, or to purchase it on the open market.
The new system, which also would require voter approval, would be financed by a new tax on hospitals, an increase in the tobacco tax, billions of new federal matching funds, and a tax on employers of up to 6.5 percent of their payrolls.
Supporters say the overhaul would reduce the cost of health care because most of the estimated 6.8 million uninsured residents, who now receive care at hospital emergency rooms, would get the benefit of regular doctor visits and preventive care once they were covered.
Whether he's playing a game or not, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata wants a study of the costs first, apparently specifically because it has to not only be passed by the Legislature and then signed by Arnie but also be approved by the voters.
I didn't read the whole bill since it's around half a meg of text. While some parts of it seem like they might restrict benefits to non-illegal aliens, others have the opposite effect (link):
...On and after July 1, 2009, children who otherwise meet eligibility requirements for the program but for their immigration status are eligible for the program.Note also that neither the SFGate article above, nor the Mercury News version from Mike Zapler (link), nor the Los Angeles Times version ("State Assembly backs healthcare for everyone" by Jordan Rau and Patrick McGreevy, link) mention anything about immigration.
...Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after July 1, 2009, a child who is otherwise eligible to participate in the program shall not be determined ineligible solely on the basis of his or her immigration status.
...An individual under the age of 19 years who would be eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits without a share of cost, if not for his or her immigration status, shall be eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal services under this section.
...To establish that the individual meets the immigration requirements under this section, the parent or caretaker relative shall sign under penalty of perjury an attestation that the individual is not described in any of the categories enumerated on the attestation for which federal financial participation for full-scope services is available.
Fabian Nunez: corporate donations to a charity funneled to his events
For an unknown reason, the Los Angeles Times is trying to get rid of Fabian Nunez. While I welcome this, I can't help but wonder why. The latest is here (via this):Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez used a small charity as a conduit to funnel almost $300,000 from companies and organizations with business in the Capitol to events that helped him politically.
By giving to the charity, the donors whom Nunez solicited earned tax deductions for which they would not have qualified had they given directly to Nunez's campaign accounts. They were also able to donate more than the $7,200 maximum allowed under California's campaign fundraising rules.
Those donors include Zenith Insurance Co., AT&T, Verizon Communications Inc., the California Hospital Assn., the state prison guards union, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and Blue Cross of California -- all groups with high stakes in legislation.
The money was used for events including "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Toy Drive," "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Soccerfest 2006," "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Inaugural Legislative Youth Conference" and airplane flights for 50 children from Nunez's district for "Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's Sacramento Student Summit," according to state documents...
Even California Nurses Association turns on Fabian Nunez (wife's conflict of interest)
From this:The California Nurses Association demanded Tuesday that Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez abstain from voting on health-care legislation because his wife works for a nonprofit agency bankrolled by the hospital industry.Hillary Clinton campaign co-chair Nunez must no longer be useful to those in power, or perhaps they're Obama supporters who are trying to make Hillary's campaign more difficult. Just recently, the Los Angeles Times - usually a staunch ignorer of malfeasance by Democrats, especially former MEChA members - has run negative articles on him, as have the AP and the Sacramento Bee.
"Californians can no longer trust that he will represent the public interest and not the financial interest of a large industry that has put his wife on their payroll," Zenei Cortez, spokeswoman for the association and for the National Nurses Organizing Committee, said in a written statement Tuesday.
The Bee reported Tuesday that Nunez's wife, Maria Robles, was hired at a six-figure salary in January to serve as president of Californians for Patient Care, a Sacramento-based nonprofit agency that receives nearly all its funding from the California Hospital Association...
Fabian Nunez shares luxury downtown L.A. penthouse with fundraiser Dan Weitzman
From this:State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez shares a luxury downtown penthouse with a prominent fundraiser [Dan Weitzman] who has collected nearly $600,000 in fees and expenses from Nunez's political committees and the state Democratic Party since 2005.A map of the 46th Assembly District is here. It's surprising that he choose a luxury downtown penthouse (what he calls a "loft") instead of such glamorous locations as Pico-Union, South L.A., Maywood, Huntington Park, or the industrial paradise known as Vernon. Maybe it's just because Cudahy is outside of his district.
State law places no restrictions on legislators living with friends or fundraisers, but some government watchdog groups say such arrangements can raise potential conflicts because of the proximity of political power and contributors' money.
Nunez, a Los Angeles Democrat and one of the state's most powerful dealmakers, pays $1,000 of the $4,325 rent to live part-time in the loft-style penthouse in his district, which has 20-foot ceilings and jetliner views...
Fabian Nunez runs from reporter (questionable luxury expenditures)
Last week, the LAT reported on lavish expenditures by California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (also a Hillary Clinton campaign co-chair). Now, oddly enough, Miriam Hernandez of KABC-TV tried to ask him about those luxury purchases. However, Nunez apparently didn't want to talk and she ended up following him down a hallway and being held back by security: link.
From last year and along the same lines:
Fabian Nunez denies making racist speech (Prop. 187)
Fabian Nunez' questionable expenditures (luxury foreign hotels, goods)
California Assembly speaker and Hillary Clinton campaign co-chair Fabian Nunez must be on the outs with the Politburo, because the Los Angeles Times offers "Nunez travels the world like a high-roller" (link):[...his spending] includes $47,412 on United, Lufthansa and Air France airlines this year; $8,745 at the exclusive Hotel Arts in Barcelona, Spain; $5,149 for a "meeting" at Cave L'Avant Garde, a wine seller in the Bordeaux region of France; a total of $2,562 for two "office expenses" at Vuitton, two years apart; and $1,795 for a "meeting" at Le Grand Colbert, a venerable Parisian restaurant.
...Other expenses are closer to home: a $1,715 meeting at Asia de Cuba restaurant in West Hollywood; a $317 purchase at upscale Pavilion Salon Shoes in Sacramento; a $2,428 meeting at 58 Degrees and Holding, a Sacramento wine bar and bistro; and $800 spent at Dollar Rent a Car in Kihei, Hawaii.
...Given a list of 99 entries culled from his campaign finance filings, however, Nunez's staff refused to show how the expenditures were related to California government or politics...
..."There's not too big a difference," [Nunez] said, "between how I live and how most middle-class people live."
...He received a total of $1.9 million in 2005 and 2006 from unions, corporations and others with a perennial stake in legislative business. They include $17,300 from AT&T and Verizon, phone companies that pushed Nunez legislation allowing them to compete against cable television companies, and $2,500 from a group of pharmaceutical companies affected by a Nunez bill to create a prescription drug discount program.
The State Building and Construction Trades Council of California donated $5,000 in February 2006, one day before a bill it sponsored was introduced in the Assembly.
The state Democratic Party, which unlike officeholders can raise unlimited sums, transferred $4 million to Nunez's campaign account last November.
...Similarly, the tax-exempt William C. Velasquez Institute, a policy think tank focused on Latino issues, paid $6,169 toward Nunez's 2005 trip to France and Sweden to study universal preschool. The institute also helped finance Nunez's trip to France in April to study high-speed rail, according to institute President Antonio Gonzalez...
Contact Arnold Schwarzenegger re: Gil Cedillo's financial aid for illegal aliens bill
California state senator Gil Cedillo - sometimes called "One Bill Gil" due to his constant attempts to pass a bill giving driver's licenses to illegal aliens - actually has come up with a multitude of bills designed to give benefits to those who are here illegally. The latest now sits on Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk, awaiting his possible signature.
SB 1 (link) would allow illegal aliens to receive "non-competitive" financial aid for college. Those covered under the "Competitive Cal Grant A and B award program" are not included, but the term "non-competitive" is misleading since every dollar spent on giving such financial aid to illegal aliens could be spent on giving aid to U.S. citizens. That's certainly a difficult choice, but the only way to avoid such choices is to stop incentivizing illegal immigration in addition to encouraging illegal aliens to return to their home countries.
According to this, Arnold hasn't yet made up his mind; he veteod the last try and said the following:
"California has over 100,000 students here legally who apply annually for financial aid to attend college, and our state has limited funds available for this important purpose."
