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

It’s mid-January of what is supposed to be the “off year” for campaigns, but let me assure you that everything is “on” when we talk about the volume of activity taking place in what are the first few lengths of a very long horse race for the GOP nomination for Governor in 2010.

With our focus on the overspending crisis in the Capitol, there have been a number of items building up, so we’ll try to give you one comprehensive “cleaning out” of the GOP Governor 2010 inbox:

MEG WHITMAN BRINGS ON SOME NEW “TALENT” Officially Rob Stutzman is now part of a group of people helping Meg Whitman assess whether she will seek the Gubernatorial bid. But you can be sure that as soon as Whitman makes her big announcement (sources say that may be as early as next week), she’ll be formally rolling out the leadership team… Read More

It’s mid-January of what is supposed to be the “off year” for campaigns, but let me assure you that everything is “on” when we talk about the volume of activity taking place in what are the first few lengths of a very long horse race for the GOP nomination for Governor in 2010.

With our focus on the overspending crisis in the Capitol, there have been a number of items building up, so we’ll try to give you one comprehensive “cleaning out” of the GOP Governor 2010 inbox:

MEG WHITMAN BRINGS ON SOME NEW “TALENT”

Officially Rob Stutzman is now part of a group of people helping Meg Whitman assess whether she will seek the Gubernatorial bid. But you can be sure that as soon as Whitman makes her big announcement (sources say that may be as early as next week), she’ll be formally… Read More

The Republican Party of Orange County reorganization meeting is going on now.

Former Assembly Republican Leader Scott Baugh was just re-elected as chairman.… Read More

Politico puts the odds at President Bush giving a last-minute pardon to ex-Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham at 50-1.… Read More

With the desire to find compromise inwhat is now a year-roundbudget standoff, some of the same old ideas come back to the forefront after all the ‘creative’ ones are shot down.

The creative approach to go around Republican legislators, Prop 13, [placed into the Constitution in1978 by voters]and even Prop 218 [voter approved just 12 years ago in 1996] by voting in new taxes [known as new revenue] without a 2/3 vote via some creative [there’s that word again] legal wordsmithing has, thankfully for our economy and the rule of law, been stopped onceagain.

Soanother new old compromise idea takes center stage. "We can’t get the Republicans and the courts to let us trample the law on taxes…lets get the People to decide!" What the proponents of this approach forget is that the public thinks Sacramento and DC waste too much now and have spoken repeatedly on taxes.The brothers in the old cereal ads would be right this time as "Mikey hates everything." Just like term limit extensions…you keep asking, they keep telling you… Read More