You know that in the last days of a campaign you can always tell the losing candidate in a race. They are the ones making crazy charges and claiming all the "evil" in the world is the fault of their opponent.

Last night while trying to enjoy the LA Lakers having another blow out game, I was inundated with political ads. One of them was "promoting" Jackson. How did she promote herself? By blasting George Bush, our President. You might ask what does Bush have to do with the race in the 19th State Senate District in California?

Well, First she says that Bush "opposes" Social Security--which is a lie. Then she tells the truth that Tony Strickland in 2004 supported Bush for re-election. Then she implies that because of a wrongly stated position, by her, the people should oppose Strickland.

If you buy into that line of reasoning, here is another line:

Hannah Jackson supports Barack Obama for president. Obama had for 20 years a hate filled, bigoted pastor named Wright. For many years the Obama finance adviser and person who got him a job at a law firm was a mobbed up crook, Tony Reszko. Then you have the Obama political and policy adviser, Bill Ayers--who is an unrepentant terrorist, who we now know Barack partied with, along with a spokesmen for the terrorist Yasser Arafat, a man who wished he threw more bombs.

If Strickland ran such an ad, he would be laughed at. Jackson is not responsible in any way for the corrupt, terrorist, bigots surrounding Obama. if she believes Strickland is responsible for Bush policies than she is responsible for the corruption of Obama. Hannah, tell the truth, do you support the friends of Obama, his advisers and corrupt money machine?

I hope the mainstream media takes her to task for this sleaze. But, I doubt it.

On another note. We all know that the State is $10 billion in debt (which Jackson would raise taxes to make it worse). Part of the reason we are in debt is because some businesses refuse to pay taxes. This afternoon I will release the names and the numbers. I will give just a sampling of Ventura County businesses that are the cause of this problem. One Simi Valley firm, for instance, owes over $581,000 in taxes, according to the Franchise tax Board. Later today I will let you know who this recalcitrant is. You will be surprised!.

Maybe the Star could do a story on all the tax evaders of Ventura County. Collecting this money is a better way to cut the deficit than raising taxes, don';t you think?

Yesterday I drive around Simi Valley doing errands. As I went from one part of town to the other I noticed on several street corners folks holding signs in support and opposition to Prop. 8, the ballot measure to ban same sex marriage. In total, it seemed, citywide, to have an even number of people in opposition and support of Prop. 8.

There were possibly over 100 people, on both sides, telling the voters of Simi Valley where they stood on this issue important to our child and to society.

But I did find some interesting differences between the two sides. (disclosure: I support Prop. 8 and even stood for a half hour with a sign in favor of the measure at Tapo Canyon and Cochran)

The differences: Those supporting Prop. 8 were very serious people. Mostly families, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girl friends--several of the parents had their children with them. They seemed to take the assignment of holding a sign on a street corner, waving and giving the thumbs up sign to many of the drivers going by as a civic duty.

Those opposing Prop. 8 had a different approach, like it was a party. I listened in on conversations of those who opposed, to get a feel of their views and values. At Tapo Canyon a couple of those present were seriously discussing why they opposed Prop. 8 with those supporting it. Solid discussions, heart felt and very sincere. But a few seem to be present to see where the "party" was that evening. They saw this as a social event more than political.

The group at Sycamore had lots of young people, kids under 18. There the discussion ran in the direction of comparing notes, especially for those around 15 years old--girls--about hooking up and their social life. Some of the conversation revolved around "smoking weed" and being "party animals"--and these were the young girls--not all of them, some were there to make a social and political point.

Looking at the two sides, it was looking at two side of society. One side was serious about the course of society. The other side really seemed interested in having a good time, parties and letting people do "their thing". It is my observation that the Yes on Prop. 8 side believes in personal responsibility and trying not to have government involved in their lives.

On the NO side of 8, those on the streets seemed OK with high taxes and government involvement, "isn't that what government is about?" The few adults that I saw, folks older than 30 years, have been supporters of radical politics for many years. For the young people, this seemed to be the first year they took to political action.

