With an out-of-touch majority in the capitol, the underrepresented (minority) viewpoint in Sacramento has been forced to use the initiative process to protect our freedoms. Because of the success in using initiatives, liberals have decided to protect their concentrated power by reining in the initiative process. Assemblyman Alberto Torrico has introduced AB 1914, a bill that will deter average citizens from participating in initiative, referendum, or recall campaigns. The bill will be heard in the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee this afternoon.

Under current law, it’s a misdemeanor for petition circulators to “intentionally misrepresent or make any false statement” about a petition’s content or effect in order to obtain signatures. Torrico wants to invalidate every signature collected by a circulator convicted under the existing law. This means that an average citizen volunteering for a campaign could be charged with a crime for simply misstating the content of their petition. Going even further, he then wants the proponents of the… Read More

[Cross-posted from OC Blog]

I wanted to follow up on my earlier posts — here and here — regarding the denouement of powerhouse consulting firm Cerrell Associates‘ peculiar straddle regarding 241 toll road advocacy.

On one hand, Cerrell provided public and media relations services to the Southern California Association of Governments to the tune of at least $250,000 a year. SCAG is a important proponent of completing the 241.

On the other hand, Cerrell Associates is also a consultant to the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) and its campaign to stop completion of the 241.

This biting of the hand that feeds you $250K a year… Read More

MEMORANDUM

To: Governor Schwarzenegger at the State Capitol From: Jon over at the FlashReport RE: Massive Democrat-Created State Deficit Governor, there is no doubt that the liberal Democrats who largely control the budget process have taken California down a path of severe over-spending. As we all know, state spending has massively out-paced state tax revenues, increasing a staggering $25 billion since 2003. Out of the gate this year, you correctly identified this problem for what it is, too much red ink. Too much overspending. You made it clear that California families, taxpayers, would not be saddled with higher taxes in order to address this chronic overspending issue. You rightly introduces a budget that represents a 10% across-the-board cut to what would have been the ’07-’08 amounts (from our perspective, a modest proposal). As a companion to… Read More

MEMORANDUM

To: Governor Schwarzenegger at the State Capitol From: Jon over at the FlashReport RE: Massive Democrat-Created State Deficit Governor, there is no doubt that the liberal Democrats who largely control the budget process have taken California down a path of severe over-spending. As we all know, state spending has massively out-paced state tax revenues, increasing a staggering $25 billion since 2003. Out of the gate this year, you correctly identified this problem for what it is, too much red ink. Too much overspending. You made it clear that California families, taxpayers, would not be saddled with higher taxes in order to address this chronic overspending issue. You rightly introduces a budget that represents a 10% across-the-board cut to what would have been the ’07-’08 amounts (from our perspective, a modest proposal). As a companion to… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail…

Meet Chris Cox

While the Democratic slugfest sucks up all the media attention, John McCain will have at least one big chance to move back to center-stage — when he picks his veep nominee.

Mr. McCain needs to bolster his economic street cred, especially after admitting minimal expertise on the subject. He needs to rally pro-growth Republicans and calm the fears of ordinary voters amid the mortgage meltdown. Who to call? California Republican Chris Cox was on George W. Bush’s shortlist eight years ago and didn’t get the nod. Now his… Read More

A week ago today, Ameriquest founder and mortgage magnate Roland Arnall passed away from cancer at the age of 68. Arnall was a major contributor to GOP and conservative causes over the years, in additional to many philanthopic efforts that included co-founding the Simon Weisethal Center in West Los Angeles. I had an opportunity to meet and talk to Mr. Arnall a few times, and came away from those chats very impressed with the depth of his passion and love for this country. My good friend Jeff Miller (not the Assembly candidate, but the policy advocate and Co-Chairman of fundraising efforts at the Republican Governors Association) worked closely with Mr. Arnall for many years, and had a close friendship with him. Jeff forwarded me an obituary of Arnall that ran this last Saturday in the Wall Street Journal, the link to which can be found below. I asked Jeff if he would be willing to share some thoughts with… Read More

A week ago today, Ameriquest founder and mortgage magnate Roland Arnall passed away from cancer at the age of 68. Arnall was a major contributor to GOP and conservative causes over the years, in additional to many philanthopic efforts that included co-founding the Simon Weisethal Center in West Los Angeles. I had an opportunity to meet and talk to Mr. Arnall a few times, and came away from those chats very impressed with the depth of his passion and love for this country.

My good friend Jeff Miller (not the Assembly candidate, but the policy advocate and Co-Chairman of fundraising efforts at the Republican Governors Association) worked closely with Mr. Arnall for many years, and had a close friendship with him. Jeff forwarded me an obituary of Arnall that ran this last Saturday in the Wall Street Journal, the link to which can be found below.

I asked Jeff if he would be willing to share some thoughts with FR readers on the passing of Roland Arnell. Jeff, who traditionally stays "behind the scenes" demonstrated how much this… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail…

What Did They Expect from the ‘Terminator’?

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not much one for sentiment. He has bounced both his brother-in-law Bobby Shriver and his fellow actor and friend Clint Eastwood from the State Park and Recreation Commission.

Mr. Shriver, who chaired the commission, and Mr. Eastwood, who was his deputy, both opposed the Governator’s plan to build a toll road between Orange County and San Diego that would have cut through a corner of a state park.

"It shows you how strong these developers were that [they] were able to… Read More