You can send Arnold a FAX here, or just call 916-445-2841.
California dentists welcome new mandatory dental exams for kindergarteners
California has a new law mandating dental exams for kindergarteners in public schools. But, it has "few teeth" (ouch!), Barbara Feder Ostrov of Mercury News "reports" (link).Children will not be barred from school if they do not get the checkup. Parents who can't afford the exam, lack insurance coverage or simply do not want their child's dental health evaluated can sign a waiver to opt out of the requirement. And because the law does not require treatment of problems identified during screenings, some critics believe it will do little to get poor or uninsured children the dental care they need.It's good to hear them say that, since (at least according to this), the California Dental Association "sponsored" the legislation from Assemblymen Bill Emmerson and John Laird. They've even got a helpful page at their site describing the new law.
Yet dentists remain hopeful that the new rule will help improve the oral health of California's schoolchildren, noting that tooth decay in some kids can be so severe and painful that it keeps them from learning or even eating properly.
After the excerpt above, "reporter" Ostrov backs up their claims with studies and then directs readers to the CDA's site for more information.
What she doesn't do is contact anyone who might wonder about what links the CDA has to those who sponsored or voted for this legislation. "Following the money" is so old skool, dontcha know.
Hillary co-chair Fabian Nunez gets $2 million to keep him in office
From this:A California legislator who is national co chair of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign has secretly exceeded contribution limits by having special interests - with laws before him - donate hefty sums to a ballot measure that will keep him in office longer.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a Democrat and well-known figure of the La Raza pro illegal immigration movement, has found a creative way to violate state laws that restrict political donations to $7,200 by instead having millions contributed to his top cause; a bill that will actually rewrite California's term-limit law to allow him to serve another six years in the legislature.
If the law doesn't pass, Nunez will be termed out of office in 2008 and if it does he will serve another six years. This is why deep-pocketed special interest groups—including corporations, unions, utilities and gambling enterprises--have bankrolled his coveted ballot measure by donating nearly $2 million to help it succeed...
Fabian Nunez: LAPD officers set out to do "target practice" on "immigrants"
California Assembly Speaker and Hillary Clinton co-chair Fabian Nunez, speaking about the MacArthur Park mini-riot, says today:"There are no excuses, a simple apology is not going to suffice... To say we are outraged is an understatement. We want those responsible in the highest levels of the LAPD to pay consequences."What he said yesterday is far, far worse:
[Nunez] said police deliberately led troublemakers back to the peaceful marchers before beginning their assault.If you assume as I do that Nunez simply represents Mexico and its citizens, everything he says and does makes perfect sense.
"The only logical conclusion I can come to is that somebody wanted it to bleed into the march so that they can do some target practice on some of the immigrants that were marching," Nunez said.
Related:
AVWatch: Villaraigosa promoting allegedly Mexico-linked group
Generous: Mexico might pay part of UHC for Mexicans in California!
The San Francisco Chronicle's Tyche Hendricks offers "Mexico's health czar seeks better care for Mexicans in California". The new Felipe Calderon administration is developing a system of universal health care and they want to extend it to their citizens living in California. And, in a wonderful sign of generosity, they might pay part of the bill!How very, very kind of them. Of course, it might be just a tad kinder if they would encourage their citizens who are here illegally to return home, but baby steps and all.
Mexico's new secretary of health [Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos] visited San Francisco on Monday to learn about the health needs of the millions of Mexican immigrants living in California and to further collaborate with state officials to meet those needs.Later on, Gutierrez utters cheap labor pimp-style comments, with scare tactics provided by "Xochitl Castaneda, director of the Health Initiative of the Americas, a project of the California Policy Research Center in the office of the UC president".
...The former hospital chief and medical school director from the state of Guanajuato said he plans to meet every six months with U.S. health officials and Mexican immigrant communities to create a basic health care plan to cover Mexicans in the United States and eventually extend to them a system of universal health care that is being developed by the Calderon administration...
...Cordova's visit this early in the Calderon administration means Mexico may intend to share the health care burden, said [Mario Gutierrez, director of rural health programs at the California Endowment], whose foundation is trying to help craft a basic health insurance policy for Mexican immigrants whereby each worker would pay for insurance jointly with his or her employer and the Mexican government...
...Cordova countered [criticisms that Mexico is always trying to rip us off] that both countries are responsible and that U.S. employers who hire Mexican workers also should provide them health coverage.
"The responsibility is shared. They're here but they're ours. Right now, the care is insufficient," Cordova said.
CA School Superintendent Jack O'Connell is a politically-correct fool
Speaking on the John Ziegler radio program some months ago, California School Superintendent Jack O'Connell sang the "diversity is our strength" song, but also mentioned that students from a certain ethnic background don't place a high premium on female education. Despite bring pressed a few times, he refused to give a hint as to which group he was refering to.He's still humming past failure:
O'Connell also waded into the immigration issue Tuesday [in a talke with the editorial board of the NC Times], saying public schools are required by law to educate any school-aged child in the state, regardless of immigration status.I'm no education expert, and I fully realize that many "studies" are simply stories fashioned around an agenda, and I realize that other factors may be involved, but it didn't take much work to find out that we've got a major problem.
"Twenty-five years ago there was a federal court decision that said, 'They're here,' " O'Connell said, emphasizing the federal mandates that require the state to provide a free, equal and appropriate public education for all.
Educating every student, regardless of origin, is not only required by law, but it's good for the state, O'Connell said.
"There's a reason we are the sixth- or seventh- largest economy in the world as a state, and that is our diversity," O'Connell said. "I think that's a strength."
In the "Smartest State" chart, CA is at #47, in the friendly company of Nevada, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, Alaska, and Louisiana.
Another study was more favorable: CA was only at #34. The 2003 "National Assessment of Educational Progress" apparently didn't rank other states, but doesn't give CA high marks.
Continuing his idiocy:
One of the best ways to meet the needs of minority students in cities such as Oakland and Los Angeles where "more than 100 languages are spoken" is to hire minority teachers from the same background, O'Connell said.Of course, that will also have the effect of retarding assimilation, as well as helping create race-, ethnicity-, and country or state of origin-based centers of political power, but don't expect O'Connell to either be able to figure that out or to oppose it.
"If you want to understand the culture, the traditions, the language, the buying characteristics of those countries, hire people from there --- and they're already here," O'Connell said.
Related:
20% of California high school seniors can't pass junior high test
"English-immersion foes hold children back"
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians oppose driver's licenses, Arnold's healthcare for illegal aliens
The Public Policy Institute of California has released a statewide survey (link), and some of their findings are questionable due to a lack of specificity in the questions. And, some of the finding have been spun:
While political reform dominates conversation in the state capitol, Californians say immigration (19%) is the most important issue facing the state today, followed by jobs and the economy (13%), and education (12%). Despite their concerns about immigration, a majority of residents (60%) also believe immigrants are a benefit to the state because of their hard work and job skills, while one-third (33%) say they are a burden because of their use of public services.
It bears repeating that to the respondents, immigration is the #1 issue. Unfortunately, this is where their linguistic laxity starts to play a role.
Looking at the PDF (ppic.org/content/pubs/survey/S_307MBS.pdf), we see that the 19% number was apparently a free-form question allowing people to supply their own answer to the question "First, thinking about the state as a whole, what do you think is the most important issue facing people in California today?" In the top spot is "immigration, illegal immigration"; one wonders why they didn't break that out into two figures. The answer is probably because they were using codes for various answers and, as revealed elsewhere, they seem unable to grasp the differences between legal and illegal immigration.
See, for instance, another question which is referenced in the second paragraph above:
Please indicate which statement comes closest to your own view—even if neither is exactly right: [rotate] [1] Immigrants today are a benefit to California because of their hard work and job skills [or] [2] Immigrants today are a burden to California because they use public services.
Obviously, this is a fundamentally stupid question. It combines different types of immigration into one amorphous whole, and it assumes that the question is only one of financial matters rather than other issues such as the associated political corruption and such.
Then:
Should immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally be allowed to apply for work permits which would allow them to stay and work in the United States, or shouldn’t they be allowed to do that?