The adults on the YES side, this seemed to be the first time in their life they took a public political stand.

When Prop. 8 is long gone, this will be an experience none of them will forget. Can't wait till next weekend. Were I in charge of either side, I would have a nominal number of sign holders on street corners and a maximum number of people walking door to door, talker directly to voters.

Last week several county officials announced the formation of an organization, with attorneys, to protect the interests of the people of Ventura County. Folks like Assemblywoman Audra Strickland, Supervisor Peter Foy, District Attorney Greg Totten and Sheriff Bob Brooks, along with major community leaders.

Now, the County leaders have gone the next step, issued a letter of opposition, setting out the problems with the one man band called Clark Kelso.

Here is all of the information:

VENTURA COUNTY LEADERS SEND OPPOSITION LETTER TO PRISON RECEIVER CITING LACK OF FEDERAL POWERS

Prison hospital in Camarillo is also a danger to public health, public safety

Latest turn in battle over proposed prison facility in Ventura County, just days before Federal hearing

Ventura County - Citing lack of Federal powers as well as a danger to public safety and public health, a non-partisan coalition of County Officials sent a Letter of Opposition today to California prison receiver J. Clark Kelso to oppose a proposed prison hospital in Camarillo. The strong letter is the latest turn in a heated battle over a prison facility site being eyed by the receiver.

Taxpayers for a Safe Ventura County, which came together last week in the fight against a new prison facility in the County, cited a number of reasons that Ventura County is an unacceptable site for a proposed prison hospital:

§ Legal Limitations of Federal Powers: Taxpayer for a Safe Ventura County cites that Federal courts are specifically prohibited from ordering "the construction of prisons or the raising of taxes." (18 USC § 3626 (a)(1)(C).) The proposal to build a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facility in Ventura County to house inmates with medical needs is a direct violation of this statute and will not withstand a legal challenge. In addition, Taxpayers cites a recent non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) report that states the receiver's plan is "overbudgeted" and lacks "key operational and fiscal details."

§ Risk to Public Safety: Members of Taxpayers for a Safe Ventura County - including Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks and Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten - state that placing a prison hospital near residential areas poses a serious safety risk. Even if the Community accepts the receiver's assurances that an electronic fence (eFence) would be adequate to control prisoners in the facility itself, transportation of prisoners to other hospitals for basic medical procedures not available at the prison facility would create opportunities for escape during transport, as well as attack of medical staff and other patients at those hospitals. This is an unacceptable risk to the safety of our community.

§ Effect on Juvenile Justice: The closing of the existing youth facility would displace existing juveniles, and there is no evidence to suggest that the facility has any plans to close. Further, the receiver's plan provides no alternative plan for housing female juveniles outside of this, the only juvenile housing facility for women.

§ Negative Impact on Community Health Care: The receiver's proposed prison hospital would have more beds than all of the hospitals in Ventura County combined. The County will suffer further shortage of skilled healthcare personnel due to the presence of a prison facility, leaving Ventura County residents. The coalition strongly states that law-abiding Ventura County residents also have a right to adequate health care. At a time when many law-abiding California residents do not have healthcare, it is difficult to justify increasing healthcare expenditures for prisoners.

§ Lack of Infrastructure: The proposed prison facility will cause a dramatic and devastatingly adverse impact to our environment and our local infrastructure. The increased strain on our roads, water lines, sewer lines, and other utilities will be too difficult and costly to mitigate.

§ In Conclusion: Modification of Plans: The non-partisan coalition of County leaders closed their letter with an urging for the Receiver to modify his plans to exclude Ventura County as a potential site for a prison hospital.

The Letter is being sent to prison receiver Kelso today, just days before Monday's hearing in Federal Court in San Francisco to determine whether the State will be forced by a judge to make an initial payment on the proposed prison hospital sites throughout California.

Taxpayers for a Safe Ventura County also stated last week they intend to seek a vigorous legal challenge to the proposed prison site if necessary.

A copy of the letter from Taxpayers for a Safe Ventura County, to J. Clark Kelso is attached.

###

COPY OF LETTER

<>

October 23, 2008

J. Clark Kelso, Receiver

California Prison Health Care Services

P.O. Box 4038

Sacramento, CA 95812-4038

Dear Mr. Kelso:

We write to you to express our opposition to the construction of a new prison medical facility in Camarillo. While we appreciate your efforts to communicate your position on the proposed project, we believe that our concerns and some fundamental legal issues still have not been resolved.

LEGAL RESTRAINTS

In addressing prison conditions, federal courts are specifically prohibited from ordering "the construction of prisons or the raising of taxes." (18 USC § 3626 (a)(1)(C).) The proposal to build a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ("CDCR") facility in Ventura County to house inmates with medical needs is a direct violation of this statute and will not withstand a legal challenge.

In addition to the direct legal prohibition of ordering the construction of a prison, federal courts are limited to "the least intrusive means necessary to correct the violation of the Federal right." (18 USC § 3626 (a)(1)(A).) Your plan goes far beyond what is allowed to remedy the 8th Amendment violations at issue in Plata and Coleman.

The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office ("LAO") has expressed serious concerns as to the scope, feasibility, and necessity of your plan. The LAO concluded that your proposal is "over budgeted and lacks the key operational and fiscal details (such as information on staffing and operating costs and the security of the facilities, among other items) that are necessary to fully justify the immediate approval of the entire package of construction projects." In essence, your proposal is much greater than necessary to achieve your ultimate goal. Thus, under federal law, it cannot be allowed.

You already have made significant improvements to the healthcare delivery system without a prison expansion program, as evidenced by the fact that the death rate in prisons has decreased during the two years of the existence of the Receivership, a fact Judge Henderson acknowledges. These new facilities, with their high price tag, are not the most cost effective and appropriate means to comply with the federal court order because, in part, the Receiver has shown that results can be accomplished with the current infrastructure the state has in place.

The LAO further notes that the overall California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation population is actually on the decline. It seems unnecessary, let alone dreadfully wasteful, to propose an expansion of prisons where the prison population is decreasing. We do not need more prisons to house fewer prisoners.

This plan simply defies logic, especially considering we are in the midst of an economic crisis. While our state is struggling to fund even its day-to-day operations, the last thing we need is to try to find an extra $8 billion for a prison expansion plan that appears to be vastly overreaching in its scope. Moreover, the $8 billion price tag does not include the additional funds that will be necessary on an ongoing basis for administration and operation of the facility.

EFFECT ON JUVENILE JUSTICE

You assert that the site in Ventura County came to your attention last year when you learned that CDCR had decided to close the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility. We have been told numerous times that there are no intentions to close this facility. Attached is a document from CDCR expressly stating there are no plans to close the facility, and in fact, a population increase is planned.

We also have concerns with the interaction of your proposal with the State's ability to comply with the consent decree in Farrell. The State has entered into an agreement with the plaintiffs in Farrell to improve the conditions and the services provided to youths within the juvenile justice system. While many of the youthful offenders have been shifted back to the counties, there still remains a population of offenders within the State's responsibility. Despite your assertions to the contrary, if you force the closure of the VYCF, it will jeopardize compliance with Farrell.

This disruption is particularly troubling since the VYCF currently serves as the only facility housing female juvenile offenders and there is currently no alternative housing plan for these young women. There are other sites (particularly ones the CDCR actually intends to close) that are available within California to house inmates with medical needs that would not result in the disruption of services to youthful offenders currently housed in Ventura.

EFFECT ON HEALTHCARE IN THE COMMUNITY

The increased demand for medical staff which would stem from the proposed facility will be sadly met at the expense of our community. Our citizens will lose access to adequate health care services and personnel because the proposed facility will be siphoning away the health care personnel we desperately need in our communities.

We disagree with your analysis that Ventura County will have an expanded medical workforce and thus would benefit under your proposal. Ventura County has been experiencing a severe nursing shortage for several years. Community colleges and other educational institutions have not been able to meet the demand for nurses under the current climate.

