Gay Bay Overrides Mayor, Bans Happy Meals

It's rare that I can praise something San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom has done, but he got it right when he vetoed the Happy Meal ban in San Francisco.  However, the Board of Supervisors continue with their beclowning of themselves and overrode his veto.  Thus, you will no longer be able to get a traditional McDonald's Happy Meal in the Gay Bay starting in December of next year:

If restaurants want to offer toys as incentives, the meals must meet new nutrition standards, officials said.

Under the new regulations, food and beverages must contain fewer than 600 calories, and less than 35 percent of the total calories would be allowed to come from fat. The meal must contain half a cup of fruit and three-fourths a cup of vegetables, and offer less than 640 milligrams of sodium and less than 0.5 milligrams of trans fat. Breakfast will have the option of offering half cups of fruit or vegetables.

Mayor Gavin Newsom vetoed the "healthy meal ordinance," but the Board of Supervisors had enough votes -- 8 out of 11 --to override that veto Tuesday, as expected.

"From the Institutes of Medicine to the World Health Organization, we know that reducing the consumption of junk food by kids could spare the health of millions and save billions of dollars to our overstrapped public health system," said Supervisor Eric Mar, sponsor of the legislation.

"That's why pediatricians, educators, parents, community health advocates, and thousands of individuals lined up to support this ordinance," Mar added.

When he vetoed the measure, Newsom said, "Parents, not politicians, should decide what their children eat, especially when it comes to spending their own money."

"Despite its good intentions, I cannot support this unwise and unprecedented governmental intrusion into parental responsibilities and private choices."

Wouldn't it be something if the McDonald's franchisees were to issue a response announcing that they'll close all their San Francisco restaurants and lay off the staff on the same day the Happy Meal ban goes into effect? Could be quite a Mexican stand-off between the restaurants and the Board.  Won't happen, but it would certainly make a point.

California Ballot Recommendations

With a little less than a month to go before the November 2nd elections it's time to release my ballot recommendations for the voters of California.  First, the major state offices:

U.S. SENATOR:  CARLY FIORINA
It's hard to imagine that Californians could be so utterly stupid as to send Barbara "Dumb-as-a-Box-of-Rocks" Boxer back to D.C. for a fourth term.    The woman's an arrogant moonbat lefty who couldn't even win an endorsement from her moonbat hometown paper, the San Francisco Chronicle.


GOVERNOR:  MEG WHITMAN
Jerry "Moonbeam Brown has been a disaster everywhere he's gone and bringing him back to Sacramento and joining him with a liberal legislature will be the death knell for California business.  Meg knows a thing or two about running a large organization, and coming from a world where you have to make a profit, knows about budget management.

LT. GOVERNOR: None of the Above
Gavin Newsom is a liberal Democrat who flaunted the law in his job as San Francisco mayor.  Abel Maldonado sold out California and agreed to the largest tax increase in state history in order to get his appointment to Lt. Governor and a chance through the open primary to get the nomination for governor someday.  Both are detestable and frankly the job of Lt. Gov. is meaningless anyway.

SECRETARY OF STATE:  DAMON DUNN


CONTROLLER:  TONY STRICKLAND


TREASURER:  MIMI WALTERS


ATTORNEY GENERAL:  STEVE COOLEY


INSURANCE COMMISSIONER:  None of the Above


U.S. CONGRESS 42ND DISTRICT:  GARY MILLER


MISSION VIEJO CITY COUNCIL (vote for 3):  I'm going to vote for DAVE LECKNESS because he's been a long time friend of mine, and although he's a registered Democrat he's run a small business in town for over 25 years and I think he knows what businesses need to survive and thrive in this town.  My other two choices will be RHONDA REARDON and NEIL LONSINGER.


BALLOT PROPOSITIONS

PROP 19 - LEGALIZING MARIJUANA:  NO, DUDE.
Possession and use of marijuana is still a federal crime and no ballot initiative is going to change that.  If you think second hand tobacco smoke is a problem, wait until you're smelling this crap everywhere.  And who wants to hit the highway with a bunch of potheads killing their brain cells as they drive.