64% said yes, but I wonder whether this question could have been phrased better, such as by using "illegal aliens" rather than leading with "immigrants" then revealing they're here illegally.
The language in the previous question is a bit different from two others:
Do you favor or oppose providing health care coverage for illegal immigrants in California?
43% favor, 53% oppose.
Would you favor or oppose state legislation allowing illegal immigrants to get a California driver's license?
43% favor, 54% oppose.
Schwarzenegger may sign Nunez, Perata Protection Act (February primary)
The California Assembly has approved a bill that would move the presidential primary to February 2008. As previously discussed, this will also allow a proposition to appear on the ballot that will extend term limits for such worthies as Fabian Nunez and Don Perata. Arnold still needs to see the final bill, but he's indicated his support in the past. If you'd like to suggest that Arnie's in the wrong party, give him a jingle: 916-445-2841
Sen. Bob Dutton pulls out of $500 newborns savings accounts bill
Following an appearance on yesterday's John and Ken Show on KFI, Sen. Bob Dutton has dropped his name from Senate Bill 752. That would have given each newborn in California a $500 savings account:
"Over the last 48 hours, thousands of Californians have asked me what I was thinking so I thought I would take this opportunity to share my thoughts."
Indeed. He also references the federal version of the bill and says:
Just yesterday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke voiced his support for similar accounts by saying "To the extent that we can help people learn about how to save, how to budget, we are doing a great service."
Darrell Steinberg, Bob Dutton: give every child born in California $500 (anchor babies, bank boondoggle)
California Senators Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga) have introduced a bill that would given every child born in California from 2008 on a savings account with an initial deposit of $500 (AP link). The two Senators are either very high or very corrupt, perhaps both.
First of all, the program is open to every child, and makes absolutely no distinction as far as residency, citizenship status, or the like. While people from Korea probably aren't going to spend $1000 on a plane ticket to come here just for $500, this will reduce the costs of such birth tourism. And, needless to say, the government of Mexico is probably printing up comic books as I type showing their citizens how to take advantage of Steinberg/Dutton's largesse.
And, it doesn't take much to see where we might also "follow the money": what type of business makes money when the state deposits close to $300 million per year? Hint to the AP: it's not mattress manufacturers.
If any citizen journalists want to make a name for themselves, look into whether Steinberg and Dutton (or NAF; see below) have received donations or have links to the banking industry.
The program does have some restrictions: they probably can't get at the money until they reach 18, at which time they can only spend it on good things (not crack or anything): an education, a house, or funding a retirement account. However, none of those have to be in California.
This bill appears to have been pushed by the CFR-linked New America Foundation; one of their fellows is Gregory Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Times. Whether he's involved is not known, but this NAF page identifies another fellow, Anne Stuhldreher, as "a key player in sponsoring the legislation" and another person quoted is "Ray Boshara, New America Foundation Vice President and Director of the Asset Building Program". They also state:
Legislation that would implement KIDS Accounts throughout the U.S. is currently pending in Congress. Known as the ASPIRE Act, the federal bill is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers that the New America Foundation works closely with.
The latest version of that I could find is H.R.1767 and S.868, both from 2005.
The California bill is SB 752 (link), and these are the only requirements:
There is hereby established in the State Treasury the California Kids Investment and Development Savings (KIDS) Account for every child born in California on or after January 1, 2008.
There's nothing else in there regarding residency or legal status.
The bill also race-baits and tries to trigger guilt reflexes:
Across the country, one-quarter of Caucasian children and one-half of non-Caucasian children grow up in households without any significant savings or resources available for investment.
Shouldn't that be "Caucasian-American"? And, it contains unclear language:
An individual who is 18 years or older may withdraw funds from the account for the following purposes
Which "individual" and which "account" they're refering to isn't clear. That's certainly a minor point and will probably be cleared up, but it helps illustrate their muddled thinking.
The principal coauthors are: Dean Florez and Jenny Oropeza in the Senate and Patty Berg, Dave Jones, Ted Lieu, and Tony Mendoza in the Assembly.
I'll outsource discussing the idiocy in the rest of the bill to others, but I'd suggest using the points highlighted above to drive the idiots involved in this out of office.
UPDATE: Bob Dutton has dropped his name from the bill.
Posted at 12:22 AM | Comments (0)
California presidential primary to help reelect incumbents like Nunez and Peralta
The California legislature is trying to move the presidential primary in the state from June 3 to February 5, 2008. That ballot will have two propositions. The first is from Arnie Schwartzenegger and concerns redistricting; presumably it's similar to his earlier proposal.
The second would extend term limits for our wonderful incumbents and would do so before a March 2008 deadline, thus allowing people such as Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to continue their reigns.
Details here:
Essentially, California would have no real elections over the next four years, because we would have the same people running in the same districts where there is no competition.
UPDATE: For some unknown reason, I've thrice misspelled his name. It's Don Perata.
Posted at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)
Rudy Giuliani: Schwarzenegger is a "progressive leader"
Yesterday His Weirdness, aka former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, spoke in Silicon Valley and said:...Giuliani praised [Arnold Schwarzenegger], calling him a "progressive leader."As you might have surmised, the "reporter", Jason Bennert of the Bay City News Service, did a fine job transcribing Juliani's remarks. However, not a single question he asked of the candidate is noted, so one can assume none was asked.
"I generally agree with Governor Schwarzenegger," Giuliani said...
...On immigration, Giuliani said while the country needs to ensure that terrorists, drug dealers and other criminals are not entering the country we should not be driving law-abiding immigrants away.
"The worst problem would be . . . if you're the country that nobody wants to come to,'' Giuliani said...
If Bennert had decided to do some real reporting, he could have informed Rudy that there's a multi-year line to get into the U.S. legally, and we're at absolutely no risk whatsoever of running out of applicants. And, he could have also informed Rudy that his plan to legalize millions of illegal aliens would make their situation even worse and also allow those former illegal aliens to cut in front of the citizenship line ahead of those prospective legal immigrants.
Posted at 05:59 AM | Comments (0)
Pandering in vain: "Latinos" angry at Schwarzenegger remarks
During last year's campaign the L.A. Times somehow obtained tapes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the state has recently released a full set. Among other topics, Arnie discusses immigration and states his opposition to the border fence (comparing it to the Berlin wall of course) and his support for a "path to citizenship", known in the real world as a massive amnesty. Now, the LAT is trying to make hay ("Latinos lob a few words at governor", Anna Gorman, link). They discuss his immigration-related remarks, get the opinions of pro-illegal immigration advocates, and don't disclose that one of those quoted has a link to the Mexican government and another quote source allegedly has such a link.Here's some of Arnie's quotes:
"I made an effort [at assimilation]. But the Mexicans don't make that effort."While it's certainly not true that all "Mexicans" aren't trying to assimilate, it's certainly true of a large number and a larger percentage than other groups. And, the very fact that they could be called "Mexicans" rather than "Mexican-Americans" is indicative of that lack of assimilation. And, given the large numbers of immigrants from that country, isn't that something that - if we wanted to be grown-up stewards - we should have a PC-free discussion about?
...At one point, to illustrate immigrants' lack of assimilation, he described a shopping mall in Lynwood called Plaza Mexico.
"Literally I felt I was in Mexico City," he said. "Everyone only spoke Spanish, every shop was in Spanish, every sign was in Spanish. They create a Mexico within California."
And he compared the United States with a home where some guests help out and others don't.
"Look, you want to come in here as a guest ... then behave as if you are a guest," he said. "But what do we see in return? We see protesters carrying the Mexican flag... And stepping on the American flag and speaking in Spanish and talking about, 'We are here, and we're going to stay.'"
Of course, the Los Angeles Times and Hispanic "leaders" aren't interested in that grown-up discussion, prefering instead to throw a fit in an attempt to head off further debate:
"His comments were highly offensive and outrageous," said Assembly Assistant Majority Leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). "It's just mind-blowing that he continues to put his foot in his mouth."Perhaps Spanish-language newspapers with an occasionally anti-American agenda aren't exactly the best source. Perhaps the L.A. Times should look a bit closer at whether they want to promulgate the thoughts of those sources instead of fighting against their positions.
