As slow a political news week as it may be, a few things are happening. Thanks to John Dadian for sending along some tidbits….

Assemblywoman Mimi Walters has filed papers to succeed Senator Dick Ackerman in SD 33 in ’08. This may be common knowledge with the OC bloggers…I’ll let them pontificate on the ramifications. In the meantime, I have a call into Mimi and her folks for a quote.

Also, Senator-Elect Mark Wyland, succeeding Senator Bill Morrow, has tapped Senator Dave Cox’s communications director as his chief of staff. Peter DeMarco, longtime aide to Cox, will start with Wyland November 30. Great pick, Mark! Cox is searching for a replacement.

Peter just sent me a "real time" comment, as he’s literally as-I-writewaiting for his bag at San Diego’s Lindbergh Field (sounds like he’s already started). Peter also mentions a ‘btw" need to update the airport…I’ll pass that along to the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority for him.

From Peter:

"I’m looking forward to… Read More

There is virtually no quieter week in political news coverage, barring a major incident, than the week of Thanksgiving right after a general election. While some political reporters take some deserved time off right after the election, virtually every one of them takes this week completely off. There are some exceptions, and there will be some special interest stories that show up that were penned last week — but expect to see a lot of very short news summaries from us this week. Of course, the FlashReport will be published throughout the holiday week, including Thanksgiving Day. One advantage to slow news days is that it takes less time to pull together them main page. Actually, we are using this quiet holiday week to work with a group of new contributors who will be joining our FR Blog — spicing up things for the upcoming year! This is a great opportunity for us to ask for FR reader feedback. It was a great election season for the website — our first election year as a website. By all accounts, we seemed to have a notable impact on California politics. Is there anything that you would see changed on the… Read More

I am very pleased to introduce FlashReport readers to our new Political Law Correspondent James Lacy. For many of you, Jim may not need any introduction, as he has been engaged in the ‘contact sport’ of politics for quite a long time now.

If I had to make a list of the top ten political law experts that I know, Jim Lacy would definately be on that list. So I am very excited that he has accepted our invitation to write for our website. Jim will be able to offer all of us some great insight and perspective on legal issues facing California elections (and all of our various political subdivisions). This will include legal issues on a national level that will have a significant impact on us here in the Golden State.

Jim’s experience is extensive, and you can read more about his background right here.

Of course, Jim’s political insights and expertise will allow him to provide insights on many aspects of… Read More

I’m in San Francisco for the weekend. I ran into FR friend Jim Dimartini from Stanislaus County (he’s on the Board of Supervisors there) in front of the Ghiraradelli Chocolate Ice Cream Parlor in Fishermens Wharf.

He shared with me that everyone “back home” is waiting on remaining ballots to be counted to see who will win a seat on the Board of Supervisors there – two Republicans battled it out and less than 30 votes separate the candidates…

With the growing numbers of absentee voters, unless Registrars of Voters around the state significantly beef up operations, this kind of waiting in close races will be the norm…… Read More

According to the Sec of State website, the SD 34 was updated Saturday at 5:15 to show that Lou Correa added a few more votes to his lead over Lynn Daucher. Up from 783 to, now, 821.

Lou 55234 Lynn 54413 lead821

Otto Bade 899… Read More

Where the heck is McGonigle Canyon?… Not many in SD had heard of this spot a couple of weeks ago, until reports that hundreds of illegals had turned it into a shanty-town, complete with no running water, basic toilet facilities (read: the ground), and even visiting prostitutes. Apparently, local officials have been ignoring it for some time, and the owners of the property have been turning a blind eye as well. A local official was even heard to say, "It’s private property, there’s nothing we can do about it."

Excuse me? Local government can’t do anything about health and safety violations, probable vermin, illegal encampments, sub-standard "housing," prostitution…need I say more? Since when did local bureaucrats become Libertarians?

Apparently, in a politically correct world, anything goes.

Well,… Read More

Opportunity knocks for the “Reborn Conservatism” touted by Minority Leader John Boehner and his Whip Roy Blunt. There are huge appropriations bills coming up in a lame-duck session before the majority transitions into the minority.

Here’s a grading scale: A: The Appropriations are weeded through, eliminating programs that reflect a fat, bloaded bureaucracy – and all 12,000 or so earmarks are removed.

GRADE: B minus — 12,000 or so earmarks removed, but much fat still in Appropriations bills.

GRADE: D — Republicans pass the buck, pass resolutions to keep the government open, and let the new Democrat Majority deal with it. This would mean failing to use the opportunity to prove their new rhetoric.

GRADE: F — Republicans are all talk and approve the massive spending packages that include the earmarks.

The significance of an A grade, or even the B- are important. You see, one of the major underlying factors that has led the GOP to growing government has been the influnce of the lobbyists (called “K Street” because so many lobbyist have offices there). Each of those thousands of… Read More

It seems to me like Senate and House Republicans in Washington, D.C., have a tremendous challenge ahead of them. If I had to give it a title, I would call it, "Mending the Credibility Gap." When you are the party in power, you have to govern. This means that you move beyond the world of rhetoric, and you actually have to enact policy. I believe that a large part of the reason why Republicans their majorities in the Senate and the House in this last election was because a lot of core Republican voters had finally stopped mustering up the support to re-elect Republicans who were long in rhetoric about limited government, but who presided over unprecedented growth in the size and scope of the federal government. According to Ed Fuelner, the President of the Heritage Foundation: