Last night Iflew a red-eye from Florida with three colossally airsick kids, and I could hardly wait to post today. I spent a week and half exhausting every ride, every show and every parade Disney World has to offer, and all around me were metaphors for the coming legislative session…weird, huh?

As we floated through the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ ride (newly refurbished with no less than four Jack Sparrow scenes!), one of the first sets is the bombardment of a village by a pirate ship. The villagers stand firm, fight back against superior fire power, while the pirate captain yells, “Raise yer white flags, ye scurvy scum!” If they had…would that have been considered a bipartisan move by California standards?

In the next scene of the ride, the shops and stores of the village are on fire. I wonder if I was the only Disney-phile thinking, “Wow, this is like all those Job Killer bills the… Read More

The following is an exclusive piece from Joel Fox, President of the Small Business Action Committee, who shares some very important perspective in response to the main stream media’s blow out coverage of the recent poll conducted by Field, on behalf of their client, the New America Foundation, an organization that supports universal health care coverage, starting with all children. They promote this "shared responsibility" doctrine which is a shift away from individual responsibility towards some sort of collective group responsibility, where the government plays a significant role in providing for health insurance for the people. Scary stuff. – Flash

FROM JOEL FOX… … Read More

Kudos to Jon Fleishman for his commentary on Joe Nunez. I had told him pre-Christmas that I was planning on posting about this appointment, but the holidays and President Ford’s passing away sidetracked me. Jon detailed the curious nature of this appointment. I just want to add a little more on reasons why my caucus needs to unanimously vote against this one.

As Jon reported, Joe Nunez is Chairman of the Alliance for a Better California (ABC), which ran the campaign to defeat the Governor’s initiatives in November 2005. ABC spent $80 million to kill the initiatives.

The LA Times reported (4/14/06): "Few people worked harder than Joe Nunez to sabotage Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s political fortunes. A high ranking teacher’s union official, he helped engineer the Governor’s embarrassing defeat in the special election last year"

ABC, under Nunez, also filed a complaint against the Governor’s campaign with the FPPC for campaign… Read More

Next month, at the California Republican Party Convention, the roughly 1600 members of the California Republican Party State Central Committee will be gathering for the biennial organizational convention for the Party — and electing a new State Chairman. The incumbent, Duf Sundheim, after four tireless years of hard work, is retiring (or as we say in the biz, is "termed out") and so that means that there is no incumbent. Well, not quite…

Two years ago, San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring (and also then President of the Republican County Chairmens’ Association) ran for and was elected without opposition as the Vice Chairman of the Party. Since then, in addition to continuing to work hard as Chairman of his own County Party in San Diego, Ron has been working side by side with the other CRP Officers and Staff, and has been traveling all around the Golden State on behalf of our GOP candidates and endorsed causes.

All of Ron’s hard work has earned him the respect of the… Read More

Next month, at the California Republican Party Convention, the roughly 1600 members of the California Republican Party State Central Committee will be gathering for the biennial organizational convention for the Party — and electing a new State Chairman. The incumbent, Duf Sundheim, after four tireless years of hard work, is retiring (or as we say in the biz, is "termed out") and so that means that there is no incumbent. Well, not quite…

Two years ago, San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring (and also then President of the Republican County Chairmens’ Association) ran for and was elected without opposition as the Vice Chairman of the Party. Since then, in addition to continuing to work hard as Chairman of his own County Party in San Diego, Ron has been working side by side with the other CRP Officers and Staff, and has been traveling all around the Golden State on behalf of our GOP candidates and endorsed causes.

All of Ron’s hard work has earned him the respect of the… Read More

While the 49ers’ management hires paid consultants and lobbyists to help grease the skids for their move to the South Bay, SF Mayor Gavin Newsom is working to keep the team in his city. The 49ers have hired Kevin Sloat, one of Sacramento’s most talented lobbyists (second only to his partner, the lovely and talented Maureen Higgins) to help block any legislation the SF crowd may try to push to force the team to stay in San Francisco. In the meantime, Newsom sent a letter to the 49ers proposing that the team considered a stadium in the Hunters Point neighborhood instead of San Jose.

The 49ers didn’t respond very positively to… Read More

Every wild turkey, prancing deer, hopping rabbit, and vegan in California will be pleased to know that the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals today announced that they have awarded one of their "Proggy" award to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, naming him their Most Progressive Politician. Why? Because of two bills he signed — one that makes it against the law to tether an animal longer than three hours and another (back in 2004) to ban the production in California of the food delicancy, Foie Gras (Goose Liver). I happen to love the stuff, and am pleased to let all Californians know that you can still order it online (though it is a pricy $71.50 for 1.5 lbs) from a producer in New York.

Dubbing the Governor an animal-friendly person, Arnold will receive a commorative plaque, as well as being featured on the PETA… Read More

I returned from vacation (and post election hibernation) this week to the exciting news that left wing Assemblyman Juan Arambula (D), Fresno, will not be running for re-election in 2008. This is staggeringly good news for the Central Valley and the State of California.

Now, believe me, my opinion here is quite contrary to those at the Fresno Bee and in the "Republican" business community. Arambula, with his mild demeanor, was regularly described as a moderate Democrat when in fact, on most economic or social issues, his record was indistinguishable from any Bay Area Assemblymember. So persuasive was Juan that many in the "business" community supported him to a greater extent than their support for traditional, pro-business legislators.

Assemblyman Arambula most recently had his ears pinned back by the Fresno Teachers Association, which ran a slate of four candidates for Fresno Unified School Board against the Arambula (and "Republican") backed "Voices for Excellence" committee.… Read More