With the main page closed, and your publisher still sifting through the news, here’s the best of today…

SOME GOOD OPINION PIECES:

Assemblywoman Audra Strickland sticks a fork into Arnold-Care Ventura County Star: Government Run Healthcare is Bad Medicine Ethan Rarick notes how Arnold had been clutching to the GOP’s ‘no new taxes’ mantra — until now… LA Times: Benedict Arnold?

As only she can do, Debra Saunders rakes Congressional Dems for big spending (and notes that the GOP wasn’t much better)… Read More

Well, if I’m around and have a chance to surf the web, I’ll grab stories of interest.

The Feds are still investigating Senate President Don Perata, and in a subpeona battle with U.S. Representative John Doolittle: Sac Bee – Conflict delays Doolittle case SF Chron – Justice Dept. asks reporters for help in Perata case The Governor’s calling a special session to deal with a massive overspending problem. SF Chron – Governor predicts $3.3 billion revenue shortfall by end of June LA Times – Gov. considers major cuts in services Worth clicking on to see the cool photo of Assemblyman Todd Spitzer…… Read More

First and foremost, thank you for being a ‘customer’ of the FlashReport website on California politics! While starting as an e-newsletter, it has now been over two years since we made the shift to being a web-based publication. The response has been overwhelming, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU on behalf of myself, and the team of folks who are contributors to the site!

THE MAIN PAGE, COMMENTARY PAGE and E-MAIL NOTICE features of this site will be DOWN until Thursday, January 3rd. It has been an annual tradition since the FR started in 2001 for the Publisher (me) to take this time off. However, the FLASHREPORT WEBLOG WILL BE UP AND RUNNING throughout the holidays, where many of our contributors will still be posting tidbits and thoughts. I’ll be pitching in my ten cents, too. … Read More

First and foremost, thank you for being a ‘customer’ of the FlashReport website on California politics! While starting as an e-newsletter, it has now been over two years since we made the shift to being a web-based publication. The response has been overwhelming, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU on behalf of myself, and the team of folks who are contributors to the site! THE MAIN PAGE, COMMENTARY PAGE and E-MAIL NOTICE features of this site will be DOWN until Thursday, January 3rd. It has been an annual tradition since the FR started in 2001 for the Publisher (me) to take this time off. However, the FLASHREPORT WEBLOG WILL BE UP AND RUNNING throughout the holidays, where many of our contributors will still be posting tidbits and thoughts. I’ll be pitching in my ten cents, too.

As always, I would love any… Read More

Governor Schwarzenegger is framing California’s budget crisis ($15 BILLION and growing) as a spending problem. In conjunction with the release of his draft budget on January 10, he is calling a special session of the legislature (under the auspices of a “state of fiscal emergency”) where he will introduce cuts to deal with the growing funding gap problem for the current fiscal year.

If you go back to before Gray Davis was recalled, and Arnold Schwarzenegger rose from his ashes (hiring much of Davis’ staff in the process), Republican legislators have been decrying the steady and rapid increase in state spending that has occured in budget after budget after budget. As such, GOP legislators are resolute that California taxpayers not pay the price for the Democrat-led fiscal insanity.

That said, you watch the liberal Democrats scramble and scream at any proposed cuts in spending. As for me, it may sound simplistic, but why don’t we just adopt the budget of five years ago, and acknowledge that our spending increases since then were, in retrospect, unaffordable and unsustainable!

In the meantime, I guess… Read More

Have you ever qualified a referendum without huge amounts of money? CRFI is on their way. Having been involved in referendums before I know how hard this is. The time is short and unless you have a big special interest money it is very hard. Today is the last day to request petitions. You have to get plenty out there and the campaign has almost 400,000 petitions out there. That is huge. If only 15% come back full it qualifies. That is part one Then they have to get them back. To date they have over 161,000 signatures. That number doesn’t include the over 100 people or churches that promised 1000 signatures and … Read More

Demonstrating support from across the California GOP spectrum, today the Presidential campaign of Governor Mitt Romney announced two prominent California endorsers, that we’ll call the "book-ends" of the party. On the right end of the shelf, Romney has been endorsed by popular, conservative Congressman Wally Herger (pictured right), who makes his home up in the northern end of the state. On the "other" end of the GOP bookshelf, Romney has earned the endorsement of moderate former Republican Assemblyman Brooks Firestone… Read More

The latest from State Senator Tom McClintock: