First and foremost, thank you for being a ‘customer’ of the FlashReport website on California politics! While starting as an e-newsletter, it has now been over two years since we made the shift to being a web-based publication. The response has been overwhelming, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU on behalf of myself, and the team of folks who are contributors to the site! THE MAIN PAGE, COMMENTARY PAGE and E-MAIL NOTICE features of this site will be DOWN until Thursday, January 3rd. It has been an annual tradition since the FR started in 2001 for the Publisher (me) to take this time off. However, the FLASHREPORT WEBLOG WILL BE UP AND RUNNING throughout the holidays, where many of our contributors will still be posting tidbits and thoughts. I’ll be pitching in my ten cents, too.

As always, I would love any… Read More

First and foremost, thank you for being a ‘customer’ of the FlashReport website on California politics! While starting as an e-newsletter, it has now been over two years since we made the shift to being a web-based publication. The response has been overwhelming, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU on behalf of myself, and the team of folks who are contributors to the site!

THE MAIN PAGE, COMMENTARY PAGE and E-MAIL NOTICE features of this site will be DOWN until Thursday, January 3rd. It has been an annual tradition since the FR started in 2001 for the Publisher (me) to take this time off. However, the FLASHREPORT WEBLOG WILL BE UP AND RUNNING throughout the holidays, where many of our contributors will still be posting tidbits and thoughts. I’ll be pitching in my ten cents, too. … Read More

Well, if I’m around and have a chance to surf the web, I’ll grab stories of interest.

The Feds are still investigating Senate President Don Perata, and in a subpeona battle with U.S. Representative John Doolittle: Sac Bee – Conflict delays Doolittle case SF Chron – Justice Dept. asks reporters for help in Perata case The Governor’s calling a special session to deal with a massive overspending problem. SF Chron – Governor predicts $3.3 billion revenue shortfall by end of June LA Times – Gov. considers major cuts in services Worth clicking on to see the cool photo of Assemblyman Todd Spitzer…… Read More

Yesterday’s announcement from the California Chamber of Commerce that their Board of Directors voted to place their organization in opposition to Proposition 93, the naked power grab being orchestrated by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to extend his own political career, is a major setback for the measure. But I can’t say that the Chamber’s position was unexpected — Nunez has to have been expecting it — because, frankly, he caused it.

You see, the leadership of the California Chamber was involved in an intense period of negotiations with legislative leaders to broker a compromise where some form of term-limits reform would be coupled with redistricting reform. Nunez abruptly ended these negotiations, turning his back not only on the Chamber, but also on the Governor and fellow legislative leaders, and filed his own ballot initiative. The Nunez measure, now Proposition 93, of course has no redistricting reform in it at all.… Read More

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

Mitt Hitt

Much of Barack Obama’s sales pitch to voters is that he will "be a uniter, not a divider," a subtle slab at the polarizing figure many believe Hillary Clinton to be. As evidence for his claim, Mr. Obama touts his commitment to include Republicans in his cabinet. He often throws out names like Indiana Senator Dick Lugar and Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, both moderate Republicans.

But now Mr. Obama has added a new name to the mix: none other than California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will be forced to leave office due to term limits in 2010, midway through the next presidential term.

At a town hall meeting… Read More

I have to wonder if the Schwarzenegger early prison release proposal isn’t a way to force the GOP into voting for tax increases. Certainly, if the Democrats had their way, the only cuts that would be made to the state budget to solve this budget deficit would be to release prisoners. With the deficit as large as it is, the ONLY way the hole is closed is with massive cuts to health and social services, education and prison spending. It is no wonder that the governor’s office—run, at this point, mostly by Gray Davis staffers—is looking at prison spending first. How about forcing the schools to run efficiently? How about cutting chiropractor and acupuncture from the list of benefits Medi-Cal recipients receive? There is no arguing that the cuts needed in health and welfare will go far deeper than just these extras Medi-Cal currently pays for—and the cuts will be tough to sell—but the spending didn’t magically get this high. We’ve drastically added more programs and increased eligibility over the time the… Read More

The latest from State Senator Tom McClintock:

Demonstrating support from across the California GOP spectrum, today the Presidential campaign of Governor Mitt Romney announced two prominent California endorsers, that we’ll call the "book-ends" of the party. On the right end of the shelf, Romney has been endorsed by popular, conservative Congressman Wally Herger (pictured right), who makes his home up in the northern end of the state. On the "other" end of the GOP bookshelf, Romney has earned the endorsement of moderate former Republican Assemblyman Brooks Firestone… Read More