Tomorrow, the 100-member Executive Committee (ExComm) of the California Republican Party will meet at the convention center in Downtown Sacramento. After several morning presentations on various party-building topics, at 2 p.m. the ExComm will go into session to consider only seven matters – six of them being whether to take positions on Propositions 1A – 1F which are on the special election ballot next month, and the seventh on having the party endorse a ballot measure aimed at reduce instances of voter fraud, the proponent of which is popular GOP State Senator George Runner.

With my profuse apologies to those who prefer long, drawn-out drama, I have to tell you that in my opinion, the results that tomorrow’s meeting – at least where Propositions 1A, 1B, and 1C are concerned, are a foregone conclusions. Just a couple of weeks ago, as a Board Member of the State GOP, I voted to approve a slew of appointments to the ExComm made by CRP Chairman Ron Nehring that overwhelmingly oppose these three propositions. This is in addition to those on the ExComm by virtue of… Read More

Tomorrow, the 100-member Executive Committee (ExComm) of the California Republican Party will meet at the convention center in Downtown Sacramento. After several morning presentations on various party-building topics, at 2 p.m. the ExComm will go into session to consider only seven matters – six of them being whether to take positions on Propositions 1A – 1F which are on the special election ballot next month, and the seventh on having the party endorse a ballot measure aimed at reduce instances of voter fraud, the proponent of which is popular GOP State Senator George Runner.

With my profuse apologies to those who prefer long, drawn-out drama, I have to tell you that in my opinion, the results that tomorrow’s meeting – at least where Propositions 1A, 1B, and 1C are concerned, are a foregone conclusions. Just a couple of weeks ago, as a Board Member of the State GOP, I voted to approve a slew of appointments to the ExComm made by CRP Chairman Ron Nehring that overwhelmingly oppose these three propositions. This is in addition to those on the ExComm by… Read More

I have been getting tons of emails since yesterday's TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Rallies around the state, all asking where GOP legislators stand on 1A.

I am pleased to report that the vast majority of Republicans in the State Capitol have staked out positions in opposition to 1A. So many so that it is easier (especially since I am blogging via Blackberry) to list out Republicans who support 1A, or have “no public position” – and there is one that this far has opted not to respond to inquiry. SO IF YOU DO NOT SEE A GOP LEGISLATOR listed below, they OPPOSE 1A (and it's trigger to enact $16 billion in taxes).

Supporting 1A: Senators Ashburn, Cogdill, Huff, and Maldonado. Assemblymembers Adams, Niello, and Villines.

No Public Position on 1A: Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Cook, Emmerson, Fletcher.

No response to inquiry: Gilmore

If any legislator has changed their position from what we have listed above, please let us know so we can update readers!… Read More

This just in from California Republican Party Vice Chairman Tom Del Becarro…

At the risk of sounding a bit cliché – I must say that it’s not often in politics that you get to be a part of a near-spontaneous combustion of inspiration. Indeed, often political events are orchestrated efforts designed to deliver a crafted message. The Tea Parties of April 2009 were not orchestrated, not crafted, but instead, a true demonstration of grassroots power. I attended the event in Pleasanton, California yesterday. I was just a guest and neither myself nor any Party official played a role in putting it together.… Read More

"When you run a campaign based on your career in business, then that makes your past business failures a legitimate issue in the campaign," was what Kevin Spillane, senior communications consultant for the Poizner for Governor Campaign, told me when I called him a few minutes ago. he went on to say, "If past performance is indicative of future results, Californians can’t afford Meg Whitman’s disastrous record of fiscal mismanagement.”

My call to Spillane was prompted after I received a very hard hitting piece from the Poizner Campaign blasting Meg Whitman — for a failed business venture launched by eBay when she was their CEO. The business venture was the purchase of the online phone/video technology firm SKYPE. Rather than go into all of the details, I’ll let the materials sent to me by Poizner’s campaign speak for themselves. They are attached (.pdf) below.

I will say that I found it rather interesting that Poizner’s missive really launched into Whitman’s right-hand adviser Henry Gomez. I have had the opportunity to meet Gomez a few times, and he seems nice enough (if he has horns, he keeps them… Read More

Yesterday, residents from the Sacramento region gathered at the Capitol to express their outrage at wasteful government spending and higher taxes. The speakers came from all walks of life, including elected officials, Neil Cavuto of Fox News and conservative writer Michelle Malkin, and most important, ordinary citizens who sacrificed their time and efforts to make their voices heard in Sacramento.

And they have every reason to be angry. Even as hardworking families struggle to make ends meet, stretching each dollar further and further, government is looking to take away even more through higher taxes. But beyond the taxes and the issues of the day, people are fed up with a government that they perceive as distant and out of touch.

The Obama administration ignored the hundreds of protests across the country, and those in power accuse this movement as being a right wing partisan dog and pony show. While the chattering class who populate our airwaves and occupy the seats of power… Read More

According to FR sources, House Republican Leader John Boehner and close political ally Rep. Kevin McCarthy were schedule to speak at a Tea Party Rally in McCarthy’s home town of Bakersfield today — but no longer will be appearing after a considered decision by rally sponsors that they did not want to have any elected politicians of either party appearing in the rally.

This is a trend that is happening at Tea Rallies all across the country. The largest California Tea Rally today, which is scheduled to take place on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento, will not feature any State Legislators (save one, Senator George Runner who obtained the groups rally permit) — this despite requests from many to speak.

In talking to various rally organizers, the general opinion is that these rallies are "citizen rallies" designed to send a message to legislators of both political parties that, "enough is enough!"

In talking to one organizer of the Sacramento rally, the dynamics of the big budget/big taxes/open primary deal that took place last February, with six Republican legislators voting for tax increases, even more voting… Read More

I told Michael Reagan it was the best political event I have ever attended.

At least 5,000 and maybe 10,000 anti-tax grass roots advocates descended on our State Capitol West Steps today mid-day for three hours with one simple message: enough is enough! No more taxes!

Jon Coupal of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers and Peter Foy of Americans for Prosperity were the key people that made this hugely successful rally happen near the lore of the liberal Democrats!

Earlier, I joined with Reagan in his private meeting in the Capitol with the truest of our conservative true believers: Assemblymembers Miller, Logue, Duvall, Silva, Hagman, Conway, and Knight; and State Senator Jim Neilsen. Michael gave these great local leaders the Reagan fix and they loved it: no more taxes; no more out of control spending! Thank you Assemblyman Jeff Miller for bringing the Reagan message to the Capitol halls!

I am reminded of the Reagan revolution of 1980. There is a great sentiment of support for our conservative values brewing out there. Let us seize the initiative!… Read More