So FR readers know that a judge ruled against State Controller John "Union Tool" Chiang and so Governor Schwarzenegger’s modest proposal to require all state employees to take off two days a month without pay (now referred to as "Furlough Fridays" apparently). My prediction is that this action foreshadows more extreme decisions by the Governor, such as significant layoffs. Logically, how do you shrink state expenditures down to the level of state income without reducing the state’s work force? I digress…

So all of the State’s Constitution Officers who are not famous movie stars all send whiny letters to Chiang, who packages them all up (see the attachment below) and puts a cover letter on them, and asks Judge Marlette to, in essence, exempt these 15,000 or so state civil servants from the furloughs that effects over 200,000 other state employees. (I would note, by the way, that I never saw these Constitutional Officeholders complain about any raises that were bargained with the Governor for their employees).

Without going… Read More

There is no larger region, geographically, within the California Republican Party than its Northern Region. It takes in vast amounts of the "north state" and includes 19 counties! The current Northern Vice Chairman of the CRP, Jerry Maltby, with whom I have served for almost two years, is term-limited out of his position (you can serve two 2-year terms).

There is a spirited contest to replace Jerry, between Placer County GOP Chairman Tom Hudson, and Lori Ann Cline, a former county chairman herself.

I can tell FR readers that I worked on recruiting Tom Hudson to run for this seat for well over a year, and when he finally jumped into the race, I was the first person to endorse his candidacy. Tom and I have known each other for two decades now, and worked side by side towards countless Republican victories in that time. In fact, going all of the way back to 1990, I played a leadership role in his election as Chairman of the California College Republicans, and Tom reciprocated helping me to be… Read More

Yesterday, my friend Patrick Dorinson penned a column for Fox and Hounds Daily, Inherit the Wind, where he questioned the wisdom and tactics of my decision to introduce a resolution for the upcoming California Republican Party convention that would officially censure any Republican legislator that voted to increase taxes. This resolution is accompanied by another one that praises Republican legislators for holding the line against higher taxes. It is my sincere hope that the first resolution gets tabled as being inapplicable, and that the party faithful will be able to unanimously pass the latter – a well deserved thank you to Republican legislators that have, despite a very high degree of pressure on them from the special interest groups that dominate the State Capitol, and the battering by the political left who occupy their high chairs on many of the editorial boards of major California newspapers.

In Patrick’s piece, he makes this statement: “Political parties exist to win elections. Period. That is… Read More

Senator Sam Aanestad has just released a shocking article about a state government program that is funding surgical abortion training for nurses and midwives. The main problem with this little program is that state law and the medical board prohibit nurses and midwives from performing surgical abortions. There are some stunning revelations in Senator Aanestad’s article: government waiver of legislature-approved laws simply to get more people performing abortions and the racist targeting of poor minority groups.

Regardless of where one stands on the abortion issue, we should all expect the medical profession to abide by the highest standards of conduct, for the safety of their patients. Targeting poor minority groups (by exploiting their financial plight) for this type of experimentation is unconscionable.

The program, the Healthcare Workforce Pilot Program #171, is coming up for renewal in March 2009. The Director of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, David Carlisle, should stop this program immediately, for the… Read More

We don’t typically reprint press releases here on the FlashReport. But on occasion, we make exceptions. I am very excited that FlashReport’s own Shawn Steel, former Chairman of the California Republican Party and currently California’s Republican National Committeeman has been tapped by new RNC Chairman Michael Steele to serve on a small, and influential transition team. The team will have its first meeting next week at the RNC Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Congratulations to Michael Steele on his election, and to Shawn Steel for this appointment. It is great news for the California GOP.

The release…

Steele Announces RNC Transition Team Team Will Implement Sweeping Changes; Prepare Party for Upcoming Elections… Read More

"Yes, you read that right!" said San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio. "You thought the Wall Street bailout mess was bad! Take a look at the 44% increase in the number of city workers earning $100,000 or more each year. Stay tuned for more data in the coming weeks on why the city has a spending problem, not a revenue problem."

Also, read this morning’s Union Trib editorial on the matter.

Six Figure Salaries Soar in City Workforce – Up 44% in One Year DeMaio Releases Study on City Worker Compensation: “$100k Club” SAN DIEGO – City Councilmember Carl DeMaio today released a… Read More

From the Orange County Register’s Editorial Page Blog:

Posted by Steve Greenhut

Jon Fleishman of Flashreporthas, in his role as a California GOP vice chairman, offered a resolution for the party’s convention that would censure tax-hiking Republican lawmakers. It’s a good way to keep those who are a bit weak in line with the party’s anti-tax-increase stance. The Sacramento Bee, in an editorial called… Read More

Sometimes you do something and you get an unexpected benefit. Kind of like if you go to the movies, and find out that it is "free poporn night" after you get there. You would still have bought the ticket to see the movie — but the free popcorn is an added bonus of sorts.

Being berated by the Sacramento Bee in an editorial this morning for being an "anti-tax jihadist" was the furthest thing on my mind when I quickly threw together a prospective resolution for the State GOP Covention to take any GOP legislators to task that vote for or support a tax increase as part of a solution to the state overspending-created fiscal deficit.

That said, the Bee’s hit piece on me is definitely the "free popcorn" in this deal. LOVE IT.

Even better is this outstanding commentary from San Diego Union Tribune Editorial Board Member Chris Reed, where he comes to my defense, and really lays out the Bee’s Editorial Board. It’s a MUST READ REED!

I should probably make it… Read More