I know many of you read my blog mostly to find out what is going on from different sides of the political debate. One of the ways I find out what's going on is by signing up for almost every newsletter out there. You could sign up for them too but do you want to get messages from every campaign out there? It is early in the campaign for governor but of all the candidates thus far Steve Poizner is campaigning the most aggressively. He sends out updates on his campaign and his record as insurance commissioner quite often.
The other candidate, whether you like it or not, is San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
What do you think? Do you know who you want to support in 2010 for governor? Do you think it is too early to be campaigning and instead these candidates should focus on the current jobs? Which candidate do you want to hear from more?
Click here for my previous entry on the 2010 campaign for governor.
Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill Endorses Steve!
In a show of growing support behind his potential candidacy for Governor of California in 2010, Steve Poizner has gained the endorsement of one of California's top Republicans - Senate GOP Leader Dave Cogdill.
"Nothing is more important to the future of California than proven leadership and I'm proud to support Steve and his vision for to restore our state," said Senator Cogdill. "Steve is smart, innovative and dedicated. His diversity of experience and proven success in both the public and private sectors is a great benefit to the people of California."
Poizner has scored a long - and impressive list of Republican endorsements, including more than 70 percent of Republicans in the current Legislature! Click here to see a complete list of endorsements.
Poizner Cuts Fees by Millions of Dollars!
For the first time since Proposition 103 was passed 20 years ago, a California Insurance Commissioner has actually lowered the fees charged by the Department of Insurance. Steve Poizner announced this week that he was reducing fees by $10.3 million.
Hundreds of fees were cut by 6 percent and most of those benefitting are small business people or self-employed as insurance agents, brokers, adjusters, etc.
To read a story in the Sacramento Bee about the fee cuts click here.
"Poizner Produces"- Michelle Steel Praises Poizner Fee Cuts
Board of Equalization Member Michelle Steel, the highest ranking elected female Republican in California, wrote a column for the prominent Flash Report blog touting Commissioner Poizner's use of business principles to reduce of millions of dollars in fees charged by the Department of Insurance and permanently cut the department's budget by 10%.
Poizner Produces
By Michelle Steel
"If you want an example of competent and strong leadership based on Republican principles, look no further than Steve Poizner's California Department of Insurance.
"We are constantly told by the naysayers it's impossible to make government more efficient - that taxes and fees can and should only go up - and that we can't do much to help the small business people of California during this economic crisis. But, Steve Poizner is powerfully demonstrating just the opposite. Commissioner Poizner has announced that, for the first time since Prop. 103 passed in 1988, fees charged by the California Department of Insurance are being reduced by $10.3 million.
"Hundreds of fees charged by the Department were cut by 6 percent. The vast majority of those who pay these fees to the department work in small business or are self-employed as insurance agents, brokers, adjusters, etc."
To read the full column click here.
San Francisco Chronicle: Poizner "Well-Positioned" for Governor
It's not often that a campaign for Governor highlights an item about a U. S. Senate campaign. But a recent article on the San Francisco Chronicle politics blog written by veteran political reporter Carla Marinucci talks about why some Republicans are looking at running for U.S. Senate instead of Governor and notes Steve Poizner's impressive momentum.
Marinucci writes, "One reason: Poizner is well-positioned, has done his homework, his fundraising, and his grassroots outreach for more than a year - and he's got on board a crowd of key conservatives who could've caused him problems."
Given the possible alternatives on the Democratic side -- Gavin "Whether You Like It Or Not" Newsom, Moonbeam, Antonio Villalaraza, and Dianne "Beehive's Died in the 50's" Feinstein, I think we should be looking very seriously at Steve's candidacy.
Granted, Arnold has been a huge disappointment, but, then again, the expectations were very high after Gray Davis's disastrous reign.
Whoever we elect, it has to be someone who can make sense of and, somehow reform, a broken, dysfunctional, legislative system that has resulted in nothing but deficit budgets for the last 15 - 20 years.
Is there a website to check who is on his payroll?
Click on my name to check out his website. He doesn't have a paid staff yet, but this will be public information, once he makes a declaration of candidacy.
Correction. It looks like his paid strategic and media consultants are from the high-priced Washington, D.C. political consulting firm of The Stevens and Schriefer Group (SSG). This guy is serious.
Poizner is an excellent choice for the Republicans. He embraces all of their values. He paid Mark Jacoby and his company Young Political Majors to commit voter fraud by changing peoples party affiliations here in Ventura and other California counties, without their knowledge. The practice is called slamming. Essentially Poizner funded voter fraud and is proud of it. Jacoby was arrested last fall for registering himself to vote at an address he did not live at in order to become a deputy register recorder, a felony. I expect Poizner to continue to stand for Republican values by disenfranchising voters in 2010.
Sure, and Gavin Newsom is a great choice for Dems. The guy who was single-handedly responsible for the passage of Prop. 8 last November, with his "Whether You Like It Or Not" commercial. I hope you're proud of him.
Newsom is not my first choice, but I will support anyone who stands on the side of Civil Rights and against putting discrimination into our constitution any day of the week over someone who openly promotes and funds voter fraud.
Brian,
Who is your first choice?
We await his response with baited breath...
We await his response with baited breath...
I don't have a preference yet for a Democratic candidate. I may have a better idea after the Democratic California State Convention in April. I know I could not in good conscience support someone willing to fund the aggressive voter fraud done by Jacoby and his company. It shows the man is morally bankrupt.
Gee, Brian, how non-committal of you. You already know the field, right? Moonbeam, Villaraza, Big-Mouth Newsom, and "Once Again" Garamendi.
Bee-Hive Feinstein won't run. Why on earth would she want to exchange her highly desirable, influential position in the U.S. Senate for a $42 billion-in-the-red, dysfunctional fiasco?
Garamendi,Brown, Villaraza and Newsom are all better choices than a person who is willing to fund voter fraud as Poizner did. Unlike "No One Good, Huh?" I want to meet the players hear what they have to say head to head before I make a decision as to who I will support. I am not a lockstep marching Republican. In addition, as an official of the Ventura Democratic Party, I can not publicly endorse anyone until after the primary.
Well, excuuuuuuuse me! An official of the Ventura County Democratic Party, are we? Please accept my humblest apologies. Why, I had no idea.
Tell me this, Mr. Party Official. Did you not march lockstep with the rest of the starry-eyed Obama supporters and pull the lever for him in November like the rest of the sheep? Or was that a completely independent, thoughtful, well-reasoned action on your part?
I take it you're not a big Villaraigosa fan, since you chose to use my "Villalaraza" nickname rather than his real name in your response. Or, maybe you've just never heard of him. Wouldn't surprise me. You seem pretty ill-informed.