PROP 20 - REDISTRICTING OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS:  NO
This seems to be one man's pipedream of an initiative that will simply cost taxpayer's money, and given it's supported by the NAACP, AARP, Common Cause and the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, you know here's something fishy going on here.

PROP 21 - VEHICLE LICENSE SURCHARGE TO FUND STATE PARKS:  NO
Although my son is looking at a career in the State or Federal parks systems, this is not the way to fund it.  For one thing it raises the already very expensive costs of owning a car in California.  Secondly, this is likely to do for State parks what the lottery did for education - nothing.  Although these funds will be specifically earmarked for State parks, it will not prevent the legislature from using these funds to replace other funds that will be removed from the State parks budget.  The same thing happened with lottery funds and education.

PROP 22 - PREVENTING THE STATE FROM RAIDING LOCAL FUNDS:  YES
This is one of those initiatives where it's instructive to see who favors it and who opposes it.  It's favored by fire chiefs, police chiefs and the library association.  It's opposed by the California Teacher's Association, a firefighter's union and a nurse's union.  Enough said?

PROP 23 - SUSPENDS AB32 UNTIL UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS TO 5.5% OR LESS:  BIG YES
AB32 is Al Gore's wet dream, a global warming law that would destroy business in California and raise the cost of just about everything we produce.  With unemployment at 12.4% the State cannot bear the impact of something as stupid as AB32.

PROP 24 - RAISES TAXES ON BUSINESS:  NO
Anytime someone calls something the "Tax Fairness Act" you have to be suspicious.  There's nothing "fair" about this.  It's just another money grab by state unions and special interest groups.

PROP 25 - MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO RAISE TAXES:  NO
This proposition has one of the most deceptive campaigns I've ever seen.  They're marketing it as a way to hold the legislature accountable by stopping their paychecks if the budget is late, but what it really does is erode the protections built into our constitution that make it difficult to pass new taxes.  The main reason our budgets are late is because of the 2/3rds majority required to pass new taxes, and that protection has saved California billions of dollars by forcing the legislature to make cuts instead of ramming new taxes down our throats.

PROP 26 - REQUIRES CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL FEES BE APPROVED BY 2/3RDS VOTE:  YES
I'm all for a 2/3rds requirement for any new state and local fees regardless of the motivation of the people behind the initiative.

PROP 27 - ELIMINATES STATE COMMISSION ON REDISTRICTING:  YES
Any chance we have to eliminate State commissions should be warmly welcomed.

Well, How Did We Do?

Last night was a mixed bag in the California Primary.  Here are my choices compared to the actual results.

GOVERNOR - Meg Whitman.  Whitman won big.  Race was called almost as soon as the polls closed.  She spent $71 million of her own money to define herself as a conservative, so the real question now is whether she'll run to the center and moderate her positions for the general election.  She'll be facing the hard left union-supported dinosaur Democrat Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown, who of course, will not be urged by the press to run to the center.

Loser Steve Poizner, who dropped $24 million of his money in the effort, was rumored last night to say he wouldn't support Whitman in the general election.  If true, my concerns about Poizner were well-founded.

SENATE - GOP - Carly Fiorina.  Fiorina also won big, but with not quite the margin that Whitman had.  Again, will she feel it necessary to run to the center?  She'll be facing wacky far lefty Barbara "Dumb-as-a-Box-of-Rocks" Boxer.

SENATOR - DEM - Mickey Kaus.  Kaus was tromped as expected, but good for him for showing how out-of-touch the Democrats have become.

Lt. Governor: SAM AANESTAD.  Aanestad lost to Abel Maldonado, former Senator and current Lt. Governor.  He will run against the detestable Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom.  As much as I dislike the arrogant Newsom, it is my goal to see that Maldonado is run out of California electoral politics.  He sold his vote for the largest tax increase in CA history, and in exchange got Prop 14 which passed  last night and essentially destroys California's primary electoral system.  More about that later.  In this race I'll do the unthinkable and vote for a Democrat I detest just because I detest Maldonado even more.

