OC Register's Top 10 Political Stories

Van Tran vs. Loretta Sanchez
Tan Nguyen faces prison time
Delecia Holt spends another Christmas in jail
Nativo Lopez jailed
Orly Taitz continues 'birther' battle
Tony Rackauckas vs. Todd Spitzer
Candidate loses son, wins Assembly seat
GOP secretary of state race
The Scott Baugh manifesto*
Anti-union saber rattling**

* The "Baugh Manifesto" is an interesting story in its own right. OC Republican Party Chairman Scott Baugh announced in January 2010 that the Party would not support or endorse any candidate who took public employee union money or support. It seemed to be gaining traction but after the November 2nd election it was discovered that several OC candidates received support from both the OCGOP as well as public employee unions. Among them is Fullerton's newly sworn council member, Pat McKinley. McKinley was one of 3 officially endorsed GOP candidates who is also the retired chief of police from Fullerton. He benefited from playing both sides of the aisle.

Fullerton's own congressman, Ed Royce, plaid a significant role in the Fullerton city council election. He opened what was dubbed as the "North OC Republican Party HQ" with help from the California Republican Assembly and Republican Womens Federated. He opened the retail office space to ALL candidates who were registered Republicans, thereby nullifying any possible advantage that the endorsed candidates may have had over the non-endorsed candidates.

Marty Burbank, Barry Levinson, Roland Chi, Aaron Gregg, and Don Bankhead were all given ample room for their signs and literature at the North OC HQ. Part of the trouble may have come from Royce's decision to endorse his old pal Don Bankhead, a non-GOP endorsed incumbent. How could Royce open his little shop of horrors to Bankhead without inviting ALL of the republican candidates? Royce's decision helped one Democrat, Doug Chaffee, nearly win a seat on the council.

In the future, the OCGOP should pull their endorsement for candidates who receive public employee union support if the candidates do not make a public rejection of the union support. Congressman Ed Royce should either get on board with the OCGOP and support ONLY their endorsed candidates or he should stop calling himself an OC Republican.

** The anti-union saber rattling was a real problem for good and bad candidates alike. In the 2010 Primary Election we saw retired OC Sheriff's lieutenant and chief of San Clemente police services go toe-to-toe with a deputy chief of police from Anaheim and the appointed sheriff, Sandra Hutchens. Hunt solicited and received public employee union support while as did deputy chief Craig Hunter- both Republicans. Sandra Hutchens, a former Democrat, received considerable support from Los Angeles County area Democrats as well as L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca, also a Democrat.

2010 also brought the public employee unions home to roost. The California Republican Party's Spring 2010 Convention was paid for in large part by public employee unions. Needless to say, the OCGOP was well represented at the convention.

Fullerton Republicans must come together with their money and actions to bring quality leadership to the community. We don't need more retired public employees and we do not need crisis managers. We need conservative leaders who will keep Fullerton out of the troubled waters that lie ahead.

The Fullerton Sentinel

Royce loses bid to head financial services panel

by Martin Wisckol
Politics Reporter, Orange County Register
(re-posted here without permission)

 Rep. Ed Royce, R-Fullerton, has lost his bid to become chairman of the House’s high-profile Financial Services Committee, as the House Republican Conference today confirmed the steering committee’s choice of Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-AL.

Bachus has been the ranking Republican on the committee since 2007 and was first in line for the job, but Royce had gained support for taking a harder line against federal stimulus and bailout packages. Bachus also ruffled some Republicans’ feathers with comments critical of Sarah Palin.

Another Orange County Republican hoping to win a chairmanship, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, lost his bid to head the Science and Technology Committee. Ralph Hall from Texas got the nod.
Bachus indicated he’ll be taking a firm position in pulling in the reins on bailouts while at the same time helping small businesses.

“We are going to protect taxpayers by ending ‘too big to fail’ and the Administration’s unlimited bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” he said in a prepared statement. “We are committed to going title by title through the 2,300 page Dodd Frank Act to correct, replace, or repeal the job killing provisions that unnecessarily punish small businesses and community banks that did nothing to cause the financial crisis.”

Royce issued a brief statement congratulating Bachus and vowing to work with him.

Bachus will replace Democrat Barney Frank as head of the committee, thanks to Republicans winning the House.

The Republican Party of Orange County - Who Makes It Tick and Why

The Orange County Republican Party, or OCGOP, is organized and defined by its Central Committee.  The Central Committee is made up of members elected by voters who represent party members.  Anyone who fills out a voter registration card has an opportunity to choose a political party affiliation or they can "Decline To State" any affiliation. 

