I strongly encourage FR readers to listen to this week’s California Republican Party podcast.

The first half of the podcast is devoted to discussing last weekend’s State GOP Convention. But the most important segment to discuss would be the second half of the show, where we talk about why Proposition 14, the "so called" Open Primary measure is very, very bad for all Californians.

CRP Chairman Ron Nehring hosts the program, and appearing with me as the other guest is Jennifer Jacobs.

You can listen to the podcast here. You can subscribe to the CRP’s weekly podcast on iTunes.… Read More

At a campaign stop in Orange County on Wednesday, Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman unveiled a new policy document… Longtime FR friend Richard Costigan, who heads up the policy team for Whitman, fills in FR readers… Meg Whitman’s "Policy Agenda For Building A New California" By Richard Costigan Meg Whitman 2010 Deputy Campaign Manager, Director of Policy … Read More

While House Democrats are plotting political gimmicks and backroom deals while vying for ‘yes’ votes on their health care bill, most Americans would be shocked and confused to learn that Democrats have included a plan – tied to the health care bill – to eliminate private-sector options for a government-managed direct student loan program.

In 1993, President Clinton expanded the government-operated direct loan program. While I didn’t support the move then, Republicans and Democrats aimed to strike a balance between government-controlled student loans and private loans. With this new super-Democrat majority, the days of negotiation have passed, and Democrats have made leaps towards a full government takeover of the student loan industry.

Not only are these two bills now being tied together in reconciliation, they also have eerily similar historic paths. Just as the Majority said they wanted to create a ‘government option’ for student loans, to only fully takeover the program years later; they are making the same claims about health care today. For Democrats, it starts with a call for a ‘government option,’ but make no mistake; the intent… Read More

Here’s an unbelievable story in the Sacramento Bee that looks at the various aspects of how government is trying to shake down Californians – even for 4 cents! And after they had already received a letter saying they were all good!

No wonder taxpayers are saying "enough is enough."… Read More

Today conservative leader and attorney John Eastman formally filed his candidacy for State Attorney General. This is not unexpected as Eastman has been running hard for the office since jumping into the primary earlier this year.

But we have learned that Eastman’s candidacy will be getting a significant boost from his ballot designation. Up until recently, Eastman has been the Dean of Chapman University’s School of Law (ironically, in that role he was the "boss" of U.S. Senate candidate Tom Campbell, who is teaching there right now). But with Eastman having stepped down from that role, what IS he doing for an income?

Eastman is an ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL (and has filed his ballot designation as such).

But wait, before you ask whether Eastman has been appointed by California Attorney General Jerry Brown, let me assure you that he most definitely has not. It turns out that Eastman’s primary source of income is now a legal case in South Dakota, where he is representing the State in a case before the United States Supreme Court. In this capacity, Eastman was appointed as an… Read More

Courtesy of an FR friend, Furlough Friday’s are providing an opportunity for some creative, talented state university employees to get it on…

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Over the past year our country has become fully engaged in the health care reform debate. This is a debate America needed to have. But instead of a bipartisan approach that involves American public input, Democrats are trying to finagle a highly partisan bill through Congress. Twelve months on and the American people crying "foul" has fallen on deaf ears. It is trickery of the worst kind.

Let’s take a snapshot of the chaotic health care mess we have at the current time. Speaker Pelosi, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, and Presidential Senior Advisor David Axelrod attest that they have the votes to pass the widely despised government takeover of health care. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip James Clyburn both sound less confident. In truth, if Democrats had the votes to pass a bill, they would have already done so, and they would allow the bill to be voted on with a straight up or down vote. Instead, they have resorted to dangerously bending the legislative rules, to "deem" the Senate health care bill as passed by the House – without an actual vote – and move a fast-tracked reconciliation… Read More

First the good news: J. Clark Kelso wants to reduce prison health care costs.

And now the bad news: He wants to release upwards of 1,000 supposed invalid prisoners – many of whom might have committed such acts as rape, 2nd degree murder and other dangerous felonies. But does California really have a high level of invalid prisoners to warrant this legislation?

Probably not.

But painting the picture of a few comatose inmates makes for good political theatre. Though it does not tell the real story, which is: We have some incapacitated inmates AND California already has a law that deals with this issue – on a case-by-case basis.

Therefore, the Kelso-sponsored legislation (including Sen. Mark Leno’s Senate Bill 1399) does nothing to address the problem of sky-high health care costs for California prisoners, which is currently $17,000 per prisoner per year!

(Other large states spend a fraction of that: New York spends $5,800. Florida spends $4,300. The federal government spends only $4,400. It may be the opinion of a liberal federal judge that California’s prison… Read More