A Real Cast of Characters

Here’s the entire episode of today’s Inside OC show; it’s a full blown battle of wits on why the recallees deserve to be thrown out of office in the wake of their catastrophic failure to lead.

In it you will find a furious debate between Chris Thompson and the anti-recall team’s Chief Distraction Officer, Larry Bennett, along with Bruce Whitaker’s accusation of an FPD cover-up in the aftermath of the Kelly Thomas murder.

Finally, the show closes with a sad, sad interview with Pat McKinley, who claims he still doesn’t understand the accusations against him and his police department, although he does summon enough mental clarity to remind us that Officer Manny Ramos’ criminal defense attorney is very highly regarded.

Playing ‘Hide the Tape’ is Not So Fun Anymore

The folks over at PBS SoCal were kind enough to let us post this “Inside OC” special on the Kelly Thomas story in its entirety.  It contains interviews with Ron Thomas, Bruce Whitaker, Chris Thompson and a couple of milquetoast experts on homelessness and mental illness.

Most notable, however, is the Q&A with District Attorney Tony Rackauckaus. His persistent insistence that witnesses (and the rest of the public) not be able to view any videos before they testify is reduced to a mere “preference,” but only after he is confronted with the likelihood that police officers watched the recording as they coordinated their own reports on the incident.

The case for keeping that tape away from the public seems to diminish every time one of these goofs steps in front of a camera.

Fullerton Stories Gets A Close Look at Chris Thompson

Take a look at this new FullertonStories.com article on Fullerton School Board Trustee Chris Thompson.

In the article, Thompson (the top overall Fullerton vote-getter in 2010) outlines his battle to improve the value and quality of public education by making a portion of teacher compensation based on performance, rather than just seniority and certificates.

Thompson is an avowed conservative in a conservative town, but he frequently finds himself voting against the other school board members on financial issues. He blames the power of the public employee unions for much of the financial challenges that our school districts face today.

So what about that “challenging the status quo” label? Chris doesn’t seem to accept furlough days and class size increases as a good deal for kids OR taxpayers. If that makes him an anomaly on the school board, then our kids really are getting swindled.

Will the School Board Support Tax Increases?

One of Chris Thompson’s first challenges on the Fullerton School Board may be to oppose the approval of a resolution by the Fullerton School District to support the extended tax increases in California.

The district typically has supported anti-taxpayer, pro-union resolutions like this forwarded by self-serving organizations like the California School Boards Association. With the highest state taxes and entitlement expenses in the nation, let’s see if this 5 of 5 Republican School Board has nerve to insult our intelligence with this resolution.

View the CSBA measure

Chris Thompson and Martha Montelongo on the Radio

Beginning tomorrow, Fullerton School Board member Chris Thompson will be co-hosting a radio show with Martha Montelongo every Saturday night on KRLA 870AM.

You can listen in on AM 870 or at krla870.com on Saturday night from 11:00 pm to 1:00 am. Montelongo and Thompson will be discussing all things political, including education, unions, taxes, limited government and freedom.

Chris Thompson is a newly elected trustee for the Fullerton School Board, a longtime advocate for education reform as well as a member in good standing of both Friends for Fullerton’s Future and the Fullerton Association of Concerned Taxpayers.

Martha Montelongo is a long-time broadcast and internet radio host, writer, blogger and stay-at-home mom. She describes herself as a former Democrat who has seen the light, and now supports limited government and free enterprise.

The show should be a real kick in the pants, so don’t forget to tune in for the premiere.

Congrats to The Fullerton Reformers

Although it’s a bit late, I want to add my voice to the chorus congratulating Chris Thompson and Bruce Whitaker for their impressive elections to the Fullerton School District Board and the Fullerton City Council, respectively.

Chris Thompson out-polled every other candidate in Fullerton by a mile, despite his opponents’ support from the teachers union.

The Fullerton School District Board of Trustees has been a sinkhole for years, poulated by liberals and Ed Royce RINOs. And of course the Fullerton City Council…well the less said about that the better, but Whitaker will be running that show in no time.

I expect good things and real, effective change from both of them. I know I won’t be disappointed.