The Central Committee elects committee members to positions of leadership.  Currently, the OCGOP Central Committee is lead by the following:
Chairman: Scott Baugh
First Vice-Chairman: Fred Whitaker
Second Vice-Chairman: Marcia Gilchrist
Secretary: Mary Young
Treasurer: Mark Bucher
Assistant Treasurer: Hon. Anna Bryson
Sergeant-at-Arms: Jack Anderson
Parliamentarian: Hon. Kermit Marsh
Every two years Republican voters in the 72nd Assembly District, which includes all of Fullerton, have an opportunity to choose new leadership.  Current 72AD Central Committee representatives include the following:
Marilyn Davenport
Patricia Shuff
Zonya Townsend
Richard Rios
Stan Interrante
Bruce Whitaker

There are also ex-officio members who have a certain standing within the party.  Our State Assemblyman, Chris Norby, is one such member. 

Each Central Committee member has a single vote which is used to direct party policy.  For example, the Central Committee had to vote on the current Principles:

Inalienable Rights: We believe that man's "rights" flow from the Creator and the rights of life, liberty and justice cannot be legitimately granted or rescinded by men.

Self-Government: We believe that the only answer to the current moral decline that our nation now faces is a return to the beliefs and standards of morality which our founding fathers placed into the Constitution. We believe with the framers of that document when President Adams stated, "This Constitution will not work except with a religious people." We understand that the concept of self-government begins with governing one’s self first, then family, community, state, and nation.

Education: We believe in the rights of parents to a quality education for their children. We support parental choice to create competition among the schools. We must insure that no school or teachers union can compromise the education of our children or advance a particular political agenda at the expense of our future generation’s educations.

Taxes: We believe that the federal tax system is abusive to the American people while discouraging investment and growth. We believe in growth-oriented tax policies which would gradually eliminate punitive income taxes and move our tax system in the direction of use taxes and sales taxes only.

Free Enterprise: We believe in the free enterprise system as the best hope for men and women to fulfill their economic hopes and dreams. We know that the free market is the most efficient and the least costly system to deliver the highest quality goods and services at the lowest price to the consumer. We will support only those who support the free enterprise system through legislation to reduce or eliminate intrusive government intervention in the marketplace.

Family: We believe that the traditional American family, defined as any persons related by blood, marriage of a man and a woman and/or adoption, is the cornerstone of our American society, and the government is duty bound to protect the integrity of the family unit through legislation and taxation policies.

Sanctity of Life: We believe that the preborn child is a human being deserving the full protection of the law.

National Defense: We believe in a strong and consistent national defense. We believe in victory over, and not accommodation with, tyranny in any form or philosophy.

Right to Bear Arms: We believe in the unqualified right of our citizens to keep and bear arms without the intrusive hand of government.

Victims’ Rights: We believe in the concept of victims’ rights over the rights of any criminal. We support a system of restitution as a deterrent to crime and recidivism.

Term Limitation: We believe that public service is a privilege. We support term limits for public officials, not as an ideal but as a necessity to dissuade career politicians. It is the people who should rule, not an elite with little accountability.

National Sovereignty: We believe in an America first program in which Government’s first concern is the welfare and protection of the American people. We do not believe in trade protectionism but support political leaders who will adopt policies that create fair and competitive trade.

Decentralized Government: We believe in the power of the individual over the power of the state. We believe that only small government truly serves the needs of the people.

If you agree with most of these Principles, but perhaps not all of them, you may want to consider getting involved with the Central Committee.  Or you may want to lobby a member and persuade them to believe your view to be superior to that of the party. 

Many "conservatives" feel that issues such as family and sanctity of life are personal and should not be tossed into the arena of partisan politics.  If you are of that opinion, you may want to get involved to change the party's direction.  Or you may want to consider registering with the Libertarian Party.  Despite its name, the Libertarian Party is conservative on fiscal matters but liberal on social matters.  Most Libertarians believe government has no right to govern within the walls of the home.  Most Republicans would agree however they might also not want the government dictating social policies within the classrooms. 

The Fullerton Sentinel is purely Republican in that we believe the Principles of the Republican Party of Orange County best reflect the best qualities of Fullerton residents. 

Chris Norby: Local officials susceptible to 'Bell syndrome'

(From the OC Register)  by Chris Norby

"Stockholm syndrome" refers to the counterintuitive behavior of hostages who come to identify with their captors, based on the study of a Swedish kidnapping. Its counterpart in local government is the common acquiescence of elected officials to professional staff. In place of their own judgment they were elected to use, city councils often simply take orders from the city manager.