This additional demand cannot be met without negatively impacting the community. You can work with the educational community to expand training capabilities, but they will have a difficult time finding the necessary additional resources for that training. Ventura County lacks the necessary faculty and instructors to expand the nursing programs. Additionally, nursing students are required to complete clinical hours, and those resources are also severely limited.

Planning for the training, recruitment, and retention of medical staff is admirable, but it will not be as simple as you propose. The expansion of medical staff you require is a long term project, particularly if it is to be accomplished with experienced instructors and with minimal impact to the community.

Ventura County residents also have a right to access adequate healthcare. The CDCR facility you proposed would have more beds than all the other hospitals in Ventura County combined. The CDCR facility would reduce the already inadequate staffing of local hospitals and make adequate healthcare unavailable to local residents.

At a time when many law-abiding California residents do not have healthcare, it is difficult to justify increasing healthcare expenditures for prisoners. CDCR expenditures for healthcare have more than tripled in the last seven years, from $676 million in 2000 (approximately $4,170 per inmate) to 2.387 billion in 2007 (approximately $14,000 per inmate). By comparison, healthcare costs for California residents last year averaged half that, $7,100. Nor are increased CDCR healthcare costs necessary. The mortality rate for California prisoners (213 per 100,000 prisoners) is lower than the national average for all state prisons (250 per 100,000 prisoners), and lower than the mortality rate for United States residents ages 15-64 (308 per 100,000).

EFFECT ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Our understanding is that the proposed facility would provide maintenance healthcare services to prisoners similar to a skilled nursing facility, but would not be equipped to handle more serious medical problems such as surgery. We understand that prisoners would be transported to local acute care hospitals for such services. Even if we accept your assurances that an eFence would be adequate to control prisoners in the CDCR facility itself, transportation of prisoners to other hospitals would create opportunities for escape and attack of staff and patients at those hospitals. This is an unacceptable risk to the safety of our community.

LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE

Expanding the existing Ventura Youth Correctional Facility (VYCF) to accommodate the additional inmate population will cause a dramatic and devastatingly adverse impact to our environment and our local infrastructure. The increased strain on our roads, water lines, sewer lines, and other utilities will be too difficult and costly to mitigate.

CONCLUSION

We understand that the federal district court has appointed you to oversee and restructure the delivery of medical services within the California prison system, and the court has granted you authority to accomplish the goal of bringing the state prison medical program up to Constitutional standards. However, we do not believe your authority is broad enough to extend to this new proposed prison facility in Ventura County, as federal law is an insurmountable obstacle to your plan. Your plan would also have a detrimental effect on juvenile justice, would deprive local citizens of adequate healthcare, and would provide an unacceptable risk to public safety. Finally, the location lacks sufficient infrastructure to support it.

We urge you to modify your plans to eliminate construction of a CDCR healthcare facility in Ventura County.

Very truly yours,

<<>>

Many have asked for a source of the ACORN corruption of the electoral process. Now that they have been spotted in Ventura County registering Democrat voters, we need to have an understanding of the Banana Republic/corruption attitude of this organization.

A friend just sent me this web site for the documentation. Go here to see the national scope of this organization, which Barack Obama donated almost a million dollars to "enhance" its efforts.

After reading the facts, you need to be concerned about the integrity of the electoral process. Between intimidation, registration and voter fraud, ACORN is the leading cause of the problem.

Now, they are in our county.

The Democrats were running an illegal voter registration effort in Ventura County--using underage people to register voters.

Below is a press release sent out by the California Republican Party just a few minutes ago:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Hector Barajas

October 20, 2008 916-448-9496

DEMOCRATIC VOTER EDUCATION AND REGISTRATION FUND CLOSED DOWN IN VENTURA COUNTY

Today, the Ventura County Election's Division shut down the voter registration program by the Education and Registration Fund for violating Election Code 2101, 2104, and 2109. The Democrat registration organization had hired underage people to register voters, a clear violation of the California Election Code.