Secretary Of State: DAMON DUNN.  Dunn won huge against Birther Lawyer/Dentist Orly Taitz and will face Debra Bowen in November.

Controller: TONY STRICKLAND.  Strickland won comfortably and will face John Chiang in November.

Treasurer: MIMI WALTERS.  Walters was unopposed and will face Bill Lockyear in November.

Attorney General: JOHN EASTMAN.  Eastman lost to L.A. District Attorney Steve Cooley who will face San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris in November.

Insurance Commissioner: BRIAN FITZGERALD.  Fitzgerald narrowly defeated GOP turncoat Mike Villines, who also helped the Democrats pass a huge tax increase,  and will face Dave Jones in November.

Congress, 42nd District: LEO MCGROARTY.  McGroarty finished a distant third to incumbent Gary Miller who will likely win reelection against Michael Williamson in November.

School Superintendent: LARRY ACEVES.  Aceves got only 18.8% of the vote but still came out on top, beating the second place finisher by .7%.

Orange County Sheriff: BILL HUNT.  Hunt finished a distance 2nd to incumbent Sheriff Sandra Hutchens.

CALIFORNIA BALLOT PROPOSITION

PROPOSITION 13 - YES.  13 won big.

PROPOSITION 14 - NO, NO, A THOUSAND TIMES NO!!.  Prop 14 won, so third parties may now disband because they'll never have a candidate in a general election in CA ever again.  We now have a primary system worthy of a High School prom queen election featuring all candidates from all parties in one race, with absolutely no requirement that any candidate disclose truthfully or otherwise his political party.  The top two vote getters will go to the general election.  A very stupid move by Californians who were clearly mislead by the advertising and didn't bother to get the facts.

PROPOSITION 15 - NO, NO, HELL NO!!.  Prop 15 lost rather handily, and once again  California is safe from public funding of elections.

PROPOSITION 16 - NO.  When I turned in last night it looked like 16 was going to win.  The power companies, led by PG&E, poured millions into ads for this measure, but it lost by 5 points.

PROPOSITION 17 - NO. Again, looked like it would win last night but lost by 4.  Insurance companies put a lot of money into this one which I'm sure will show up in our rates.

CITY OF MISSION VIEJO MEASURE D - YES.  D lost big which concerns me that the City Council will feel newly empowered to rezone the city at will, thus giving us high density apartments and other residences that will increase traffic and crime.  The city's Master Plan was well-thought out and has given us a very nice place to live.  I'd hate to see that diminished by developers and their minions on the Council.

Arizona Gay Bars Take A Hit

They'll have to try to make it without the San Francisco city employee crowd:

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced today a moratorium on official city travel to Arizona after the state enacted a controversial new immigration law that directs local police to arrest those suspected of being in the country illegally.

The ban on city employee travel to Arizona takes effect immediately, although there are some exceptions, including for law enforcement officials investigating a crime, officials said. It's unclear how many planned trips by city workers will be curtailed.

Those wimpy San Franciscans couldn't take the heat over there anyway. They'd look like the Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz after that bucket of water got thrown on her.

Massachusetts Election Has California Dems Worried

And rightfully so:

The possible loss of a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts has Democrats on edge 3,000 miles away in California, where party activists fear a GOP upset today could trigger a conservative wave and swamp health care reform and the 2010 midterm elections.

"Regardless of the outcome ... this should be a gigantic wake-up call to the Democratic Party - that we're not connecting with the needs, the aspirations and the desires of real people right now," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

With Republican Scott Brown poised to defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts race to succeed the late Edward Kennedy, Democrats at the annual Martin Luther King community breakfast in San Francisco were buzzing about the impacts of such an upset: an end to the party's 60-vote supermajority and a possible mortal blow to the health care legislation championed by President Obama.

Ripple effects

But Democrats also considered the ripple effects on coming elections in the nation's most populous state.