If Spanish-language newspapers and radio are any guide, others were angered as well. The headline on one La Opinion piece this week: "Governor attacks Mexicans."
Even a former campaign aide weighed in. "Those comments are disturbing to many of us," said Arnoldo Torres, who worked for the governor during last year's reelection campaign and is a former political advisor to the League of United Latin American Citizens...It's great to know that Arnie's plain-speaking has been stifled. Of course, as readers of this site know - but as readers of the LAT aren't told - Torres also serves on an advisory council to the Mexican president. He's even listed on a Mexican government web site. If the LAT had any journalistic standards, they would mention that highly material fact.
"We take solace in this one thing — that those comments were made in April and that they will not be made again, in public or in private."
"Integration is in the eye of the beholder," said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "Somebody might say that because of his accent, the governor hasn't integrated fully."Of course, what the Los Angeles Times forgot to do is verify whether or not CHIRLA has collaborated with the Mexican government as alleged at the link above.
Salas added that the governor should be "more careful about what he says about the very people who are sustaining the economy."
"He needs to be much more appreciative of all the opportunities he himself has had as an immigrant," Salas said, adding that not everyone becomes a movie star or marries a Kennedy.
They also quote DJ Eddie "El Piolin" Sotelo and State Sen. Gloria Romero.
Please write readers.rep *at* latimes.com with your thoughts.
UPDATE: I didn't see this before, but the LAT published a transcript of Arnie's remarks in this PDF file. As pointed out here, his remarks are more thoughtful than the L.A. Times' cherry-picking would suggest. Clearly, their goal was to stifle rather than encourage debate of this issue.
Posted at 10:45 AM | Comments (3)
Schwarzenegger: corporatism for corrupt growers
California's Mexico-linked governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has shown himself to be a true humanitarian:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Tuesday that Escondido would get one of several temporary "one-stop" assistance centers aimed at helping agricultural workers who may have lost their jobs because of freezing temperatures that have hit the state... Darrel Ng, a spokesman for the governor, said the assistance centers would help farm, nursery and field workers sign up for unemployment benefits, find other work, get food stamps and find health care assistance, if they had lost their jobs...
What a humanitarian! I'm sure this has absolutely nothing to do with him attempting to keep a workforce for corrupt growers around, rather than (for instance) Mexico stepping in and offering to repatriate their citizens who are here illegally. Politically-connected growers - such as those who accompanied Arnie on his Big Trip to Mexico - no doubt had nothing to do with this gesture, and this is not an example of corporatism with a smiley face.
Of course, if our media worked, they might look into the connections that Arnie and the Bush administration have to growers, they might reveal which growers went with him on his trip, and they might ask the Mexican government what they intend to do to help their citizens (see, for instance, "California freeze leaves migrant farm laborers out of work and money", link).
Posted at 05:03 AM | Comments (0)
Schwarzenegger: aid for illegal alien farmworkers
Mexico-linked "centrist" Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared that farmworkers affected by the recent freeze in the Central Valley - including those here illegally - will be receiving state aid:
"Everyone will get help [a massive aid package but not including unemployment]... We are not here collecting immigration statuses."
What a humanitarian! Say, did you know that Arnie's Big Trip to Mexico included California growers whining about the lack of plentiful cheap labor? Did you know that neither the SacBee nor any other "news" source I could find disclosed who those growers were or their affiliations? That way, we don't know whether one of them was the politically-connected Luawanna Hallstrom or one of the many other politically-connected growers. And, because of this malfeasance on the part of the AP and others most people aren't going to figure out that Arnie's probable goal with his latest giveaway to Mexican citizens has much more to do with helping corrupt growers profit from illegal immigration than from humanitarianism.
Then, we get this charming news:
In winter months, the citrus industry provides thousands of jobs in Fresno County, which employs more farmworkers than any other California county, according to federal statistics. But even during a normal year, about 40 percent of farmworkers in the county risk going hungry during the winter, according to the California Institute for Rural Studies.
Of course, it's a bit difficult to take the word of what is no doubt a far-left, pro-illegal immigration organization. However, I have little doubt that they aren't far off.
And, that situation is what Arnie and his grower friends really support.
Posted at 09:10 PM | Comments (2)
"Arnold's gross dishonesty" (a "fee" or a "tax"?)
As discussed here, Arnold Schwarzenegger ran on a "no new taxes" platform and accused Phil Angelides of never meeting a tax he didn't want to implement. Now, the new "centrist" Arnie wants to finance his healthcare-for-all (including illegal aliens) scheme using a set of what he calls "fees". They are, in actual fact, "taxes". While it's not discussed at that link, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (site) has said that they might sue to get Arnie to use the correct language.
Posted at 10:51 AM | Comments (1)
Arnie now taking role too seriously
From the prepared version of Arnold Schwarzenegger's state of the state address:
"I believe that together not only can we lead California into the future...we can show the nation and the world how to get there. We can do this because we have the economic strength, the population, the technological force of a nation-state. We are the modern equivalent of the ancient city states of Athens and Sparta. California has the ideas of Athens and the power of Sparta... One year ago I unveiled the 200 billion dollar plan that prepared California for the next ten years. We are a big state and we have big needs. And we made a big down payment. But the job is not finished..."
Memo to Arnie: this is not San Marcos. Sit down, let the painkillers wear off.
Immigration matters underlie much of what he discussed, yet there is not a single mention of the word "immig*". And, our "big needs" total around $43 billion.
Posted at 10:23 PM | Comments (1)
Who benefits from Arnold Schwarzenegger's "health care for illegal aliens" plan?
Arnold Schwarzenegger - California's Bush-resembling, Mexico-pandering, Rove/Kennedy/Mexico-linked governor - wants to give health care to all children in California, including illegal aliens.
It sounds humanitarian, but it isn't. It will make our situation far worse by encouraging even more illegal immigration. It will transfer even more money from U.S. citizens to Mexican citizens and give a huge benefit to the Mexican government, which won't have to take care of their own citizens as a grown-up country should. And, it will also be a huge benefit to those who employ the parents of those illegal aliens. Those corrupt companies will be able to pay even less, safe in the knowledge that benefits will be provided by the state ("corporatism").
The better solution would be for Arnie to restrict his program to U.S. citizens and legal residents and at the same time working to reduce - rather than increase - illegal immigration. Since he's getting advice from someone linked to the Mexican government as well as from at least two people linked to the Bush administration, that might be a bit difficult. But, perhaps Arnie should read his contract again and try to understand who he's supposed to represent.
Expect anyone who opposes this scheme to be portrayed as a meanie, but hopefully they can rise above the smears and articulate the negatives of Arnie's scheme.
The article provides the almost unbelievable news that an earlier plan from Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) excluded illegal aliens. However, as one might expect, a plan from Fabian Nunez included them.
UPDATE: FAIR says:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to provide health coverage to every child in California, including illegal aliens, could leave the state liable for untold billions in unforeseen costs in the future, warns the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The conservatively estimated cost of $400 million a year could easily balloon to many times that figure. Costs will grow as the numbers of illegal aliens in California increase and may rise even more dramatically as legal residents of other states take advantage of a federal law that requires that state benefits made available to illegal aliens must be made available to all legal U.S. residents...
Posted at 11:47 AM | Comments (1)
Arnold Schwarzenegger: plum jobs, patronage for cronies
This AP article is a bit biased and might be missing key information, but in this case I'll give them a pass.Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed or assigned dozens of staff members this year to high-paying jobs elsewhere in state government -- some of them to six-figure posts he once said were a waste of taxpayer money and should be eliminated.In other Arnie news, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Latino outreach director serves on an advisory panel for the Mexican president.
An Associated Press investigation of Schwarzenegger's staff turnover after last year's disastrous special election revealed that he moved 40 people to other state positions, and at least half of them saw their salaries increase, some by more than $30,000 a year.
Schwarzenegger also gave six former staffers jobs with state boards and commissions he previously tried to dismantle...
