The financial challenges facing state government in California are very real. We already have a structural deficit of billions. Add to that the new commitment to repay, with interest, all of the new bonds being issued (to add to the payments on those already issued) and the looming issue of dealing with unfunded pension liabilities to the tune of billions of dollars more, and you have a big challenge on your hands. But wait, there’s more! Let’s also remember that the size and scope of California state government keeps expanding, and that we have been kind of (if you don’t count deficit spending) keeping pace with obligations (ok, you have to count deficit spending, so we really haven’t kept up). But this has been with the economy humming along in great shape. In other words, we are one economic downturn away from a disastrous financial situation in Sacramento. Of course, the stage is set for a showdown because while the Governor has made it clear that he has set a table for himself, Fabian Nunez and Don Perata, to see how to expand more government programs (a.k.a… "bi-partisan, party of one"), he is also… Read More

Bloomberg News profiles former California Congressman Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) who is now Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Chris’ campaign was one of my first, helping him by walking (a lot) of precincts back in 1998. Here’s the article:

SEC’s Cox confounds predictions Conservative ex-St. Paulite shifts from lawmaker to law enforcer BY BOB DRUMMOND Bloomberg News … Read More

Mike Spence’s excellent post below best describes a long running disagreement, between GOP Moderates and GOP Conservatives, about how the California Republican Party should be run.

Everyone complained about the Chairmanship of John McGraw (who I served as Treasurer for) from 1999-2001 but he was the only State Chairman I’ve seen that didn’t hand the keys to the Party over to the: 1. Party nominee for Governor or 2. Party nominee for President. He stood up to the Bush "people" in California in 2000 and was widely excoriated by party Moderates and some Conservatives for failing to "cooperate" (read, become the waterboy for) with Bush’s staff and volunteer leaders here.

Because of McGraw’s "lack of cooperation" (read: he told them to go to hell) we "reformed" the Party so that it is effectively controlled by a small group of leaders (making the Board virtually irrelevant) and handing the Party over to Gerry Parsky from 2001-2004 for the Bush re-election (in which they invested zero money).

The… Read More

Three thoughts:

1. Phone calls don’t get out the vote very well. Studies and practical experienceprove only door to door voter contact does. With the barrage of robo calls, it is an ineffective medium for GOTV.

2. Ron Nehring needs to be the next CRP Chair. If he can replicate what he’s done in San Diego throughout CA, the party will be that much better. Imagine every county maximizing its potential.

3. Quit carping on Duf and Arnold. It is what it is.We all can admit the veto record has been good, over all. If that’s not enough, see #2, above.… Read More

What am I missing here?

As I watch the Sunday television political pundits, they say that Ohio Representative John Boehner, currently the House Majority Leader (pictured to the right), is set to ascend into the top position for Republicans in the House, with the only higher ranking Republican, Speaker Dennis Hastert, "taking the bullet" for the team," stepping away from Leadership. But apparently his fellow leader, Boehner, doesn’t feel that he has the same obligation.

Well, with every offense intended, Republicans lost Congress not because the Democrats suddenly discovered some sort of great plan for America – but because voters, and especially the Republican base, lost any faith in the Republican majorities in the United States Senate and in the House of Representatives.

The… Read More

What am I missing here?

As I watch the Sunday television political pundits, they say that Ohio Representative John Boehner, currently the House Majority Leader (pictured to the right), is set to ascend into the top position for Republicans in the House, with the only higher ranking Republican, Speaker Dennis Hastert, "taking the bullet" for the team," stepping away from Leadership. But apparently his fellow leader, Boehner, doesn’t feel that he has the same obligation.

Well, with every offense intended, Republicans lost Congress not because the Democrats suddenly discovered some sort of great plan for America – but because voters, and especially the Republican base, lost any faith in the Republican majorities in the United States Senate and in the House of Representatives.

The… Read More

Tribute to Jay La Suer… It was a near-roast Friday night in Mission Valley as about 300 well-wishers said thanks to termed-out Assemblyman Jay La Suer. Senator Dennis Hollingsworth, Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy and BOE Member Claude Parrishwere among those honoring Jay.

A Capitol-Watch highlights video ran interspersed with scenes from John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies, over-dubbed with Sergio Leone spaghetti-Western music. Some fun ensued over La Suer’s and Mountjoy’s unique, conservative alliance in Sacramento. Some lines from the evening:

Hollingsworth claimed that "the only vote Jay and Mountjoy ever disagreed on was tax breaks for domestic partners…Jay was for principle and Dennis was for practicality."

"You know how kids wear Superman pajamas to bed?" asked Mountjoy, "Well, Superman wears Jay La Suer pajamas to bed!"

About their shared house in Sacto, Mountjoy said "I didn’t know that I could ever live with a Sheriff…and Jay’s not justthe Sheriff when he’s on duty, he’s the Sheriff full… Read More

Mark Pruner is a Regional Vice Chairman on the California Republican Party Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Yolo County Republican Party — both post for which he will need to stand for re-election in the coming months.

Mark contact me about penning some post-election thoughts for FR readers… We now have an historic opportunity. In 2008, for the first time in 56 years, there will be neither a sitting President nor a sitting Vice President running for the office of President of the United States. Not since the Dwight Eisenhower vs. Adlai Stevenson contest of 1952 has the race for the White House been this open. In nearly every sense… Read More