It seems to me that Californians are getting what they asked for in State Controller John Chiang. The contrast between selecting Chiang or his opponent, taxpayer advocate Tony Strickland, on the November 2006 ballot could not have been more stark. While Strickland was openly supported by a cadre of pro-taxpayer organizations and leaders, the bulk of Chiang’s support came from the left-wing of the Democrat Party, and most significantly, from public employee unions eager to have yet another “tool” in an important state constitutional office, ready to be put into play should the need arise. (Below, left, is a photo of Chiang standing with all of his union supporters after being elected Controller.)

While the nation’s economy is reeling, as the United States, and California, plow into a recession, public employee union bosses continue to be advocates for the notion that… Read More

SMC to SNA — otherwise known as Sacramento to Orange County. I'm about to go “wheels up” — today's celebrity co-passengers are GOP ca$hectomy machine Marty Wilson, and Villa Park Councilwoman Deb Pauly.… Read More

Today the Poizner for Governor campaign announced that he has been endorsed by State Senate Republican Leader.

While there will be a lively primary campaign between Poizner and Meg Whitman, it won't be much of a battle over GOP legislative endorsements, as Poizner has scooped up virtually all of those.… Read More

I wanted to share some brief thoughts following the inauguration:

Celebrity Treatment: The Washington Post noted in a gossip column that Samuel L. Jackson and Vanessa Williams were "rescued" after being stuck in (the wrong) etnry line and nearly missing access to the ceremony. That’s probably little solace for the folks I heard last night on NPR who watched from a neighborhood McDonalds after being sent away, despite holding access tickets, or the thousands of others turned away for security SNAFUs.

Where’s Iron Eyes Cody: Attendees of what many "hope" will be a "greener" administration left a veritable mountain of trash across the national mall and seeing the pictures was something of a disgrace. Leave no trace must only apply in road-less wilderness areas and not on the national mall. The other was noted by my Flash blog colleague, Rep. Campbell in his post this morning: the boos. President Bush, Sen. McCain and countless others demonstrated that core and… Read More

I’ve never attended a presidential inauguration before. And for my first one, I had a pretty darn good seat.

Members of the House and the Senate all sit up in an amphitheater-like setting behind the President. Also in that vicinity are a number of governors (Arnold was there), cabinet members, and other dignitaries from government such as Ben Bernanke and Colin Powell; both of whom were seated not too far in front of me. It was all government people up there. The celebrities; and there were dozens and dozens of them, were all sitting in seats in front of the stage.

It was really, really cold. I am a 4th generation Californian who doesn’t ski. Needless to say I don’t do cold well. It never got above 32 degrees Fahrenheit all day and there was quite a breeze on top of that. I’ve never worn so many clothes in my life, and it still wasn’t enough! There are many reasons I live in ‘The OC’ and don’t intend to leave, it’s days like today when I remember one of those reasons.

The crowd was amazing. From where I sat I could see all the way to the Lincoln Memorial and the… Read More

Hello, Mr. President, from the loyal opposition. While I expect that I will have many disagreements over important public policies advanced by the Obama administration, the Inauguration of Barack Obama is a day for history.

The sight of America’s first African American president taking the oath of office (clumsily administered by Chief Justice John Roberts) was rich with symbolism. President Obama took a long train route to the nation’s capitol, beginning in Springfield, Ill. where he served in the state legislature, retracing the route traveled by his political hero, Abraham Lincoln, when the nation’s 16th president (also once an Illinois state legislator) headed to Washington for his own Inaugural in 1861. Lincoln’s decision to abolish slavery in late 1862, wildly unpopular at the time, is perhaps history’s greatest act in the cause of freedom. Obama was sworn into office the day following the national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. whose “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered as the culmination of the civil rights movement’s March on Washington in August, 1963, roughly 100 years following Lincoln’s historic Emancipation Proclamation. .… Read More

That's right, FR readers — it's time for another installment of 'Who is on my plane?' — where we test my theory that you cannot fly between Orange County and Sacramento without running into familiar faces.

Today's “celebrity” co-passengers: Assemblyman Jose Solario, Assemblywoman Diane Harkey, and Fred Beteta, Jr., longtime GOP advance guy and strategic advisor and events manager.

Tonight the California Republican Party is holding it's annual “Back To Session Bash” — what's a small flight to attend a cool party?

Wheels up!… Read More

The Governor did not say much in his brief State of the State speech last Thursday. He focused solely on the state’s budget crisis and tried to blame the legislature for the lack of resolution to curb our freefall into bankruptcy. One of the very few actual proposals he made was that when a budget is not approved by the constitutional deadline, regular pay and per diem for legislators and the governor would cease. The Governor blames partisanship for these problems and suggests withholding pay as the solution.

The real failure of this idea is that the Governor is proposing to bribe legislators with pay in return for a… Read More