Here is a ‘must read’ initial analysis by Dan Weintraub of the Sacramento Bee, from his blog (he is NOT a big fan of this budget):

The other day the governor fell off his motorcycle. Today he fell off the wagon. The budget-balancing wagon, that is.

Schwarzenegger had been making slow if not spectacular progress in balancing the state budget since he took office in the fall of 2003. The structural gap between spending and revenues estimated for the coming year shrank from about $16 billion when he took office to less than $4 billion, and a balanced budget was actually in sight. But his proposal today would spend $7 billion more next year, while the state’s revenues are expected to increase by just $4 billion. He has stopped making progress. Now he is going backwards.

The governor is… Read More

The ranks of Inland Empirerepresentation in the Assembly’s Republican leadership grew considerably today. Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy announced the appointment of three new Republican Whips, including Inland Empire legislators Bill Emmersonof Redlands (pictured right) and Bob Huff of Diamond Bar (who represents the City of Chino Hills in San Bernardino County). They join Roger Niello of Fair Oaks as the newest members of McCarthy’s leadership team.

Emmersonand Huff (picturedright) have quickly risen through the ranks of their freshman class, which is important in the era of term limits. They have both proven to be team players who have the ability… Read More

I won’t shoot the messenger because John Fund is a great conservative journalist, and a friend. But talk being the bearer of ill tidings, the United States of America needs this news like it needs and outbreak of the measles.

In an entry by Fund today in the Wall Street Journal’s Political Diary, he reports that Congress Bill Thomas ("R" – Bakersfield) is looking at entering the competition to replace Tom DeLay as House Majority Leader.

You have heard me talk a lot about the challenge of the Republican Party – that there are GOP majorities in both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and there is a Republican in the White House. And still we continue to preside over the largest expansion of the federal government in the history of America.

Well, let me tell you, Bill Thomas is a BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM. I know that he tries to maintain some sort of ‘policy-wonkish’ center-right image inside of the Beltway. Don’t believe it — actions speak louder than words. Thomas has a decades long track record of supporting for office the kind of politicians… Read More

We are only ten days into the New Year and I think the most honest and noble act by a politician that will be done in 2006 has already happened.

Congressman Rohrabacher has stood by his long-time friend Jack Abramoff through the high flying days and now at Mr. Abramoff’s lowest point. This is a quality we should all emulate. Without regard for political fallout, Congressman Rohrabacher says what he believes–does what is right.

Congressman Rohrabacher, is the best of the best we have in Congress (except for some of his Middle East policies, but at least with Dana and I that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends)..

The bottom line: Good people at heart do not dispense with friends as they do with old appliances that break down.… Read More

Diamond Bar Congressman Gary Miller has had an impressive track since his election to Congress. He has ranked as the most conservative member of California’s delegation. In fact, CRA gave him an award recognizing that fact at last year’s state convention.

Before becoming a Congressman Gary wastheRepublican elected in the 1994 recall of party switching Paul Horcher. That turned out to be the first step in electing Curt Pringle as Speaker of the Assembly. There is a blog set up toremember those years. See it here.

At that time I actually considered running for that seat. I even took out papers. I was on the State Board of the CRP at the time and a local officeholder etc.. I met with Gary Miller. He was right on about issues that mattered and it was clear he was an honorable guy. I didn’t run and I endorsed Gary. I never regretted that decision. I should also say thatI serve on a Meals on Wheels Board with Gary’s wife Cathy as well.

With all the scandals and said to be scandals happening with GOP Congressman, every act is under a microscope. The… Read More

Let’s begin with the premise that being called too conservative by Phil Angelides is like Paris Hilton telling you that you’re spending way too much time studying quantum physics. It’s not a particularly high threshold, coming from such a far end of the other side of the spectrum.

But Angelides may have inadvertently helped Arnold Schwarzenegger make the case for the fiscal responsibility of his bond proposal. After a long weekend of trying to figure out a way to criticize Schwarzenegger’s building plan without offending commuters, parents, residents of flood plains, and other desirable constituencies, the likely Democratic nominee for governor took a break from calling for tax increases on rich people to criticize Arnold for not spending enough on the bond package.

The key point that Angelides made is this: Schwarzenegger’s proposal actually decreases the average annual expenditure on bonds from the rate that has existed for the past five years. Since 2000, California voters have been passing $7.1 billion in new bonds per year. The governor’s bond package calls for an average of $6.8 billion in bonds. What… Read More

CONSERVATIVES UNITED ON THE HILL The Republican Study Committee is made up of the most committed, conservative Members of Congress. Today, the FlashReport features an exclusive column from one of the leading conservatives in Washington, D.C – Congressman Ed Royce. From 1992-1993, I had the privilege of working for Congressman Royce when he first was elected to Congress. He is exactly the kind of person we need in Washington. This is someone who, at his core, has a firm grasp of economic principles, and just as importantly, he understands the principles of federalism, and the importance of a restrained federal government. Congressman Royce not only ‘gets it’ – but he espouses it, and he networks it. The Congressman is one of the leaders on the Hill in terms of really … Read More

CONSERVATIVES UNITED ON THE HILL The Republican Study Committee is made up of the most committed, conservative Members of Congress. Today, the FlashReport features an exclusive column from one of the leading conservatives in Washington, D.C – Congressman Ed Royce. From 1992-1993, I had the privilege of working for Congressman Royce when he first was elected to Congress. He is exactly the kind of person we need in Washington. This is someone who, at his core, has a firm grasp of economic principles, and just as importantly, he understands the principles of federalism, and the importance of a restrained federal government. Congressman Royce not only ‘gets it’ – but he espouses it, and he networks it. The Congressman is one of the … Read More