Bush at Record Low in New California Poll--23%! Just 5% of Democrats Approve of Iraq Policies While 94% Disapprove--Schwarzenegger by Contrast is PopularOnly 9% of Democrats and 15% of Independents Believe the President Tells the Truth

Originally posted on the California Progress Report at http://www.californiaprogressreport....

By Frank D. Russo

The Survey and Policy Research Institute at San Jose State University has released a survey today that shows President Bush with amazingly toxic and record low ratings from Californians and voters in this state.  The numbers are not just driven by the Iraq War, but by a deeper sense amongst the state's Democrats and Independents that the President doesn't tell the truth and also his handling of the national economy.

http://www.californiaprogressreport....

Posted on the California Progress Report a few minutes ago.

By Frank D. Russo
Infamous Scribbler

Let me get a scoop out on a story about me, although it's a story about a larger issue and one that will continue to develop.

I have just been approved by the Capitol Correspondents Association of California and I am the first "blogger" credentialed to cover the California legislature with their blessing

This came as an e mail late last night after I submitted the new application form indicating that my site was a start up business and although I had earned income in for the form of advertising revenue and donations, they were exceeded by expenses. California Progress Report

By Frank D. Russo
Originally published on the California Progress Report

It's a good thing, I suppose, that Robert Salladay's "blog," in the LA Times, Political Muscle, no longer has a place to post comments.  If he did, by now he probably would have at least a few dozens posts from bloggers, perplexed and a bit miffed to put it mildy, by his piece yesterday, "Jobs for the Sickly," that mocked Democratic progressives and bloggers running this weekend to be delegates to the California State Democratic Central Committee.

By Dan Wood
Originally published on the California Progress Report, http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/

OK, tough guy/gal.  We're impressed -- you read this blog or that site, you sign all the online petitions that are sent your way, you write your own blog/diary and comment on others'.  And of course you're going to vote progressive in the upcoming election and do your share to get the good propositions passed, the bad propositions defeated, and put the our people into office.

Is that enough? Probably not.  There are only a few of us, and there a heck of a lot of people out there who don't know what a "kos" is, who are confused about the propositions, are wondering if Arnold isn't that bad, and, believe it or not, don't even know who Deborah Bowen is!  

What can we do about their votes?

[The entire speech of President Clinton, based on a court reporter's transcript can be read on the California Progress Report at President Clinton's speech on Prop 87.  This is a very lengthy, but very powerful speech.  Proposition 87 has been the subject of over $100 million in campaign expenses pro and con, a record for California.]

There's something that has been rumbling around my gut about this election for some time and I've finally put my finger on it.  No, I haven't eaten any leafy greens, to my knowledge, that have been contaminated.

It came to me yesterday when Phil Angelides was in Oakland, emphatically repeating a line I have heard before--on Labor Day and at other venues: "There are a lot of people depending on us."  After that line, he talks about the working poor and the middle class who are struggling to make ends meet in this state, and starts to hammer home his campaign themes.  These vary from stump speech to speech, as he delivers a heartfelt oration without notes.  Many times, at this point he will talk about increased fees that have been added for college tuition at state universities. Or he might start in on tax breaks for the large campaign contributing corporations in this state while most of us struggle to make ends meet.

By Frank D. Russo

Arnold Schwarzenegger has until next Saturday, September 30 to act on the crush of bills sent to him by the legislature at the end of their session.  There remain over 700 bills on the Governor's desk.  According to his office, in 2006, he has taken action on 458 bills, including ones sent to him earlier in the year.  So, in the next 6 days, the pace of announcements will be picking up from here.