At a press conference today, the California Secretary of State, Debra Bowen noted that if complaints are brought forth to her office, her fraud unit will launch investigations "against any party."

An official complaint will be forthcoming, but either way, we won't hold our breath on Debra's promises to apply the law in a non-partisan manner.

Debra Bowen (10/20/08): My Fraud Unit Will Investigate "Against Any Party."

After close to 50 years of watching, and participating in political campaigns you can read the tea leaves of who is winning and who is losing.

One sign is when a candidate yells and screams about a minor technicality in the opponents delivery of a message.

If the best that a candidate can do is scream about a missing disclaimer, though the address of the sender is used, you know they are on the ropes. After spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on attack ads, forcing thousands of union members to donate to her campaign, without first asking each member permission, Hannah Beth Jackson is down to yelling about disclaimers. Seems like her attacks have not worked, now she is the complaint mode. Instead of saying the mailer is wrong, she is saying it is missing a disclaimer--seems to me like she is admitting that she does believe in higher taxes--as her record shows--and that she is no longer denying it. Even her hired gun, Parke Skelton, is no longer denying that Jacksons answer to any problem, real or imagined, is higher taxes.

Free Advice to Parke Skelton and Hannah Jackson: -get back on message--promote your program of bigger government, more taxes, supporting fewer criminals in prison and more on the streets. Be proud of your values. Stop trying to sound like a conservative, everybody knows who you really are.

This article from politkerca.com explains the issue--you will see that Jackson knows she is losing.

Jackson campaign alleges foul play with Strickland mailer

By James B. Gerber

The campaign of Santa Barbara Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson, candidate for the 19th state Senate District, accused opponent Republican Tony Strickland of Thousand Oaks of mailing an illegal flier and attempting to "confuse" voters.

The mailer, titled "Hannah-Beth Jackson's Economic Plan," alleges that "Taxin' Jackson" will raise taxes "left and right" in what has become the standard line of attack from the Strickland camp. However, nowhere on the flier is the sender disclosed as is required by state law, though Strickland's campaign address appears on the mailer's return address.

Parke Skelton, Jackson's campaign consultant, alleged that "this was not an inadvertent failure to put the proper disclaimer on the mailer," but "an obvious attempt to confuse voters."

Strickland consulant Joe Justin, who produced the mailing, disputed the accusation and said he never intended to deceive voters. "There was no foul play, it was a complete mistake," said Justin, pointing to the fact that he correctly included the campaign's return address. "I accept 100 percent responsibility."

Justin said he will be sending out a revised version of the same flier, this time with full disclosure.

I just came back from Wal Mart, to buy groceries at low prices--lower than Von's, Ralphs or Albertsons.

As I came out I noticed a young lady registering to vote. I asked the guy running the table who he worked for. His immediate answer was ACORN. I told the lady about the voter fraud of ACORN in Ohio, Indiana, New Mexico, etc. His response was:

a) they are all lies.
b) he does not work for ACORN--though he refused to say who he worked for (when confronted about the corruption of ACORN he changed his story)
c) showed me his drivers license (how do I know if it is real or not--remember a few years ago Congressman Gallegly and his aide went into Los Angeles and was able to buy one on the street)
d) he claimed that ACORN only worked in the MidWest--not true, recently they had been working in Oxnard
d) if I did not leave and stop telling the lady about ACORN he would call the police.

Lets see:

a) we all know that the FBI is investigating ACORN for voter fraud in numerous states.
b) if he was honorable he would tell who he is working for. Every other petition gatherer tells, why not him?
c) his announcement that he would call the police was typical of the type of intimidation used by ACORN

If he is with ACORN, as he originally claimed, the manager of the Simi Valley Wal Mart has a lot to explain--ACORN has a major project to harm the store.

Wal-Mart Alliance for Reform Now, or WARN, an Acorn affiliate that focuses on what it considers to be unfair labor practices and other issues at Wal-Mart, is still operating.

In short, voting is a precious right---a right that ACORN has diminished for all of us by its fraud and intimidation tactics. If you register to vote with someone you do not know, be careful.

