Have you ever read the story of Chicken Little? An acorn falls on his head that he proceeds to whip up everyone in his land up into a frenzy that the sky is falling? I am reminded of that story when I read poll results that show many Californians so worried about global warming. Lately, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been like Chicken Little with a megaphone, so of course everyone is worked up. Eventually, in the story, everyone realizes that the sky, of course, is not falling. The question I have is how much freedom and liberty will be eroded because an acorn fell on Al Gore’s head? A reader pointed out to me that the Communications Director for the California Restaurant Association, Jordan Traverso, has left there to accept a new job with the Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly the California Trial Lawyers Association). Suggestion for the CRA — you should replace Traverso with someone who actually believes that trial lawyers bear much of the blame for the high costs of operating restaurants! There is a story today about hi-speed rail travel. I am sure I speak for … Read More

Currently held by Alan Nakanishi, the race in the 10th district is starting to come into shape. The strongest candidates making moves early on have been Paul Hegyi (Assemblyman Tran COS), David Sander (Mayor of Rancho Cordova), and Jack Sieglock (former San Joaquin County Supervisor). After a recent conversation I held with El Dorado County Supervisor Helen Baumann it now seems there are four at the head of the pack.

Baumann has hired consultant Jim Nygren and has strong ties in the wine industry which will help not only in Amador but in San Joaquin as well. If Baumann can make inroads into Lodi’s wine industry in San Joaquin it will make life much more difficult for Sieglock, who needs to have a solid win out of San Joaquin to win. Now the question is if Rusty DuPray, her colleague in El Dorado gets into the race. Two candidates splitting such a small geographic region could easily isolate them both.… Read More

Have you ever read the story of Chicken Little? An acorn falls on his head that he proceeds to whip up everyone in his land up into a frenzy that the sky is falling? I am reminded of that story when I read poll results that show many Californians so worried about global warming. Lately, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been like Chicken Little with a megaphone, so of course everyone is worked up. Eventually, in the story, everyone realizes that the sky, of course, is not falling. The question I have is how much freedom and liberty will be eroded because an acorn fell on Al Gore’s head? A reader pointed out to me that the Communications Director for the California Restaurant Association, Jordan Traverso, has left there to accept a new job with the Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly the California Trial Lawyers Association). Suggestion for the CRA — you should replace Traverso with someone who actually believes that trial lawyers bear much of the blame for the high costs of operating restaurants! There is a story today about hi-speed rail travel. I am sure I speak for … Read More

For those of you that missed it, below is my exclusive interview with Mayor Giuliani from last month (it’s in two parts). FLASHREPORT INTERVIEW WITH RUDY, PART 1 FLASHREPORT INTERVIEW WITH RUDY, PART 2 … Read More

I’m on Blackberry, but just got the heads up from the Giuliani campaign on new endorsements from CA…

From their release:

New York City –The Giuliani Campaign announced today that Mayor Rudy Giuliani bolstered his California team by picking up more key endorsements throughout the state.

Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner today signaled their support for Rudy Giuliani for President. Los Angeles County Supervisors Michael Antonovich and Don Knabe also announced their endorsement for Mayor Giuliani.

Mayor Giuliani has garnered significant support among key Republican leaders at all levels of government, including county, state, and federal representatives. Recently, U.S. Congressmen Ed Royce and George Radanovich joined Rep. David Dreier, Rep. Mary Bono, Rep. Devin Nunes, and Rep. Jerry Lewis as part of Team Rudy.… Read More

A few thoughts…

When scarcity of resources drive energy costs up in California, look back to yesterday’s vote by the State Lands Commission to reject a proposal by BHP Billiton to place a liquefied natural gas facility about 15 miles off of the coast of Los Angeles County. And when you do that, remember that it was John Garamendi and John Chiang who cast the two "no" votes (the Governor’s representative voted for the proposal). Ask yourself whether Lt. Governor McClintock or Controller Strickland would have made a difference…. Is there a groundswell movement in California for the potential Presidential candidacy of Law & Order actor and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson? Much is being made of an upcoming speech he will give in May to the Lincoln Club of Orange County. Keen observers will see that there is now a Draft Thomson ad up on the right side of the FlashReport… The new Schwarzenegger doctrine of ‘shared responsibility’ is a pseudonym for government expansion. Instead of focusing on how government can mandate Californians to buy insurance, we should be figuring out… Read More

This came in today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary e-mail, titled in their table of contents as "The GOP’s Al Gore"…

The Greening of Arnold

Arnold Schwarzenegger likes being called "the Green Giant" for his take-charge attitude on global climate change. He’s on the cover of this week’s Newsweek and jets to Washington D.C. today to participate in that magazine’s environmental forum, where he will unapologetically claim the mantle of federalism to push a California-only solution to limits on carbon emissions. "Look, we don’t need Washington," he told Newsweek.

But the Governator is having less luck in… Read More

Who’s who in the zoo?

State Chairmen: Senate GOP Leader Dick Ackerman and Assemblyman Tony Strickland.

Co-Chairmen: Former CRP Chairman Mike Schroeder, Congressmen John Campbell and Buck McKeon; current or former State Legislators Anthony Adams, Scott Baugh, Russ Bogh, Bob Dutton, Doug LaMalfa, Bob Margett, Jim Silva, Audra Strickland and Mark Wyland; and Fresno Councilman Jerry Duncan. (h/t to Bob Salladay at the LA Times Political Muscle Blog)… Read More