The latest from David Drucker over at Roll Call Newspaper…

As California officials on Wednesday moved one step closer to severing politicians’ ability to gerrymander themselves safe seats, a Democratic-affiliated 527 group is launching today with the intent of maximizing partisan gain in the 2012 redistricting process in states across the country. After it appeared the measure was dead, the California Senate Wednesday passed State Constitutional Amendment 3 with the requisite two-thirds majority. If approved in similar fashion by the state Assembly and ratified by voters, the amendment would remove from the Legislature the power to draw legislative and Congressional districts, granting that task instead to an 11-member independent commission. In a direct but unrelated counter-move, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal… Read More

Picture this: You’re the smartest guy in California, and you’re running for governor. You went to Harvard, so you must be smart. Certainly a lot smarter than your opponent, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who went to community college and got his degree from a college that you’ve never heard of.

You try not to brag too much about your Harvard education because, after all, you’re the champion of the little guy. The middle class. The working stiff who isn’t smart enough to get into Harvard. But you were. Because you’re the smartest guy in California.

Sadly, your campaign team, through no fault of their own, isn’t as smart as you. Therefore, you’ll have to do all the work yourself and delegate the bits and pieces.

Like today when you had this brilliant idea to have the California Democratic Party put out a press release pointing a bright red arrow at Schwarzenegger, who is appearing at a fundraiser with America’s Mayor, Rudy Giuliani. (Who, by the way, graduated from Manhattan College and got his law degree from New York University Law School. Egads!)

Imagine all the negative press and moral indignation that will surely… Read More

The state GOP convention starts tomorrow in LA and along with the usual crowd and typical jockeying for resolutions, by-law changes an endorsements (or non-endorsements) for November ballot initiatives, the Governor will have a strong presence through volunteers and paid staff.

And if you want the latest in insider Arnold texted right to your mobile, they are telling convention goers to text "Gov" to 50555 and then reply with a "Yes" to confirm.

I expect you’ll get something every few hours about a rally or ice cream reception. I doubt it will be anything interesting but cool idea nonetheless.

You can also go to the campaign web site to sign up.… Read More

US Senator Dianne Fienstein offers Phil Angelides some very useful advice, which I doubt he’ll take to heart since hethinks he’s so much smarter thanher — and everyone else in the universe.

Caught On Tape: Feinstein Schools Angelides

(CBS 5) SAN FRANCISCO Democrats have been giving Phil Angelides plenty of advice on how he can turn his poll numbers around and become California’s next governor.

In fact, a CBS 5 camera caught Sen. Dianne Feinstein giving Angelides some candid advice right into an open microphone, right after Angelides finished announcing his tax plan on Wednesday.

Feinstein told the candidate, "I have one suggestion: don’t let yourself smirk in between thoughts."

Right after that, they killed the podium’s microphone.

Watch it here.… Read More

REDISTRICTING NOT DOA? WE’LL SEE Just when we thought that redistricting reform was completely dead, yesterday Senate President Don Perata injected one last chance for an opportunity for voters to be able to shift the process away from a self-interested legislature to a non-elected panel. While I am not too hopeful that the Assembly will follow suit under the iron-hand of Fabian Nunez, we can certainly encourage him to do so. Today, State Senator Roy Ashburn, the Republican co-author (along with Democrat Alan Lowethal) of the bi-partisan redistricting reform bill has penned a great column for the FlashReport, and it leads the news on the main page. ANGELIDES ENTERS "DESPERATION MODE" In what is his latest attempt in an unsuccessful series of attempts to ‘reinvent’ himself, Democrat Gubernatorial nominee Phil Angelides released a ‘new plan’ yesterday that calls for billions of dollars in increases… Read More

REDISTRICTING NOT DOA? WE’LL SEE Just when we thought that redistricting reform was completely dead, yesterday Senate President Don Perata injected one last chance for an opportunity for voters to be able to shift the process away from a self-interested legislature to a non-elected panel. While I am not too hopeful that the Assembly will follow suit under the iron-hand of Fabian Nunez, we can certainly encourage him to do so. Today, State Senator Roy Ashburn, the Republican co-author (along with Democrat Alan Lowethal) of the bi-partisan redistricting reform bill has penned a great column for the FlashReport, and it leads the news on the main page. ANGELIDES ENTERS "DESPERATION MODE" In what is his latest attempt in an unsuccessful series of attempts to ‘reinvent’ himself, Democrat Gubernatorial nominee Phil Angelides released a ‘new plan’ yesterday that calls for billions of dollars in increases… Read More

SCA 3, the Senator AlanLowenthal bill to reform the way districts are drawn, passed off the Senate floor late yesterday, 27-11, with mostly Democrat no votes, and actually pretty strong Republican support. However, Assembly colleagues I talked to didn’t seem too excited about the quality of the package. We’ll find out more detailsabout it today….… Read More

From the AP wire, as reported in the San Jose Mercury News…

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he believes full immersion is the best approach to teaching English and will not support a Senate bill that would force the state Board of Education to approve bilingual textbooks in California classrooms.

"‘I learned English by immersion, and believe in my heart that full immersion is the best method of teaching language that exists,’ he wrote this week to Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland.

"The letter, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, is in response to a bill by Sen. Martha Escutia, D-Whittier, which would require the board to approve bilingual textbooks."

[…]

"Schwarzenegger said in his letter that he wants to see the board’s funding restored but won’t sign legislation segregating English learners. ‘I cannot … endorse any effort which may lead to the creation of separate… Read More