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

You will never look at a pencil the same way again. Milton, we will miss you. … Read More

Thanks to HJTA for providing the text and links……

A Great Man Passes

Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman has passed at the age of 94.

Many know him as a great advocate for the virtues of the free-market economy, but fewer may recall that he was an enthusiastic supporter of Proposition 13. In 1978 he appeared in television spots saying, "Don’t let politicians fool you. Proposition 13 will work. It will not force schools to close. It will not cause policemen or firemen to disappear. It will not require increases in other taxes."

Professor Friedman and his wisdom will be sorely missed.

Links to news stories:

The Financial Times Los Angeles Times… Read More

We just got this update in from FR reader Eric Linder:

A representative from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office informed me that there are still over 100,000 ballots from last Tuesday’s election that have yet to be counted throughout Riverside County, and that as of this morning they have begun counting them.

In the election for Western Municipal Water District, Div 1 alone, there are still 4,000 outstanding ballots, which means that this race, as well as many others, are still being decided.

The Registrar’s office confirms that there are 14,400 absentee provisional ballots, 5,000 absentee ballots that were brought to the polls, and 1,000 provisional ballots, that have not been tallied.

Other races within 350 votes include:

Coachella Valley USD TA 1 – 7 votes separate winning and losing candidate Hemet USD – 140 votes separate Jurupa USD TA 3 – 165 vote difference Jurupa USD TA 5 – 10 vote difference Val Verde USD – 198 votes separate Menifee Union SD – 4 votes separate Eastern Municipal Water District – 74 vote… Read More

Provisional ballots have put Lou Correa ahead of Lynn Daucher by 282 votes in the 34th SD — a 429 vote swing since yesterday.

You can read more here.… Read More