Council Circus Update

Campaigns for the 2012 council election have begun. Residents should brace for a yearlong siege, including the usual hit pieces funded by unions and apartment builders.

Two opposing city factions have gone at it for years. One side originated with deposed councilwomen, Sherri Butterfield and Susan Withrow. Although the old queens were trounced in 2002, like-minded ones on the current council are Trish Kelley and Dave Leckness, who vote in the majority with Frank Ury for big government and waste.

Those who oppose the old/new queendom include community watchdogs. Council members who either emerged from the watchdog group or generally support limited government include former Council Members John Paul Ledesma and Gail Reavis and current members Cathy Schlicht and Rhonda Reardon.

While the two political sides are generally known, voters might be unaware the third political force is the city staff. As soon as the old gals were dumped in 2002, city administrators quickly looped in their replacements, Trish Kelley and Lance MacLean. Instead of the reform voters expected, Kelley and MacLean were soon pushing the same social engineering and high-density housing projects.

City Hall as the third political factor is the most formidable of all, and it has seized the taxpayers’ checkbook. While the two warring groups on the council (majority of Ury-Kelley-Leckness versus minority of Schlicht and Reardon) are busy opposing each other, the staff sacks the city with the majority dutifully voting for staff recommendations

The resulting damage includes deteriorating infrastructure and dwindling reserves. After years of deficit spending, City Hall stopped mailing its glossy-covered financial statements to residents. City revenue is either spent or obligated by the time it is collected, and financial statements haven’t mentioned the amount of debt, which is substantial.

While drivers on arterials might be dazzled by roses and artsy junk on the medians, many areas of town show decline and neglect. Look at the residential area south of Trabuco Hills High School, the area east of Marguerite between Crown Valley and Felipe and many of the neighborhoods along Los Alisos. Many large areas of the city have barren slopes, trees that are ready to fall down, deteriorating streets and lax code enforcement.

The happy festivities at City Hall continue, and residents are too busy and/or disgusted to demand accountability and reform. Ury is up for reelection in 2012, and residents should vote him off the council. However, the only challenger who is aggressively campaigning is Wendy Bucknum, who thinks and acts just like Ury. With challengers like Bucknum waiting in the wings, the city election of 2012 is unlikely to bring improvement.

Hollywood Dictates Leftist Politics
Letter to the editor

Hollywood obviously pushes a very liberal agenda. Rather than "serving" the TV/movie viewer as they used to by encouraging patriotism, family and honor, they now dictate leftist politics through moral decay. While one might assume that the free market would solve this, it actually has led to a complete opposite result: a monopoly of left-wing enterprise. As these far-leftists reward each other and collude only further to the left, they do not care if it is at the expense of profits and ratings since Hollywood is already making millions regardless.

Hollywood has never been more politically ingrained and about left-wing indoctrination than it is now. There is no counter-balance or right-wing movie-making allowed in Hollywood and any sense of fairness is nonexistent. There is no “equality” in Hollywood, conservatives and Tea Partiers need not apply and no conservative programming is ever allowed, yet they preach so-called equality constantly – sheer and utter hypocrisy.

Writer/Producer/Director extraordinaire David Zucker (“The Naked Gun, “Airplane,” Scary Movie” [1,2,3,4], “An American Carol,” etc.) will be joining us to give his views on Hollywood and what it feels like for him to be a conservative within an environment extremely hostile to right-wing politics.

National best-selling author/syndicated columnist/Harvard-educated lawyer Ben Shapiro will be joining us to discuss the liberal takeover of Hollywood and his most recent book, “Primetime Propaganda: The true Hollywood story of how the left took over your TV.”

LONG LIVE AMERICA is So. Cal. Tea Party radio on KCEO AM 1000 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in Orange County and San Diego and online live everywhere at www.longliveamerica.com. Call in at (760) 931-1604 to be part of the show. Please send any Tea Party announcements and we will read them on the air. God Bless.

Robert Homesley
Tea Party Patriot

Non-government Events

Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private enterprise.

Pumpkin City, Laguna Hills Mall parking lot off Carlota, through Oct. 31. Many pumpkins to choose from, pony rides, petting zoo and other activities, open from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, 24203 Avenida De La Carlota, Laguna Hills, (949) 586-1103, http://www.pumpkincity.com

Halloween Bootique, costumes and decorations in Kaleidoscope, 27741 Crown Valley Parkway, street level, Mission Viejo, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, (949)348-2909. The store will be open throughout the week after Halloween with discount prices.

