I started with Citizen Voices as an unlikely Republican.  Definitely outside their demographics, although I shared many of their professed beliefs.  Smaller government, lower taxes, a preference for individual responsibility over nanny-statism and a goal of success through merit rather than survival through entitlements.  The ideals I valued were those of little-L libertarianism, but without the baggage of the Libertarian Party.

But completing a trend that's steadily progressed over the last eight years, and despite their so-called ideals, I really can't support the Republican Party anymore.  To quote Colin Powell's statement of this last weekend, "I have some concerns about the direction that the party has taken in recent years."  OK, that's putting it mildly, but I will change my registration after this election.

I won't go into every detail of why here, detailing every issue where I believe the Party has abandoned its principles for expediency, and certainly don't reject all the various people commited to public service who still serve under that party's banner.  The list of prominent Republicans featured on the Republicans Against 8 website is a good list of Californians who share the values I described, my values, above despite the party label.

The Bush Administration's plans for a speedy bailout of Wall Street seem to have hit a speed bump with a Congress possessing a newly installed spine, or at least a sense of curiosity about what they're being asked to approve. The administration's proponants of the plan are being compared to used-car dealers and there are reactions of disgust and distrust from both parties in both houses of Congress.

Senators McCain and Obama both gave speeches today outlining their problems with the plan. McCain broke his objections down to five points, where Obama focussed on four. I was particularly happy with Senator McCain's insistance that the management of those companies seeking assistance commit to capping their income at the appropriate level for federal employees.

In my view, the problems with the administration's proposals came in two areas. First, their repeatedly inaccurate crying of wolf for the last seven years, has left them with zero credibility. Second, there were no consequences for anyone but the taxpayers.

Fortunately, Congressional ears now seem to finally be resistant to the crying of wolf. Additionally, everyone running for office seems to understand that the consequences of this economic disaster must be laid somewhere, anywhere, but at the feet of the voting taxpayers. Yes, we'll all pay in the long run, whether or not any kind of bailout passes, but Congress seems to understand that we should not be alone.

More on this topic is in a particularly good piece by Washington Post op-ed columnist Eugene Robinson.

How do you turn a dream job opportunity into a shame-fest of lawless impropriety and highly publicized congressional hearings?  For a clue on living that nightmare, just ask Monica Goodling, the disgraced aide to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' whose political cronyism may lead to having her law license pulled.

Way to go, Monica.  Now your namesake is twice associated with presidential disrepute.

To get a glimpse on this particular road to ruin, first, graduate from a lower-tiered law school known predominantly for its religious affiliations to the televangelist Pat Robertson and its emphasis on educating law students to "change the world for Christ." Next, get hired after only six months of prosecutorial experience to oversee the ongoing hiring of career prosecutors in the Department of Justice.  And finally, do a bang-up job of highlighting political affiliation over experience during interviews that would include legally relevant questions like "Have you ever cheated on your wife?"

Amidst televised Congressional hearings into the questionable ouster of nine U.S. Attorneys, then Attorney General Alberto Gonzales omitted why he promoted someone to the position of White House liaison, while testifying he had limited knowledge of the practices taking place under his watch.  Goodling resigned last year before testifying under immunity.

Senators McCain and Obama were both in town in recent days to discuss immigration and their visions of "comprehensive reform." Apparently they both think they can bend the next Congress to their wills and implement their proposals, whatever they are.

I doubt it.

I don't doubt their sincerity to address a tough issue, just the ability of either candidate to achieve a consensus as to what the problem is and how to address it.

I've learned in life to never say never. I never thought I'd be spouting politics on the Internet for all to see. I never thought I'd buy one of those tiny toy dogs since I have five manly boys in my family. I never thought I'd live in the desert, but guess who's moving to Las Vegas? Yep, it's true. I'm leaving paradise and moving to the desert right in the middle of the summer. Great plan, eh?

When my twin sister married a man who was born and raised in Sin City my husband and I felt sorry for her, knowing that she'd probably be surrounded by tumbleweeds for the rest of her life. My husband laughed and said "Vegas looks just like San Diego... after a nuclear holocaust!" Guess who's laughing now.

The recent housing crisis has hit my family particularly hard. My husband owns a real estate appraisal company and both of us are also Realtors. Because the real estate market is somewhat cyclical, we have lived through a roller coaster existence of feast or famine our entire married life together. The feasting cycles were awesome, but the famine times stunk. 

As mortgage rates continue to climb and home values continue to fall, our livelihood has taken a hit. Add rising gas and food costs, braces on the kids, and our second son joining his older brother in college this fall and we've just joined the "People Who Adore San Diego But Can't Afford To Live Here Anymore" club.

If there is something that scares me more than Geraldine Ferraro’s dimness, it’s the thought of losing my free and open internet.

Unfortunately, there is a very real threat that this could, in fact, happen.    

I just read an amazing book called Smart Mobs “The Next Social Revolution” by Howard Rheingold. Until two weeks ago, I would have described myself as “computer literate”. Now, after reading Rheingold, I feel as if I have been walking around with half a brain for the last two decades.

Rheingold describes the social, psychological, and philosophical transformations our culture is undergoing in this age of instant wireless access. Heck, I was just trying to stay current with my software and upgrade my computers as they became obsolete. 

Now it’s obvious that we are deep in this renaissance, and the prevailing question is: how do we, as human beings, experience it? It’s not enough just to realize that we have the technical capabilities; the most pressing concern is what we do with them, and what kind of society we will become.    

Last week, President Bush failed to extend temporary Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act laws through Congress.

The way Bush sees it, the FBI will not be able to effectively intercept vital information, meaning Islamo-facists will be free to plan jihad, which will inevitably lead to another tragedy on the homeland, terror alerts will oscillate through the color wheel, and more civil liberties will be downgraded and sent off into obscurity. He paints a bleak portrait in bold strokes.

When Bush puts it that way, it reminds me of my craving for absolutes during law school. Ah, for an absolute…no balancing factors to consider, no “reasonable person standard” to analyze, no facts to consider. It’s a bright line rule - plain and simple, like dry toast and black coffee for breakfast.

Some law students regard the phrase “bright line rule” as a beacon of light – true and definitive. This is so because of the myriad exceptions that almost overwhelms many rules themselves.