Garrick:Get to Work… No question that if GOP legislators took a convention holiday without first having finalized a state budget, the outcry would be loud, prolonged and furious.So, why has the criticism leveled at Democrats for hauling off to their convention bash with work still undone been largely limited to the blogs? Please answer me that. In the meantime, this from Assemblyman Martin Garrick, posted Friday at Red County SD:

Skip the Convention and Get to Work The California State Assembly adjourned shortly after 1pm today, choosing to take the weekend off — even though the state budget has still not been passed. The Assembly will reconvene on Monday at 1pm for floor session, but will take a three day break on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so Legislative Democrats can attend their national convention in Denver.

Yes, you read that right, a three day vacation right in the middle of a budget stalemate.

Unfortunately, common sense often does not prevail… Read More

Another local elected official in Woodland just sent me an e-mail asking why I was not listed as someone endorsing Proposition 8 (Marriage Protection). I did not have a good answer for that — except that I had not been asked for my official support of the measure until now.

Many local elected officials read this blog. You can add your name to the growing list of people supporting marriage as being defined as between one man and one woman by clicking here.

Just click on "Endorse Us Today" and add your information. I just did.

If you look at the endorsement list it already includes FlashReport bloggers Senator George Runner, Senator Jim Battin, Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, West Covina School Board Member Mike Spence, and former Assemblyman Ray Haynes,… Read More

As the Republican National Convention approaches (I fly out in one week – to provide FR readers with live updated from the ground throughout the big event), I am starting to get excited about a week in Minneapolis with thousands of fellow Republicans, unifying around our nominee, and celebrating a political party, that for over a century and a half has stood for freedom, limited government, and family values. I’m excited to be a member of the California delegation!

As a strong conservative, I have to admit that I was more than a little bummed earlier in the week when I received a press release from the outstanding free-market group, The Club for Growth, in which they were expressing their disappointment that a whole host of real taxfighting leaders nationally for the GOP do not appear on the convention program. Among those singled out by the Club for their absence are Senators Coburn and DeMint, the clear leaders for fiscal sanity in the upper chamber. There… Read More

This morning the Obsession team was at the anti-war protest on the front steps of the capitol. We obviously had to be covert with the blatant anarchist presence. There was a heavy police presence as last night several weapons, bricks and poles were found hidden in the capitol mall. The rally was fairly peaceful, apart from the hateful, vile rhetoric spewing from the speakers. Of course, Cindy Sheehan was in her element, along with the Green Party presidential candidates and other anti-war radicals.

At one point, FNC reporter Griff Jenkins approached the stage to try and interview disgraced CU professor Ward Churchill. He was rebuffed by burly “security” thugs and pushed back. A crowd had assembled around Jenkins and began chanting “F*** Fox News!” The whole time Jenkins maintained his cool but even from a few feet away, I was concerned about his safety and other reporters trying to cover the situation. One of our team members, Tom Trento, was right in the middle of the action and filmed the entire episode. At this moment, the protest is marching towards the convention center.… Read More

Monday’s schedule calls for our floor session in the afternoon, 1PM [or so] and also a key hearing of the Special Session Committee on Water. A couple water bond ideas will be heard [containing real storage?] as well as a bill on assessingthe green house gas effects by building water supply.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday have nothing scheduled other than we are "on call of the Speaker." Friday has a floor session scheduled with Sunday being the last possible day to handle this years legislation [that is, without extraordinary steps to take any up after, such would require a super-majority to bring up]

Should be an interesting week, with bonds proposed and late nights likely.… Read More

As the Republican National Convention approaches (I fly out in one week – to provide FR readers with live updated from the ground throughout the big event), I am starting to get excited about a week in Minneapolis with thousands of fellow Republicans, unifying around our nominee, and celebrating a political party, that for over a century and a half has stood for freedom, limited government, and family values. I’m excited to be a member of the California delegation!

As a strong conservative, I have to admit that I was more than a little bummed earlier in the week when I received a press release from the outstanding free-market group, The Club for Growth, in which they were expressing their disappointment that a whole host of real taxfighting leaders nationally for the GOP do not appear on the convention program. Among those singled out by the Club for their absence are Senators Coburn and DeMint, the clear leaders for fiscal sanity in the upper chamber. There… Read More

I’ll haveacolumn later this week about why the GOP is losing voters, but I can guarantee this, it isn’t because Republicans in the Assembly are hanging tough in the latest State budget fight. In fact, if they keep it up, they’ll likely wind up gaining back some of the respect that our GOP officeholders have lost over the years. With the Governor spewing more nonsense yesterday, questioning the "courage" of the State legislature, it is instructive to look at Assembly Leader Mike Villines response:

Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines of Clovis questioned the governor’s own gutsiness.

"I don’t believe it shows strong backbone to have said (no tax increases) publicly for years and years and years – and then to change your position overnight," Villines said.

Now, even though Villines is my friend, I am more than objective about our elected leadership. I happen to think Mike Villines is one of the more under appreciated elected officials in California. He speaks and reacts from his gut – and he’s a conservative before he’s a… Read More

Now that Democrats have conceded that the world is a scary place, and Obama can’t handle it alone, they have named Senator Biden as the VP/Man-Behind-the-Curtain for their ticket. And the Democrats are exactly right…the world is a scary place. Iran continues to be the biggest threat to peace in the Middle East, and while we’ve got them pinned down in an unwinnable two front war scenario with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia is taking full advantage of our situation by making a rush to control natural gas pipelines to Europe before winter sets in so they can hold the EU hostage in choice between freezing to death or capitulating to Russia’s geopolitical demands. Come January 2009, the White House is no place for amateurs or understudies.

This is why I’m keeping my fingers crossed that native Californian Condoleezza Rice will be… Read More