"We better get our act together - and quickly," Newsom said. Voters "are so angry. They don't feel that we're paying attention to their needs, in terms of their jobs, and what's going on at the grassroots, in their neighborhoods."

With just 10 months until the 2010 midterm election, the mayor's remarks underscore how the Brown-Coakley race has set off alarms in Democratic-leaning California, which is holding two high-profile elections this cycle.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, a three-term Democrat, faces a re-election challenge - with three Republicans vying to defeat her: former Rep. Tom Campbell, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Assemblyman Chuck DeVore of Irvine.

Boxer polled no more than 46 percent of the vote against any of the three in a Rasmussen Poll released Friday.

And with GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger termed out, former two-term Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown will face one of two wealthy GOP challengers: former eBay CEO Meg Whitman or state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.

Worse than a canary

For Boxer, a favorite Republican target, a GOP win in Massachusetts would be a particularly dark sign representing "not just the canary in the coal mine," said Wade Randlett, a leading Silicon Valley fundraiser for Obama. "It's the flock of dead ravens landing on the lawn."

Quoth the dead raven: "You're toast, Boxer".

A decisive Brown win will energize Republicans all over the country, and terrify Democrats who will be scrambling to figure out where they went wrong. Some, like Nancy Pelosi andBarbara Boxer, will never get it and will continue their headlong rush to socialism. They'll pay dearly for their rejection of the will of the voters.

Certainly the rest of 2010 will be a time of political chaos on the left.

Bill Clinton Kills Another Campaign

What Bill Clinton did for Hillary he's now done for Gavin Newsom:

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who propelled the debate over gay marriage but struggled to find a popular message outside the San Francisco Bay area, dropped his bid for California governor on Friday.

A statement issued by his campaign said he was unable to devote the time needed to run an effective campaign, citing "a young family and responsibilities at City Hall."

"This is not an easy decision," he said. "But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats."

His announcement was not a surprise to those following the Democratic campaign. Newsom, 41, was unable to find the same popularity throughout California that he enjoys in his home city.

Attorney General Jerry Brown had a 7-to-1 fundraising edge over Newsom, even though Brown has not officially announced his candidacy. A Field Poll earlier this month showed Newsom trailing Brown by 20 points among likely Democratic voters.

Newsom failed to gain traction even after holding months of town hall meetings throughout the state and ringing up an endorsement from former President Bill Clinton.

That gives Gov. Moonbeam the undisputed lead for the governor's mansion, a job he held back when he still had hair. We'll see if any other Democrats want to step up and challenge him.

Gavin Newsom Does Something Right

Boy, I never thought I'd write that but I gotta give the Gay Bay mayor credit when it's earned:

The mayor of San Francisco is waging war against his own city hall over its decision to protect juvenile illegal immigrants from being deported -- even when they stand accused of felonies.

Overturning the city's current policy, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted last week to stop handing illegal minors over to the feds unless they've been convicted of a serious crime. Their vote upends a year-old policy that sent more than 100 suspects into federal custody for deportation.

The measure's sponsor, once an illegal immigrant himself, says innocent youths were being deported and their families were being torn apart by the city's law.

Let's stop right there. These families were not being torn apart by the city's law. They were being torn apart because of two things:

1. They were in the country illegally
2. The kids decided to commit violent crimes.

Back to the article:

But Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor of California, says the board has perverted the city's "sanctuary" policy, which was supposed to make the city safer by allowing illegal immigrants to report crimes without fear of being deported.

He says the new law now makes it easier for illegal immigrants to commit crimes.

"The sanctuary city was never designed to be in any way, shape or form a framework where people can commit crimes and be shielded against those crimes," said Newsom. "I mean that's perverse, it's absurd."

The Board voted 8-2 for the change, an essentially veto-proof majority that leaves Newsom's hands tied. But the mayor isn't buying in.

Newsom says the change violates federal law, and has directed police and probation officers to ignore the rule, which the city's law enforcement officials say they're prepared to do.