“Bringing Nature into Our Gardens and into Our Lives,” gardening with native plants, Wed., Nov. 2, 7:00 p.m., Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, (949) 498-2139, http://www.casaromantica.org

Open House and Campus Tour, JSerra Catholic High School, Thurs., Nov. 3, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., JSerra Pavilion, 26351 Junipero Serra Road, San Juan Capistrano (949) 493-9307, ext. 2, http://www.jserra.org

Fall Boutique presented by Mothers of Preschoolers and South Orange County Women’s Networking Group, Fri., Nov. 4, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Sat., Nov. 5, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., women’s and children’s accessories and clothing, home decor, toys, skin care, jewelry and more; free admission, Mount of Olives Church, New Creation Center Building, 24772 Chrisanta Drive, Mission Viejo, contact moo_mops@yahoo.com

“Create a Succulent Wreath,” class/demonstration, Sat., Nov. 5, 10:00 a.m., Cottage Home and Garden, 31720 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano, call to reserve space, (949) 493-3920, http://www.cottage-home-and-garden.com

New Zealand String Quartet will perform selections by Haydn, Norris, Shostakovich and Beethoven on Sat., Nov. 5, 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Soka University, Soka Performing Arts, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4000, http://www.info@soka.edu

Walk to End Alzheimer’s, participate by walking, donating and/or volunteering. Huntington Beach on Nov. 5, Buena Park on Nov. 12 and Tustin on April 21. (800) 272-3900, http://www.alz.org/walk/findawalk_results.asp?FormSent=1&SearchType=zip&ZipSearch=92691&MaxDistance=30&memo ry=&SearchByZip.x=23&SearchByZip.y=14

First Saturday Art Walk, Santa Ana Artist Village, Sat., Nov. 5, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., venues open: Grand Central Arts Center, OC Center of Contemporary Art, Santora Arts Building (28 galleries, restaurants and shops), ample (free) parking is located across the street at the Santa Ana Train Depot on the southeast corner of Santa Ana Boulevard and Santiago Street. Visit the Website for additional information, including a map: http://www.aplaceforart.org/artwalk

Medieval Animal Rescue Charity Faire & Show, Sun., Nov. 6, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., one-day fundraiser and silent auction with 100 percent of proceeds going to animal rescue. Event includes knights jousting and sword fighting. O.C. Fair and Event Center, Equestrian Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, (949) 836-3378, http://ns.ocfair.com/ocf/calendar/ViewEvent.asp?EventId=2010 and muellenberg.erin@arentfox.com

Planting, crafts and activities classes for families at Living Green Gardens and Design; help with planting and gardening, visit the Website or call for information, Living Green Gardens and Design, 25290 Jeronimo Road (between Los Alisos and El Toro Road), Lake Forest, (949) 768-4733, http://www.yelp.com/biz/living-green-gardens-and-design-lake-forest

Roger’s Gardens, “The Artisans of Christmas,” Christmas 2011, now open and ongoing. Other activities include a Pumpkin Carving Seminar on Oct. 15 and Oct. 23, Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Juan Hills Road, Corona del Mar, (949) 640-5800, http://www.rogersgardens.com

Movies, Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10 in Mission Viejo, 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy, (949) 582-4020, get show times, watch movie trailers, see what's coming soon at
http://www.moviefone.com/theater/edwards-kaleidoscope-stadium-10/32/showtimes

Farmers Market, San Juan Capistrano, Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Historic Town Center Park, (949) 493-4700.

Farmers Market, Laguna Hills, Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Laguna Hills Mall, (714) 573-0374.

