I had a most interesting conversation yesterday.

I was in Sacramento, and I was asked whether I thought a tax increase was in the cards for Republicans to get a budget deal. I said no. The key problem, I said, was that the Governor and the Democrats were asking Republicans to betray a key principle of a key constituency and get nothing in return. The result to any Republican who voted for that tax increase would be the end of their political career. I know, because, I said, I would do everything in my power to make sure of it for anyone who voted for that tax increase, and I know there are a lot of Republicans who think like me.

The fellow who asked me this, a key lobbyist for the education interests in Sacramento got it. He said it would be like asking a Democrat to vote to eliminate collective bargaining. What do you think the unions would do to a Democrat who did that?

He also told me the story about a conversation with a union leader. When asked about eliminating the rule against contracting out enacted when Gray Davis was Governor, the union thug said No Way!!!! In my entire career, this union leader said, I have only had one Democrat… Read More

The race for Republican National Committee Chairman is an important one. Like all of us who care deeply about the future of the Grand Old Party, I have been intently following the intricacies of this competition. I was humbled when Grover Norquist asked my question first at last week’s debate hosted by Americans for Tax Reform — which asked what the RNC Chairman could and would do given that this decade we held the White House, and the Senate and the House simultaneously, yet presided over massive growth in federal spending?

I am still scratching my head at why the Chairman of the Republican National Committee has been, in his role, remarkably silent during his tenure about so many key issues, including the Wall Street bail out, the Automaker bail out, and I haven’t heard one critical word from him about the GOP rejections of earmark moratoriums.

I have always assumed that RNC Chairman… Read More

The race for Republican National Committee Chairman is an important one. Like all of us who care deeply about the future of the Grand Old Party, I have been intently following the intricacies of this competition. I was humbled when Grover Norquist asked my question first at last week’s debate hosted by Americans for Tax Reform — which asked what the RNC Chairman could and would do given that this decade we held the White House, and the Senate and the House simultaneously, yet presided over massive growth in federal spending?

I am still scratching my head at why the Chairman of the Republican National Committee has been, in his role, remarkably silent during his tenure about so many key issues, including the Wall Street bail out, the Automaker bail out, and I haven’t heard one critical word from him about the GOP rejections of earmark moratoriums.

I have always assumed that RNC Chairman… Read More

I thought FlashReport readers would get a kick out of my friend Grover Norquist’s (Americans for Tax Reform) letter to President Bush late last month about all the bailouts, auto, bank, and otherwise. Grover’s letter is extremely short, encapsulates the "true conservative" view, and is attached!!!… Read More

I’m cross-posting this from RedCounty. Today, House Republicans released the 11th Congress roster for GOP members. Here is the full link over at RedCounty.… Read More

As I mentioned yesterday, I had the opportunity to be a fly on the wall during Governor Schwarzenegger’s press conference on the state’s budget problems. To be both biased and balanced, I wanted to point out that despite continuing to talk about raising taxes, the Governor was right on target when he talked about the need to cut spending and make government more efficient – harkening back to his campaign slogan of “blowing up boxes” in Sacramento. When he was asked about what ideological lines the Democrats needed to cross to satisfy him, this was his answer:

No room to cut budgets?

Here is a notice in today’s Fresno Bee, page B2:

Stonewall Democrats talk over farmworker legal helpFresno Stonewall Democrats will hold a meeting at 6:00 pm Wednesday at Carrow’s Restaurant, 4280 N. Blackstone Avenue. Diana Oliva of California Rural Legal Assitance will speak about legal services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender farmworkers. Details: (559) 266-92**, ckrugman@********.met.

Wow. I never knew there was a need for such essential services. I was left asking myself this morning – who would actually go to a meeting like this? And why would any government agency fund this nonsense?

The existance of these programs is why we do not compromise this year on the budget. As long as idiotic programs like this exist, we should hold out.… Read More

Why give building permits for free?

The Los Angeles D.A. seized tapes illegally made by a developer. The tapes which can be admitted as evidence may show thatthe Mayor Cathe Wilson and council members Judy Wong and David Capra of demanded a condo and thousandsof dollars in cash paymentsfrom a developer. Otherwise no project.

Now that is an economic stimulus package.… Read More