Did you catch the key part of that second excerpt? It's the "who is running for governor of California" part. The pre-candidate Newsom would have had no problem with this change in the city's regulations, but candidate Newsom realizes that catering to illegals is a no-go in most of the state.

Still, he's doing the right thing, and for him, that's a major accomplishment.

Speaking Truth to Idiots

Wow, I never thought I'd hear a Democrat in California State office saying stuff like this to his fellow Democrats:

I wonder if Lockyear is thinking about challenging Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom for governor next year?

Day Care Center Needs a Hand

Or at least the homeowner does:

Explosives and a marijuana farm were discovered at a Southern California home doubling as a state-licensed child day care center after a man blew off four of his fingers while mixing homemade explosives, authorities said Thursday.

Benjamin Kuzelka, 23, remained hospitalized at Loma Linda Medical Center and will be arrested when he his discharged, said sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez. His mother, Rebecca Kuzelka, 55, and brother, Greg Kuzelka, 21, were booked Thursday on suspicion of manufacturing illegal explosives, illegal growing of marijuana and child endangerment, he said.

Authorities went to Kuzelka Family Day Care after a local hospital reported late Wednesday that Kuzelka walked in and said he had shot himself in the hand. Doctors, however, became suspicious because the wound was inconsistent with a gun shot injury and they called authorities, Gutierrez said.

Investigators found explosives, a sophisticated marijuana-growing facility and evidence that the home had been used as a state-licensed child care facility as recently as the day before, Gutierrez said. The home is on a cul-de-sac in a remote area of Riverside County about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

"We do believe that when all this illegal activity was going on, that children were present," he said. However, no children were home at the time of the explosion, authorities said.

If Gavin Newsom becomes governor, I would expect that combination day care centers/marijuana farms will be all the rage.

Los Angeles DA: All Pot Dispensaries Are Illegal

Of course they are:

County District Attorney Steve Cooley Friday declared that all medical marijuana dispensaries in his jurisdiction, including some 800 in the city of Los Angeles, are illegal and will be prosecuted.

Voters in California legalized the medical use and sale of marijuana to patients with doctors' prescriptions, but Cooley and new City Attorney Carmen Trutanich say that a state Supreme Court opinion issued last year makes pretty much all dispensaries in the state illegal because they sell the drug over-the-counter instead of via highly regulated pharmacies.

Cooley said his office was already making legal moves against Culver City outlet Organica. The new stance toward dispensaries sent a chill through the medical marijuana community.

Outside Montebello Country Club, where the two officials made the anti-dispensary announcement, about 100 medical marijuana advocates protested.

"If this is the way it goes, we'll go underground again," said Barry Kramer, operator of Melrose Avenue dispensary California Patient Alliance. "There will be a lot more crime."

Regardless of what State law may be, pot dispensaries have never been legal. They've always been illegal under Federal law, and since Federal law supersedes State law, they're illegal anywhere in the country.

Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco and running for governor, wants to legalize pot in California. Of course, anything he does will still be illegal under current Federal law, but obeying the law hasn't been his strong suit.

Moonbeam Beating Gay Bay in CA

A new poll suggests that California could be on its way to a 1970's rerun:

A new Field Poll in California finds Jerry Brown (D) is running comfortably ahead of Gavin Newsom (D), 47% to 27%, in the Democratic race for governor.

Brown, known then as "Gov. Moonbeam", was governor of California from 1975 to 1983. To my recollection the highlight of his term was dating Linda Ronstadt.

Newsom is the mayor of San Francisco who tried to singlehandedly legalize gay marriage in California by ignoring state law and allowing gays to marry in SF...briefly, until the courts shut him down. He's one of those econuts who thinks banning water bottles will save the planet and has trash police going through people's discards to make sure they property recycle. He was also endorsed recently by Bill Clinton, and that probably won't help. Newsom was caught in an affair and spent time in rehab, thus ensuring the Clinton endorsement.

I have to say, if we're going to get stuck with a Dem governor, and that's likely in California, I'll take Moonbeam again over Gay Bay. We're screwed either way/

Soda, the New Tobacco

California governor-wannabe Gavin Newsom will save us all (h/t Rob Port):

Calling soda the new tobacco, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will introduce legislation this fall that would charge a fee to retailers that sell sugary beverages.