Posted at 11:55 AM | Comments (2)
Arnoldo Torres, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Latino outreach director
The largely wrong and illogical article "Schwarzenegger gains among Latinos" by Aurelio Rojas will be featured here later, but for now consider this interesting snippet:Arnoldo Torres, the Schwarzenegger campaign's Latino outreach director who briefed him before the July 24 meeting [with La Opinion], praised the governor for acknowledging he was wrong about the Minutemen and Proposition 187.Obviously, Arnie is little more than political tofu or a programmable talking doll. And, just as obviously, supporting the Minuteman Project or Proposition 187 is not "racist". In fact, a majority of Hispanics supported the latter two months before the election. Supporting those is indeed "racist" if you redefine the term to mean "opposition to illegal immigration and/or the far-left."
"The governor had the (guts) to say, 'You know what? I said things that I shouldn't say (and) I don't support racism,' " said Torres, a former political analyst for Univision and past executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
LULAC was at one time apparently a patriotic organization that supported assimilation. In recent years they've morphed into a far-left group, and they have a recent history of supporting illegal immigration.
In addition to what Rojas discloses, Torres spoke at a session called "Mexico and Aztlan: La Fundacion Solidaridad Mexicano Americana" together with noteworthies such as Richard Griswold del Castillo from San Diego State. And, he supposedly got a bill passed allowing Mexican doctors to practice at clinics in California without being licensed here.
And, from 2003 to 2005 he was also a member of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad ("Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior", "IME"), an advisory panel for the Mexican president. In fact, he's got his own entry at their site (cache of ime.gob.mx/ccime/comisiones/asuntos_politicos.htm) (partial machine translation):
From Sacramento, California. Consultant in political subjects. He is Executive Director of [California Hispanic Health Care Association] (CHHCA); of United Latin American Citizens has been executive National Director of the League (LULAC). He is partner of "Torres & Torres", Policy Consultants, in Sacramento; member of the Coalition of Fairness for Minority Groups. That represents non-profit organizations who provide services of health and indigenous community education in California.UPDATE: Torres is apparently no longer on the CCIME, and whether he has current links is unknown. Here's the list of current IME advisors, which doesn't include him: www.ime.gob.mx/ccime/directorios/dir_ccime_06_09.htm . In February 2007 he was described as a "former advisor" and was chiding Arnie over comments he made on the previously-secret audio tapes.
Posted at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)
Arnold Schwarzenegger goes to Mexico after Mexican-American vote, cheap labor
The day after the (U.S.) midterm election, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger flew to Mexico to discuss topics such as immigration. The article by Kate Folmar of the MediaNews Sacramento Bureau is a strange beast, at times mocking the governator, using inappropriate language (Arnold's "post-election high"; his trip to China was a "tonic for his special election hangover", etc.), spouting talking points, and offering innuendo. The impression I'm left with is that we're living inside a corporatist nightmare and that Arnold is just a tool of business interests. He works for them and not for the bulk of California citizens. Whether intentional or not, it's probably well-deserved. A related AP report by Laura Kurtzman ("Schwarzenegger says Washington 'stuck'") has some additional details on the jaunt.Arnie will meet with both Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon. First lady/real governor Maria Shriver will - "[a]s is her wont" - be delivering humanitarian aid to Chiapas. (No meeting with Subcomandante Marcos is apparently planned; outreach only goes so far). The AP report has Arnold sounding very Bush-like:
"I think this is good that we have new blood coming to Washington, that we have new people with new ideas coming to Washington... because Washington was stuck."He lauds bipartisanship, and also speaks out against the border fence (the AP lies and calls it a "wall") [UPDATE: See below]. And, he supported again Bush's "guest" worker scheme. He also presents himself as a model of how Republicans could govern by reaching across the aisle. Of course, in his case he's reaching across the aisle to people like Antonio Villaraigosa and Fabian Nunez, two people who have questionable allegiance to this country. As an example of how bad this meme is, Insty promoted it here, and Pajamas Media promoted it at the page that links to. Returning to the MediaNews report:
The governor is traveling with more than 60 business delegates, representing agriculture, entertainment, banking and tourism concerns -- several of which have made generous donations to the governor and his political causes.Needless to say, the ag interests are strongly interested in cheap labor, and the banking interests are probably interested in helping illegal aliens send money home. In fact, the AP article says, he was "traveling with California farmers who were unable to harvest their crops because of a lack of workers". (Whether one of those is Luawanna Hallstrom is not known.)
Meanwhile, here in what is still apparently our country, frequent quote source Jack Pitney of Claremont McKenna says:
"I think Schwarzenegger is thinking long-term... The Republican Party can't survive forever without a substantial share of the Latino vote."While most Latinos in California are Mexican-American, one wonders whether going to Mexico is the best way to reach out to Puerto Ricans or Argentinians. And one wonders whether it's good to reach out to a specific ethnic group by going to the country from which they or their ancestors came. Doesn't that discourage assimilation? Doesn't that encourage them to maintain ties to the "old country" rather than becoming 100% Americans? Why, Arnold even recognized the proximity of Mexico as an impediment to assimilation, and that's stated in the article. Maybe one side of Arnold knows something that the other side doesn't.
We're also informed that, according to the William C. Velasquez Institute, Arnie got 41.5% of the Latino vote, and this was apparently a high for a Republican.
Then, we get some interesting innuendo I wasn't aware of:
Schwarzenegger trade missions tend to be elaborate spectacles that rack up serious expenses. Unseen donors underwrite travel for the governor and his staff through the tax-exempt California Protocol Foundation, run under the auspices of the California Chamber of Commerce. Delegates pay their own way. And the state covers some minor costs.UPDATE: Arnold himself called it a wall, and he's not opposed to it, he just thinks it's incomplete:
The protocol foundation arrangement aggravates campaign finance watchdogs who see it as a covert way for donors to court favor.
Chamber of Commerce head Allan Zaremberg says the governor is not influenced. And he doesn't know who is giving. Donors "have an expectation of confidentiality when they contribute," he said.
The protocol foundation's 2005 tax returns show that it spent more than $1.2 million to "lessen the burden of government" in promoting "California as a place to do business." That number probably reflects costs of last year's mission to China, plus some expenses from a similar mission to Japan in late 2004.
"Approving a law to build a wall between the United States and Mexico is an incomplete way to solve the problem... That´s why a guest-worker program must be functioning at the same time."
Posted at 05:59 AM | Comments (1)
Loretta Sanchez, American icon
There was an anti-Loretta Sanchez/pro-Tan Nguyen rally in Orange County yesterday, and the pictures are here. I don't necessarily agree with the racism charge, but she certainly is an ethnic demagogue.
What you'll notice in one of those pictures is the very large portrait of Sanchez-Brixey on the wall of her campaign office. For your convenience, I've brightened the image above. And, for fun, I added another poster to their wall to the extent that my Gimp abilities allow.
But, seriously, what is that doing on the wall of her office? Is there any other (U.S.) candidate who likewise feels the need to raise themselves to the Kim Jong Il/Saddam/Stalin level?
Posted at 10:32 PM | Comments (6)
Tan Nguyen: Sanchez did first translation; given heads-up on raid
This is completely and utterly unsourced, but at a rally for Tan Nguyen yesterday this was reportedly "announced at the rally by Tan and some other speakers"* Loretta Sanchez' office produced the initial, incorrect translation. When asked about it, she smiled and said "oops."And, Nguyen is reportedly "calling for an investigation".
* Loretta Sanchez' office was give a heads up of the raid on Tan's office so it could be photographed.*
Although nothing incriminating has been found, state police refuse to return the computers, which have important campaign information on them.
Isn't it odd how candidates who oppose illegal immigration tend to have major problems like this?
UPDATE: From this:
...Then the candidate – dubbed "The Tan Man" by one supporter – hopped onto a pickup and declared that the letter at the center of state and federal investigations wasn't meant to intimidate Hispanic voters and wasn't illegal.
He also accused his opponent, U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Garden Grove, of possibly having a hand in the Oct. 20 raid on his home and campaign office during a criminal voting rights investigation.
