Some of the books I’m reading or have read (or re-read) over the summer.

Plunder by Steven Greenhut. If you haven’t read it, buy it today and read it. In short the book is about how public employee union members have become the new elite, and how the situation is unsustainable.

The Same of the Cities by Lincoln Steffens. After you read the Greenhut book read this series of articles in book form. They run over the corruption of 19th Century political machines that led to civil service reform that lead to civil service machines.

All of the original James Bond novels by Ian Flemming. A guilty pleasure I revisit most summers. Read them slowly and enjoy.

Red State Blue State Rich State Poor State by Andrew Gelman. We live in a news world that divides states red and blue. Why? Are they? If so, why? Is it income? Yes and no.

The Stalinist Penal System by Otto Pohl. This is an original source… Read More

I know this isn’t California politics (as the Flashreport is geared towards) but John Fund’s blog todayon the Miller-Murkowski race in Alaska (I can no longer write Alaska without hearing Sandra Bollock’s voice in my head: A-las-ka. Go rent The Proposal if you don’t get it.) is worth reading.Looks like they don’t think Murkowski can win, even with the absentee votes that still need to be counted. Here’s a snippet: “Ms. Murkowski could also run a write-in campaign and has until Oct. 28 to choose that course. But such campaigns rarely work, are incredibly complicated and run the risk of being seen as a desperate sour grapes move by an incumbent not willing to bow to the will of the voters. In the end, Ms. Murkowski would do … Read More

It is downright embarrassing that we are nearly 60 days past the state’s Constitutional deadline for the passage of a state budget. Yet there is no state spending plan in place. The Democrats who control the State Senate and State Assembly remain committed to a course of trying to exact extreme financial pain on state taxpayers, looking to increase taxes to close the budget “gap” – while Republican legislators remain firm in their resolve to reject any budget plan that includes new taxes.

As a reminder of exactly how dysfunctional the budget process has become, the legislature continues to pass hundreds if not thousands of pieces of legislation that at best have nothing to do with the budget, or at worst, come with financial costs that will only worsen the budget crisis. All of the state’s legislators seem comfortable delegating the whole process over to the four legislative leaders, and we get to read tweets from the Capitol Press Corps, notifying us of occasional sightings – yesterday letting us know that the Governor is now meeting with Democrat and Republican leaders separately, conducing “shuttle… Read More

California is known for the glamorous lifestyles of its famous residents. Open up any gossip magazine and you’ll see pages of images of celebrities frolicking on the beautiful beaches of Malibu, dining at exclusive restaurants in Pacific Palisades, or partying in Hollywood nightclubs. It’s a lifestyle that very few Americans can relate to, but many envy. Conversely, celebrities, like California politicians, can lose touch with the very people they entertain. The perception of liberal bias in Hollywood isn’t inaccurate.

Some celebrities use their fame and influence to lend power to political causes. Such is the case with the California legislature’s attempt to ban plastic bags. Only in a state as celebrity-centric as California could an environmentalist protest in Malibu, featuring actors Julia Louise Dreyfus and Jeremy Irons, lead to a full-scale, statewide ban on plastic grocery bags. While Ms. Dreyfus and Mr. Irons may be accomplished actors, should their latest cause de… Read More

In terms of business being handled by the Convention, this typically comes from the work of three key committees – Rules, Resolutions and Initiatives. Below is a report on how Rules issues were handled (or not) at the convention…

Delegates took key action at this convention concerning how to deal with the passage of Proposition 14, the terrible ballot measure designed by its proponents to reduce the number of anti-tax, pro-liberty Republicans in Sacramento, and allow more terrible budget deals like last year, which included the single largest tax increase in the history of any state.

Delegates approved key bylaw provisions that were ultimately authored by Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth and Assembly Republican Leader Martin Garrick that are designed to strengthen the party’s position in pending litigation against Proposition 14 (there is unanimous resolve amongst the leaders of the party to try and overturn 14 in the courts, though the best timing to maximize potential for success is still a subject of discussions).

Also important is that a proposal by CRP delegate Luis Buhler to repeal the statewide/district convention… Read More

Who is Sterling Clifford and why is he lying to you????

Sterling Clifford is Jerry Brown’s campaign spokesman in the race for Governor of California. He is a liberal political hack that used to be a chief spokesperson for Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, who was indicted on 12 counts of perjury, theft and misconduct in office last year. After being convicted, she resigned as Baltimore’s first African-American female Mayor in January of 2010, and Sterling headed west and took his job with Jerry Brown’s campaign in April, 2010.

Sterling Clifford has "done me wrong." I am currently working on the legal team reviewing and approving, for legal, a series of issue advocacy television advertisements which are critical of Jerry Brown’s performance in office. These ads are being produced by the "Small Business Action Committee," a nonprofit organization I incorporated and serve as General Counsel of, that is managed and directed by Joel Fox.

Well, the Brown campaign does not like the ads, which point out the army of lawyers… Read More

Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with far flung friends, but who knew it was a great way to spot potential campaign finance violations in real time?

The very talented Sacramento-based Democrat consultant Robin Swanson wrote on her Facebook page yesterday: “Random visitor of the day – Jerry Brown strolling into the office to meet with my office-mate, George Landers. With no entourage. And since he asked me to "like" him on Facebook, I figured I’d pass it on: http://www.facebook.com/jerrybrown”

George Landers, according to his LinkedIn, is the executive director for the UFCW western states council and their former political director. That organization has joined with and contributed nearly $300,000 to California Working Families, one of the union groups who have spent $15 million propping up Jerry Brown’s campaign. The law requires these expenditures to be done independent of a campaign,… Read More

Good news today from Pacific Legal Foundation & Ward Connerly: “In a legal settlement responding to a Proposition 209 lawsuit by Pacific Legal Foundation attorneys, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has rescinded its policy of race-based discrimination in teacher assignment.” You can read the whole PLF release here. Fourteen years after voter approval, Prop. 209 continues to win fight after fight.It is because the initiative was well written and clearly thought out, from a legal perspective.And then it was vetted by some of the sharpest legal minds in the nation (Eugune Volokh, Gail Heriot, Clint Bolick, Manny Klausner and more).Throughout … Read More