I am not sure what it is about the message "we’re not interested" that the League of Cities and the redevelopment lobby just don’t get about the desire for Republicans to have real, comprehensive Kelo reform. That is why there is so much support for the Jarvis-backed measure that WILL be on the ballot last year. Unlike ACA 8 which only protects some property owners, but not all property owners (and the property owners it does protect does not enjoy protections for all of his or her potential property), the real solution is already headed for the ballot.

It is understandable the the redevelopment lobby has hired a boatload of consultants and lobbyists to try and work over Republican members in order to place the faux-reform on the ballot — this measure would make it really hard to pass a real fix.

The FlashReport would like to commend our Republican legislators for holding firm on this very important issue. The time to ‘negotiate’ on ACA 8 is past — as soon as the coalition behind the "pure" reform made it clear that they have raised the necessary funds to go to the ballot, the need to settle for 1/4 of… Read More

I think this release from the California Term Limits Defense Fund speaks volumes…

QUALIFICATION TAINTED OF PERATA/NUNEZ INITIATIVE TO WEAKEN TERM LIMITS BY UNPRECEDENTED AND SUSPICIOUS UPWARD REVISIONS ON RANDOM SAMPLE SIGNATURE COUNTS Sacramento- The initiative to weaken term limits sponsored by Senate President Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez has been based on deception of the electorate and manipulation of the political system from the beginning. But the abuse of power by Perata and Nunez has reached a new low with the manipulation of the random signature counting process to qualify the initiative in time for the February 5th election. If a full count had been required it is doubtful that it would be completed… Read More

Local news carried the story about Mayor Rudy Giuliani winning the "California straw poll" conducted by the Sacramento Republican Party at the California State Fair.

Volunteers at the GOP booth asked fair attendees to cast their ballot for a Republican presidential candidate.

The winner was former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani with 31 percent of the vote. Former U.S. senator and actor Fred Thompson came in second with 24 percent. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney had 19 percent and Sen. John McCain received 8 percent of the vote.

"Our straw poll will give candidates and leaders of the California Republican Party an indication as to how California Republicans will vote come next February 5," said Carl Burton, Vice Chairman of the Sacramento County Republican Party.

Poll organizers say more than 1,622 valid ballots were cast during the fair.… Read More

In today’s Roll Call Magazine (the leading news-source for goings-on in the United States Congress), there’s an article on Congressman John Doolittle. We try to bring you their California coverage when we are alerted to it – especially when reporter David Drucker gives the FR a "shout out" (thanks!):

This is a particularly tough time for Congressman John Doolittle. Doolittle (pictured to the right) is in the midst of dealing with the taint of an FBI investigation of Congress that has included family business dealings with now-disgraced and imprisoned ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Our hearts to go out to John and his family at this time. In America, we have a strong tradition in our courts that you are innocent until you are proven guilty. I would tell FR readers that having known John for nearly two decades, I don’t believe that he is guilty of any crimes. That having been said, Congressman Doolittle is facing a trial — but it is in the court of public opinion… And at a time when the public’s bias is not in the favor of Washington politicians. DOOLITTLE’S… Read More

The Republican Party is never going to be able to make the credible case that we are the party of fiscal conservatism and government frugality if we are constantly dining heavily on a diet of Congressional earmarks. Remember, in the court of public opinion, perception is very important. Thanks to vast number of outrageous and egregious pork-barrel earmarks, the entire earmarking process is being viewed by the public, and certainly by Republican donors and activists as being corrupt. Earmarks that are awarded based on back-slapping and horse-trading, rather than through the creation of objective, definable and provable criteria are egregious, and should be stopped.

[How did your California Representative vote on fifty different opportunities to eliminate extremely egregious earmarks to appropriations bills this session? … Read More

In a success story of good ol’ American can-do, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge re-opened 11 hours ahead of schedule. It had been closed for the 3 day Labor Day weekend for refitting a major chunk at Yerba Buena Island, a 350 foot long, 6700 ton piece that is integral to the new east span, under construction now. This is the section most affected by the ’89 earthquake when a segment of the bridge collapsed.

Infrastructure specialist C.C. Myers Inc. is the same company that rebuilt the section of the MacArthur Maze [near Oakland] that collapsed earlier this year when an intensefuel tanker fire brought it crashing down. This in an amazing 18 days, from scratch, in one of the most traffic intense areas of the state. Also, they rebuilt a section of Santa Monica Freeway back in ’94 after the earthquake brought it down, [this in 66 days from an alloted 140] All these projects saving huge amounts of costs that gridlock oftraffic causes in time lost.

This is one example of what good can happen when everyone works together. It’s nice to know that in a crunch, there are folks that step up and get things done. In a time when we… Read More

The Republican Party is never going to be able to make the credible case that we are the party of fiscal conservatism and government frugality if we are constantly dining heavily on a diet of Congressional earmarks. Remember, in the court of public opinion, perception is very important. Thanks to vast number of outrageous and egregious pork-barrel earmarks, the entire earmarking process is being viewed by the public, and certainly by Republican donors and activists as being corrupt. Earmarks that are awarded based on back-slapping and horse-trading, rather than through the creation of objective, definable and provable criteria are egregious, and should be stopped.

[How did your California Representative vote on fifty different opportunities to eliminate extremely egregious earmarks to appropriations bills this session? … Read More