The Santa Barbara News-Press has made it clear, Hannah Beth Jackson can not be trusted.

During the 2003 budget debacle, she tried to stop the passage of the budget. In doing so, she was trying to stop money going to education, health care and public safety. She was more interested in politics than in people. When asked recently about the secret meeting, she outright lied and claimed no such meeting happen.

From the article:

"A report in the San Francisco Chronicle stated: "Members of the Assembly Democrats' progressive caucus were heard making candid, if not intemperate, statements . . . that they may want to 'precipitate a crisis' over the budget this year." The L.A. Daily News noted that the Democrats "speculated that the continuing deadlock over the state budget could benefit their party politically by slowing the drive to recall Gov. Gray Davis."

It goes on to say this, "At a recent candidates debate in Ventura, Ms. Jackson tried to distance herself from all this by saying there was no secret meeting, according to reports. The Strickland campaign notes: "Hannah-Beth Jackson thinks that when she says something, it's true. This time, her denials are more hollow than usual. Taxin' Jackson must have forgotten the news coverage of the now infamous 'Squawk Box' recording. In this meeting, Democrats inadvertently had microphones transmitting their secret plans to hold up the budget and to blame the Republicans in hope of gaining a political advantage."

"On top of these apparent lies or distortions about her past, Ms. Jackson has further damaged her reputation by over-the-top mud-slinging against Mr. Strickland.

Voters must ask themselves: Do you have enough trust and confidence in Ms. Jackson to give her a job in Sacramento? "

So--she refuses to discuss the economy because her plan has always been to raise taxes.

Jackson gets caught lying and playing politics, she lied about endangering the lives of children and the elderly. Jackson refuses to discuss the budget deficit, because her plan is to raise taxes on the poor and middle class.

In her own owns, Hannah Jackson can not be trusted--and her local newspaper notes it.

Some people like to play golf, or tennis. Others swim or go to movies. Me, I like to go grocery shopping. Ask me the price of bread and milk and I can tell you without a problem.

I usually shopped at the Von's on Erringer in Simi Valley. But I have noticed that I have instead been buying at either Wal Mart or Valley Produce, in Mountain Gate.

WalMart sells "Quick Oats", the off brand, for $2.39 Von's charges $3.39 for the same item. WalMart charges $.88 for a pound of Imperial margarine--Von's charges $1.25.

Produce is really an amazing story--I no longer buy any from Von's, and here are the comparative prices between Von's and Valley Produce (where not noted, quality is the same):

(Prices compares at 4:00pm, October 13, 2009)
Vons Valley Produce

brussel spouts 1.99lb. .99lb

celery 1.79 .49 (but Von's is better quality)

lettuce 1.69 1.29

carrots .79 lb .49 lb

bananas .79lb .50 lb (need to ripen)

tomatoes 2.99 lb .49 lb (same quality)

strawberries 3.00 lb 1.99 lb

green onions .79 bunch .10 bunch

red onions 1.29 lb .25 lb

barlett pears .33 lb .39 lb

fuji apples .88 lb .50 lb

broccoli crowns 1.79 lb 1.19 lb

gala apples .88 lb .89 lb

The difference is that Wal Mart and Valley Produce are non union, and can not be closed by folks who demand workers pay "dues" or they are not allowed to work. Von's is a union only shop, remember the two recent strikes?

So, if you want to stretch your food dollars and have the same or better quality food, you decide.

Tomatoes at $3.00 a pound at a union shop, or tomatoes for $.49 a pound? BTW, the same goes for government. Want to build a road at union costs or real costs? We pay a 15-25% premium to hirer "union only". Can we afford that any more?

The Star reported on the debate yesterday between Tony Strickland and Hannah Jackson, the nominees for their political parties for the 19th Senate District.

The story was excellent, as a news story. The good news is that the reporter told the readers about the debate, without bias or spin. It was a straight news story, as it should be in the news section of the paper.

