There can’t possibly be anything more frustrating than being one of the two Republicans who serve on the State Budget Conference Committee. The reason for this is that even though California voters long ago placed a two-thirds vote requirement to pass a state budget, this important clause intended to prevent a tyranny of the majority is ignored during the process where legislators actually go through the budget proposals. Or, to put it more simply, legislative Democrats in the Senate and in the Assembly use a majority-vote threshold in their Budget Subcommittee meetings, and in the case of the Budget Conference Committee, the Committee itself is stacked with a 2-1 advantage of Democrats to Republicans (which does not mirror the makeup of either house where Republicans have more than 1/3 of the seats). The result, predictably, is that Republicans are pretty much left out of the process at this stage, able to vocalize concerns about overspending, but lacking the votes on the Conference Committee to do anything about it.

Needless to say, this means that in terms of Democrat and Republican… Read More

Here are a few choice items to read on this quiet Father’s Day, when you aren’t watching to see if Tiger Woods can hold his one-stroke lead going into the final day of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, or wincing tonight as we see if the Lakers can at least not end their season on home turf…

Here is State GOP Vice Chairman Doug Boyd’s take-away from a recent speech by Gov. Crist of FL in Orange County and the reaction from nearly a thousand GOPers to Crist’s reference to Arnold… on Red County’s LA Blog… Straight from Congressman John Campbell’s Green Eyeshade Blog – Read it and weep, as Jerry Lewis’ (R-CA) former top staffer lays out the virtual quid-pro-quo on earmarks. Last week, Americans for Prosperity’s California Chapter hosted a rally on the State Capitol steps against tax increases – after which members of AFP carried piles of petitions in to State … Read More

Here are a few choice items to read on this quiet Father’s Day, when you aren’t watching to see if Tiger Woods can hold his one-stroke lead going into the final day of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, or wincing tonight as we see if the Lakers can at least not end their season on home turf…

Here is State GOP Vice Chairman Doug Boyd’s take-away from a recent speech by Gov. Crist of FL in Orange County and the reaction from nearly a thousand GOPers to Crist’s reference to Arnold… on Red County’s LA Blog… Straight from Congressman John Campbell’s Green Eyeshade Blog – Read it and weep, as Jerry Lewis’ (R-CA) former top staffer lays out the virtual quid-pro-quo on earmarks. Last week, Americans for Prosperity’s California Chapter hosted a rally on the State Capitol steps against tax increases – after which members of AFP carried piles of petitions in to State … Read More

Many say the turning point in Jerry Sanders’ recent re-election victory over Steve Francis’ multi-million dollar caustic attack against himwas the moment the mayor could take it no longer, thus flinging a four-letter epithet in response to his opponent’s outstretched attempt at a handshake.

That the mayor would have very likely pulled off a victory without the "Moment" is largely irrelevant.Local political historians for years to come will claim that the Sanders campaign was moribund and without focus, only to have the emotional utterance turn things around, creating a defining instant with which the average San Diegan could identify.As if the people were saying, "Sanders may be a nice-guy politician,but he’s also a real person, and I’d probably be frustrated and lose my cool too with someone spending a fortune to attack me.Plus, that Francis guy probably deserved it."

The respective immediate responses from the two campaigns only served to fuel that feeling.Sanders openly admitted his name-calling, even clarifying that he had in fact said, "F*** you, Steve," not "F*** you,… Read More

Around 900 Republicans gathered last evening at the Hyatt Hotel in Irvine for the 9th Annual Flag Day Fundraising Gala Dinner of the Orange County Republican Party. Every year, this event is a who’s who of the OC political community, with most every prominent Republican official or activist being present. This year was no exception as popular County Party Chairman and former Assembly Republican Leader Scott Baugh presided over a packed house of GOPers who gathered to hear addresses from Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who everyone knows is on the “short list” for McCain’s VP considerations, and GOP Gubernatorial hopeful Dino Rossi, who famously won the Washington State Governor’s race in 2006 only to literally have the race stolen away from him in a third recount. Rossi is running again, and looks to be the favorite as his popularity has grown while the incumbent’s has shrunk.

The tradition of this dinner is that it is impossible to move two feet without running into yet another county leader, and last night was no exception. I will refrain… Read More

Around 900 Republicans gathered last evening at the Hyatt Hotel in Irvine for the 9th Annual Flag Day Fundraising Gala Dinner of the Orange County Republican Party. Every year, this event is a who’s who of the OC political community, with most every prominent Republican official or activist being present. This year was no exception as popular County Party Chairman and former Assembly Republican Leader Scott Baugh presided over a packed house of GOPers who gathered to hear addresses from Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who everyone knows is on the “short list” for McCain’s VP considerations, and GOP Gubernatorial hopeful Dino Rossi, who famously won the Washington State Governor’s race in 2006 only to literally have the race stolen away from him in a third recount. Rossi is running again, and looks to be the favorite as his popularity has grown while the incumbent’s has shrunk.

The tradition of this dinner is that it is impossible to move two feet without running into yet another county leader, and last night was no exception.… Read More

Earlier this week I was alerted to the fact that the CTA was promoting a “community call-in day” to pressure lawmakers to not cut education spending. The CTA provided a toll-free number for their members to call legislators and tell them to raise taxes to fix the budget crisis. So we at CRI decided to help out the CTA with their plan to disperse the toll-free number far and wide. After we sent out our email last night to our supporters, the Sac Bee picked up the story… (h/t to Steve Frank)

Conservative jiu-jitsu

The Capitol Resource Institute, which lobbies Sacramento on conservative social policies, has blasted an e-mail to its statewide network of supporters urging them to call their local legislator — on their opponent’s dime.

"Use Teacher Union’s Money to Call Legislators!" blared the subject line of the e-mail.

Today is a "community call-in" day for members of the California Teachers Association.

Here’s the CRI’s not-so-secret plan:… Read More

First and foremost, my apologies for the little lull here on the FR blog. It’s a busy season for most, but for me I have been swamped helping to prepare for the Orange County Republican Party’s big Flag Day fundraising Gala, with special guest Florida Governor Charlie Crist. The event will have nearly a thousand attendees and will raise a huge amount of the funds that this county needs to maintain its operations and fund some of our GOTV efforts.

That said, I was sad to read about the sudden passing of NBC’s Tim Russert, who had a heart attack.

As I was contemplating what I would say about it, I got this statement from John McCain in my inbox:

"I am very saddened by Tim Russert’s sudden death. Cindy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the Russert family as they cope with this shocking loss and remember the life and legacy of a loving father, husband and the preeminent political journalist of his … Read More