Former Senate Republican Leader Jim Brulte is an early riser, and we’ve already chatted this morning. He said that from telephone calls, e-mails and text messages with his former colleagues, he has not seen Senate Republicans this united in many years. This morning I also spoke with the current Senate Republican Leader, Dick Ackerman, who told me that he expects all fifteen members of his caucus to vote for an amendment to the currently proposed budget that eliminates California’s structural deficit.

Ackerman has given an overview of some of the proposals by Senate Republicans in an … Read More

Below is the text of a letter sent this evening from Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman to President Pro-Tem and all around big spender Don Perata. It is a response to a letter from Perata to Ackerman (also reprinted down below, for context). At some point, perhaps Perata will stop playing games and get back to negotiating on the budget. If he doesn’t hurry, voters might reject his term-limits extension measure, and Perata might have to return to the private sector next year…

July 25, 2007 The Honorable Don Perata Senate President pro Tempore State Capitol, Room 205… Read More

Here is an exclusive commentary from State Senator Roy Ashburn for FR readers…

Senate Republicans – Standing United Last week fifteen Republican State Senators faced down a political freight train and brought it to a grinding halt. By remaining united just fifteen of the one hundred and twenty California Legislators were able to draw a line in the sand and say “No” to an irresponsible State budget. To compare our ordeal to that of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae might be a bit of a stretch, but there have been times this week when it certainly felt like it. … Read More

Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani made a campaign stop at the Coffee Depot in Riverside earlier today, and loyal FR reader Allen Wilson, who serves as Chairman of Rudy’s efforts in the City of Diamond Bar, was there. He sent over this account of the event, that I thought we would share with FR readers…

The coffee house was huge, not your conventional Starbucks, but big enough to get enough supporters to fill in to hear the former New York City Mayor running for President. The room was packed! Shoulder to Shoulder of supporters for Rudy! Roughly 100 was in… Read More

The main page (www.flashreport.org) will be updated around 8:30am, but I wanted to give the early morning blog readers early access to our lead column this morning, which is my State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, Senate Republicans Meet the Budget Challenge. It goes over the proposal coming from Senate Republicans this morning.… Read More

I had an interesting interview today. After the reporter and I covered my views on the current budget standoff we started talking about the impact the internet is having on campaigns and public policy making.

YouTube, blogs, insta-web sites, email campaigns – –– it’s a whole new day.

I, for one, am all for it. The internet brings instant communication. Instant impact. And – apparently – it can instantly set some off. Case in point is today’s interview KCRA-TV had with Senate Pro Tem Don Perata. Watch it and you’ll find Senator Perata is rather put out by the Senate Republican Caucus. He calls our unwillingness to vote for an unbalanced budget "guerrilla tactics" and seems to especially be annoyed that we "blog each other and other right wing whackos" (ouch). He says we are "terrorizing" California by standing firm (it’s interesting to note the word "terrorize" was first used in a left wing whacko blog the other day – maybe Don’s been reading them – hmmm…..something to… Read More

It’s 9:14am and the Senate Chambers are a ghost town. The much awaited introduction of the Senate Republican budget reforms were not brought up this morning. Senate President Perata made some announcement about the State Department of Finance needing to review this or that (blah, blah), and "presto!" — the Senate is rececessed for 24 hours.

How many times have the Democrats brought up items and the Republicans have no time to respond? Well, I guess with the majority comes the ability to do this — get the info from your political opponents and then delay so you can have time to prepare your response.

I guess I don’t blame Perata, but it is a bit anti-climactic.… Read More

Did you know that the budget being pushed by the Democrats (the one approved in the Assembly) includes SIX MILLION DOLLARDS TO TRAIN UNION ACTIVISTS AND CREATE PRO-UNION PROPAGANDA? It’s true. Fortunately, among other items being slated for jettison from this proposed budget by Senate Republicans is particularly noxious item.

Read more about it here.… Read More