[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The Los Angeles Times brings us the heartwrenching story
of two California parents whose son became the 500th Californian to die in Iraq. Our state's losses make up almost 1/8th of the national total, not counting tens of thousands of casualties.

Meanwhile Barack Obama is widening his national lead over John McCain to double digits, according to two new polls released yesterday.

Obama (in LA on June 24th) has called for a phased withdrawl from Iraq while McCain predicts perhaps a decades long occupation is needed.

Calitics is telling it's readers why inter-city rail matters. State Senator Denise Ducheny hopes to amend SB 53 to create a new state department to oversee Amtrak and high-speed rail.

Steve Wiegand's column takes us back to Sacramento circa 1983.
Calfornians got tired of the A-team and shoulder pads went out of fashion, but water controversies and redistrcitng fights will never die.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

Assemblymember Mark Leno (pictured at right) walloped his opponents with 43% of the vote for the Democratic nomination to the California State Senate to former Assemblymember Joe Nation’s 29.3% and incumbent Carole Migden’s 27.7%--a much larger than expected margin. He is a shoe-in to win the November election in this heavy Democratic District. These results are with all precincts reporting.

To win this seat, Leno had to overcome the efforts of Senate President pro Tem Don Perata to protect Migden, one of his lieutenants who is the Senate Majority Caucus Chair. Leno broke the unwritten rule against challenging sitting Democratic legislators in a primary. Migden had substantial campaign funds and was endorsed by the California Labor Federation. She also had troubles with the state’s campaign spending watchdog, the Fair Political Practices Commission and other difficulties.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

We’ve just posted information from California Secretary of State Bowen with Election Day do’s and don’ts including how to find your polling place and when and how ballots must be turned in.

The California Voter Foundation “Online Voter Guide” has information and links to a number of other sites on candidates and ballot propositions. This is a strictly nonpartisan site that provides access to information from the candidates.

This page from the Secretary of State’s office has a listing of all candidates running for the State Senate and State Assembly and links to web pages for all that have them.

Here you can also find candidates for Congress and other offices in California, but you might have to cut and paste web site addresses.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The self-appointed "consumers" at the organization formerly known as the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights are at it again, attacking elected officials for their disclosure of their legitimate campaign expenses -- while they don't reveal any information about who funds them or where their funding goes.
 
The Los Angeles Times today features an article on a Fair Political Practices Commission voted yesterday to provide the public with more information on the details of a governmental, political, or legislative expense paid for with campaign contributions (not taxpayer money) with the usual rant from ConsumerWatchdog's flack, who has the most inappropriate of titles, "Director of Accountability."
 
Maybe she should look in the mirror and let the public know who pays its bills. How novel.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Linda Sutton

by lindasutton [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

for Bob Blumenfield,

With Love from His Dad and Current Employer, Congressman Howard Berman

Ignored by the mainstream media this Wednesday, the Fair Political Practices Commission complaint filed against "Valley Democrats for Change" by attorney, Nicole Kuklok-Waldman, is heating up the race in the 40th Assembly District. It entered cyberspace Thursday through the subscription-only website, Capital Morning Report.

What it appears to be, said an employee at the Secretary of State's office, is another committee set up to circumvent California's legal contribution limits.

Background. California law sets a contribution limit for state candidates for the legislature at $3600 per person. A candidate can use an unlimited amount of his or her PERSONAL funds. But, a relative cannot. Which brings us to the present situation. What's a father to do???