A "water deal" that results in a massive bond package of nearly $10 billion would not go before voters until at the earliest June of next year. Which means that the drive to achieve a two-thirds majority vote for a water package NOW is on an "artificial" deadline. Given that there are so many open issues out there, it is pretty clear that we need to put on the political brakes, step back, and decide if the way that this particular water deal is coming together represents good public policy for California.

As a conservative, I have grave concerns on the bond part of this deal. The package, as described to me, contains literally BILLIONS in spending that is not in there due to "need" (to solve the water crisis) but is in their either to appease special interests or to try and broaden coalition of votes necessary on the Democrat side of the aisle.

Never mind that the Democrats are taking advantage of the water crisis by pushing for all kinds of regulations on conservation issues that have no bearing on the storage and movement of water.

Look, I don’t expect that I will be pleased with the ultimate water package —… Read More

Attorney General Jerry Brown has done it again: He has misused and abused the authority of his office as California’s top cop.

Is anyone surprised?

It’s clear since day one that Brown views the AG office as a bully pulpit for promoting his political views, not serving the people.

His misdeeds aren’t limited to clandestinely taping phone calls with reporters; Brown has also abused his powers by issuing inaccurate and misleading Title and Summaries for statewide ballot measures, including one that I authored for the 2010 election cycle.

And as most people know, Brown has raised the ire of Harvey Rosenfield, founder of Consumer Watchdog.org and author of Proposition 103, the landmark measure protecting insurance consumers that voters approved in 1988.

Rosenfield says Brown caved to pressure from a powerful insurance company – and campaign donor – when he reworked the summary of a ballot measure to omit mention that it could boost premiums for thousands of drivers.

Brown… Read More

I am on a Teletown Hall for Gov. candidate Meg Whitman right now.

Got the call at about 7:20pm and it seems like people from all over the state are on the call, althoughI can’t be sure of that.

Meg seems very atease talking about water policy, jobs, technology.

They did an online pollabout top issues which is usefulfor the call itself to guidewhatquestionsto ask, but they actually tag households with top issue for targeting.

Cool products theseTeletown Halls.

… Read More

And why wouldn’t they? They must assume that 30 million Californians are walking around stoned or else they would notice how the state has been completely hijacked by labor bosses more interested in political power than the fiscal health of our state or the future of our children.

And how about the MSM? Completely checked out. Otherwise, how could they have missed this? Now I spent the last 8 years in Washington and have seen some pretty extraordinary abuses of power, but c’mon, the MSM completely ignores such an outrageous threat to elected officials? In the State Capitol! Can you imagine if the president of the Chamber of Commerce did this? The MSM would have been high alert (no pun intended).

The State of California is facing crippling budget challenges. We barely escaped the last budget process and the next one only promises to be worse. Yet, everyone seems to be oblivious to the necessary changes to rescue the next generations of Californians. The list starts with pension reform.

The idea that government employees are guaranteed 100% of their pension benefits, some of… Read More

You can’t "see" this message online, but here is a graphic of today’s San Francisco Chronicle editorial on the whole flap of the Governor spelling out "f*** you* on the left margin of a veto message to Assemblyman Tom Ammiano.

The headline of the editorial, Message On The Margin should be taken literally…

For those who need help, the letters are… G R O W U P G I R… Read More

How often do you get to get pitched by an elected officer of the Republican Party to help elect the nominee of another political party to Congress?

Well, that’s what you are getting right here.

All eyes in the country are looking at a special election that will take place this Tuesday in upstate New York in the sprawling 23rd Congressional District. The incumbent Republican Member of Congress there resigned his seat mid-term to take an appointment from President Obama (!), and this set the stage for a special election.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

How often do you get to get pitched by an elected officer of the Republican Party to help elect the nominee of another political party to Congress?

Well, that’s what you are getting right here.

All eyes in the country are looking at a special election that will take place this Tuesday in upstate New York in the sprawling 23rd Congressional District. The incumbent Republican Member of Congress there resigned his seat mid-term to take an appointment from President Obama (!), and this set the stage for a special election.

Unlike in California, where we would have a special primary election where the party nominees would be determined, in New York this decision is made, literally, by local county political bosses. In this case about a dozen Republican County Party Chairmen gathered and anointed a candidate to be the Republican nominee.

The only problem is that the candidate they tapped, Didi Scozzafava, who is a registered Republican, happens to side with the Democrats on… Read More

Republicans should be winning and in fact in a week, Republican candidates will most likely become Governor of Virginia and possibly even New Jersey. Obviously that is a great sign. Both candidates are generally conservative and are running as such.

A recent Gallup poll showed that 40% of Americans say their political views are conservative. Only 20% said their views are liberal and 36% said their views are moderate.

But things really aren’t that good. A recent Washington Post Poll showed only 19% of the people identified themselves as Republican.

Why is the Republican Party doing so poorly when people say they are conservative?

The answer is leadership. In particular Republican Leadership. In the late 1970’s through the early 1990’s the Republican party was perceived as the party for conservatives. Thanks to Ronald Reagan and others we saw areas realign and that culminated in the 1994 take over of Congress.

After that the Republican Party Leadership decided big government…good. Corruption. Sure. Why not? There are many other failings of our leadership. Basically, they de-linked the Republican Party from conservatism.

And… Read More