Forgive me for rehashing one of my posts from a year ago, but I can’t help myself. The story is great, and the original blogger is pretty good….

Lest we forget… And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And… Read More

First and foremost, thank you for being a ‘customer’ of the FlashReport website on California politics! While starting as an e-newsletter, it has now been fifteen full months since we made the shift to being a web-based publication. The response has been overwhelming, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU on behalf of myself, and the team of folks who are contributors to the site!

THE MAIN PAGE, COMMENTARY PAGE and E-MAIL NOTICE features of this site will be DOWN until Tuesday, January 2nd. It has been an annual tradition since the FR started in 2001 for the Publisher (me) to take this time off. However, the FLASHREPORT WEBLOG WILL BE UP AND RUNNING throughout the holidays, where many of our contributors will still be posting tidbits and thoughts. I’ll be pitching in my ten cents, too.

As always, I would love any feedback that you may have for how to improve the FlashReport.

Have a great holiday season and a wonderful New Years celebration, on behalf of all of us here at the FlashReport!!

Jon Fleischman,… Read More

First and foremost, thank you for being a ‘customer’ of the FlashReport website on California politics! While starting as an e-newsletter, it has now been fifteen full months since we made the shift to being a web-based publication. The response has been overwhelming, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU on behalf of myself, and the team of folks who are contributors to the site!

THE MAIN PAGE, COMMENTARY PAGE and E-MAIL NOTICE features of this site will be DOWN until Tuesday, January 2nd. It has been an annual tradition since the FR started in 2001 for the Publisher (me) to take this time off. However, the FLASHREPORT WEBLOG WILL BE UP AND RUNNING throughout the holidays, where many of our contributors will still be posting tidbits and thoughts. I’ll be pitching in my ten cents, too.

As always, I would love any feedback that you may have for how to improve the FlashReport.

Have a great holiday season and a wonderful New Years celebration, on behalf of all of us here at the FlashReport!!… Read More

If the reports are true that newly-minted California Democratic Congressman Jerry McNerney is the #1 target of national Republicans to retake this central California Congressional seat formerly held by Richard Pombo, then a decision by a Federal court yesterday emasculating much of the McCain-Feingold soft money restrictions could mean that McNerney will be in for a "soft money" brusing.

The Federal case, brought by Wisconsin Right to Life, challenged the portion of the McCain-Feingold reforms that restricts "issue ads" in the final days of a Federal election campaign. McCain-Feingold, as previously upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, essentially bans use of "soft money" (corporate or union funds) for any mass media advertisement in the final 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election that mentions a candidate’s name, even if the ad doesn’t specifically include words of advocacy such as "vote for," or "vote against." Wisconsin Right to Life claimed the law restricted their ability to criticize Wisconsin’s U.S. Senators by name for their votes on abortion legislation. A Federal… Read More

Being filled with the Christmas Spirit, (some say very full of it) I write something kind and hopeful about the Governor.

Yesterday the Governor announced three new appointments to the LA Superior Court. Seepress release here.The good news is that this time it was two Reps and only 1 Dem. For the first few years of his reign, the Governor’s judicial appointments were –well awful. See here. It was running two to one Democratic plus at least one changing from Dem to DTS to fudge the numbers. See here.

Yesterday was a day of big announcements in Sacramento. The holiday gifts that have been given out this year are more proposals for massive spending. But this isn’t surprising. More spending has been the theme out of Sacramento all of this year, and we’re closing out the year on the same note. Yesterday the Governor proposed a massive spending program (over ten billion dollars) to build prisons to deal with our overcrowding problems. The FlashReport is concerned that this proposal for more massive borrowing should have been made before the November election so that voters could have considered whether they still wanted to approve the tens of billions in borrowing that they did on that ballot. We also feel that these proposed new bonds should be taken to the ballot for a vote of the electorate. As they are proposed, these bonds would supposedly be paid off by revenue — so someone will have to explain to us what kind of revenue is generated by a prison? Also of concern in the proposal is a Sentencing Commission who, it seems, would have the job of lessoning the sentences of convicted criminals. Clearly action is required as the… Read More

Yesterday was a day of big announcements in Sacramento. The holiday gifts that have been given out this year are more proposals for massive spending. But this isn’t surprising. More spending has been the theme out of Sacramento all of this year, and we’re closing out the year on the same note. Yesterday the Governor proposed a massive spending program (over ten billion dollars) to build prisons to deal with our overcrowding problems. The FlashReport is concerned that this proposal for more massive borrowing should have been made before the November election so that voters could have considered whether they still wanted to approve the tens of billions in borrowing that they did on that ballot. We also feel that these proposed new bonds should be taken to the ballot for a vote of the electorate. As they are proposed, these bonds would supposedly be paid off by revenue — so someone will have to explain to us what kind of revenue is generated by a prison? Also of concern in the proposal is a Sentencing Commission who, it seems, would have the job of lessoning the sentences of convicted criminals. Clearly action is required as the… Read More

Today the Governor made 27 more appointments into State Government — 9 Republicans and 6 Democrats.