This weekend brings with it the Fall Convention of the California Republican Party. At this biannual confab the better part of a thousand Republican activists, donors, elected officials, leaders and more will occupy the Anaheim Hilton hotel. Delegate and attendees will be able to hear from a number of great speakers — I’m especially looking forward to hearing from Texas Governor Rick Perry and noted economist Arthur Laffer.

As the State GOP gathers, it does so still reeling from the effects of the passage of Proposition 14. For those needing a refresher, Proposition 14 was a ballot measure authored by former Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado which he got placed before the voters by the legislature in return for putting up his vote in 2009 for the largest single tax increase in California history. Both Maldonado, and the primary cheerleader and campaigner for Prop. 14, then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, overtly stated that the purpose of the ballot measure was to weaken the political party system in California. Overnight, with its passage, Prop. 14 came an end to the use of June elections for political parties to nominate candidates to go forward to the… Read More

Most fire fighters do not get Social Security, so they completely count on the pensions they have contributed to, been promised and earned over a career. Take their pensions away or cut their pensions and you have fire fighters who risked their lives over a career to save others living in destitution, on public assistance, meaning the taxpayers have to foot that bill, too.

– Harold A. Schaitberger,President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Press Release Sept. 26, 2013

The implication in Mr. Schaitberger’s remark, apparently, is that $234,000 per year isn’t enough to permit someone to save enough money to avoid “living in destitution.”

Here’s how Orange County’s full-time firefighters did in 2011, according to data from their own website (ref.OCFA Employee Compensation,2011 – Grand Jury Format). Anyone who wishes to verify all of the calculations referenced in this post can… Read More

The United States Constitution provides that spending bills originate in the House of Representatives.

The American people elected a majority in the House that does not believe that we should be funding Obamacare.

It is irresponsible for the President and the Senate to stop funding the areas of the government that enjoy mutual support.

Apparently the Democrats want to go back and relive the last election. But it’s over and the institution charged with initiating federal spending, like I said, has a majority that simply does not want to fund this massive entitlement program.

I’m not surprised that our “friends” the media want to blame Republicans for a government shutdown. But the reality is that the Republican Congress has sent a resolution to the Senate that would fund virtually all of the government and it has been rejected by Harry Reid who still bitter about Republicans retaining the House in the last election.… Read More

The United Farm Workers labor union and the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board have found themselves on the brink of ruination and even irrelevance.

The labor union boasted 50,000 members by the end of the 1970s. But according to the UFW’s last Labor Organization Annual Report filed with the U.S. Department of Labor, as of Dec. 31, 2012 the union had only 4,443 members. So it has declined by more than 90 percent. By contrast, today the California Teachers Association lists 325,000 members.

In order to breathe new life into the union, many in the farming community claim the ALRB and UFW appear to have joined forces to reverse their misfortune… Read More

“Well, I won’t back down. No, I won’t back down. You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down.” – Tom Petty

“I have always figured that half a loaf is better than none, and I know that in the democratic process you’re not always going to get everything you want.” – President Ronald Reagan, February 9, 1983.

Government Shutdown – Day 1: Back in March of 2010, I wrote a daily “Laptop Report” during the weeks leading up to the passage of ObamaCare through the House by the slimmest of margins. I recounted all of our attempts to convince enough Democrats of the folly of this miserable law. Not a single Republican voted for it and a number of Democrats opposed it – but, not enough.

Today, I will again begin a daily “Laptop Report” series for the length of this government shutdown. I have no idea how long this will last. No one does. But, I will give you a few of my thoughts and update you as this process moves along.

The two quotes at… Read More

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Editor’s Note: We are pleased to present this column fromRoger Hedgecock, who has endorsed former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio. The San Diego Republican is challenging Rep. Scott Peters for the 52nd district.

Every once in a while, a candidate for Congress comes along that really impresses me – so much so that I personally do whatever I can to see them get into office.

It will probably come as no surprise to many Flash Report readers that I’m strongly supporting Carl DeMaio. Most of you already know about Carl – because for years he has been one of the strongest and best voices for fiscal and economic reform in the State of California.

Now Carl is running for U.S. Congress – against first-term Democrat Scott Peters – in one of the most watched and most important Congressional races in the country.

Carl DeMaio is truly exceptional in today’s political world because he has taken on the forces of big government and won – several times over!

Carl DeMaio: Taxpayer… Read More

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I just paid $90 for basic registration for the California Republican Convention in Anaheim, Oct. 4-6. I tend to be conservative with money…ok frugal…ok I’m cheap, so I don’t spend $90 without some thought. In this case I figured, “Well, if I don’t go to the convention, how am I going to know what’s happening or not happening in the state GOP?” Also I checked with my wife, who gave her blessings (in all honesty I think she’s just happy to get me out of the house).

So what will I encounter at the convention? I’ve read the online agenda, to see if any of the issues I care most about will be discussed. These include:

1. A forceful statement against Obama’s acceptance of the end of communication privacy in America. 2. A forceful statement against Obama’s ill-conceived proposal to attack Syria. 3. A forceful statement against Obama’s signature education initiative, Race to the Top, which includes the Common Core Standards (CCS), costing $10 billion nationwide in pork for publishers.

Granted these are national issues (although in California- where we already have excellent… Read More

A few months ago Steve Baric announced his candidacy for the open 73rd Assembly District in South Orange County. The popular Rancho Santa Margarita City Councilman and former Vice Chairman of the California Republican Party made a big splash, coming out of the gate with prominent endorsements from his former boss, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, and Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. In a five way GOP donnybrook in a seat destined to elect a Republican as a “red” seat, Baric ended the June 30th fundraising period with the most cash in the bank. While his victory was far from assured, Baric’s odds of going to Sacramento, in my opinion, were the greatest of any other candidate in the field.

… Read More