OC Blog

Yet Another Argument Against 1B

Per Ted Balaker at the Reason Foundation, let's stop and think about Arnold's legacy borrowing.  Lead,

Prop 1B Might Make Things Worse
Complete article here: Southern California needs toll roads and transportation reform
By Ted Balaker

If California voters give the nod to Proposition 1B, they'll get $20 billion for transportation. Ironically, Southern California could also get more gridlock. The proposition spreads the dough around enough to ensure widespread political support, but the approach also ensures that no area gets enough resources to take a real bite out of congestion. Yet even if we could stuff Prop 1B with twice as much funding, our transportation woes would still continue. State leaders say our transportation network is starved for funds, but what it's really hungry for is reform.

If Prop 1B fails state leaders may actually be forced to reform, but if it passes reformist pressure will surely dissipate. That's too bad, because Southern California is surprisingly well-positioned to beat back congestion.

Time To Abolish Contribution Limits

Whether she wins or loses, Carol Rudat's candidacy serves at least one useful purpose: illustrating the perversity and perniciousness of campaign contribution limits.

The standard "reformer" argument is that contribution limits somehow limit to influence of special interests on elected officials. I think only the most hard-core devotee of this 1970s experiment still clings to that illusion.

As long as our government is pervasive and powerful, "special interests" will seek to influence its decisions. No constitutional campaign finance reform can be devised that will prevent that from happening.

The only real effect of contribution limits is to magnify the already big advantage enjoyed by incumbents and self-funding candidates.

Orange Mayoral Mailbox: Mas Mail From Carolyn Cavecche

Yesterday, my faithful mail carrier slipped this comparison mailer from Carolyn Cavecche for Orange Mayor through the mail slot of Casa de Jubal:

 

Today, another mailer from the Cavecche campaign arrived, bearing the big, shining, ever-so-slightly-smiling face of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:

OUSD Trustee Kathy Moffat's Website Run By Non-Profit Group?

From the Greater Orange News eBlog:

NON-PROFIT SANTIAGO CREEK GREENWAY ALLIANCE LISTED AS ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION FOR KATHY MOFFAT POLITICAL CAMPAIGN WEBSITE

Orange Unified Trustee Kathy Moffat’s official political campaign “dot org” registered website has the non-profit Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance listed as the official administrative organization. Former Villa Park Mayor Robert McGowan is listed as the website Administrator and his house address on Lincoln Street in Villa Park is listed as the Administrative Address. McGowan’s telephone number is listed as the contact number.

According to Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance President John Moore, the organization is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization. Internal Revenue Service regulations prohibit 501 (c) (3) organizations from political activity (see link below).

Complaint Filed With FPPC Against Hometown Voter Guide

This came over the transom earlier from an attorney by the name of Guy Mailly:

CORRUPTION ALLEGED IN IRVINE CITY COUNCIL RACES

Campaign watch-dog, Brad Mailly, today has filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the Orange County District Attorney alleging that Irvine Mayor Beth Krom, Irvine City Councilmember Sukhee Kang and council candidate Mary Ann Gaido received unreported campaign contributions in excess of Irvine’s $390 contribution limit.  The complaint alleges that over $153,000 has been funneled from billionaire Anne Getty Earhart and other enterprises doing business with the city to Hometown Voter Guide, a slate mailer organization, ostensibly as payments for advertising to support Measure M in its slate mailers. As indicated by its campaign statements filed with the Registrar of Voters, Hometown Voter Guide is not a committee under California law, has not received any contributions and, therefore, the complaint alleges that Hometown Voter Guide had no funds to make an independent expenditure.

Applying No-Growth Philosophy To Opponent's Signs

A reader sent me these photos of two citizens applying a no-growth philosophy to the existence of Newport Beach council candidates Michael Fenn and Keith Curry. They were taken this Sunday in the Mariner's Mile area of Newport Beach:

Such a carefree attitude towards the property of others!

Orange Mayoral Mailbox: More Positive Cavecche Mail

This mailer from Carolyn Cavecche for Mayor arrived at Casa de Jubal the same day as the hit against Alvarez from Voters for Responsible Government:

Orange Mayoral Mailbox: Another Hit On Mike Alvarez

The mysterious Voters for Responsible Government are at it again. This weekend I received a second negative mailer against Mike Alvarez from this slate with an Elk Grove, CA mailing address, which has also sent out a pro-Carolyn Cavecche mail piece.

This one hits Alvarez again on being dinged by the City of Orange for boarding-house violations:

Loretta's Finally Campaigning -- in Idaho

Apparently tired of whining about Tan Nguyen, 47th CD Congresswoman Loretta's off to Idaho to campaign for some Democrat Nobody in Nowheresville.  Instead of lending support to Liberal Lou Correa (of course, does he really want it?), our favorite Airhead is regurgitating the Dem talking points on the yet-to-be-built border fence, per American Chronicle in Rep. Sanchez Calls Border Wall a ‘Political Ploy’.  Their lead,

CALDWELL — The recent vote by Congress to build a 700-mile wall along the border with Mexico was nothing more than a cynical political ploy, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said Tuesday.  Sanchez, who represents California’s 47th District, was in Idaho Tuesday campaigning for Democrat Larry Grant in Idaho’s 1st District.  “This 700-mile wall will never be built,” Sanchez said at a news conference at Grant’s campaign headquarters in Caldwell.

Freepers On Tan

Plenty of pictures on Tan Nguyen's Rally today at Free Republic here.