The Buzz

At least five candidates are running for Diane Harkey’s 73rd Assembly District seat in 2014, including Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Steve Baric, who added his name to the list last week. Also running are Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Jesse Petrilla, Capo school board trustee Anna Bryson, Dana Point Councilman Bill Brough and lobbyist Paul Glaab, who was formerly on the Laguna Niguel City Council.

***

This is not a joke, but everyone who hears it is laughing about OC Supervisor Pat Bates’ choice as her representative for the Redevelopment Agency Oversight Committee. The committee was created to oversee the successor agency (translation: it rubberstamps everything). Bates surprised nearly everyone by appointing Sherri Butterfield, the laughingstock councilwoman who was thrown out of office in 2002.

***

OC Supv. Bates and State Senator Mimi Walters will play musical chairs in November 2014 by running for each other’s seats when both women term out of office. Assemblywoman Diane Harkey, who also terms out in 2014, is running for the California Board of Equalization. Thus far, Bates and Walters have no opponents. State Sen. Mark Wyland (of Carlsbad – his senate district includes a small portion of Orange County) is running against Harkey for the Board of Equalization.

***

The Mission Viejo Chapter of ACT for America will hold a General Meeting on Mon., May 12. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m. Keynote speaker Brigadier Gen. Nick Halley (U.S. Army, Retired) will present “Iran … Our Next War?” This terrorism expert will discuss the risk of a nuclear theocracy. The group meets at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way (Sycamore B Room), Mission Viejo.

***

More than 30 South County churches will participate in a National Day of Prayer, to be held on the grounds of the Mission Viejo Civic Center on Thurs., May 2, 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. From a website: “We are asking all Christians from churches in the Saddleback Valley to unite with us in worship and prayer on Thursday, May 2, 2013 as we seek God’s face for our nation, region, churches and families. The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May.” http://www.mvcchome.org/ndop2013

***

May is National Military Appreciation Month, as designated by Congress, to recognize the history and accomplishments of the armed services. Celebrations include Loyalty Day on May 1, VE Day on May 8, Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 10, Armed Forces Day on May 18 and Memorial Day on May 30. http://www.nmam.org/about.htm

***

From Tea Party Patriot Carla Bonney: I was thinking about how immigrants would be able to apply Constitutional and accepted law applications to cases when they are not citizens. So, I looked up what I could easily find…I don’t think this works, and I don’t think it will be approved.

In our Constitutional Republic (note I didn't say democracy) the people have granted certain limited powers to government, preserving and retaining their God-given inalienable rights. So, if it is indeed the juror's right to decide the law, then the citizens should know what their rights are. They need not be told by the courts. After all, the Constitution makes us the masters of the public servants. Should a servant have to tell a master what his rights are? Of course not, it's our responsibility to know what our rights are!

The idea that juries are to judge only the "facts" is absurd and contrary to historical fact and law. Are juries present only as mere pawns to rubber stamp tyrannical acts of the government? We The People wrote the supreme law of the land, the Constitution, to "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." Who better to decide the fairness of the laws, or whether the laws conform to the Constitution?