Newsom would need voter approval to tax individual cans of soda and sugary juice, but only needs approval from the Board of Supervisors to levy a fee on retailers. His legislation would charge grocery stores like Safeway and big-box stores, but would not affect restaurants that serve sodas.

Newsom wouldn’t say how much the stores would have to pay or how the city would spend the fees. When he first floated the idea in 2007, he said the money would go to his Shape Up San Francisco exercise program and for media campaigns to discourage soda drinking.

This is the same guy who banned water bottles in San Francisco (except the ones he used), ignored State law and single-handedly made gay marriage legal in SF... until a court smacked him down, and has garbage collectors who are required to examine homeowner's trash to make so no recyclables get into the regular trash.

And he wants to be our governor and was endorsed by Bill Clinton.

California's in trouble now. If he becomes governor, we're finished.

Mayor Viva-la-Raza Won't Run for Governor

This would be good news for Californians, except for the fact that it opens the door for Mayor Gavin Newsom or Attorney General and former Gov. Moonbeam Jerry Brown:

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced on national television today that he would not be running for California governor in 2010 after flirting with a bid for higher office for months.

“I can’t leave this city in the middle of a crisis,” Villaraigosa said. Noting that Los Angeles is grappling with a $530-million deficit, a 12.5% unemployment rate and more than 20,000 people who have lost their homes over the last two years, the mayor said: “I feel compelled to complete what I started out to do.”

Elected to a second, four-year term in March, the mayor broke the news to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room,” saying he wanted to devote his full attention to Los Angeles.

The former state assembly speaker said he had been making up his mind “for a long time” and that the state’s challenges had made the decision an “agonizing” one. Villaraigosa called the situation in Sacramento “an abomination,” but hinted at the political risks of announcing a statewide run so soon after being reelected to a second term. “I was elected mayor and reelected by the people of this city.They’ve given me the honor for a second term, and I feel compelled to complete the promise that I made to them. I’m going to dream, and I want the people to dream with me,” he said.

Villaraigosa’s decision adds a dash of clarity to the race for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination which, at the moment, appears will be between state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Brown has yet to say if he will run, while Newsom already has announced his candidacy.

In a personal note, Villaraigosa said the demands of the campaign trail would have kept him apart from his 16-year-old daughter, whom he called the “apple of my eye.” “She’s got two more years of high school and then she’s gone, and I don’t want to be campaigning for a year, and then leading the state in Sacramento and my little precious is, you know, finishing up her high school education.”

No Republican is likely to win, so whoever gets the Dem nomination probably gets the job.

While I don't care for the Mayor's politics, I have been impressed with his work ethic. He's everywhere. Not an event goes by in Los Angeles that hizzoner isn't present, from park openings to train crashes. Perhaps that explains his predilection for female news reporters (here and here) - he's always hanging around them at city events.

If Sen. Dianne Feinstein is paying attention, the race is hers to win if she wants to get in it.

Prop 8 Gay Marriage Ruling Due Tuesday

The California Supreme Court has announced that its ruling on the Proposition 8 gay marriage case will be released on Tuesday morning at 10am. Other reports indicated that the ruling was ready to go this week but San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom requested the ruling be delayed so it wouldn't fall on the 30th anniversary of the San Francisco Riots which started after Supervisor Dan White was given the most lenient decision possible following his murder of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

I think Newsom's request indicates that he thinks the ruling will not bode well for gay marriage fans. My personal expectation is that Prop 8 will be upheld, but that the gay marriages which took place prior to the passage will be allowed to stand. Sort of splitting the baby, but that's likely the way it will come down.

San Francisco to Tax Butts

No, not the naked kind that are often seen in the city during public events, but the cigarette kind:

SAN FRANCISCO — In what he casts as an attack on litterbugs and nicotine addiction alike, Mayor Gavin Newsom wants to impose a fee on an age-old inhabitant of city streets: the cigarette butt.

