From today’s San Bernardino County Sun (missed this on the news roundup):

Discouraging words aimed at Lewis George Watson, Staff Writer Though he won re-election, November has not been kind to Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands. First, his party lost control of the House of Representatives. That meant Lewis will lose his chairmanship of the House Appropriations Committee, which made him one of the most powerful lawmakers in the nation. And now, already facing a federal… Read More

* Conservative Republican Bill Simon, Jr., who ran unsucessfully for Governor in 2002, was in NYC for an exclusive meeting of supporters of Rudy Giuliani’s bid for the Presidency.

* Milton Friedman was a noted economist and an ardent libertarian. I attended a dinner once where his talk centered around his opposition to the war on drugs and the need to decriminalize prostitution. Nice.

* Margita Thompson, who is departing as the Governor’s Press Secretary, is rumored to be leaving for Nepal, to trek up to the top of Mount Everest – time for her to take it easy.

* Clearly conservative Simon wouldn’t be attracted to Giuliani’s mold of East Coast liberal Republicanism. But Simon used to work for Giuliani as a prosecutor… They are close personal friends I am told…

* Former Schwarzenegger Campaign Deputy Communications Director Matt David is rumored to be in consideration to replace Thompson. That would be a great pick. I give Matt my strongest recommendation (sorry, Matt, I may have sunk your chances).

* Success or failure for legislative leaders, under this redistricting plan, must be… Read More

I know I am starting to sound like I am beating the same drum over and over. But I am still reflecting with wonder on the fact that earlier today House Republicans gathered in a room and largely re-elected the same leadership that they had while in the majority.

The gravity of the problem for House Republicans is highlighted by my reaction to reading a speech I found online given by Roy Blunt (right), who was re-elected into House Leadership. In it he gives a speech that makes it sound as if he suddenly has turned over a new leaf. This the man who for years literally whipped up the votes to massively grow government. Now, stripped of his majority status and power, he is giving lip service to past mistakes.

Why would anyone believe that if Republicans took back the majority, things would be appreciably different than before, with the same leadership?… Read More

On election night I was in the McClintock suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel as the election results came in. I knew we were in trouble when Tom has a couple of percentage point lead and LA still hadn’t been counted. Pollster Stephen Kinney was there. It was his and other polling that had told us that McClintock, McPherson had slight leads and that Strickland was getting close.

Today Kinney made his post-election analysis at the meeting of the San Gabriel Valley Lincoln Club (For disclosure purposes I chair this Lincoln Club chaper)

Steve went through all the pre and post polling. Why did we lose the down ticket races? TURNOUT

Kinney thinks that the spread between Dem and GOP turnout may hit 10%. Some big Southern California GOP counties had lower turnout than in 2002. Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino to name them.

The reason. Kinney points to the nationalization of the election that didn’t come to California really until the last few days. Republicans were demoralized and didn’t show up. According to Kinney Arnold won by only 2% on election day.

I agree… Read More

Senator Ackerman sent me the latest numbers, not so good for Reps. Lou has pulled out to a 783 vote lead, a little less than the Otto Bade write-in number of yesterday, 800+ votes. These seem to be all provisional day-of ballots. If they were still the absentees it would be better. 55147-54364, advantage Lou.… Read More

That’s right. The tax increases are coming! A while back a reporter asked me if I feared an Angelides tax increase. I told him I didn’t, because Republicans would block, like we did during the Gray Davis years. I feared an increase from the Governor, because he might get some GOP votes for it. See the interview here.

I know you didn’t see it in the advertising for the bonds but with the State 5 Billion in debt (This is without lots of bad things like prison reform, pensions etc.. not figured in), that fear is reality.I have now confirmed that the governor’s office is considering tax increases. Specifically, I have heard these at least in play. A taxon satellite and cable television and radio and TV advertising. I assume that is the tip if the iceberg.

If you see some GOP legislators. Grabthe and tell them they have to vote no. That is the only thing that may stop these increases

I hope the governor proposes to tax retroactively all the advertisements that ended just a couple of weeks ago… Read More

While others can surely wax far more eloquently than I about his legacy and impact on the world, it is surely worth noting that famed economist and conservative icon Milton Friedman passed away this morning in San Francisco at 94. RIP.… Read More

What a freaking joke! One week after the election we get the big "State budget deficit" story with the accompanying "budget cut" lingo. It just so happens the Legislative Analyst couldn’t get the job done in time so that voters would know about the debt they just piled on top of a budget crisis in the form of $43 billion in bonds. With new leadership in the State Assembly on our side in the form of Mike Villines (R), Clovis, the Minority Caucus essentially has three jobs over the next two years: 1. Stick together at all times. The Democrats and Governor will lay lots of deals on the table to pick off budget votes, particularly to the termed out legislators. If even one member breaks from the Caucus we might as well throw in the towel; 2. Tell the Governor now, that there will be no votes for a deficit budget or tax increase from our Caucus, and present a list of legislative items we will need in order for their to be any Republican votes on even a balanced budget; 3. Change the language in the budget debate. Already we are hearing about "massive budget… Read More