Call it "Bell syndrome."

Bell is an extreme example of a phenomenon common in local government: a tendency of elected municipal officials to rubber stamp staff proposals over which they have little understanding. It is part of a civic culture that marginalizes elected officials as "political" and elevates appointed managers as "experts."

The position of city manager was a product of the Progressive Era of the early 1900s. Pristine professionals were to govern cities above the political fray. The downside is that these managers are not answerable to voters and can divide and rule over compliant councils who have no independent staff to advise them. These professionals can be just as tempted with the perks of power as the politicians – without the accountability.

Having served on city and county governing boards for 25 years, I've observed and marveled at this tendency. I am fascinated how, after vigorous campaigns to attain office, elected officials often become all too eager to relinquish power and judgment to staff.

Among California's nearly 1,500 city councils and school boards, nearly all serve part time without independent staff. Recommendations, communications, information and staff are controlled through the city manager or superintendent. Newly elected members who raise questions often face a collective culture of groupthink. Important information is obscured. Those who do dig deeper are accused of "micromanaging."
In local government, "micromanaging" is an epithet hurled at those seeking proof that council and board directives are actually being carried out.

City managers and school superintendents need active board members providing strong direction – and looking over their shoulders.

Bell syndrome thrives where elected boards vote in lockstep, where groupthink is elevated, and skeptics are ostracized, and where top staff are seen as irreplaceable experts – with rubber-stamped salaries to prove it. Bell syndrome thrives when self-congratulation trumps self-examination.

A variant of the Bell syndrome led to the 1994 Orange County bankruptcy, as county supervisors routinely rubber-stamped a treasurer's financial ploys they'd neither read nor understood.

Bell syndrome thrives when city managers, superintendents, consultants and bond brokers can lull elected officials into going along with convoluted schemes they simply do not understand. It thrives when predigested proposals are routinely approved and community skeptics are derided as gadflies.

There were 67 new members of city councils and school boards just elected in Orange County. Their job is not simply to continue past practices, but to apply their independent judgment. They must demand information and know what to do with it. They must not only set policy but make sure it's being carried out. They must remember that the only dumb question is the one you're afraid to ask.

Bell syndrome will end only with a vigilant citizenry and press. It will end when elected officials see their jobs not for the prestige and perks, but for the serious policy choices for which they are responsible.

Editorial: Municipal Corporations

By the Fullerton Sentinel Editorial Board

In a recent Orange County Register article, staff columnist Teri Sforza questions the necessity of having 34 individually incorporated cities in Orange County.  "In OC, seven cities serve half the county’s population  — 1.5 million people." writes Sforza, "So…does it really require another 27 cities to serve the other 1.5 million people?"

Simply stated, no, OC does not require another 27 cities to serve the other 1.5 million residents.  In fact, you could have Los Angeles County annex all of Orange County and then we wouldn't have to worry about any of it, right?  Of course not!  Unfortunately, Teri Sforza and Fred Smoller, director of Brandman University’s public administration graduate program, believe that bigger is better and translates to more efficient.  Smoller even concludes that we need a "LAFCO on steroids" to fix the problem.  What Smoller fails to point out is that each and every municipality, special district, and joint powers authority went through a lengthy vetting process and were all approved by LAFCO as well as the State.  Smoller's idea that bigger is better, isn't.

The fact that there are so many special districts and JPAs indicates a broken or insufficient system, however.  The City of Fullerton relies heavily on other agencies and districts for water, sanitation, public transit, electricity, gas, telephone, cable TV, planning, hazmat, specialized investigation units, police helicopter services, etc.  Yet to be mentioned are the various private organizations with which Fullerton has partnered or contracted with for services rather than hiring fulltime employees to perform, such as ambulance and tow services. 

It could also be argued that this system of outsourcing, albeit for public services, may be a smarter way in which to serve taxpayers.  The only real concern should be from taxpayers who see funding these special districts and agencies as taxation without representation.  When the services provided are by a private entity under a contract, the taxpayers are somewhat shielded from the long-term overhead usually associated with public employees. 

Of the utmost importance is that municipal corporations have nearly the greatest local control, second only to the infamous home owners associations.  HOAs are just miniature municipalities that are approved of by the city and/or county and operated by the property owners.  Local agencies have the greatest day-to-day influence on our lives and it stands to reason that local control is better than out-of-touch and far-off governance by disinterested parties.