On this quiet Sunday morning, be prepared to be blown away with the latest and one of the most evil ideas that has come along for the expansion of the Nanny State… The following is penned by longtime FR friend Bill Leonard, who serves as a member of the California State Board of Equalization…

Pry the Thermostat from My Cold, Dead Hands By Bill Leonard

I have written about the number of people leaving California for any number of reasons— high taxes, traffic congestion, poor public schools, burdensome business climate—but yesterday came word of a new one: the cooler cops. The California Energy Commission is proposing in its Title 24 regulations that newly installed heating and cooling systems in… Read More

I was talking with my good friend Nicholas Romero, whom FR readers know as the former Managing Editor of the FlashReport. Nick was very animated after watching Thursday night’s Presidential debate. Nick’s been very passionate about this Presidential campaign season – he’s a big supporter of Fred Thompson, actually. Anyways, after talking with Nick a bit, I asked him if he would be willing to pen his “take” on the debate for FR readers. So, in Nick’s own literary style, here’s what he sent over… — Flash

Better Late Than Never

Well, this past week has been a rollercoaster. The open New Hampshire primary (they allow Democrats and Independents to vote in the Republican Primary in the Granite State) had conservative Republicans staring down the very real and undesirable prospect of a McCain nomination. However, I think New Hampshire’s surprising results have awoken the fusionist base. We do not want to see the party fall the way of the Whigs. We have caught a… Read More

I was talking with my good friend Nicholas Romero, whom FR readers know as the former Managing Editor of the FlashReport. Nick was very animated after watching Thursday night’s Presidential debate. Nick’s been very passionate about this Presidential campaign season – he’s a big supporter of Fred Thompson, actually. Anyways, after talking with Nick a bit, I asked him if he would be willing to pen his “take” on the debate for FR readers. So, in Nick’s own literary style, here’s what he sent over… Flash

Better Late Than Never

Well, this past week has been a rollercoaster. The open New Hampshire primary (they allow Democrats and Independents to vote in the Republican Primary in the Granite State) had conservative Republicans staring down the very real and undesirable prospect of a McCain nomination. However, I think New Hampshire’s surprising results have awoken the fusionist base. We do not want to see the party fall the way of the Whigs. We have caught a glimpse of… Read More

At the bottom of today’s main news page, you can see several articles on the passing of Carl Karcher. Most of America knows Carl for his famous and widespread fastfood restaurant chain, Carl’s Jr. Many who have been involved with Republican and conservative causes over the last half-century know Carl as a committed champion of important American traditions — God, family and free enterprise.

I first met Carl in 1988 at a dinner for the Christian Anti-Communist Crusude (and no, I wasn’t the only Jewish kid there). I remember Carl handing me and every other activist with Young Americans for Freedom his signature "Free Famous Star" cards that he had with him everywhere. I don’t know about the others, but I ended up keeping the card as a keepsake, rather than trading it away for the burger.

Over the years, as I got more involved in politics, I became State Chairman of California YAF, and some years after that, served a term as Chairman of the California Republican Assembly. During my time running both of these fine organizations, Carl (with whom I developed a friendship) was very… Read More

The Wall Street Journal weighs in today on the Governor’s ridiculous health care plan (link might require registration) and really furthers my argument that the State Republican Party needs to actively and publicly oppose tax increases by asking each member of the State Assembly and State Senate to agree to a no new taxes pledge.

Besides blowing up the Governor’s call for tax increases related to his health care plan for the November ballot, the Party should also begin the process of raising money to overturn the ridiculous Sinclair Paint decision, which allows "fees" to be levied in lieu of taxes. Look for the Governor’s "solution" to the budget crisis to be laden with "fees". The State Party should try to qualify a ballot initiative to run in November to treat fees the same as taxes.

The Governor left the State GOP in a mountain of debt, crippling its ability to operate this year. He ignored downballot candidates and refused to campaign for McClintock and McPherson. It’s time to return the favor.… Read More

At last night’s County Republican Party meeting in Los Angeles, both Steve Baric (candidate for CRP Secretary) and Shawn Steel (candidate for CRP’s National Committeeman) came away with the endorsements.

For Baric, it was just the latest endorsement in what has continued to be a campaign that shows no signs of slowing down. While rumors initially existed of certain folks attempting to recruit a candidate to challenge Steve, with his continued momentum that also recently includes endorsements from Keen Butcher, honcho of the County Chairmen’s Association, and Mindy Fletcher, former Deputy Campaign Manager for the Gov’s Re-elect, Steve clearly is planning on pushing hard all the way through the Convention next month.

The more interesting of the endorsements last night was forNational Committeeman – one of the CRP’s representatives (along with theNationalCommitteewoman and the CRP Chairman)to the Republican National Committee. Incumbent Tim Morgan took the time to fly down from Monterey to speak to the Central Committee meeting and to try to shake enough hands and twist enough arms to either get the endorsement outright for… Read More

The recent unfavorable audit of the Department of Insurance under the direction of former Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi must have sent aftershocks throughout California state agencies. Among the strange effects, a state board has asked to be audited.

Audits are generally not something agencies want. They are expensive and result in lost jobs, funding, and autonomy. So why would an agency inflict such scrutiny upon itself? According to The Sacramento Bee (December 12, 2007), "The California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board [asked for an] audit to get to the bottom of allegations of criminal wrongdoing and possible favoritism and nepotism." The board-commissioned investigator and attorney "found that familial connections were common at the board. All but one of the board’s four or five senior staff, for example, had relatives working at the board." The new Appeals Board chairman told the Bee "that one senior staff member… has five family members who have been… Read More

In concert with John Doolittle’s announcement that he retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives, conservative activist, businessman, and former California state legislator Rico Oller threw his hat into the ring for the GOP nomination for the 4th District. Of course, this is an all-GOP seat now that Doolittle is out of the election picture. Sorry Charlie (Brown), the presumptive Democrat candidate, but you are now running what we call in the business, a "dead district drill" – this seat is no longer competitive. There will be a host of other candidates leaping into the race, in addition to Eric Egland, Mike Holmes and now Oller. Possibly conservative Assemblyman Ted Gaines will get into it (he’s had one foot into the race for months now) and there is talk that State Senator Sam Aanestad or retired legislator Tim Leslie might even run. Then there is former U.S. Representative Doug Ose, who as a former leader of the Republican Main Street Partnership, would be the moderate in the race. … Read More