Our Senate race in California is going to be downright fascinating, and if you're a Republican there has to be at least one candidate for you to really feel good about in this thing.

If you didn't get to see Chuck DeVore on Glenn Beck's show today, you must take 2:30 and give this a watch:

Chuck isn't some Doug Hoffman, who's more an idea than a real candidate; he acquits himself very well and truly communicates deeply about Constitutional matters he sees as important. Great TV.

Unfortunately, this is only the second of two segments he did with Beck today; the first was even better.

And earlier in the same program, Carly Fiorina appeared for a segment and did a fine job herself. Both these two candidates are terrific, and if Beck's site posts their appearances or if their campaigns want to send along the You Tube links, I'll glady update this post and include the other video segments here. Campbell's a pro. Carly's turning out to be a real pro. DeVore undoubtedly belongs, as well.

For folks here in Orange County, I thought they'd be interested in seeing what an articulate spokesperson for limited government Chuck DeVore has become.

Team Fiorina has let it be known that Senate Candidate, Carly Fiorina, will be announcing her position on the Citizen Power campaign tomorrow, California's paycheck protection initiative.

The title of this post my be an assumption, but I think it's safe to speculate that she will end up on the "good" list with us, as she will probably be issuing up a strong endorsement of the initiative.

Here's the campaign's release:

Mission Viejo Mayor Lance Maclean notified the OC Registrar he will seek a recount of last week's excruciatingly close recall election, which MacLean lost by 19 votes.

MacLean had until 5:00 p.m. today to requerst a recount, which OC Registrar Neal Kelley said will begin about 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Depending on the extent recount -- some sample precincts or the whole shmear -- the process could take anywhere from a couple of days to a week-and-a-half. The cost to the requesting party -- MacLean -- is $1,200 a day.

It wouldn't be a bitter, close OC election without a recount, now would it?

Now, I'm sure when Audi aired its "Green Police"  Super Bowl commercial, they were just looking for a laugh. Considering how bad the commercials were, it proved not to be hard. And, as indicated by the 50 or so Facebook status updates on my tracker, a lot of people see it as a creepy look into the future.  It is already happening here in San Francisco. Watch the ad.

That part with Eco Cops going through people's trash? And the "compost infraction"? San Francisco has laws requiring everyone to have 3 trashcans - one for trash, one for recycling, and one for composting. Of course, there are penalties if you do not comply.  No one has been penalized yet, but only because San Francisco hasn't set up its enforcement force...yet.

But doing just that is part of the Eco plan. San Francisco will have its own Green Police and, knowing San Francisco, they will be on the same stupid-looking electric scooters they have in the ad. We will have people checking our trash.

Plastic bags have already been banned in the City. There was just a big battle at City Hall over whether we should regulate the SHADOWS buildings cast. The City has been encouraging people to throw out incandescent bulbs and replacing them with lead-filled (didn't lead used to be an environmental hazard?) flourescent bulbs. Still laughing?

Living in this environment, witnessing a Green Police cracking down on personal use of a hot tub, or checking the mileage your car gets, or being able to pull over REAL COPS,  isn't a joke. It's a real possibility.  I'm sure it is only a matter of time before someone at our City Hall thinks this is a good idea. Good thing that my 900cc, carberauted motorcycle will outrun those electric scooters.

UPDATE:

Anaheim Council Candidate Kris Murray will be joining us at the Slide Bar Saturday, to help with this very worthy cause. I also invite you all to join me at her upcoming fundraiser-campaign kick off hosted by Curt Pringle, at The Catch, February 19th. See her website for details at www.krismurrayforanaheim.com

How about any other Anaheim candidates? Tom Tait and Lucille Kring, y'all want to run my City. Show us you can look out for your Union constituents, and get involved.

ORIGINAL POST:

"I feel that the dormant goodwill in people needs to be stirred. People need to hear that it makes sense to behave decently, or to help others, to place common interests above their own, to respect the elementary rules of human existence. They want to be told about this publicly. They want to know that those 'at the top' are on their side. They feel strengthened, confirmed, hopeful. Goodwill longs to be strengthened and cultivated. For it to develop and have an impact it must hear that the world does not ridicule it...I try never to give people practical advice to deal with the evil around them, nor could I even if I wanted to -- and yet people want to hear that decency and courage make sense, that something must be risked in the struggle against dirty tricks. They want to know that they are not alone, forgotten, written off..."

