POP goes Gil Ferguson

There’s a lot of pop still left in former Assemblyman Gil Ferguson.

Even if he doesn’t think so.

The conservative firebrand -- trust us, he’s a firebrand, unafraid

to speak his mind -- has for 20 years been the leader of Principles

Over Politics, a political group he formed when running for office.

Through it he sends out a unrestrained newsletter -- again, trust us

here if you haven’t read it -- and holds a monthly breakfast that

features political speakers who might remind some of the old line:

“We have both kinds of music here: County and Western.” Only in this

case, it’s conservative and conservativer.

At 81, though, Ferguson thought something along the lines of “Age

Over Politics,” and he announced he was retiring the group.

Not so fast, supporters said, a reaction the former Marine

probably should have expected.

And they convinced him to carry on.

And we’re glad about that, because there’s too little political

discussion in the world, and certainly too few Gil Fergusons.