This is the toughest entry I have had to write on the FlashReport blog since we started it up back in 2005. It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that my good friend, and a fellow FlashReport contributor Barry Nestande passed away earlier this afternoon. Apparently Barry was working out at his local gym and fell unconscious – and never woke back up. There is speculation that Barry suffered from a heart attack.

It is tragic that someone in the prime of their life, at 49 years of age, would be taken from us so abruptly. Barry was someone who had dedicated his life to his family, and to working hard in his chosen career of politics and government – always striving to work to promote candidates and causes that championed Barry’s core beliefs of individual freedom and liberty. For my part, I’ve known and worked closely with Barry for nearly two decades and can tell you that his was tireless in his dedication.

Most recently, Barry was serving as Chief of Staff to his close… Read More

Wednesday, Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) publicly announced that he will switch his vote on the Health care bill from “no” last time to “yes” this time. With Kucinich’s vote, now all of the most liberal Democrats in Congress are supporting the bill. 87 Democrats co-sponsored a bill to immediately have full blown socialized medicine like Canada or Britain. It appears now that all of those Democrats are supporting this bill that the President and Democratic leadership say is not government-run health care.

Hmmm. So if it’s not government run health care, how did you get 100% of the votes of those who publicly support government run health care and you are having trouble only with the moderates who oppose it?

Because, this bill is designed to get to European stylegovernment health care with rationing and so forth. Here’s how it does it: There will be a government agency that will determine the minimum benefits that must be included in all health insurance plans. It will mandate much more coverage which almost no insurance plan has today,which in… Read More

At a campaign stop in Orange County on Wednesday, Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman unveiled a new policy document… Longtime FR friend Richard Costigan, who heads up the policy team for Whitman, fills in FR readers… Meg Whitman’s "Policy Agenda For Building A New California" By Richard Costigan Meg Whitman 2010 Deputy Campaign Manager, Director of Policy … Read More

Here’s an unbelievable story in the Sacramento Bee that looks at the various aspects of how government is trying to shake down Californians – even for 4 cents! And after they had already received a letter saying they were all good!

No wonder taxpayers are saying "enough is enough."… Read More

I strongly encourage FR readers to listen to this week’s California Republican Party podcast.

The first half of the podcast is devoted to discussing last weekend’s State GOP Convention. But the most important segment to discuss would be the second half of the show, where we talk about why Proposition 14, the "so called" Open Primary measure is very, very bad for all Californians.

CRP Chairman Ron Nehring hosts the program, and appearing with me as the other guest is Jennifer Jacobs.

You can listen to the podcast here. You can subscribe to the CRP’s weekly podcast on iTunes.… Read More

GOP Consultant/Strategist Marty Wilson (pictured) is driving things over at the Carly Fiorina for U.S. Senate Campaign. With the latest numbers out from the Field Poll, Wilson fired off an e-mail a few folks — one of whom sent a copy of it along to us. We thought, while protecting our source, we’d post it up for your perusal… From: Marty Wilson Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 To: XXXXXXXX… Read More

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association threw down the gauntlet today and entered the Ballot Initiative fight to stop California’s massive “Energy Tax.”

This is a game-changer in the race to Suspend AB 32.

Up until now, the effort has been critiqued for enjoying the support of Valero energy company, giving firepower to its enemies who suggest this is only an effort being fought by the oil companies.

They couldn’t be more wrong.

With HJTA entering the fight, this changes everything.

You may recall it was HJTA who lead the fight against the Governor and his political machine during last year’s Prop. 1A fight — you rememeber — the $16 billion tax on the people. The opposition effort to the Governor and the Legislature’s proposed tax increases were hardly organized by Sacramento standards – until they got involved. At the end of the day, even though they were outspent 20-to-1 by the Governor, the Democrats, and the Unions, Prop. 1A was defeated by a very healthy 2-to-1 landslide.

Expect them to do the same with the effort to Suspend AB 32. Expect them to bring to bear the… Read More

It is the primary season in a year of Republican ascendancy. Conservatives have figured out that their fratricide of the last several years handed power over to the Democrats, and they have united (to a certain extent). That means that candidates have "seen the light," they have experienced their election year conversions, and all Republicans candidates are conservatives. They run commercials this time of year touting how conservative they are, how their opponents are not, and how they are going to implement [insert conservative agenda item here] when they get elected.

This year they will be elected. Whether they are running for Governor, Senator, Member of Congress, Legislator or other, they will be elected. As in 1994, they will suddenly have power.

However, for the last 16 years, many of these candidates have been sitting in their offices, their country clubs, their neighborhoods or in their homes, listening to the media, their friends, their office mates, or their business associates deride conservatives in office. They have been told how unreasonable conservatives are, how unrealistic they are, how important it is to work with liberals,… Read More