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Michael Der Manouel, Jr.

Moving Beyond Single Issue Voting

I’ve been feeling the heat – from my right, because I am an early supporter of Rudy Giuliani for President. I’ve got a number of reasons, but as a pro – life, anti – special rights and pro – second Amendment voter, the "single issue" voter now scares the heck out of me.

I’ve moved beyond conservatism as a standard for candidate support. Why? Because conservative rhetoric has become empty rhetoric. There has been no consistent "conservatism" practiced at any level of government in the last ten years. And frankly, when I hear members of our Party bloviating about "limited government", blah, blah blah, I could really care less. In my judgment, most of the Republican base has also lost faith. In California, where our "Republican" Governor believes centrism equals liberalism, the base is in no better shape.

So let’s look at the set of issues framing the 2008 presidential run. For me, its all about committing to the War on Terrorists. Romney has no experience in this area at all, and McCain’s… Read More

Congressman Doug LaMalfa

Condemned: Vilsack Dem Presidential Campaign

Former Iowa Governor, Tom Vilsack, infamous for vetoing Eminent Domain Reform in Iowa, drops out of the running for the Dem nomination for president, citing a lack of funding. Having his veto overridden [see my July 19 ’06 post on this] by about a 9-1 ratio in the Iowa Legislature to restorethe Eminent Domain Reform bill he vetoed, couldn’t have been a big momentum builder…

Even if he was righteous on the right to own and keep private property, this partially underscores the argument about California and the rest of the states in this gold rush to run their presidential primaries forward to February ’08, the results we’ll likely live with, and not get a real chance to correct, forthe next 8 years. It will make it nearly impossible for non "name" or non big money candidates to get a foothold in the race with a little early momentum, overcoming "conventional wisdom" and giving American voters a spectrum of choices instead of a red or blue rubber stamp.… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Today’s Commentary: On his DC trip, Schwarzenegger should express support for the federal REAL ID law…

The Director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, George Valverde, was dispatched to Washington, D.C., last week – presumably at the direction of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger – to express grave concerns that the State of California Government (read: the Governor) has with the implementation of the REAL ID Act passed by Congress and signed by the President back in 2005. This law established federal standards for drivers’ licenses. If you want a license, you have to show demonstrate something that should be pretty simple: proof of legal residency (SS# or birth certificate). It would appear that the main objections that states all around America have is the tremendous costs associated with implementing the ACT (the National Governors Assocation pegs it upwards of $11 billion collectively for the 50 states to come up to snuff). The law gives states from 2008 – 2013 to check out drivers for their proper documents and re-issue new licences for the roughly 250 million currently licenced drivers nationwide. The penalty to states if they do not comply? Licenses in a non-compliant state cannot be used as… Read More

Jon Fleischman

On his DC trip, Schwarzenegger should express support for the federal REAL ID law…

The Director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, George Valverde, was dispatched to Washington, D.C., last week – presumably at the direction of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger – to express grave concerns that the State of California Government (read: the Governor) has with the implementation of the REAL ID Act passed by Congress and signed by the President back in 2005. This law established federal standards for drivers’ licenses. If you want a license, you have to show demonstrate something that should be pretty simple: proof of legal residency (SS# or birth certificate). It would appear that the main objections that states all around America have is the tremendous costs associated with implementing the ACT (the National Governors Assocation pegs it upwards of $11 billion collectively for the 50 states to come up to snuff). The law gives states from 2008 – 2013 to check out drivers for their proper documents and re-issue new licences for the roughly 250 million currently licenced drivers nationwide. The penalty to states if they do not comply? Licenses in a non-compliant state cannot be used as… Read More

Congressman Doug LaMalfa

Assembly Bill Avalanche

The Assembly Desk closed bill introduction today at the 5 PM deadline. Yesterday at the end of floor session, the bill intro’s were up to about AB 720 or so. Todaythe Desk was carpet bombed with another 1000 bills, ending at AB 1705 last we checked…plus probably another 100 "committee bills" floating around.

As a buddy of mine says at the end of the bill ‘spring planting season’,I didn’t know there was that much wrong with California.Read More

Tab Berg

Schwarzenegger MAY endorse

Online media is quickly outpacing the "real" media thanks to e-pioneers like Jon Fleischman (yes, a gratuitous compliment – he is the boss). E-media and blogs are nimble, aggressive and timely — and it’s hard for the traditional media to keep pace.

(If you don’t believe it, note the resources papers like the Sacramento Bee are shifting to online reporting…)

So when rumors fly across the blogosphere that Governor Schwarzenegger was checking out of the Presidential race, I had to take notice.

But talking with sources "in the know", it’s possible these reports are just wrong. In fact, Schwarzenegger may be planning an endorsement for the upcoming Presidential race — despite the reports on Politico.com.

If I’m wrong, I’ll post a mea culpa, but it makes more sense for him to endorse than not, so I’m betting one of the Presidential candidates will get a much anticipated phone call from the Terminator.

Here’s my thoughts:

The Governor is a media-genic star who loves the spotlight — sitting out the biggest political show on the biggest state just… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Arnold: Not endorsing in GOP Presidential Primary. Ackerman: Walters is his choice to succeed him. Leno will challenge Migden in SF donnybrook.

There is a ‘must read’ story in the new Beltway Uber-Online Newspaper, The Politico, where reporter Roger Simon publishes a story after conducting a 45 minute private interview with Governor Schwarzenegger. In the story, apparently the Governor told Simon that he would not endorse a Republican in the Presidential primary, though he had praise for McCain and Giuliani for being "centrist" and the kind of Republicans that can win California. The way that Simon worded his story, there is no commitment that the Governor will limit his endorsement options to only the GOP nominee… The Governor quelched any rumors that his wife, Maria Schriver, might run for public office herself, talks about how Democrats are being unfair to Hillary, and expresses his support for a date-specific withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. You can see the story here. … Read More

Jon Fleischman

Today’s Commentary: U.S. Reps. Campbell, Rohrabacher, Royce get top honors from National Taxpayers Union!

The FlashReport would like to congratulate the three members of California’s Congressional delegation who have been tapped with ‘high honors’ from the National Taxpayers Union — receiving their coveted "Taxpayer Friends" rating… And the winners are… Dana Rohrabacher, Ed Royce and our own FR Beltway Correspondent John Campbell!! It should come as no surprise to FR readers that among the many "F" recipients (all Democrats) from the NTU for 2006 were our two United States Senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, and of course our new Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. Here is how each of the Republicans from California scored, since we follow GOPers most closely here at the FR…

**There is more – click the link**

View Full CommentaryRead More