Let me quickly dispel a myth – a “narrative” that us being spun by some – that “partisan gridlock” is the big problem in the State Capitol today. This simply isn't true. In fact, this idea would seem to support the idea that any solution for a problem that can be reached through bipartisan cooperation of some sort is a good solution.

The problem in Sacramento is not partisan gridlock, but rather it is decade after decade of liberals running up the tab on state spending. Yes, there are some issues that require a 2/3 vote, which means a token number of GOP votes are needed. But this process at best slightly tweaks already-cooked left wing policy.

In other words — the problems in state government have not and are not caused by “political parties” — but rather one political party. In the quest for reforms, the most obvious one is right in front of everyone — we need real Republican majorities in Sacramento.

By the way, the so-called “open primary” by our analysis, if passed, would actually lead to higher taxes and more fees and regulations. It's passage would… Read More

A Guest Commentary from Congressman Ed Royce (R-Orange County)…

FANNIE, FREDDIE AND ACORN

Last week several of my colleagues and I met with journalist Hannah Giles. You may recall Hannah posed as a prostitute in a series of undercover videos with independent filmmaker James O’Keefe in order to elicit responses from employees of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). These videos recorded over the summer uncovered employees at ACORN offices in five different cities clearly eager to assist this supposed prostitute with tax evasion, human smuggling and child prostitution. The scheme was Hannah’s idea; part of her plan to expose ACORN’s illegal activities across the U.S. … Read More

It looks like Washington, DC Democrats have taken a page from their peers in Sacramento. In the middle of the night the Senate voted to clear the way for a revamped ObamaCare bill. California legislators are used to late-night marathons and missing holidays as they are subjected to psychological tactics used to wear down their resolve. If Californians have learned anything about all-night legislative sessions, they know it can only mean bad news for taxpayers.

I am so appalled by the disgusting, anti-American behavior of the Democrats in DC that as the vote took place last night, I wrote a Townhall column expressing sentiments I’m certain are shared by most Americans. We still have a few days left to put pressure on the venal Senators who are selling out all Americans. It may be Christmas week, but America is in great peril and we have to remain vigilant.… Read More

Ever since Oprah asked Obama how he would grade his own performance as president thus far (B+, by the way), political commentators have been assigning their own grade to the President’s first year in office. Now California’s Governor has joined the debate and told CNN, “When it comes to effort, [Obama] should get a straight A.”

Now I know that Schwarzenegger is the very definition of a RINO. But this goes beyond a Republican elected officialmerely trying to be courteous to the President. "A for effort" is the mantra of the Left—results doesn’t matter, it’s how you feel about what you’re doing that will be graded.

I have seen many cases over the years like the one before the Board of Equalization last week. A CEO of a small business had an accountant on staff who had embezzled money. In this case, the embezzlement included sales tax money collected from customers that was laundered into the pocket of the accountant rather than paid to the State of California. The accountant was eventually imprisoned, but that still left the tax liability. Under the law, the interest on sales tax proceeds starts the moment the return is due. If the embezzlement goes on for years, that is a lot of interest, on top of the tax dollars and penalties. In the case before us, the accountant set up a phony shipping company and directed the sales tax money to that company and called the expense “shipping. CEOs and other corporate officers need to have a higher level of awareness than was exhibited in this case. Under the law, other corporate officers cannot simply blame the accountant and not have to pay the interest, penalties and tax. I am willing to sponsor a bill that gives the Board more flexibility when the interest clock should start so the Board can make a judgment as to when the CEO… Read More

Some Sunday Reading: Round 3 of California’s never-ending budget bout looms Sacramento Bee California’s budget crisis may be on collision course with election year Contra Costa Times Money doesn’t always buy the office Kathleen Decker, LA Times … Read More

Republican National Committee Vice Chairman Jim Bopp has a great column in today’s Washington Times. You can read it here. It ponders the future of the Republican Party.

Bopp has been at the center of controversy lately for his proposal that the RNC adopt a "litmus test" on key GOP issues that candidates must meet before being eligable for RNC support.

Many people do not like that idea.

Yet, Bopp’s proposal addresses a serious problem, which you will see me write about a lot in the coming months. Which, most simply put, is how does the GOP track towards a majority that will achieve the party’s policy goals? It clearly is not the purpose of a political party to accumulate power for power’s sake. Earlier this decade Republicans controlled the Presidency, the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. With all of this, we presided over growth in the size and scope of the federal government, and the expansion of entitlement programs.

If GOP leaders don’t like… Read More

We would like to wish our readers a Merry Christmas or a Happy Hannukah, and a great New Years. The FlashReport is currently in our "holiday break" mode, where we offer much more limited coverage. This takes place annually from the Saturday before Christmas through New Years Day. Traditionally the political news coverage is very slow, and it gives the elves here a chance to recharge their batteries before we return full steam ahead on January 4th. The FlashReport Weblog on California Politics will be up and running during our seasonal break, and so we encourage you to keep an eye on it. Our many bloggers will still be posting, and if there is breaking news or a particularly "yummy" political story or column, that’s where we’ll point it out to you! Thank you so much for making 2009 the most successful year yet, by any measurable standard, for the FlashReport. We had more blog posts and more featured columns than any other year. We’ve had more readers (by far) than we’ve had since we began as an e-mail newsletter in 2001. We’ve had more… Read More