I guess the “Universal Preschool” initiative backed by Rob Reiner qualified for the ballot this past week. Besides being a breathtakingly stupid idea (our public schools are failing despite massive spending increases, so lets layer on ANOTHER grade level), the advertising being done by First Five advocating preschool all but guarantees that adding just one more year of education will result in the following for all children benefiting from this measure: 1) no child will ever go to jail again; 2) no child will ever have to go on welfare; 3) all the kids will be prepared for the workforce and go to college; 4) children attending preschool will do much better academically than those who do not. I mean really, its a MIRACLE!

If we take preschool proponents at their word, we need an immediate tax cut if the initiative passes. I mean, look at how little spending we are going to need on prisons, welfare, unemployment, health care, and remedial education. I can see the State Budget going from $125 billion down to NOTHING! Maybe we can even just dissolve state government because preschool cures everything!… Read More

Taking the wrong message from the November election results The top story of the day is not usually a column – it’s usually a hard news story. But I think that this column IS news because in reading it, it really hammers home a point. And that is that the Governor’s policy decisions this year have significant political ramifications. He is on a complete 180 degree course from last year, and instead of attacking spending as the problem, is now embracing spending as a solution. My colleague and fellow FlashReport contributor Dan Schnur says today in the San Diego Union Tribune, "Arnold is not moving substantively very far at all, but he is dramatically changing his emphasis. Almost every policy proposal that’s come out of the Governor’s Office over the last week or two is not significantly different from things he’s talked about in the past. But he’s making a much greater effort to emphasize a more moderate and conciliatory approach." It may be the case… Read More

When Ernie Dronenburg announced his resignation from the San Diego County Board of Education on December 14 during the regular board meeting, the resultingnews reports were nowhere to be found. Curious, considering that only a few years ago when Susen Fay and Jim Kelly served on the board, neither of them could breathe without a Union-Tribune headline or editorial.

Nowadays, without anyone serving on the board that the media would define as "right-wing," apparently the U-T doesn’t even cover the meetings, so the paper knew nothing about Dronenburg’s resignation. It should be noted that before serving on the County Board of Ed, Dronenburg served a mere 20 years as a Republican on the State Board of Equalization, among many other things authoring the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. See his bio here.

Yet, still no news reports or even announcements from the board’s County… Read More

Dan Weintraub of the Sacramento Bee has the makings of a great policy idea Here is his proposal, which I have reprinted below, and I have some brief comments at the end:

Some explanations for California’s ongoing budget problems

For the first time in four years, California does not expect a budget shortfall in the coming fiscal year, thanks to unexpected tax revenue pouring into the state this year.

But a $6 billion deficit is expected to return during the 2007-2008 fiscal year, with continued deficits anticipated for the next several years. Here are some of the central reasons why state government has so much trouble living within its means:

MANDATED SPENDING As much as 70 percent of spending in California’s budget is mandated through federal law, court order or voter initiatives. Even if lawmakers had the will to cut, most of the reductions would fall disproportionately on specific programs. Some of those smaller pieces of the budget pie are considered critical such as certain law enforcement, parks and recreation, and public health programs.… Read More

I hate to steal the thunder of my Co-BLOGer Jason Roe on the Leadership Race in DC but…….my boss [Darrell Issa] is on Team Blunt and I wanted to get this out there.

BLUNT CROSSES FINISH LINE –Majority Whip has 117+ supporters in bid for Leader–

… Read More

The FlashReport has a very narrow focus on California politics. So why this short column on the importance of an Arizona Congressman running to replace Tom DeLay as Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives? Well, an ancillary effect of his candidacy is significant California news, because Shadegg is stepping down as Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, one of the top leadership posts. None other than "our own" Darrell Issa is now campaigning for this seat (read more about it on the FR Weblog).

Arizona Congressman John Shadegg is a leader of the Republican Study Committee. Last week, we featured a column from Congressman Ed Royce, another strong conservative Congressman, on the importance of the efforts of the RSC. Frankly, the current leadership of the House of Representatives has failed in its primary mission. When Republicans… Read More

Walnut, Salifornia is one of those places that isreally hard for teachers to work in. The place has the highest test scores in the San Gabriel Valley. If you drive through Walnut you see plenty of businesses that offer tutoring. (Which makes you wonder if the teachers or the tutoring are responsible for the high test scores?)It is a Republican area to boot.

Now the union there really has it rough. Despite all the allegededucation budget cuts, the district is offering a 4 percent raise. The union bosses wants a 5 percent raise. See article here. What’s a union goon to do?

I knowthey should vandalizethe homes of board membersand threaten them andother districtemployees.See the article here.What the articles don’t tell you is thatthe head of union made the statement that they can’t be held responsible for what someone might do two nightsBEFORE the vandal(s) struck.

That makes the uniontotally responsible.… Read More