The proposal, to be introduced next month to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, would add 33 cents to the cost of a pack of cigarettes, to offset the estimated $10.7 million the city spends annually removing discarded butts from gutters, drainpipes and sidewalks.

The added cost, Mr. Newsom hopes, will also dampen smokers’ urge to light up.

“In general, fees help reduce the consumption and use of tobacco,” he said in an interview. “And we think that will have a very beneficial public health component.”

Officials here say the municipal fee would be the first in the country to take aim specifically at cigarette butts, particularly filters, which are not biodegradable. But the idea is expected to run into fierce opposition from tobacco companies.

Once again, this will end up being a tax on the poor since they make up a disproportionate percentage of smokers. And Newson knows that the revenue from this tax is not likely to decline since the smokers have such a hard time kicking the habit.

This is just another money grab disguised as an environmental tax.

The California Gubernatoral Race in a Nutshell

Former Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown handicaps the governor's race:

Speaking at the Commonwealth Club on Thursday, I was asked for my thumbnail assessment of next year's Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Here it is: Gavin Newsom is trying to position himself as the new Barack Obama and his main rival, Attorney General Jerry Brown, as old John McCain.

Jerry is trying to position himself as Barack Obama as well, and Newsom as the new Sarah Palin.

In reality both of them are Dennis Kucinich...wacko lefties.

Silly Greenie Quote of the Day

From a spokesman for Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, after a case of water bottles was found in his office:

"The mayor will be the first to admit that he occassionally indulges in bottled water," Ballard said. "It's not something he's proud of."

Oh the shame!

And he wants to be our next governor. Geez.

eBay's Meg Whitman to Run for CA Governor

The Republican bench in California is remarkably weak, but there's a new player that wants the top job:

Former eBay Inc Chief Executive Meg Whitman, one of the highest profile Republican technology executives in Silicon Valley, has formed a committee to explore running for governor of California in 2010, the first official step of a campaign.

The most populous U.S. state is known for its liberal, trend-making social ways, but it has a strong socially conservative element and a long history of electing Republican governors, from Ronald Reagan to current Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger.

California is in the middle of a fiscal crisis, with a $40 billion budget gap over a year a half, spiking unemployment and a continuing mortgage industry crisis.

"California faces challenges unlike any other time in its history - a weak and faltering economy, massive job losses, and an exploding state budget deficit," Whitman, 52, said in a statement. "I refuse to stand by and watch it fail."

Whitman built eBay from a tiny start-up to the dominant online auctioneer. She will face at least one other Republican tech exec in the battle for the party nomination -- Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.

Andrew Malcolm has more on Whitman here.

A state which has the fiscal problems California has could certainly use a chief executive with some real world business experience. The Democrats will put up either Mayor Antonio "Viva la Raza" Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Mayor Gavin "Laws Mean Nothing to Me" Newsom of San Francisco, Attorney General and former Governor Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown, or possibly Senator Dianne Feinstein.

On paper Whitman should be an easy choice. In reality, a Democrat is significantly favored regardless of qualifications.

Gay Bay Mayor Gives 7.5 Hour State of the City Address on YouTube

Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco and the guy who at one point decided to legalize gay marriage in his city without the benefit of an actual law, and was caught in an affair and ended up in rehab, gave his "State of the City" address on YouTube - all 7 1/2 hours of it. He's not getting great reviews:

San Francisco -- When San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom posted an epic State of the City speech on YouTube on Monday, reaction was mixed.

"Just what I wanted," said Aaron Peskin, outgoing president of the Board of Supervisors. "Somebody imitating Al Gore for 7 1/2 hours. The guy did a Fidel Castro."

But Newsom's staff is taking the long view.

"By next year, or two years from now, everybody will be doing this," said Eric Jaye, Newsom's political strategist.

The mayor's brain trust thinks it is on to something, but there is disagreement about what it is. Some think it's a plot to co-opt the mainstream media. Others suspect it's a digital gateway for Newsom's run for governor. And some hope it will touch voters in an innovative way.

