Sometimes we forget that there really are huge differences between Democrats and Republicans. I was reminded of that a couple weeks ago when I went to an Angels Baseball in the fine city of Anaheim (mentioned only because there is very little else in this entry that relates to CA government or politics) game with a group of friends, mostly Democrats.

Cuba became a topic of discussion. I had explained that I wanted to visit the communist country before Castro dies and things change. However, I expressed that I would have a certain sadness in enjoying the wonders of the tropic island nation while the locals lived without freedom. My Democrat friends were quick to downplay the lack of freedom in Cuba saying. "Freedom is relative." "Do you call waiting in line at the airport for 2 hours freedom?"

As a matter of fact I have come to really dislike the commercial air travel experience, but it does not have anything to do with freedom. And I failed to convince my Democratic friends that freedom is not at all relative but a static experience that is not pliable. Either you have it or you do not.

The very fact that we have an ongoing… Read More

After I do a radio program, I get hate mail from Republicans who want me to swallow the Kool Aid of Republican mediocrity. I won’t do it. The basic principles of this Party are etched in stone in my mind and they aren’t going to be compromised to elect someone that it taking me for granted, paying more attention to my political adversaries than is necessary, and thumbing his nose at his own caucus (see Keith Richmond’s comments)

Yesterday I hosted the Ray Appleton program on Newstalk 580 KMJ. I had Republican Assemblyman Mike Villines on for the first hour discussing the end of session legislation as well as the Governor and his actions in signing several pieces of legislation offensive to mainstream and right of center voters – further depressing the GOP base and creating despair in the ranks.

I had invited the Governor’s campaign to defend itself in the second hour – no response until 1:45 pm – too late to have anything meaningful. The callers I had in the second hour were in a very foul mood over SB 1441 – the gay and transvestite civil rights bill, and greenhouse gas bill, and several other pieces of… Read More

Garry South, formerly one of Steve Westly’s top advisers, in a plea to Bill Bradley to lay off Carrick and Fowler, continues to lay into the Angelides campaign.

Here’s his comment:

Hey, ya’ll, lighten up with my friends Carrick and Fowler; they’re a couple of the most savvy operators in this business. It’s hardly the first time two (or more) folks working the same campaign spoke from the same talking points. I feel for them because they’re in an unwinnable situation with no spin that really works or rings true with the Democratic nominee for governor. I’ve been in that situation a few times in my career, and it’s massively frustrating and uncomfortable. Still, we spinsters shouldn’t make exertions to insist that stop signs… Read More

In catching up with some reading, I found this recent op- ed in the Wall Street Journal. I note that no rebuttal has been submitted by the Governor’s campaign.

Read the Op Ed here.… Read More

High marks go to Bill Bradley, creator and sole proprietor of the New West Notes, for catching CMR "reporter" and Angelides campaign aide Bill Carrick and Huffington Post contributor Donnie Fowler spewing the exact same spin under their own names on different websites.

Here’s are some of the opening lines of Carrick’s missive:

Exhibition season is over. Next week marks the start of the real post-Labor Day campaign.

And here’s Fowler’s opening salvo:

Exhibition season is over in the California gubernatorial race. Next week marks the start of the real post Labor Day Campaign between Arnold Schwarzenegger and State Treasurer Phil Angelides.

Hmmm.

Neither Carrick nor… Read More

First the Governor, then the Republican leaders in both the Assembly and the Senate.Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia and Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman have sent a letter on Joint Republican Caucus letterhead (attached below) to Speaker Nunez and Senate President Pro Tem Perata asking for the legislature to be immediately reconvened under Joint Rule 52 (a).

While this likely won’t happen (staffers would go nuts, among other reasons), it is a terrific display of grit by Republicans. After a week of all day voting, to come back after it’s over, after they’ve taken a pounding,and ask for more is something. It shows that Republicans continue to work toward the state achieving fiscal solvency, while Democrats skip town… Read More

SB 1185 (authored by George Runner) would whave prevented School Districts from paying teachers arrested for drug use back pay. The Bill died in the Assembly , three votes shy of passage. It had passed the Senate with only 2 no votes.

The CTA and labor unions fought the bill because the liked money going to duggie teachers rather than getting into the classroom.See article here. Hit piece Alert. Nicole Parra voted against the bill. This is a top race for Republicans .You can donate to her opponent here.… Read More

Next week, the FlashReport will be publishing our annual "Top 20 Bill That The Governor Should Veto" — and we need YOUR HELP to make sure we have picked out the worst of the worst. The more the bill constrains freedom and liberty, then more it shifts the balance of power from the individual to the government, the more it grows the "nanny state" — well the more we want to hear about it!

RATING THE GOVERNOR We’ll be taking these twenty bills and we will use them to give Governor Schwarzenegger at FlashReport Veto "Batting Average" — so this will be an indicator to all of our readers on how the Governor is doing at batting down the worst of the worst. STATE LEGISLATOR AND STAFFERS We really could use the help of conservative legislators and their staff members as helping us out — so send along your suggestions!

WHAT DO WE NEED? A bill number, a… Read More