Vaclev Havel

Chip Hanlon posted a serious kick in the pants regarding the Paycheck Protection Initiative http://www.redcounty.com/paycheck-protection-simply-cannot-fall-short/36622#comment-42214

I am throwing out this challenge to all Anaheim residents; Get off your duff and make a difference in this state! We have the chance to take our Government back from those who would take from us for their own special interests, by helping the grassroots efforts of the Citizen Power Campaign.

To all Anaheim candidates I ask: What are YOU doing to support this important work? If you oppose this Initiative, tell me why, so we can share that information with Anaheim's voters. Make it good.

This Initiative is essential to restoring the balance of access when Union leaders use Union members' money (often against their will) for issues the individual members oppose. This does not prevent Union members from speaking out on those issues they feel passionately about. It simply keeps the Unions from taking money without permission, and using it in ways outside the will of those members from which the money was taken.

The Paycheck Protection Initiative is the ultimate statement of American ideals, in that nobody, not the government, not the unions, nobody, should be able to take money from an American paycheck and use it to buy access to politicians for causes the "donors" do not agree to!

If you have ever complained about special interests having access to politicians, but you thought one person could not make a difference, here is your chance to do something!

If you want to be elected in the City of Anaheim, and there are many of you, share what YOU are doing to protect the voices of your Union constituents who have had their voices ussurped by those who are supposed to represent them.

You will find more information, and a chance to sign the petition, and make a donation to help pay for professional signature gatherers, at the website here http://www.unplugthepoliticalmachine.org/

You can also join Scott Baugh for a rally at the Slide Bar in Fullerton on Saturday, February 13th at 10 am. If you want to attend from Anaheim, contact me at Cynthia_Ward@sbcglobal.net and I will pack my greenhouse killer SUV with passengers.

I can tell you from my own interviews with local grassroots leaders: Anaheim is in a funny mood, a mood that matches much of the rest of the nation. Anaheim is tired of the same old political elite telling the citizenry what they have chosen to do to and with the everyday people of our hometown. There is an anger simmering beneath the surface, and we can either tap into it and make it work for us...or we can ignore it and maintain the status quo. The status quo will not longer be tolerated in Anaheim, that is a message I hear from leaders in the neighborhoods, that is a message I will make very clear as the election moves forward. To every candidate in Anaheim, I ask; Will you be part of the solution? Tell me about it.

To every reader that this might reach: Get off your butt and work toward a solution, download a petition, sign it, get members of your household to sign it. Take it to your bridge game, your neighborhood potluck, your workplace (if your employer allows). We keep screaming for cleaner politics, let's make it happen!

Less than 24 hours after getting out of jail early as part of an effort to reduce the state's prison population, Kevin Eugene Peterson was rearrested on suspicion of attempted rape, sexual battery, false imprisonment and violating the terms of his probation.

Kevin Eugen Peterson is no stranger to violent criminal acts, most recently being convicted for assault with a deadly weapon in 2008.

So why was he released early, and why did he terrorize the community less than 24 hours after his early release?

The answer is two-fold.

A State Legislature which has made California one of the most business unfriendly states in the Nation, has taken it upon themselves to reduce spending by releasing criminals back into our communities. Some theorize that this is to instill fear into taxpayers and have them sign off on tax increases to feed the bloated beast.

Another reason would be the attorneys, who usually start out on our city councils, move on to elected county offices, then to state assembly and senate seats while telling us all they are the public safety candidate.

Which leads me to race close to home.

Shawn Nelson is running to replace Chris Norby on the OC Board of Supervisors. He's a guy who I consider to be a strong anti tax and anti crime kind of guy. Until today.

I was looking at the website for Rizio and Nelson when I came upon this nugget: this law (early release) will create new challenges for criminal defense lawyers, who will surely paint their clients’ cases in the most positive light possible. For that, you need experienced attorneys who can give you the strongest defense possible. Contact Rizio and Nelson if you need help.

Now, I understand that even murderers, drug dealers, cybersquatters and NAMBLA promoters are entitled to legal representation. But we don't have to like it.

And in my opinion, it's impossible to say your tough on crime, while doing everything you can get them back onto our streets, to terrorize us another day. But that's only my opinion.

What's yours?