This last week we have witnessed the declaration by Al (Sore Loserman) Gore that the problem of global warming is a "no longer a scientific debate, it is a moral issue." Yesterday, I saw a commercial that showed some old white guy who said that the "scientific evidence shows that the irreversible effects" of global warming won’t occur until thirty years from now. Of course, the fellow is standing on a railroad track with the train coming. He announces "that won’t affect me" as he steps off the track. The picture then moves to a little girl, who, the commercial implies, gets run over by the train. This obviously contends that an indifference to global warming now will kill our children.

As the rhetoric on the issue heats up (so to speak), we must congratulate the California government for solving the crisis. Less than two months after AB 32 took effect, California and the rest of the country have suffered record low temperatures. I am impressed at how well that bill has worked. Although, given its effectiveness so far, no further action is necessary to implement the bill, I… Read More

At the CRP convention a couple of weeks ago, I was interested to see Rudy Giuliani’s speech. Though he did not electrify the crowd the way Mitt Romney did at the last CRP convention (arguably one of the best speeches I have ever witnessed), there was something in Mayor Giuliani’s speech that will remain with me for a long time. He enumerated many reasons why we must prevail in the war on terror, most of which we hear on Fox News everyday. But he gave one reason that is often overlooked, but no less important: women’s rights. Our nation has come a long way in ensuring that women have every opportunity to reach their God-given potential as men, and we don’t want to take a single, solitary, nano step backward. Yet look at the way women and girls are treated in countries where Islamic extremists rule with a heavy hand. I can’t help but wonder how quickly the war in Iraq and Afghanistan might end if we gave superior fire power to all the women who’ve been treated worse than cattle in those countries.

So, I appreciated Giuliani’s rationale that one of the many reasons America must prevail in the war against Islamic extremists is to… Read More

More Bills: Continuing last week’s theme, here are more of the bills that I will be working on this Congress. Just a reminder that some of these will not become law this Congress, but I will be working with my colleagues to increase support and move them forward. Here they are in no particular order:

Energy/Fuel Choice Bill – This is a big bipartisan effort to deal with the problem of energy security. The main motivation behind the leaders of this bill (myself included) is to reduce dependence on foreign oil for reasons of national security. We want to stop funding the efforts of countries around the world where the people want to kill us. There are also inherent environmental benefits. The overlying concept behind this legislation is that you really only have one choice today to fuel your car and that is an oil based product. This bill would require both infrastructure and car manufacturers to transition over the next five years to a significant percentage of vehicles having the option of running on some fuel other than 100% oil. These could be ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, plug-in hybrids, or any combination thereof that… Read More

Last weekend, the annual Pollie Awards were handed out by the American Association of Political Consultants – the “campaign world’s version of the Oscars” as FR advertiser SchubertFlint Public Affairs put it.

Despite almost 3,000 entries in 80 categories, the FlashReport’s stable of contributors and advertisers took home (by my count) 20 Pollies.

FR Contributor Tom Ross’ firm, Meridian Pacific, grabbed two.

FR Contributor Duane Dichiara’s firm, Coronado Communications,won one.

Your humble author took homeone as well.

FR advertisers Bieber Communications, JohnsonClark Associates, SchubertFlint Public Relations, and Visteva each also were award winners.… Read More

ANALOGY WARNING: I have been told by those closest to me that when I try to wind up a lengthy analogy, sometimes I miss the mark. That said, I am going to try to equate the Governor’s behavior with California Democrats to a football game. Wish me luck:

ANALOGY WARNING: I have been told by those closest to me that when I try to wind up a lengthy analogy, sometimes I miss the mark. That said, I am going to try to equate the Governor’s behavior with California Democrats to a football game. Wish me luck:

If you were to believe numerous newspaper headlines from late last week, you would think that the ultimate "Nanny State" bill by Democrat Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, to criminalize the spanking of children by their parents, was dead and buried. Not so, I found out. Here’s the scoop for FR friend Karen England (pictured below) over at the Capitol Resource Instutute:

Who does a California conservative support for President?

The top tier of candidates — John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Rudy Giuliani — must all overcome varying amounts of suspicion from the GOP base. The second tier of candidates — Sam Brownback, Mike Huckabee, and Jim Gilmore — have to make a credible case that they can win. Without a natural candidate around which to rally, conservatives are forced to decide which of the front-runners they can trust. The developments so far have been fascinating to watch.

My former boss McCain was the insurgent when I worked for him in 1999 and 2000, when he was anethema to a party establishment had flocked to then-Governor Bush. Eight years later, though, McCain is now the establishment candidate, using his strong support of Bush on terror and Iraq to develop an organizational and endorsement infrastructure that early front-runners have historically used to ward off challengers. Watching this year from the sidelines,… Read More