Now for the analysis:

On questions of health care, Strickland wanted the citizens to decide. Jackson wanted government intervention.

On the mortgage meltdown: Strickland wanted the crooks punished--including those who lied on the finance forms about their income.

Jackson wanted more government.

On cutting government: Jackson wanted to look at "all" programs. Not an answer to the question, "which programs would you cut?". You would think that after six years in the legislature she could name a single program that is a waste.

Strickland named 14 commissions he would cut as a start. He gave a direct answer. He was wiling to answer the question.

Both were asked what would the focus be of their first piece of legislation as a State Senator.

Jackson wanted to use colleges to "retrain people who lost their jobs". That is not the real focus of colleges--that is the focus of high schools and continuation schools. After six years in the legislature she still does not understand the role of colleges, universities and the rest of the education system. Her answer was just words, meant to sound good, with no reason, logic or basic understanding of education. If she had specified the community colleges, that would be a good answer--but she did not.

Strickland continues with emphasis on alternative energy sources. He understands that to lower future energy costs, to make us independent of terrorist and totalitarian nations--plus it creates productive jobs.

Finally, the question about same-sex marriage was raised. Jackson, as a politician said she was glad it was on the ballot--what does that really mean? But, she was honest to say she opposed traditional marriage.

Strickland supports Prop. 8 and traditional marriage along with most Californians.

The bottom line is this. If you believe government is the answer and you do not feel you are not smart enough to run your own life, this debate showed that Jackson is your candidate.

If you believe in yourself, if you understand that government is out of control, if you think government is too big, then Strickland is your candidate.

One last thought that I will be writing about in another blog: One of the reasons we have a deficit is that we have people and businesses that refuse to pay their taxes. The total might be as high as $4 billion, the same amount the State needs to borrow, at high interest rates, for the cash flow problem we are facing. I will tell you about one Ventura County business that owes lots of money in taxes, but is donating money to the State to clean up the environment--instead of paying the taxes it owes.

Want to know why the cost of health care is so high, look at the actions of the SEIU. In this Star story the SEIU claims the five day shut down of several hospitals has "nothing" to do with money. That, despite the fact they want a 17.5% raise, over three years. So, why not take that out of the negotiations and just discuss "staffing". What a joke.

If the SEIU gets it way, the cost of health insurance goes up and the number that can afford insurance will go down.

The good news is that if the SEIU gets its way, no private hospital will be able to stay open. Then we will all be able to get government health care--and you know how :good" that is. Want to destroy an industry, service or product? Just go UNION. Ask those who worked in the auto and steel industry. Note the major newspapers firing thousands, like the LA and NY Times, the SF Chronicle, the Sac Bee. Thanks to unions, the cost of government is at a premium and taxes are going up.

When you are waiting in a crowded emergency room trying to get treatment, remember the SEIU. When you have to wait for months for needed surgery--like they do in Canada and Britain--remember the SEIU. You can thank them, now for your troubles later.

The short article about Barack Obama below is scary.

This is what we already know.

Barack Obama has taken in millions of dollars of questionable funds. Seehere.

He has a history of involvement in radicalism, with terrorists as friends, colleagues and fund raisers. See here.

The Obama campaign has given almost one million dollars to ACORN, a well known, corrupt organization. Found guilty in several States of voter registration fraud. See here. Many more examples in at least ten States.

We know he has tried to close down the First Amendment by stopping talk radio from discussing his connection with radicals and crooks. See here.

Now we have young children singing about Obama, like kids in Cuba sing about Fidel Castro, children in China sung about Mao Tse-Tung. See here.

The corruption, friends with terrorists, having a hate filled spiritual leader like Jeremiah Wright, connected to the notorious Daley machine is NOTHING compared to this frightening YouTube display of the "Cult of Personality" found in totalitarian States throughout history. Note the quasi-military pants. Look up the history of the "Freikorps" and you will know why many are frightened by this election and its aftermath.

Please see the whole YouTube here. Then write your thoughts on the totality of Barack Obama.

