Next up, the California Dream Team Luncheon as it was being billed,on the West Steps.

The Inaugural Ceremony was nicely choreographed, Willie was funny, he didn’t want it to end, he said it was the biggest audience he’d spoken to since the 72 Dem election. Chief Justice Ron George did the oath, the Guv with his hand on the Bible and Maria on his arm. Also, Governors Wilson and Davis wereon the stage, with wives Gayle and Sharon. Immediately after the oath, a choir sang "Hallelujah." JillBuck did a much better job ofreporting on these happeningsthan I would’ve, so I’ll leave it to her post.

The lunch on the West Steps was in a tent with a clear plastic roof, a hot house effect, or perhaps one of the first of the Million Solar roofs…it was quite warm inside. George Schultz was one of the main speakers, the Guv spoke and made a lot of jokes that he’d probably like to have back, but it was all in fun. Rob Lowe did some of the MC work as well. I mentioned to Rob later that some of his finest work was as the "Young Number Two" in the Austin Powers 2nd movie, he seemed delighted… Read More

Liberalism as a strategy and philosophy is a failure. Progressivism is meeting a similar fate. To continue to govern as a majority in California, the Democrats have had to again redefine their agenda. The easiest path is to redefine centrism leftward. The Governor is coming right along. He used the word "centrist" several times in his inaugural speech today. Unfortunately, it no longer has the same meaning.

It wasn’t that long ago when Governor Pete Wilson was known as a "moderate" or "centrist" leader. He ran balanced budgets, applied entrepreneurial solutions to the State’s problems, rejected extreme environmentalism, funded education sensibly, avoided excessive borrowing, and demanded accountability in State Government. A similar strategy today would be characterized as "right wing extremism".

Up until November of 2005 one could easily argue that Governor Schwarzenegger was indeed a centrist from the Pete Wilson mold. But in fact, with the defeat of his four reform initiatives, Arnold has nowin fact moved well to the left of Pete Wilson, both in policy and future planning. Even with… Read More

Sacramento Bee Columnist Daniel Weintraub reportsthat during the Big Health Care the Gov.will be"surrounded on stage by a dozen or so representatives from various interest groups with a stake in the debate, including employers, providers, consumers and others." They will then say what they won’t like or like about the program. Since the plan includes coverage forillegal aliens, was one invited to be on the stage?… Read More

Kudos to Jon Fleishman for his commentary on Joe Nunez. I had told him pre-Christmas that I was planning on posting about this appointment, but the holidays and President Ford’s passing away sidetracked me. Jon detailed the curious nature of this appointment. I just want to add a little more on reasons why my caucus needs to unanimously vote against this one.

As Jon reported, Joe Nunez is Chairman of the Alliance for a Better California (ABC), which ran the campaign to defeat the Governor’s initiatives in November 2005. ABC spent $80 million to kill the initiatives.

The LA Times reported (4/14/06): "Few people worked harder than Joe Nunez to sabotage Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s political fortunes. A high ranking teacher’s union official, he helped engineer the Governor’s embarrassing defeat in the special election last year"

ABC, under Nunez, also filed a complaint against the Governor’s campaign with the FPPC for campaign… Read More

Next month, at the California Republican Party Convention, the roughly 1600 members of the California Republican Party State Central Committee will be gathering for the biennial organizational convention for the Party — and electing a new State Chairman. The incumbent, Duf Sundheim, after four tireless years of hard work, is retiring (or as we say in the biz, is "termed out") and so that means that there is no incumbent. Well, not quite…

Two years ago, San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring (and also then President of the Republican County Chairmens’ Association) ran for and was elected without opposition as the Vice Chairman of the Party. Since then, in addition to continuing to work hard as Chairman of his own County Party in San Diego, Ron has been working side by side with the other CRP Officers and Staff, and has been traveling all around the Golden State on behalf of our GOP candidates and endorsed causes.

All of Ron’s hard work has earned him the respect of the… Read More

Next month, at the California Republican Party Convention, the roughly 1600 members of the California Republican Party State Central Committee will be gathering for the biennial organizational convention for the Party — and electing a new State Chairman. The incumbent, Duf Sundheim, after four tireless years of hard work, is retiring (or as we say in the biz, is "termed out") and so that means that there is no incumbent. Well, not quite…

Two years ago, San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring (and also then President of the Republican County Chairmens’ Association) ran for and was elected without opposition as the Vice Chairman of the Party. Since then, in addition to continuing to work hard as Chairman of his own County Party in San Diego, Ron has been working side by side with the other CRP Officers and Staff, and has been traveling all around the Golden State on behalf of our GOP candidates and endorsed causes.

All of Ron’s hard work has earned him the respect of the… Read More

The following is an exclusive piece from Joel Fox, President of the Small Business Action Committee, who shares some very important perspective in response to the main stream media’s blow out coverage of the recent poll conducted by Field, on behalf of their client, the New America Foundation, an organization that supports universal health care coverage, starting with all children. They promote this "shared responsibility" doctrine which is a shift away from individual responsibility towards some sort of collective group responsibility, where the government plays a significant role in providing for health insurance for the people. Scary stuff. – Flash

FROM JOEL FOX… … Read More

Today marks the official return of the State Legislators to Sacramento, as they prepare to start a new session, and prepare for the inauguration. This seems like a good opportunity for us to encourage unity of purpose within the Republican Caucuses in the Senate and in the Assembly, and our Republican Governor. You are literally all that stands between California taxpayers and massive growth in the size and scope of state government. We urge you to focus on the freedom and liberty of Californians — not on ways to use the government to take from some to give to others. The main stream media, the lobbyists, and Democrat leaders will all be trying hard to convince you to vote for more spending, more regulations, more rules, more mandates and more fees. Be strong, be resolute — and tell them all that enough is enough. California’s annual budget has reached staggering proportions — well over $100 billion annually. And this doesn’t count all of the bond spending on top of it. Enough is enough. We wish you all well in this challenge.

**Don’t miss the columns today… Read More