In 1997, Tom Hudson on my staff came to me with a great idea–why don’t we distribute our presidential delegates to the winner of the primary in each congressional district? At that time, California had about 180 presidential delegates (three per congressional district and about 21 bonus delegates), all of which were awarded to the presidential candidate that won the most votes in the presidential primary. Given this system, most presidential candidates would show up in California about a year away from the primary, have a bunch of fundraisers in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento, then come in about two weeks before the primary and spend several million dollars on commercials. Not a system designed to build a stronger party operation.

My experience in politics taught me two principles of politics. Principles dictate positions. Systems dictate strategies. If California Republicans wanted a stronger party operation, they had to devise systems that encouraged people to develop that operation. A winner take all by congressional district system would do that. California has double the delegates of any other state, and five or six… Read More

Update: The call was lifted earlier and only four more aye votes were cast, making it 32-34. There are 77 members present to vote on today’s file. SB 110, that would create a prison sentencing commission, basically allowing "another 2nd chance"for criminals convicted of serious crimes to have reduced sentences, was onour floor minutes ago. It has run into problems with even many of the Dems as it is on call with a 28 aye to 34 no count…wow. [6 Dems voting "no", all Reps present, "no"]… Read More

by a 34-37 vote… Read More

Mr. Mayor, please tell us in California that you didn’t mean to say what you said.

I don’t really watch Glenn Beck very often, but Rudy Giuliani was on today and said that it should NOT be a crime to be here in this country illegally.

Read the full transcript for yourself: http://www.glennbeck.com/news/09072007.shtml

My favorite part is below:

GLENN: Should it be [a crime]?

GIULIANI: Should it be? No, it shouldn’t be because the government wouldn’t be able to prosecute it. We couldn’t prosecute 12 million people. We have only 2 million people in jail right now for all the crimes that are committed in the country, 2.5 million. If you were to make it a crime, you would have to take the resources of the criminal justice system and increase it by about 6. In other words, you’d have to take all the 800,000 police, and who knows how many police we would have to… Read More

As noted here a couple of weeks ago, Shaun Flanigan recently left as Assemblyman George Plescia’s chief of staff, replaced by Janelle Riella.

The scoop today is that COS Chip Englander is leaving Assemblyman Joel Anderson’s employ, hooking up withMercury Public Affairs next month. Mercury is a part of the Fleishman-Hillard International Communications network (not the same spelling as the FR publisher’s last name). Steve Schmidt, former campaign manager for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a Mercury partner and runs the Sacramento office. Another partner is Terry Nelson (former Bush-Cheney national political director). Many even say that Mercury houses thesingle largest collection of major Republican campaign consultants in America. Chip, who will bemoving to New York City to work out of the main Manhattan office,says "I’m deeply saddened to move on, but I’m getting married this month and this opportunity is too incredible to pass… Read More

Although there may still be add-ons, the initial Senate vote on Anderson’s AB221 is 32-0.

Or, Team Anderson 32, Team Iran/CalPERS 0.

On to the Governor.… Read More

I’m on the Drafting committee that will take up the Party Platform this weekend, and honestly, I find myself in a position that doesn’t line up well with either "side" on the Platform debate. I think we need a one-pager that is sort of a "Declaration of Independence" document, which boils down in pithy language "these truths to be self-evident." But I also think we needa "Constitution" like document that is more detailed. If you think about the Constitution, it isn’t a policy document, but rather a framework document that helps shape policy. It isn’t about nit-noid detail, but rather a template over which all policy decisions should be laid. I don’t think our Platform has to be lengthy, but it should be distinguishing and unique, so that our Party identity is not in question when the document is complete. I also believe it should be positive and inspiring, so that even if people don’t fall lock in step with every line of it, they don’t feel attacked or diminished in importance to the Party.

Having said that, I’m in a quandary about one line of the drafts I’m seeing in my… Read More

It really isn’t called "soft money" much anymore, but in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision inthe Wisconsin Right to Life case gutting key provisions of the McCain-Feingold law, our firm has received a number of inquiries from clients about how to comply with rules in this new era, where bona fide issue advocacy communicationsin elections that mention the names of elected officials will benefit from more constitutional protection and less regulation, not just in Federal elections, but in all elections.

Keeping in mind all the general disclaimers that we can’t provide legal advice over the internet and that regulation of these communications is highly fact related, here are some general considerations for issue advocacy groups, PACs, and candidates at the Federal and state level who must consider issue-oriented communications after Wisconsin Right to Life:

Acommunication is not protected issue advocacy if:

– it appears to have the overall major purpose of supporting or opposing a specific… Read More