As Californians continue to feel the effects of the state’s $14 billion free-fall deficit, it seems the state’s student loan underwriter, EdFund, has created a soft landing for its own senior executives worth millions of dollars.

According to the Sacramento Bee (May 13, 2008, “EdFund executives seek at least $3 million in severance”), “Seven members of EdFund’s executive staff could each receive two years’ worth of salaries, bonuses and medical coverage.” The high-ranking officials “would be entitled to as much as $20,000 each to help them find new jobs. EdFund would also be on the hook for any “golden parachute tax” the lucky few “would have to pay the state and federal governments.” EdFund’s golden parachutes will undoubtedly undermine Governor Schwarzenegger’s attempt to sell the nonprofit agency for cash to decrease California’s multi-billion dollar budget deficit. Currently, the plan is to “sell the… Read More

FlashReport readers are probably starting to become more familiar with the group Americans for Prosperity. Earlier this year they kicked off their California chapter (I had the honor of introducing Hugh Hewitt at that event) and they have been charging hard since then. I would like to share more with FR readers about AFP’s current big project here in the Golden State — and an important one…

AFP has started the Already Taxed to the Max (ATM) Statewide tour, with a kickoff event last week at the State Capitol and then an trip up to Chico in the North State. The tour, featuring conservative leaders and a huge 12-foot inflatable ATM machine will send a message to Lawmakers that California Taxpayers are not their personal ATM machine. Their next stop: The liberal bastion of San Francisco tomorrow.

… Read More

Lionel Van Deerlin, RIP… A partisan political opponent, perhaps, but definitely a noble adversary. Some of the news reports indicate former Congressman Van Deerlin had a heart attack on March 1 and was receiving home hospice care. That didn’t keep him from getting out of bed only two weekends ago to come to La Mesa and pay a memorial tribute to his longtime friend, Dr. Jack Hardebeck, who also recently passed away. From the good humor and stories he shared at Harry Griffen Park that day, few were the wiser that he himself had only a few days remaining.

I won’t miss reading his skewering of Republicans in the Union-Trib. I will miss his presence and his wit. Read the U-T report.

Quote of the Week… After I posted the Sycuan survey results last Tuesday showing Duncan D. Hunter leading the 52nd Congressional District GOP primary with 79 percent… Read More

On this Saturday, just over three weeks from the June primary election, we are pleased to present this guest commentary from Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association…

Insurance Company to Offer Eminent Domain Insurance By Jon Coupal

When the subject of unusual insurance policies comes up, people usually think of Lloyds of London, the venerable insurance syndicate that has been insuring almost anything for over 300 years. In addition to writing mundane policies, Lloyds has insured Tina Turner’s legs, Keith Richards’ fingers and even Tom Jones’ chest hair.

Now we have a San Diego firm offering to write policies that some observers might find just as odd but, sadly, could be a prudent investment for California property owners. The Ward Group LLC, in partnership with the AmWins Group, Inc. is offering to write policies to protect property owners against losses suffered if they become victims of eminent domain… Read More

On this Saturday, just over three weeks from the June primary election, we are pleased to present this guest commentary from Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association…

Insurance Company to Offer Eminent Domain Insurance By Jon Coupal

When the subject of unusual insurance policies comes up, people usually think of Lloyds of London, the venerable insurance syndicate that has been insuring almost anything for over 300 years. In addition to writing mundane policies, Lloyds has insured Tina Turner’s legs, Keith Richards’ fingers and even Tom Jones’ chest hair.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

Looking for some weekend reading (as if we didn’t provide you enough on the main page) — there’s an interesting column on the Weekly Standard’s website (weeklystandard.com) on how the California Supreme Court’s decision on homosexual marriage could be quite helpful to John McCain. It’s entitled California’s Gift To McCain and is penned by John McCormack. I’m posting via my Blackberry so cannot imbed any links to this post.… Read More

I’m out at the Ontario Convention Center where a large turnout is on hand for one of the many Gun Shows that come through convention centers around America.

The American people own more guns than any army on the planet, and that is a good thing. A cornerstone to our republic is a healthy respect that power should rest, ultimately, with the people. While this colloqual expression typically refers to the role of the voters, there is no doubt to the implied power of a well armed American public (I am sure that criminals wish the public was unarmed).

What is that expression? “A government powerful enough to give you everything you want is powerful enough to take it all away.”

Now I am not some sort of anarchist, and believe in the lawful possession and use of firearms (although government has gone too far in infringing on the rights of Americans to keep and bear arms-

But its just comfortably reassuring that we live in a country where — people have guns.

Anyways, looking at all of the commerce taking place here — guns are big business. Which takes us to the dumb legislation winding its way through… Read More

We have some big challenges facing the Republican Party in Congress right now. The GOP lost our majority 2006 in a large part because our party became that which we opposed – the party of big spending. When the 2006 elections were over, the Club for Growth conducted surveys in 15 competitive House seats (where neither candidate was tainted with scandal) and guess what they found out? The GOP had completely lost its fiscal conservative branding. The most startling results was when those polled asked which political party in Washington was “The Party of Big Government” – the results? Republicans 39.3% and Democrats 27.9% – shocking, and sad. (Read more about the CfG survey here).

Yesterday, the lead editorial in the Wall Street Journal was all about how the Republicans, now in the minority in Congress, still don’t get it (in terms of the need for fiscal restraint).… Read More