"I believe in this," said mayoral spokesman Nathan Ballard. "I'm optimistic that we will reach more constituents than ever before."

Right. Because people, particularly young voters, watch YouTube. But those people are watching funny cat stunts and people flying off trampolines, not a video of a talking head reciting eye-glazing statistics.

Supervisor Sean Elsbernd applauds the mayor for "a fantastic use of new technology." But he also admitted he hasn't watched more than 2 1/2 minutes and isn't likely to view much more.

"Realistically, are the supervisors going to sit for 7 1/2 hours and watch this?" Elsbernd said. "No."

This guy wants to be California's next governor and I shudder to think what that would be like. If he can do 7 1/2 hours for the City of San Francisco, he could probably go a couple of days on the "State of the State" message.

Prop 8 Blogger Conference Call

This afternoon I participated in a conference call with other bloggers who have been promoting California's Proposition 8, the initiative that would reverse the newly found "right" to gay marriage. The principle speaker on the call was Frank Schubert who is one of the guys running the "Yes on 8" campaign. Frank had some interesting info for us.

• This initiative has a 97% awareness number in California, meaning 97% of the voters know about Prop 8. That's a tremendously high number for a ballot initiative.
• The race is polling at a dead heat - 44% to 44%. When voters are read the ballot description, the numbers are still tied at 48%-48%.
• Frank thinks if the numbers are still tied on Monday night, Yes on 8 will win by 4%-5%. Why? It seems there's a gay marriage version of the "Bradley Effect" (it needs a name, so I'll call it the "Adam & Steve Effect") in which some voters will lie to pollsters rather than risk being thought of as a "hater", "bigot" or "homophobe" (all of which I've been called by "No on 8" supporters). In some similar statewide propositions there have been as many as 7% of the voters who fell into that category. Frank thinks the number in California is closer to 4%-5%.
• I asked about the story I posted yesterday in which churchgoing Latino and Black voters, who are expected to turn out in big numbers for Barack Obama, will also vote in large numbers for Prop 8. Frank confirmed that among the various demographic groups, Black support is at the top with Latinos not far behind. A big turnout among those groups will be good for Prop 8.
• According to Frank, "hundreds of thousands" of "Yes on 8" yard signs have been stolen or destroyed. Dozens of arrests have been made for theft of vandalism, and some volunteers have been beaten up for their support. Given the hatred that has been directed at some of my posts on the subject, I can believe it.
• The big issue that's currently being debated in the ads from both sides is whether gay marriage will be taught in schools. The No side is running ads featuring the California Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell, who claims that teaching marriage is not required in California. Frank assured us that O'Connell's claim is dead wrong. 96% of the schools in California teach the sex education module, and a required part of that module is marriage. Should gay marriage continue to be the law in California, it will be taught in California schools just as it is in Massachusetts, where parents are not allowed to opt out of the gay marriage indoctrination for their kids.
• Frank made an additional point about the teaching of gay marriage in schools. If in fact gay marriage is a "fundamental right" as described by the Supreme Court, can you name any other fundamental right that isn't taught in schools? Of course gay marriage will be taught if it's allowed to be considered as a "fundamental right".
• And let's not forget that I have numerous posts on the imposition of the homosexual agenda in public schools. How could marriage be left out of that indoctrination? Just click on the "gay rights" label below and you'll get a host of items from that category.
• The "Yes on 8" campaign will continue to run their "Consequences" ad, but will also reintroduce California voters to San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and his "It's gonna happen, whether you like it or not!" ad, which personally I think was very effective. Seeing and hearing that smarmy jerk has to help the "Yes on 8" cause.
• On the "No" side, Frank mentioned that there has been more than a little upheaval in that campaign. Senior leadership has left and been replaced lately and their ad campaign has been somewhat sporadic. Their most recent ads have probably been the best of the bunch.

You can find more information and resources for the closing days of the campaign at the official website.

It's far from over, but the momentum seems to be toward the "Yes" campaign.