"Ms. Sanchez's fingerprints are all over this," Nguyen declared. "… Ms. Sanchez then stood by smiling while the campaign office of her opponent – who was winning the election – was raided."
Sanchez's campaign was unable to field a response by press time. The Democrat is widely believed to be well ahead of her opponent...
Posted at 06:11 AM | Comments (1)
Tan Nguyen: the Manchurian candidate?
BoiFromTroy raises the possibility (at the site run by Chris Nolan) that Tan Nguyen is a Democratic plant designed to increase their GOTV effort:
I say that Nguyen's letter was either the stupidest or the most nefarious political act this year because part of me wonders whether he's some sort of "Manchurian Candidate" planted by Democrats to pull this October stunt - and have it dragged out by the media going into the election. (Of couse, that's Cold War thinking - Vietnam, where Nguyen was born isn't the same as China for all kinds of reasons.)
OK, now that he's gone first, I'll admit that while I had thought of similar things before, I hadn't given them much weight because there's still the possibility that he might be charged or sued. And, it's going to be difficult for him to run again as either an R or a D.
However, what I have considered is that the shadowy office manager or the shadowy LAPD officer involved in the letter might have been plants. And, since illegal immigration is a multi-billion dollar industry, it's not just the Democratic Party that would profit from a possible attempt to smear the CCIR or those opposed to illegal immigration in general. All the facts aren't available yet, and there's no guarantee at all that CA AG Bill Lockyer - a Democrat - will perform a full investigation and look at all possibilities.
Bonus: La Opinion (Spanish-language rag in Los Angeles) misquoted part of the letter, trying to make it look worse than it was. Wrap these lines to read the details:
blogs.ocweekly.com/blotter/
why-is-la-opinion-changing-the-tan-nguyen-letter
The publisher of La Opinion, Monica Lozano, has links to MALDEF and the National Council of La Raza ("The Race").
Related:
"Clarification" letter sent to Hispanics (Tan Nguyen, MALDEF, NCLR, NALEO)
Democrats offer Tan Nguyen letter of their own [satire]
Arnold Schwarzenegger gives power to far-left (immigration letter)
Hispanic voter suppression letter: from a Republican???
Hispanic voter suppression letter: evidence, Arnold, hacks (pre-Tan)
How the "California Hispanics vote suppression" story will end (right so far)
Help Tan Nguyen Beat Loretta Sanchez! (pre-letter)
Posted at 02:38 PM | Comments (8)
Arnold Schwarzenegger gives power to far-left (immigration letter)
Shortly after the now-infamous Tan Nguyen letter warning "immigrants" against voting surfaced, our Rove-influenced governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, completely capitulated to demands that had not yet been made:
[Arnie] called the letters "racist" and "despicable," and argued the perpetrators should be tried for a hate crime.
Now, he's had his words regurgitated by those who don't have the U.S.'s best interests at heart:
State Democratic Chairman Art Torres said party leaders were planning a rally for Orange County on Tuesday. "It's a hate crime as far as we are concerned," Torres said.
(If the letter is a "hate crime", I wonder what we should call Torres' decade-old quote that "[Proposition 187] is the last gasp of white America in California.")
This incident shows the folly of the GOP trying to be like or giving in to or trying to play the same game as those on the far-left. If Arnold had issued a more moderate statement that included all possibilities and had not included the "hate crime" bit, racists like Torres might still say the same things, but Arnold would not have preemptively given their statements legitimacy and might have even been able to appear as the voice of reason.
Now, he appears to be the same as the racial demagogues on the far-left. And, this will make legitimate attempts to point out that non-citizens can't vote even more difficult and tarnish attempts to investigate possible cases of non-citizens voting. And, it will make the GOP even more beholden to far-left, self-appointed Hispanic "leaders".
For more on the far-left feeding frenzy, see "Many parties pitch tents in Nguyen opposition camp" or "Governor may try to mend fences after G-O-P letter scandal".
The Torres quote is from yet another biased AP article by Peter Prengaman, and its biases might be featured here later. So too with "Nguyen's campaign office raided" by Norberto Santana Jr. and the LAT's "Raids Widen 'Immigrant' Letter Probe" by Jennifer Delson, Christopher Goffard and Mai Tran. The latter contains this intriguing bit:
According to a source close to the investigation, the attorney general's office has determined that an LAPD officer, who is a friend of a worker in Nguyen's office, paid $4,000 on a credit card for the bulk mailing of the letter and used an alias.
Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger distance self from Bush. Or does he?
Posted at 11:49 AM | Comments (6)
Political TV ads in California
Here's a recent round-up of California political ads from the television:
1. Ad from Republican Steve Poizner (or friends) in opposition to Democrat Cruz Bustamante for Insurance Commissioner. Shows the back of a balding person (presumably Cruz) holding out a large bag while people walk by dumping cash in the sack while winking. Not-so-subtle subtext: Cruz is dirty. Compare with this March 30 2006 article:
Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the leading Democratic candidate for state insurance commissioner, has taken large contributions and accepted free meals and travel from the industry he seeks to regulate... In the past year, Bustamante has received more than $120,000 in campaign donations from insurance companies, their trade groups and individual brokers, records show... He and top aides also have accepted from those in the insurance industry hundreds of dollars in free meals and travel expenses at restaurants and resorts in Pebble Beach, Las Vegas and San Diego -- some of which Bustamante did not report on his disclosure statements, according to records.
Meanwhile, the former MEChA member seems to be preparing for a life after politics as a still-guru weight loss guru: startwithcruz.com. That's listed as the official site for his campaign: aroundthecapitol.com/IC/Elections
2. Former California governor Jerry Brown - nicknamed "Moonbeam" for his occasionally outrageous proposals and antics - has an ad calling his opponent for Attorney General, Chuck Poochigian, "too extreme for California". The ad is fact-checked here. While this site isn't exactly an opponent of JB, many people would call him the "extremist", not the other way around. And, those featured in the ad making them claim are:
- Jason Fox, a "Sargeant of Police" from "San Francisco" (he's with the SFPD, see below)
- Randy Hayes, founder of the Rainforest Action Network
- Kathy Kneer, president of Planned Parenthood of California
- Lisa Seitz, "Scientific Researcher"
The announcer makes the claim as well, while a black & white of Poochigian being embraced by George Bush plays for several seconds.
In California terms, PP and RAN might be considered the "extremists", but things are different here. As the fact-check above says, "Seitz is a former Brown appointee to the Oakland Public Ethics Commission... Hayes once held a top appointed post in Brown's mayoral office." Her husband, meanwhile, is the guitarist for a hitherto unheard-of rock 'n' roll band called the NakedBarbies, featuring the attractive Patty Spiglanin.
Note also that Fox' employer (SFPD) is not provided, since apparently that's against state law. That law, and another ad about the weapons Fox discusses, is discussed here.
3. Now we come to one of the strangest - in the pathetic sense - ads that I've ever seen. It has to be seen to be believed, featuring the back of a "young Phil" looking at a poster saying "Dump Nixon". The narrator intones: "In 1972, a young man from California saw a sign that changed his life forever..." Supposed facts are presented, but the music is what makes this special: "Let Your Love Flow (Like a Mountain Stream)" which, if it had been the original Bellamy Brothers version would be bad enough. However, in this case it appears to have been performed by the World's Worst Bread Cover Band. The ad hits squarely onto a major demographic in California: those who are still stuck in the 70s. Phil is one of you.
Posted at 05:14 PM | Comments (2)
AVWatch: Villaraigosa, Arnold Schwarzenegger cut backroom deal?
Have Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cut a backroom deal? According to comments heard on a segment from KFI's John Ziegler (filling in for John & Ken), under this scheme in exchange for Arnold supporting Tony's effort to gain control over the Los Angeles Unified School District, Alcalde Villaraigosa will offer only limited support for Phil Angelides.Arnold will term out in 2010, and then it's time for Tony to try to become the first former MEChA leader to become governor.
