Today's Fresh Meat

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Californians enjoy a lot of tax breaks, some of which seem ratherobsolete. The Sacramento Bee reports that Governor Schwarzenegger andLegislative Democrats are looking at closing some holes, suchas an arbitrary child tax credit that mostly benefits the upper-income.Of course, Legislative Republicans reflexively say no because it's a"tax increase."

Senator Dianne Feinstein is asking the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to turn down the heat on the Chinese—for now, according to the Chronicle. Feinstein, who along with her husband hasbeen friendly with the Dalai Lama for many years, says it would bepremature to protest the Beijing Olympics before direct talks happenbetween the Tibetan leader and the Chinese.

Tom McClintock (above), the supposed champion of fiscal responsibility, has taken hundreds of thousands in per diems designed for legislators who live far away, while his family resides in a Sacramento suburb, according to the LosAngeles Times. This may be of interest to the residents of the FourthCongressional District, many of whom lionize him even though his olddistrict is in Ventura.

There's more...