California Republican Party Chairman has "live blogged" from the chambers of the United States House of Representatives, sending in the following report…

House Republicans are recapturing the spirit of 1994 in their ongoing confrontation with Speaker Pelosi and her House Democrats for refusing to even allow a vote on a bill to bring some energy price relief to Americans. Instead, the Speaker is on a book tour and the House is in "recess" (or as we call it in the real world, on vacation). While in Washington today I wanted to support the House Republicans in their efforts to draw public attention to the issue by keeping active on the floor even while the Speaker is selling books (which isn’t going all that well either, according to the ranking on Amazon.).… Read More

Apparently the Senate and Assembly will meet this Sunday to vote on a budget bill, ostensibly before the official cut-off provided by the Secretary of State for placing items on the November ballot (it is pretty well accepted that this is a loosy-goosy deadline). Near as I can tell, this will be a pomp and circumstance drill as I have not heard anything coming out of State Senate President Don "The Golden Pig" Perata to indicate that Democrats are willing to put up a package palatable to any Republicans (not even the so called "in play" GOPers in the Senate Republican Caucus). So the Kabuki dance will continue.

This is a good opportunity, though, to counsel all GOP legislators, though especially certain ones in the Senate, to refer calls and inquiries about their interest in voting for a budget to the office of their respective leaders. Budget politics for the Republican Party this year is a team sport. We will ultimately get the best budget for Californians if no Republicans "go up" on a budget until both caucuses are satisfied that they have achieved the best possible outcome.

I think that there used to be a "Rule of… Read More

The Speaker has announced there is a compromise on the budget and thus, she is calling session on Sunday to vote on the budget bill.

The funny thing is the Republicans — and some Democrat — have not seen the budget.

How can she possibly compromise on a budget that is unknown to many Legislators?

The reality is the Democrats are feeling jammed after letting 45 days go by without offering a budget that befits the hard working people of California.

Sunday’s call to action is nothing more than Democrat leaders’ attempt to paint Republicans as obstructionists (a label that has failed to stick).… Read More

AB 3034 passed off our floor this afternoon, 58-15, with 11 Republican ‘aye’ votes and 15 Rep "no" votes.… Read More

Yes Virginia, it is a tax increase, and no Aaron, the principled opposition to any new tax is not a partisan position. The Governor cannot avoid his responsibility for this crisis by calling on Legislators to end their political careers to bail him out of a situation he created. Had he listened to them two years ago or last year, instead of engaging in the name calling he is engaging in again this year, he would not be in this mess. To say now that the disaster he created because he was too eager to cut a budget deal before is now the result of the Legislators that tried to help him avert this disaster is pure narcissism. Last year, Senate Republicans tried to stop this disaster. The Governor insulted them, impliedly allowed the Democrats to go after Jeff Denham, called them every thing he could think of, and today says they are being unreasonable because they didn’t want to have to vote for a tax increase this year? Just who does he think he is?

I have been out of the country for some time, so I haven’t followed the debate too close, but over the last several days, I have been satisfying my addiction to talk radio, and I have been hearing the… Read More

There hasn’t been an override of a Governor’s veto of a California Governor… in well a long time. Previous GOP Governors worked with GOP legislators to help keep overrides from happening.

Except for occasional lobs of grenades into budget negotiations, the Governor really isn’t focused on getting a budget. In fact I question if he is focused on governing at all. He isn’t talking to Republicans.

Why not send him a message? He recently threatened to veto all bills until there is a budget. The legislative response has been to hold passed bills until there is a budget. I know all us Republicans think vetoing all the bills would be great. The reality is that won’t happen. That’s why he allowed bills to go back rather than veto them.

Since there won’t really be a rash of vetoes, why not send him a message about who is relevant. Pick a bill that everyone agrees on and send it to him. If he vetoes it, override it. Then maybe he would have to work with GOP legislators like Wilson and Deukmejian did.

For the Dems, It would show California his increasing irrevelency in California’s governance. That should be part… Read More

Rumor has it that there are three Republican votes for a budget with a tax increase. Since only two are needed, why would three Republicans vote yes? Once again, according to rumors, one of these Republicans wants to protect Lou Correa, the only Democrat in a target district, from having to vote for a tax increase. If these rumors are true, we have three Republicans who wish to betray Republicans two ways, (1) by violating the basic principles upon which they all were elected, that is, the basic commitment to smaller government and less taxes; and (2) protecting the Democrat majority from the consequences of their spendthrift ways by protecting one of the targets.

Who are these three? Once again according to rumors they are Roy Ashburn, Jim Battin, and Abel Maldonado. All friends of mine, all Senators for whom I have great respect and all Senators that would break my heart if these rumors are true. Now I know my heart is unimportant in the scheme of things, who am I anyway? But I feel like that little boy who looked at Shoeless Joe Jackson after the Chicago Black Sox scandal and said "Say it aint so, Joe." Say it aint so, Jim, Roy, Abel. Say it… Read More

Let’s be clear here. A mega-billion dollar rail bond is a bad deal for California taxpayers. Not only because of the principle that an eneavor such as this should be financed via user fees, not on the backs of tens of millions of taxpayers (not counting the ones not yet born) — but California is already over-loaded with debt.

This “fix” legislatuon that appears to be up for a vote in the Assembly today has as a major purpose making this boondoggle more palatable to voters.

Conservatives should be committed to defeating this bond measure. This includes voting against legislation designed, in essence, to help it pass.

The FlashReport joins with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and others in strongly urging a NO on the bill.… Read More