Arnold signed the bill giving Villaraigosa a large degree of control over the LAUSD earlier this week. And, consider this earlier report:
After months of hesitation, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Tuesday [September 5] endorsed fellow Democrat Phil Angelides for governor, saying the state treasurer would best promote school improvements in California.From last month, see the article subtitled "Developers make big plans for Westside, write big checks for Antonio". His "Committee for Government Excellence and Accountability" raised over $1 million for his LAUSD efforts:
...Villaraigosa's public embrace of Angelides on education comes late in the campaign, after he won approval in the state Legislature for a bill giving him unprecedented control of the nation's second-largest school district, a plan Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he supports.
The mayor was widely believed to be withholding his endorsement of Angelides as he sought greater control of the troubled Los Angeles Unified School District. That plan won narrow legislative approval last week and Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has said he will sign the bill.
Neither Villaraigosa nor Angelides specifically mentioned the LAUSD bill Tuesday as they appeared together before more than 100 supporters at a BART station. Villaraigosa also avoided direct attacks on Schwarzenegger, confining his remarks to education.
Although Villaraigosa is one of the Democratic Party's rising stars, more than half of his committee's funds came from many of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's biggest contributors. Univision executive Jerry Perenchio, who gave Villaraigosa’s school committee $500,000, has spent nearly $6.4 million in the last 18 months on Schwarzenegger, the California Republican Party and the governor's various ballot initiatives.For background on the LAUSD from one perspective, see this.
I don't know if this backroom deal was actually made, but considering Arnold's other moves I consider it somewhat plausible. Hopefully someone who's more familiar with local politics will weigh in, but based on everything else that's happened I think a protest vote for either Phil Angelides or Art Olivier is the best option.
Posted at 11:31 PM | Comments (2)
Arnold Schwarzenegger/Phil Angelides file download issue
Today's "hot" issue is not Arnold Schwarzenegger's blather about immigration. Rather, it's the audio file that Phil Angelides staffers downloaded from the California government web site in which he called Bonnie Garcia "hot".
It's good to see the Angelides campaign being shown to be as sleazy as their candidate himself. However, it would be nice to discuss much more important matters.
Nevertheless, the staffers apparently claim that they did not "hack" his site and they didn't try to guess passwords in order to gain access to the file. They claim they backed up on the file name, which is given here as speeches.gov.ca.gov/dir/08-29-2006_avail.htm.
Apparently they transformed that into speeches.gov.ca.gov/dir and were thus able to access other files and directories. Nothing that experienced internet users have not done in the past and, as a matter of fact, the W3C suggest naming URLs so that they can be guessed.
It appears that that whole server has been 404ed, but you can see some of the pages that google cached here. The fact that they were able to cache them indicates that at least those pages were not password protected. Some of the subdirectories of the 'dir' directory might have been password protected, and, while I haven't verified it, if there were symlinks outside those directories leading to files inside those directories I think Apache would have prevented access. Unless they were given a name and password, guessing a name/password would probably be considered "hacking".
From the previous search, here's cache of a sample press release, showing the links to some audio files. Here's a sample of someone linking to one of those press releases.
Here's Yahoo's entries.
Archive.org shows nothing.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ................
Posted at 08:49 PM | Comments (1)
Who wrote Arnold Schwarzenegger's immigration opinion piece?
California's Bush- and Kennedy-controlled governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, offers "Keep the Immigration Debate Civil". My summary: "A protest vote for Phil Angelides might wake me, Maria, and my Bush handlers up to the realization that I'm on the wrong path."1. The title will be read by most as a challenge to those opposed to illegal immigration. It applies more strongly to those on the other side, but he doesn't make that clear. He's probably too afraid to do that. By doing that, he plays right into enemy hands.
2. He chides Congress for not "finishing comprehensive immigration reform this year". That's a code phrase for a massive amnesty scheme.
3. The part that might draw race-baiting is where he appears to encourage immigrants to assimilate. In fact, he's not doing that. He's only suggesting that "immigrant rights activists" make their message more saleable to the mainstream: "So my message to you is: Carry your home country in your heart, but carry the American flag in our streets." Should an elected politician really be encouraging foreign citizens to march in our streets? Of all people, Arnold should be able to draw parallels.
4. Then, comes the Bush "redefine amnesty" dance, combined with the "mass deportations" strawman:
Now that they are here, what do we do? Amnesty is not the answer. Congress granted amnesty in 1986 and promised it would end the problem. It didn't. Amnesty only made it worse. You don't reward people for breaking the law. And you don't grant someone the rights of citizenship simply by virtue of how long they have been in this country illegally - that makes a mockery of the law and penalizes those who waited years and followed the rules.Of course, like so many others, Arnold fails to note that if we started enforcing our laws we'd reduce the numbers here now and the numbers of those coming. And, if he's worried about mixed-status families now, just wait until we "reform" the system and the problem gets even worse. As for the $250 million figure, that's from an extremely poorly done study from the Clinton-affiliated Center for America Progress.
But it is not realistic either to round up 12 million people and send them home. Many have families here now, children and grandchildren who are citizens. Splitting them up would be inhumane. Some say it would cost as much as $250 billion to even try. Who would pay for that? It is simply not realistic.
5. Then comes Arnold's/Teddy Kennedy's/Bush's solution:
The answer, as I have repeatedly said, is, first, to secure the border to stop the problem from getting worse. Second, we must create a temporary-worker program so people can come here legally to work. We should also lift the cap on work visas for industries such as technology, engineering and agriculture so immigrants can be hired when there are not enough U.S. workers. And we must create a path to legal status for those living in the shadows illegally. They must pay a fine for breaking our laws. They must learn English and become part of our culture. They must pay back taxes and pay for healthcare and education rather than expect American taxpayers to pay extra when some cannot even afford healthcare or college for their own children.The problems with "guest" worker programs have been enumerated here in great depth. The completely anti-American and un-American features of the original Bush "guest" worker program have not received wide attention; one can easily imagine the Arnold/Bush/Kennedy/Fox "guest" worker program having similar features for "when there are not enough U.S. workers". And, of course, Arnold fails to note that those payments he discusses redound not just to the benefit of illegal aliens, but also serve as a subsidy to their corrupt employers. Those employers would continue to receive a huge subsidy due to the welfare state, politicians such as Gil Cedillo, far-left groups such as the ACLU, and even worse groups.
6. Note also that these remarks are similar to what he said in July 25 2006 to the SDUT ("Last best hope"):
Schwarzenegger wants three things accomplished, in the following order: (1) secure the border; (2) allow U.S. companies to bring in guest workers because "it's a global economy"; and (3) then – and only then – confront what the governor admits is the toughest issue of them all, what to do with 12 million illegal immigrants who are already here. Schwarzenegger stresses that our response has to be "humane" and that it's "ridiculous" to suggest we can deport 12 million people... Schwarzenegger leaves open the possibility of allowing most of these people to remain in the country legally, provided they make some sort of restitution for the infraction of entering the country without permission. "I think the American people like to see redemption, they like to see that you have done things (to atone) for the mistake you made. Because we all make mistakes,"
Posted at 11:10 AM | Comments (1)
Video: Gil Cedillo compares immigration reform to ending slavery and more
Those of you with strong constitutions can watch this six minute video (AVI file) of California state senator Gil Cedillo discussing Gloria Romero's resolution in support of foreign citizens making a show of force and marching in our streets.
The video was shot on an unknown date, presumably in late April. The resolution was in support of the "Great American Boycott" of May 1.
Cedillo doesn't say anything extremely damning (as in, there are no shouts of "Aztlan Now!" or anything), but in his own sleep-inducing way he extols illegal aliens "keeping us competitive" and, while he doesn't say it, doing the jobs Americans supposedly won't do.
Then, he compares giving amnesty to illegal aliens to:
* Ending U.S. slavery
* Giving women the right to vote
* Ending Japanese internment
And, he complains about illegal aliens being allowed to work because the laws aren't enforced, but, obviously, he, his cohorts, and the illegal immigration-supporting infrastructure of which he's a part are a major part of the problem. On the rare occasions when the laws were actually enforced he and his compadres are among the first to complain.
