Cars and health care today. Interesting news all around.

Sen. Harry Reid tells the Hill newspaper health care "reform" will occur by Fall with our without bipartisan support and perhaps with just a bare majority vote, rather than the traditional near "super majority" seen in the Senate.

Hispanic Caucus members are miffed about imagery included in a GOP web video, also noted in the Hill.

Politico reports on GOP branding efforts, on the Chairman Steele ongoing kerfuffle and on what former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich thinks about it all.

Finally, the Wall Street Journal has two column items of great interest. First, Kimberley Strassel… Read More

Earlier this week, the Flash Report alerted our readers to Assembly Bill 612, a bipartisan bill to close a loophole in evidence rules for family court. The bill, which is co-authored by Asm. Cameron Smyth, is a top-priority for child abuse prevention groups. Under current law, non-scientific theories and junk science can be used to influence child custody and abuse cases. Child advocates across the country are especially concerned about a debunked theory known as parental alienation syndrome (PAS). Over the past two decades, there have been countless cases where PAS has led to children being returned to abusive environments.

We are happy to report that the Assembly Judiciary Committee approved AB 612 on a 9-0 vote. Proving that, occasionally, even Sacramento gets it right. We’ll see how the bill progresses as it moves forward…… Read More

California voters (at least some of them) are poised to go to the polls in a special election in just under three weeks to decide the fate of five propositions put on the ballot by Governor Schwarzenegger and the Legislature. The key props – 1A through 1E – are said to be essential to resolving California’s critical budget shortfall.

According to a new survey by the Field Institute, voters aren’t buying it.

First, let me say that I have not changed my opinion of the Field Poll as a historically unreliable source of information on how voters view pending ballot measures. They have been so far off on so many issues I have been involved in that I always take their data with a slab – not a grain – of salt. That said, the trend that Field is reporting (all of the above measures are trailing badly) is almost certainly correct and reflects the results of other recent polling.

That 1A thru 1E appear headed for the trashcan is not the most interesting finding of the Field Poll. The most interesting finding is that 72 percent of voters agree that voting down the measures “will send a message to the governor and state Legislature that voters are tired of… Read More

Breaking up is hard to do. That’s why singer-songwriter Paul Simon offers an alternative “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” At the caucus meeting, following the May 19th anti tax revolt elections, Assembly Republicans should fire up the 8 track and give Simon’s hit a new twist: “50 Ways to Leave Your Leader”

Assembly Republicans need to suggest an alternative career path to Mike Villines.

For his entire political life Mike Villines was an articulate and faithful leader against ghastly government growth and any new taxes. Last fall, Mike Villines repeatedly promised to oppose tax increases. He signed the famous anti-tax pledge. Then, Mike Villines began to negotiate his core beliefs out the window, to engineer and vote for the largest tax increase by any state in American history.

**There is more – click the… Read More

Breaking up is hard to do. That’s why singer-songwriter Paul Simon offers an alternative “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” At the caucus meeting, following the May 19th anti tax revolt elections, Assembly Republicans should fire up the 8 track and give Simon’s hit a new twist: “50 Ways to Leave Your Leader”

Assembly Republicans need to suggest an alternative career path to Mike Villines.

For his entire political life Mike Villines was an articulate and faithful leader against ghastly government growth and any new taxes. Last fall, Mike Villines repeatedly promised to oppose tax increases. He signed the famous anti-tax pledge. Then, Mike Villines began to negotiate his core beliefs out the window, to engineer and vote for the largest tax increase by any state in American history.

… Read More

I just received a release from the Steve Poizner campaign, calling for two debates between himself, Tom Campbell and Meg Whitman — the leading candidates for the GOP nomination for Governor next year. The proposed topic? The ballot Propositions.

While the idea is a good one, given that Propisition 1A is the most controversial item on the ballot (with its trigger of $16 billion in new taxes), and that Poizner and Whitman both oppose 1A, and Campbell supports it, that debate doesn't sound that exciting to me (no offense intended).

So, I have a better idea. Let's invite Arnold Schwarzegger into the fray. A Schwarzenegger/Campbell vs. Poizner/Whitman debate would be very interesting, indeed…

I would be happy to jointly moderate the event with my friend Abel Maldonado!… Read More

Critical Swine Flu prevention tip:

Don’t do this!!!!….

Just a little Thursday humor for you.… Read More

The National Federation of Independent Business – California, a major player in California politics, and the hands-down grassroots representative in Sacramento for small business owners, has come out strongly against Proposition 1A.

According to the NFIB-CA, In order to determine support or opposition to Proposition 1A, they balloted more than 21,000 members during the month of April. Of those who responded, the majority were in opposition to Proposition 1A. The content of the ballot was developed based on information provided by both the support and opposition committees.

They have issued this statement: