How long does it take to figure out that something is not going to work? It took the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) seven years and $10 million to abandon plans to automate the way it grants permits to truckers carrying oversized loads on California roads and highways. The Sacramento Bee (March 2nd) has reported that the latest software failure has become “a long and puzzling line of computer contract failures in California government …. [State government] has repeatedly spent millions of dollars on projects that were ill-designed or mismanaged or simply collapsed under the weight of their own complexity.” Caltrans officials decided the agency needed a computerized system when an investigation revealed a Caltrans employee had given a truck driver with an oversized load a permit and bad directions, causing the truck to crash into an … Read More

I usually don’t comment on commentators. Most of the commentators in Sacramento are lefties or Democrat leaning, and so, are wrong, and not worth the time of commenting. One that hits things right some of the time, however, is Dan Walters. He has inside information, years of insight, and a fun writing style. Sometimes he pontificates too much, but he is worth the read.

If he has any faults, however, it is his idea that the system is Sacramento is broke because "both sides" are at fault. He said today that the current budget crisis is the responsiblity of both parties because the Democrats spent too much, and "Meanwhile, Republicans have been blasting away at the Democrats for squandering years of revenue increases and ignoring their own role of demanding unaffordable tax cuts." What? First, let’s inspect the comment. Demanding unaffordable tax cut does not a tax cut make. How can the state be in a deficit for tax cuts demanded, but not enacted. Quite simply, it is not. I can understand wanting to attack Republicans and Democrats alike, but the better attack is not that Republicans asked for tax cuts they did not… Read More

Earlier this week a new political action group was launched here in Sacramento. The new group, California Forward, is promoted as a “bipartisan” effort to “transform” California’s government. The Flash Report was invited to participate in the launch event held at the Sacramento Library on Wednesday and I attended on its behalf.

Co-chaired by Leon Panetta and Thomas McKernan (the CEO of the Automobile Club of Southern California), CA Forward is marketed as a “diverse group of prominent Californians” who will “develop and advance improvements to the state’s electoral and fiscal systems.” And because this is a bipartisan effort, CA Forward’s Leadership Council includes Bruce McPherson and Chuck Poochigian. The rest of the council’s members can be viewed here.

As mentioned on the front page of Flash Report today, there are five groups funding CA Forward: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The… Read More

In a strongly worded conference call to Republican leaders and County Chairs, California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring declared war on Senate President Don Perata. Never in the history of California politics has an elected official been recalled for casting a vote against tax increases.

Senator Jeff Denham (pictured left), SD 12, whose district includes the counties of Monterey, San Benito, Stanislaus and Madera, represents a broad agricultural region with socially conservative Democrats. The district has about 48% Democrats with 39% Republicans. After enormous pressure, Denham refused to cast his vote with Democrats on last summer’s budget bill. The recall election is set for June 3, 2008.

Outgoing and heavily FBI investigated Senator Perata… Read More

In a strongly worded conference call to Republican leaders and County Chairs, California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring declared war on Senate President Don Perata. Never in the history of California politics has an elected official been recalled for casting a vote against tax increases.

Senator Jeff Denham (pictured left), SD 12, whose district includes the counties of Monterey, San Benito, Stanislaus and Madera, represents a broad agricultural region with socially conservative Democrats. The district has about 48% Democrats with 39% Republicans. After enormous pressure, Denham refused to cast his vote with Democrats on last summer’s budget bill. The recall election is set for June 3, 2008.

Outgoing and heavily FBI investigated Senator Perata… Read More

The biggest political news in San Diego today is that former councilman and current council candidate John Hartley was tagged yesterday for allegedly urinating and masturbating in public, apparently while walking precincts.

No, this is not an April 1 entry.

The UT gives some specifics, but you have to read the comments to get a flavor of the community reaction:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080327-2308-bn27hartley2.html

With all the shenanigans in recent years in SD over stripper-gate, Duke Cunningham and the pension debacle, can you imagine the reaction if it had been Councilman Hartley getting caught with his proverbial pants down? The jokes will never end on this one, I’m sure. From "he was a wee excited over his chances" to "now he’s qualified to run for office in San Diego," well….ouch.

No analysis yet on whether this bolsters or hurts his chances in one of the most liberal council districts in the city. Double ouch.… Read More

Lenin’s expression for describing naive Liberals as " useful idiots " for his purposes is no more apt than California Congressman Mike Thompson from the 1st District.

Today it is revealed that the person who paid for his trip to Iraqshortly before against Saddam Hussein, was the evil tyrant himself. How does Thompson feel about accepting the blood money to rant against the United States and Bush? Don’t know. We should ask.

The Justice Department indicted a Mathanna Hanooti who worked for Iraq’s foreign intelligence service through one of those Islamic charities. This one called Life for Relief. With Saddam’s money three democrat congressmen accepted a free ride to Iraq to denounce America. That included well documented fruitcake Jim McDermott of Washington and recently retired but true leftist David Bonior of Michigan. What a threesome.

… Read More

Me as a Consumer Activist? Most of you would never confuse me with obnoxious consumer groups who do the bidding of trial lawyers. I thank you for that. However, there is a consumer issue included in a bill by Senator Pat Wiggins (SB 1167) that gives cause to worry.

This ill-advised legislation will impact drivers when they are in an accident – and that likely means all of us in California at some point. SB 1167 will prevent drivers from obtaining information about auto repair options, including body shops that are pre-qualified with insurers and meet established standards of excellence. Pre-qualified shops are reviewed by companies and confirmed as giving high-quality service, the fewest inconveniences, and the best guarantee (possibly lifetime) on the work.

That’s information I want to have when choosing a shop to repair my car. I want to be fully informed, but apparently Senator Wiggins thinks that’s a bad idea. She would want me to play a guessing game – wondering if I’ve chosen a good body shop because I’ve been prevented from learning about other options. Her bill provides that once a driver has… Read More