He also brings up the illegal immigration marchers and their "American flags". Of course, most of the flags were originally Mexican until they realized that was bad PR. Likewise with Cedillo, who some years ago said we should give driver's licenses to illegal aliens because "they were here first". Nowadays he says it's for "public safety". Some have even been more transparent. Sorry, no one's buying it.
Posted at 03:17 PM | Comments (2)
Wacky California legislature makes self-mocking resolution about Pluto
Let's check in with the wacky fun California legislature and see what capers, fancies, and jolly japes they're up to. Why, look, it's HR 36, "Relative to Pluto's planetary status":
WHEREAS, Recent astronomical discoveries, including Pluto's oblong orbit and the sighting of a slightly larger Kuiper Belt object, have led astronomers to question the planetary status of Pluto; and WHEREAS, The mean-spirited International Astronomical Union decided on August 24, 2006, to disrespect Pluto by stripping Pluto of its planetary status and reclassifying it as a lowly dwarf planet;and [...much fun deleted...] Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly hereby condemns the International Astronomical Union's decision to strip Pluto of its planetary status for its tremendous impact on the people of California and the state's long term fiscal health...
Why am I not laughing?
Well, perhaps it has something to do with real legislation their cohorts have been involved in:
* Gil Cedillo's seventh attempt to give legal California driver's licenses to illegal aliens.
* Gil Cedillo's attempt to give illegal aliens a better deal on student aid than some U.S. citizens.
* Gloria Romero's support for foreign citizens making a show of force and demanding that we give them rights to which they aren't entitled.
Perhaps if the Democratic Party decided to be an American party and started censuring their many extremist leaders I might be less "saturnine" about their "Pluto" joke.
Posted at 03:42 AM | Comments (1)
Sleazy Phil Angelides pimps daughter's ethnicity at Latino event
Phil Angelides has three daughters, all of them "hot". However, while you wouldn't know it by looking at them, one of them (Megan) is more special than the others. Not only is she really a step-daughter, she's a prop.
Speaking before the "National Latino Congreso" on Thursday ("Angelides campaigns at key Latino gathering" by Edwin Garcia/Media News), Angelides reached so low in the barrel he was under the stand on which the barrel was located:
And Angelides did something he rarely, if ever, has done in public: He introduced his daughter, Megan, by the last name of her biological father, Garcia.
Exactly how American is such a bald attempt at ethnic pandering? Isn't that more akin to what's done in the Balkans or certain African nations?
If a certain ethnicity requires that one be of their blood, should we encourage that? Should we be alarmed at the segment of the Hispanic community - including most of their self-appointed leaders - who put their race ahead of more important things such as their country?
Did the Democratic Party ever really support looking at the content of someone's character over the color of their skin? Will other Democrats frantically search through their family trees - conducting DNA tests as necessary - in order to show that they would faithfully and racially represent their voters' interests?
Posted at 06:37 AM | Comments (1)
Will Arnold take student aid from U.S. citizens?
It's time to call Arnold Schwarzenegger yet again: 916-445-2841. This time it's about Gil Cedillo's attempt to take student aid from U.S. citizens and give it to citizens of Mexico who are here illegally. From Jessie Mangaliman's article "Student aid bill at final hurdle":A controversial bill that would allow illegal immigrants to get state financial aid while attending California's public colleges and universities is now in the hands of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has until the end of this month to sign or veto.Those "non-California residents" are U.S. citizens. In other words, as with the current law, we'd be giving illegal aliens - largely citizens of Mexico - a better deal than U.S. citizens. And, since there is only so many resources, this would in effect be a taking from U.S. citizens. And, along the way, that would devalue U.S. citizenship.
The bill's author, state Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, called on the governor Wednesday to "invest in California's future" by signing SB 160, also called the California DREAM Act, into law. Opponents say the state should not give money to lawbreakers.
While Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the bill, he has previously shown some inclination to extend state support to the children of illegal immigrants.
The governor has supported an existing state law, passed in 2002, which now allows undocumented students in California to pay in-state tuition rates in public colleges and universities. Tuition for non-California residents is about 10 times higher...
Call Arnold at 916-445-2841 and urge him not to give in to anti-American forces.
Posted at 12:37 PM | Comments (5)
Arnold Schwarzenegger distance self from Bush. Or does he?
The ABC News "exclusive" "Schwarzenegger Explains Why He Went Green" has Arnold chanelling Laurie David via Maria and contains this:Schwarzenegger faces a re-election battle this fall, but said if Bush advisor Karl Rove were to call offering the president's help, he would decline the help because of the president's lack of popularity in California.What's that smell? Let's turn to the 1/19/06 article "Schwarzenegger brings Bush strategist to 2006 campaign" for a clue:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, steeling for a tough 2006 campaign, has tapped another top White House veteran to join his re-election drive -- hiring Matthew Dowd, a lead architect of the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign to be his chief campaign strategist, sources said Wednesday.Why, even the SDUT managed to (slightly) put two and two together:
The addition of Dowd, a confidant of top White House aide Karl Rove, Bush's former chief pollster and a former senior adviser to the Republican National Committee, is expected to be announced shortly. The GOP strategist heads ViaNovo, a management and communications firm in Austin, Texas.
So far as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his re-election campaign team are concerned, President Bush's middle initial might as well stand for "Who?"Yes, here in California we really respect someone who pretends not to be a Bush/Rove puppet but who in in effect is kept on a very short leash not only by his wife but by those with deep ties to the White House. Maybe a protest vote for Angelides would be the best way to show how much we respect Arnold and his team. Note also this bit from ABC:
...Matthew Dowd, chief strategist for the Schwarzenegger re-election campaign, said he's mindful of the potential anti-Republican tide, but not overly worried about it.
Although Dowd was a top adviser to Bush's 2004 re-election campaign and still counts himself a Bush loyalist, he is more than willing to help Schwarzenegger distance himself from the president.
"When the opportunity presents itself to show he's an independent leader, we're fine with that," Dowd said. "In California, they respect that."
In the past year, Schwarzenegger's approval rating jumped from 36 to 49 percent. After taking a beating for governing as an anti-union, right-leaning Republican, he's gained approval by cutting deals with the Democratic legislature on the minimum wage, prescription drugs and now global warming.Obvious to most, there are other explanations for the rise, including Arnold's unbelievably pathetic campaign (or lack thereof) for his bills, as well as the smears emanating from the unions having somewhat abated. And, if he had shown the Dems in the legislature for what they are instead of surrendering, his approval might be even higher and, needless to say, he would have done what's in the best interests of the state and the nation. Instead, he wimped out.
Posted at 07:57 PM | Comments (2)
Phil Angelides to be barbecued by voters
A Public Policy Institute of California poll finds that Arnold Schwarzenegger leads the only-slightly-worse challenger Phil Angelides by 45 to 32 percent. Informed of the results, Angelides said the following:
"Arnold Schwarzenegger is known by 100 percent of the world... Despite all his attacks, despite $20 million spent against me, distorting the truth, trying to smear me, Arnold Schwarzenegger is stuck at 45 percent... [...asked why even Democrats are switching to Arnold, he said:] You know, it's summertime, people are barbecuing, they're spending time with their families, and the fact is, Democrats are coming home, they're going to come home."
Posted at 11:06 PM | Comments (1)
Arnold: California not the Zinfandel State
Sen. Carole Migden (D-Frisco) wanted to name Zinfandel as California's "historic wine". She originally wanted to name it "California's official wine", but we know that's actually those high-pitched sounds coming from the Legislature itself and anyway the wine industries bitched about it.
In his gutsiest decision yet (apparently Maria took the leash off by accident or something), Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed her attempt. He didn't want to be unfair to all the other fine wines - many of them not so wimpy-sounding - that the state produces.
Posted at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)
Sheila Kuehl: free healthcare for anyone who can make it across the California border
Now comes California state Senator Sheila Kuehl with SB 840, the "California Health Insurance Reliability Act". It would mandate "universal health care" and would cover "dental care, prescriptions, mental health care and hospitalization".
And, it would be open to "undocumented" residents.
No l