PROP. 90 – HAYNES AND ACKERMAN HAVE TWO DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THIS MEASURE
This November, there are a host of measures on the ballot. As you will hear from the contributors to this site over the next six or so weeks, most of them are worthy of a heave-ho, and a a "vote no" — 
but there are a few items on the ballot that we’ll be encouraging you to vote FOR. One of these is Proposition 90, the Save Our Homes Initiative. We’ve covered it on these pages before, and we will do so again. It is a measure that is about property rights, and about curbing the current system of abuse that is rampant — where government agencies trample the rights of private home owners. Is the measure perfect? Most aren’t? And legislating from the ballot 
box is not an idea way to set policy in California, but is the only way under this partisan legislature to enact public policy in the state that is counter to the bizarre, radical, left-wing agenda of the Party of Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy. I won’t attempt to be more eloquent than Senator Ray Haynes (pictured to the right) is in a column today on Measure 90, but I will say to you that it has my vote this November, and it is one of the only, and probably the most emphatic ‘aye’ vote I will cast.
Today on the main page, we are actually featuring a pro/con "debate style" pair of columns on Proposition 90, with Assemblyman Ray Haynes penning the reasons why he is supporting the measure, and State Senator Dick Ackerman (pictured above, to the left) telling FR readers why he does not support it (he officially has no position, but clearly he is troubled by the measure).
By and large, Republicans in the state strongly favor 90, and among the Republican elected office-holders, the support for 90 is virtually unanimous. Which is why I found it notable that the leader of State Senate Republicans was not supporting 90 . This was newsworthy and I was actually going to pen something about Ackerman’s departure from his colleagues and his party on this issue. But in talking with him, it seemed better to have him articulate his position to FR readers himself. So today on the main page we have the Haynes and Ackerman pieces. (I also found it notable that the GOP nominee for Attorney General, Senator Chuck Poochigian, has taken no stand on Prop. 90.) By the way, if you want more information about the Yes on 90 or No on 90 campaigns, both have purchased advertisements on the right, and you can click straight through to their websites.
MICRO-MANAGER ANGELIDES "DIDN’T KNOW" ABOUT THE CYBER-THEFT AND LEAK? DOES ANYONE BELIEVE THAT?
If you read anything today on the ongoing controversy over the cyber-theft of the Governor’s private files off of the State of California server at the Capitol, read Bill Bradley’s take (linked on the main page). This whole incident is located at the crossroads of stupidity and lack of ethics. This recording incident really demonstrates the total lack of a campaign by Phil Angelides, and how amateur-hour back Angelides’ and his staff (I don’t buy for a minute that Phil Angelides, who is known for being an EXTREME micromanager didn’t know about this cyber-jacking of information). They thought that they would try to sour the Governor’s momentum and instead they have put themselves into a tailspin. Last night, the MSM TV coverage of this incident was terrible for Angelides. What he and his campaign did was wrong – it was unethical. But Angelides’ campaign lacks any way to move the media off of this issue. Especially when they aren’t willing to understand that NO ONE BELIEVES that Angelides didn’t know about this and condone it. Advice to Cathy Calfo: Hold a ‘mia culpa’ press conference starring your candidate. He admits to it, apologizes for it, and puts it behind him. Then we can return to the previous paradigm, where every day is defined by Phil’s addiction to high taxes and spending, which is at least better for Angelides than focusing on what an unethical scoundrel he happens to be!
THE GOVERNOR’S SIGNING OF THE WAGE HIKE MAKES ME VERY SAD
A lot has been written on this website about the fallacy of increasing the wage mandates on 
California employers — and I have to tell you, I could not be more disappointed in the Governor as he signed into law yesterday a large increase in the wage mandate. This is so not what I was expecting to get when I worked hard for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the recall election. Instead of taking on the unions in favor of individual liberty and freedom, he has capitulated on one of their key issues. Now did he do this to curry favor with them? I don’t think so. It may be that he finds that hiking the wage mandate is popular in polls. Of course it is popular, because the survey question won’t be, "Do you support increasing mandates on employers that, while raising salaries for many, will cause some to lose their jobs and some companies to close their doors?" — it’s like asking "Do you think people should be paid more?" — Of course they do.
The profound disappointment comes from the fact that Schwarzenegger knows better. He has read books on libertarian thought, and has espoused the wisdom of economist Milton Friedman. Heck, he even recording a special introduction of Friedman for a video! In other words, Arnold Schwarzenegger KNOWS that increasing wage mandates is poor public policy, yet he is doing it anyways.
Of course, this bill is one of our Twenty Worst Bills on the Governor’s desk — so he has now officially signed one into law, and vetoed one. We’ll see how he does on the other eighteen.
I will close by saying that it only makes me mad when people tell me that, "Well, Phil Angelides would sign this bill, and he would actually make the mandate more severe, and add a system for automatic increases."
I acknowledge that Phil Angelides would be the equivalent of having Satan as Governor, bad in every way. But that doesn’t change the objective fact: If Arnold Schwarzenegger had vetoed this bill, there was NOT ONE GOP LEGISLATIVE VOTE to override his veto. Period.
It stinks.
WELCOME BARRY NESTANDE, FR’S NEW RIVERSIDE COUNTY PRESENCE
I am pleased to introduce FlashReport readers to our new Riverside County Correspondent — Barry Nestande. Barry will be taking the torch from longtime FR Contributor Phil Paule, who has decided to hang up his keyboard after many months of involvement here. We’ll probably hear from Phil from time to time, but we are now entering the "Age of Barry" — and it will be good. Barry is a long-time political strategist whose area of expertise is in Riverside County. He has worked for countless campaigns and causes, and has earned the respect of virtually everyone out there. Currently, in addition to consulting work, Barry is Chief of Staff for Republican Assemblyman John Benoit, a fine friend of the FlashReport himself. Look for great things from Barry — welcome!!
Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?
Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.