Political and Government Events Calendar

El Toro Water District Community Advisory Group Meeting, Thurs., Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch served at 11:30; meeting starts at noon, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com

Concert, Ann Patrick Green, pianist, Sun., Nov. 6, 2:00 p.m., Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Free concerts are held Sundays, except when otherwise noted, and are open to the public. Doors open at 1:15 p.m., and concerts begin at 2:00 p.m., 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://events.nixonfoundation.org/concerts/

Orange County Board of Supervisors, Tues., Nov. 8, 9:30 a.m., (no meeting on Nov. 1) Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://www.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors

Saddleback Valley Unified School District board meeting is scheduled for Tues., Nov. 8, 6:15 p.m., 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us

Veterans Day at the Nixon Library, honoring America’s heroes with a tribute to all who have served, Fri., Nov. 11, free admission all day. Program begins at 11:00 a.m., presentation of the Colors by U.S. Marines and patriotic musical performances, Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 464-1161, http://events.nixonfoundation.org

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Engineering and Operations on Mon., Nov. 14, 9:00 a.m., Finance and I.T. on Wed., Nov. 16, 9:00 a.m., Board of Directors on Thurs., Nov. 17, 9:00 a.m., (note this meeting time has been changed) and Personnel, Wed., Nov. 9, 9:00 a.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, regular meeting Mon., Nov. 14, 7:00 p.m., 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com

Save the date, ACT for America, Mon., Nov. 14, Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Capo Valley Republican Women Federated, Wed., Nov. 16, program to be announced, Marbella Country Club, 30800 Golf Club, San Juan Capistrano, RSVP to (949) 240-6799 or esue39@cox.net

South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees will meet Wed., Nov. 16. Meeting times unless otherwise posted: open session convenes at 5 p.m.., followed by adjournment to closed session, open session reconvenes at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., adjournment by 9:00 p.m. Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room, Room 145, Health Sciences/District Offices Building, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4999, http://www.socccd.edu

Santa Margarita Water District Board of Directors will meet on Thurs., Nov. 17, 7:00 p.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com/about-us/meeting-agendas.html

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., Nov. 17, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., guest speaker is Hon. Jesse Petrilla, RSM Councilman, will speak on his experiences in the military. Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Jacaranda Room-B, Mission Viejo, (949) -360-1717.

The Buzz

“Which council members voted lifetime healthcare benefits for themselves?” It’s a question Mission Viejo voters frequently ask when the topic of a city election comes up. In November 2012, the council member up for reelection who voted to give the benefits to himself is Frank Ury. Council majority members have given themselves lifetime medical insurance when no election is on the horizon and removed it when facing the voters. If Ury is reelected, he and Trish Kelley could do it again with Dave Leckness’ vote to seal the deal.

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With a year to go before the November 2012 election, should Mission Viejo residents expect Ury to change his self-serving behavior to troll for votes to stay in office? Currently, he’s firm in his majority votes with Kelley and Leckness. He could become the swing vote if he occasionally voted with Cathy Schlicht and Rhonda Reardon, who vote on behalf of citizens (against more high-density housing, more traffic, depleting reserves with feel-good projects, etc.). Both Kelley and Leckness are under the thumb of city administrators and unlikely to change.

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Excerpts from a message by Robert Zubrin: “Since the United States imports 5 billion barrels of oil per year, the current price of nearly $90 per barrel will hit us for $450 billion this year alone, a huge tax on our economy. As a result, millions of jobs and thousands of businesses are being lost. If this wealth-draining process is allowed to continue, fiscal necessity will require us to withdraw the military forces protecting our national interests abroad, without a shot being fired. Instead of seeking to exploit this catastrophe by placing its blame on their opponents, or posing with empty promises of salvation contingent upon their promotion to higher office, politicians need to take action. Two-dollar gas is not just a nice idea for inclusion in a campaign speech. It’s a critical necessity for economic recovery. Either we break the cartel, or the cartel breaks us. The Open Fuel Standard bill needs to be passed.” Here’s the link, forwarded by ACT for America: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/277246/achieving-2-gas-robert-zubrin

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From Tea Partier Capt. Jim Kinney, USN (ret.): “To their cause, the signers of the Declaration of Independence risked everything, committing together “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. At great personal expense, their courage carried the fledgling colonies to victory and established the greatest nation in world history. What of today’s leadership? One example will suffice. In a time of economic crisis, when our president calls for shared sacrifice and vilifies the excesses of the rich, the first lady has spent at least $10M vacationing around the world this year. It has been a truly inspiring example, Mr. President.”

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People who are so excited about voting in the next presidential election can count the days, hours and minutes. As of this writing, 372 days remain. Here’s the link: http://libertynewsforum.homestead.com/presidential-election-countdown-clock.html. For the Rasmussen daily presidential tracking poll, go to http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking _poll