[Publisher’s Note: As part of an ongoing effort to bring original, thoughtful commentary to you here at the FlashReport, I am pleased to present this column from FlashReport friend Clay Russell.]

Tensions are high in Washington these days. Tensions are high because serious issues are at stake and people on all sides of those issues are passionate about them.

Passion is good. Apathy is the enemy of good government and I’m all for anything that draws people in to participate in their democracy, even if they’re pissed off. Anger is just as valid a motivator as anything else…maybe even better.

What I’m not for is nastiness, which I believe exists far too widely in political discourse, in government, in society. “I disagree with you” somehow became “You’re an awful person.” And worse…far worse.

The… Read More

Notice: Undefined index: file in /srv/www/blog.flashreport.org/releases/20130218155602/wp-includes/media.php on line 1676

I support Kirk Jorgensen for Congress for a couple of reasons. First, Kirk has demonstrated great character and great integrity in service to his country. He laid it on the line for America. As a Marine Corps Officer, Kirk led combat intelligence teams that rescued our prisoners of war out of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Kirk’s unique leadership experience gives him a perspective and understanding of national security and foreign policy that Congress needs.

Secondly, Kirk is qualified in ways that no other Republican or Democrat in this congressional race is. This is no time for on the job training. Our country is at war. New emerging threats and concerns are on the horizon, like Iran, North Korea, and Syria. We need leaders who are qualified to make the tough decisions now—leaders who know what it is to be courageous under pressure. Kirk Jorgensen is exactly that kind of leader.

Kirk hunted war… Read More

Today, I sent a letter to Cal Fire urging them to stop the collection of state “Fire Prevention Fee” from victims of the Clover Fire in Shasta County and the Rim Fire in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties.

Despite the heroic efforts of firefighters, these fires destroyed dozens of homes in my district. I am appalled the State of California would actually consider sending a tax bill to the very individuals who just lost their homes. Taxes are the last thing fire victims should have to worry about.

The Board of Equalization is required by law to mail “Fire Prevention Fee” bills on behalf of Cal Fire to nearly 800,000 Californians each year. Although the bills for Mariposa County went out in August, the bills for Shasta and Tuolumne counties do not mail until October 16 and October 28 respectively.

I also asked Cal Fire to authorize refunds for fire victims who have already received and paid a bill this year.

When and how Cal Fire will respond remains to be seen.… Read More

[Publisher’s Note – We are pleased to offer this column from Board of Equalization candidate Van Tran, who represented Orange County in the State Assembly for 6 years.- Flash]

The building that houses the State Board of Equalization is located in downtown Sacramento at 5th and N Streets, just five short blocks from the West entrance to the State Capitol. But if you don’t have business there, I wouldn’t recommend dropping by for a visit.

While many state government structures in Sacramento range from visually striking to blandly serviceable, the BOE’s headquarters are truly in a class of its own. Even though more than 2,000 people currently work there, the building has been described as “smelly”, “messy” and “plagued by bursting windows and mold” – and that’s just the accounts on the BOE’s own website.

… Read More

Yesterday, I joined with Senator Steve Knight and dozens of Antelope Valley parents, educators, church leaders and community activists to publicize what we can do to repeal AB 1266 and protect student privacy on public school campuses.

AB 1266 is often referred to as “the bathroom bill” that desegregates male-only and female only facilities on school campus in the name of protecting students with gender identity issues. However the law goes much further than even just the bathrooms. It allows any K-12 student to try out for either gender’s sports teams. It allows any K-12 student to self-identify and use locker rooms and gym showers previously limited to the opposite sex and even allows a student to demand the right to stay in the same hotel room or other sleeping accommodations as the opposite sex on overnight school trips.

Several organizations including the California School Boards’ Association and California School Administrators’ Association virtually ignored the bill during the legislative process, falsely assuming that it was so radical that Governor Jerry Brown would veto the bill. As a result, many school boards are just now learning how… Read More

You may remember some time ago I posted a blog here on the “California Small Business Association” – an entity which year after year awards great kudos to anti-small business Democrats (and, justifiably they give kudos to Republican members who actually vote to help small businesses. That way, you see, the anti-business candidates can send out mail to voters claiming small business credentials when in fact they vote time and time again against the average small business owner. Note that after my last post there was much complaining by them to GOP leaders that they really didn’t mean to mislead people and that they would be better in the future.

Well, it’s the future. A short time ago the CSBA endorsed Nathan Fletcher for Mayor of San Diego. OK… maybe they just didn’t do their homework about the “New Nathan Fletcher”. I can help. Here is his labor council survey. It’s pretty easy to… Read More

Diane Harkey has sued me for defamation and emotional distress. The comments upon which she has based the suit were spoken in response to a question at a political gathering. She claims that she suffered emotional distress over the following response: “Unfortunately, there has been a lawsuit brought by a lot of investors of modest means against her and her husband for defrauding them…there was a decision that those investors were defrauded and there is a judgment…”

In her recent newsletter, Harkey referred to her husband as “..a successful Orange County businessman” who has had to “…contend with predatory lawsuits…” She further has claimed that the… Read More

On Sept. 23rd the New York Times published an in-depth report on how the cost of public employee pensions is causing budget challenges in San Jose, California. Entitled “Struggling, San Jose Tests a Way to Cut Benefits,” this article ran over 1,500 words and was filled with examples of city workers who are struggling financially.

Referring to city employees who face having more pay withheld from their paychecks to fund their pension benefits, the authors provide quotes:

“They’re kind of encouraging us to leave.”

“I’m leaving as soon as I get my 25 years in.”

”What they’re doing is destroying what had been a great police department.”

”I have to sell my house.”

While replete with quotes, however, the NYT only chose to share one statistic with its readers:

“San Jose now spends one-fifth of its $1.1 billion general fund on pensions and retiree health care, and the amount keeps rising.”

Since the New York Times is unwilling to… Read More