When Jon asked a few of us to fill in while he frolics in the waves of Maui, I thought about putting something profound together, but then I remembered he suggested that we just be ourselves. Well, I’m a simple country boy – and I was struck by a story in George Will’s column about a newly elected Senator refusing to shake President Bush’s hand.

Where I come from that’s the kind of rudeness that just isn’t acceptable.

After recent elections gave Democrats control of the US Senate and House of Representatives, we heard their leaders talk a lot about the coming era of bi-partisanship.

Well, it turns out the talk was pretty much just talk — kind of like CA Assemblymembers who publicly turned down a $12,000 pay hike, then quietly accepted the money a few months later (more on that another time.)

Will recounted a story about Senator-elect Jim Webb ditching the reception line at an event hosted by the President so he wouldn’t have to shake the President’s hand. Later, he responded rudely to the President’s polite inquiry about… Read More

When Jon asked a few of us to fill in while he frolics in the waves of Maui, I thought about putting something profound together, but then I remembered he suggested that we just be ourselves. Well, I’m a simple country boy – and I was struck by a story in George Will’s column about a newly elected Senator refusing to shake President Bush’s hand.

Where I come from that’s the kind of rudeness that just isn’t acceptable.

After recent elections gave Democrats control of the US Senate and House of Representatives, we heard their leaders talk a lot about the coming era of bi-partisanship.

**There is more – click the link**

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LA attorney Paul Kavesh paid for a full page ad in the Daily Breeze entitled "The Democrats are back in power". He asked, "what do you do with your estate plan now?" Kavesh promises that "an overflow audience is anticipated" at his seminar and the Dems will soon increase estate taxes and income taxes.

In order for youto adjust to the new tax climate you can register for his seminar at the Torrance Hilton until tomorrow night. (See the two-part ad below.)

Estate planner Kavesh certainly is bettingthat with Dems in power there will be immediatetrauma to those who own real estate in California. At least this tax specialist gets the joke. Bad news for those who work, are homeowners and are over 45.… Read More

Many may remember Donna Arduin as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first Director of Finance for the State of California. Arduin came into the Schwarzenegger Administration with a track record of being a strong conservative, well versed on budgetary and finance matters, and lived up to her reputation. Arduin, who had been heading up Florida’s equivalent office for Governor Jeb Bush, had come out to be part of Team Arnold’s original transition after the recall election, and then agreed to stay on for a period of time.

After the first year of the Schwarzenegger Administration, Arduin left California to return home to quiet Tallahassee, Florida, which she calls home. She partnered up with famed economist Arthur Laffer in a consulting firm, and has been loving life. Donna keeps up on California politics by reading this website, and has written a couple of columns for us!

Today, it is being reported… Read More

Our ‘revamping’ of the FlashReport Weblog continues in full-force, and I am exceptionally pleased to introduce to you another new addition to the great cadre of contributors we have for site! Please welcome Jill Buck to the FlashReport. Jill will be joining us as a new blogger from the San Francisco Bay Area region. California is a big state, and the Bay Area, despite being so overwhelingly liberal, is an important part

This last election cycle, Jill ran a spirited campaign for the State Assembly as the Republican nominee in the 18th District, in the East Bay Area.

Jill has established herself as a smart, savvy and principled Republican who has a lot to offer us, as she observes and analyses the political goings-on in her region, and well as joining with our other site authors in sharing observations about California state politics.

You can read about Jill’s background here, and look forward to seeing her regular contributions to our site!

Welcome Jill!… Read More

Proving they are more beholden to their union backers than they are their own constituents, a majority of the San Diego City Council on Tuesday told their fellowcitizens they shouldn’t be allowed to save money when grocery shopping.

Some are calling the council’s proposed law a “Big Box Ordinance,” as it bans large retailers that devote more than 10 percent of their floor space to non-taxable sales, such as groceries (i.e., no Wal-Mart Super Centers).

Let’s call it what it is, a “Big Brother Ordinance." Regardless of any other San Diego reforms being championed by Mayor Jerry Sanders, Big Brother is alive and well at City Hall.

We can’t besure if this Big Brother is embodied more by the city council majority or by those unions that have forced the issue, driving the council to do its bidding while ignoring anything akin to free market economics. Instead of trying to decide which is Big Brother, let’s just call the council majority and the unions “Big Brothers in… Read More

Proving they are more beholden to their union backers than they are their own constituents, a majority of the San Diego City Council on Tuesday told their fellowcitizens they shouldn’t be allowed to save money when grocery shopping.

Some are calling the council’s proposed law a “Big Box Ordinance,” as it bans large retailers that devote more than 10 percent of their floor space to non-taxable sales, such as groceries (i.e., no Wal-Mart Super Centers).

Let’s call it what it is, a “Big Brother Ordinance." Regardless of any other San Diego reforms being championed by Mayor Jerry Sanders, Big Brother is alive and well at City Hall.

We can’t besure if this Big Brother is embodied more by the city council majority or by those unions that have forced the issue, driving the council to do its bidding while ignoring anything akin to free market economics. Instead of trying to decide which is Big Brother, let’s just call the council majority and the unions “Big Brothers in… Read More

As a consultant I take great pride in seeing my clients win. It sure is fun to win, especially in the face of huge opposition. OC Supervisor-Elect Pat Bates is a great example. She won in the face of a four-to-one fund raising advantage (Gilliard Blanning Wysocki ran her campaign, my firm did the polling).

Pat is also a great example of the gracious winner.

Since Election Day candidates like Bates who pulled off victories have fielded congratulatory calls, many from people who were not as supportive as they could have been during the election. Some from people who were no where to be found, but now want to be a father of their success.

The nature of many candidates is to question the intentions of those well wishers and ask "Where the hell were you last month when i needed another $10,000 to pay for that last piece of mail?"

But the gracious winner never says that. They smile, thank the caller for their kind words and do a little silent victory dance in their head.

We can all learn a lesson from candidates like Anaheim Councilwoman-Elect Lucille Kring. She is another gracious winner. Having taken out an incumbent… Read More