Here is the short article from The American Thinker, written by Thomas Lifson and published today:

"First came the disturbing video of very young children singing the praises of Obama, in the style of North Korean children hailing the transformative powers of the Dear Leader.

Now comes equally or more disturbing video of older children, this time in uniforms, marching and proclaiming that "because of Obama" they will achieve various accomplishments.

Note the chant "Alpha, Omega" with which these youths march. That reference apparently means that Obama is their god, drawing on the Book of Revelation 1: 8 in the King James Version which reads "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last."

Obama is running for president, not God."

On September 27, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. The Second Annual Light Up the Cross was held at the father Serra Cross at Grant Park in Ventura, California. Worship music was provided by Expression Ministries. Several of the pastors, and three young people, who are the presidents of their high school Bible study groups, took turns leading the approximately 400 worshipers in prayer.

Ed Lupton, Sr., 90 years young, was recognized with Certificates of Recognition by United States Congressman, Elton Gallegly, California Assemblywoman, Audra Strickland, and Light Up the Cross for his efforts in the early 1960's for constructing Grant Park and for placing the original lights on the Cross. The lights were removed in 2003 after 40 years of lighting Ventura's Cross because of the objection of an atheists and the threatened law suit of an ACLU backed attorney from San Fransisco.

In addition, a donation was taken, a portion to benefit the maintenance of the Cross, and the remaining portion to benefit Ventura's youth. Mayor Christi Weir, on behalf of the Cross Conservancy gave a prayer of thanksgiving for the donation.

When darkness fell Kimble Ouerbacker offered a prayer and asked everyone to turn on their flashlights and "Light Up the Cross. Out of the pitch black darkness, as if the stars in heaven instantly lit up, the Cross came alive with the light of hundreds of worshipers flashlights and the Light of Jesus Christ.

"Light Up the Cross" consists of Kimble Ouerbacker and over twenty local Christian churches, both Protistan and Catholic, with the list of participating churches still growing.

The reason for "Light Up the Cross" is threefold:

1) It is an opportunity for local Christians to leave the four walls of their own home church and join hands and hearts with other Christians to worship Jesus Christ as "one body." And to give back to the community in the form of financial donations raised at the Lighting;

2) A movement to encourage a return to the pre-2003 lighting of the Father Serra Cross at Grant Park;

3) An opportunity for Christians to show solidarity in the face of ever increasing national anti-Christian sentiments, the like of which forced the City of Ventura to sell the Cross in 2003, championed by the ACLU and similar minded groups and individuals.

Though I am Jewish, I have tremendous respect for those of Faith, true faith. At a time when even the mention of religion brings a horde of ACLU attorneys, it great to see hundreds of people stand up, turn on their flashlights and Light Up the Cross.

I should note that the founder of this effort and coordinator of the event was Kimble Ouerbacker, of Ventura. Good to see people do the right thing, in the face of government and the ACLU.

The Nanny State in California is a few bills short of the loony bin thanks to the Governor.

Some folks believe that metallic balloons will end humanity as we know it, so they had to be outlawed. Senator Scott, a man who prepared himself for another, government job, while a legislator, wanted to stop the sale of metallic balloons. When that did not work, he got a bill passed to put a label on the balloons that they "might" be dangerous.

Thankfully the governor determined this was not a priority and vetoed it.

He also vetoed a bill to give illegal aliens a drivers license. Then he vetoed a bill that really made no sense. Democrat Senator Gil Cedillo wanted to give financial aid to illegal aliens so they can go to college--which is illegal to begin with.

He also vetoed nine out of ten job killer bills. But, he did every sign SB 375 that will in 25-30 years force Simi Valley, Santa Paula, Ventura and every other Ventura County city to look and feel like New York or San Francisco.

This bill, to save the planet, will force high rises for affordable housing, building only with a short distance from mass transit (government transportation systems) and the State, not the local Planning Commission could stop a project. No more local control of zoning.

This disaster will hit us soon. While it will not kill jobs, it will kill the California Dream. If you love New York and San Fran, you will have it here in Ventura County.