As an elected officer of the California Republican Party, I stayed officially neutral in last year’s GOP Presidential Primary. That was not easy to do. As a matter of fact, hands down the biggest negative about being in party office has been the requirement to stay out of primaries at the risk of losing my party office.

That said, despite the chains on me, we did have a vibrant debate on this website about all of the candidates. We featured columns from the most viable contenders, we had advocacy pieces from their prominent supporters, and various bloggers on the site weighed in on behalf of their favorite picks. We had video, podcast, or regular interviews, exclusive to this site with Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Duncan Hunter.

The reason I am throwing all of this out there is to make it very clear that while I kept required commitment to stay neutral, that did not keep me from fostering a discussion, and weighing in a lot about the campaign and our Republican… Read More

With the main page of the site on hiatus until Monday, I thought I would continue to provide links to some of the top stories of the day here on the blog… Enjoy your weekend!

Featured article of the day: OCReg: GOP struggles over social divide Brief commentary on the featured article: I have a couple of comments towards those who continue to beat the mantra that the GOP cannot win in California unless it retreats from conservative positions on so-called "social issues" (abortion, homosexual marriage, etc.)

First – we have the very important "rule of politics" which we have put together based on an inability of an FR readers to disprove it — which is that there is NO SUCH THING as an economic conservative with is liberal on social issues. Whenever there is a debate on fiscal policy in Sacramento, if you look to those who are viewed as… Read More

Ken Blackwell, the former Secretary of State of Ohio, is running for Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Reading this column he had published in Townhall today sure makes me bullish on him. In order for the GOP to regain its branding as a party of fiscal conservatism, we need a healthy dose of reality — which is that the GOP, under this President, has strayed far towards the left on fiscal issues…

BUSH’S BIG GOVERNMENT GAMBIT By Ken Blackwell (link to column on Townhall.com)

Although President George W. Bush succeeded with some of his policies, the bailout of the Detroit Three is possibly his most significant mistake. The recent damage… Read More

We are pleased to present this guest commentary from Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association… PENSION TSUNAMI When the city of Vallejo filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, it made national news. Among the alleged reasons for this financial debacle was, as usual, Proposition 13. Same urban myth, different city. Recall that Prop 13 was also blamed when Orange County went bankrupt. In spite of the clearly documented evidence of the Orange County Treasurer’s criminal wrongdoing and the fact that he used an astrologer to assist him in making investments of public dollars, in some quarters, it is always Proposition 13’s fault when any government entity runs short of… Read More

We are pleased to present this guest commentary from Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association… PENSION TSUNAMI

When the city of Vallejo filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, it made national news. Among the alleged reasons for this financial debacle was, as usual, Proposition 13. Same urban myth, different city. Recall that Prop 13 was also blamed when Orange County went bankrupt. In spite of the clearly documented evidence of the Orange County Treasurer’s criminal wrongdoing and the fact that he used an astrologer to assist him in making investments of public dollars, in some quarters, it is always Proposition 13’s fault when any government entity runs short of money.

Nor is… Read More

HAPPY 2009 TO OUR READERS!

Apparently FR’s main page will continue to be dormant until this coming Monday, January 5th.

The FR main page elves were up quite early this morning, scouring over 100 websites for California political news, which is the normal course of business when we’re up and running.

They have reported back that they found only a handful of links that they would put up on the site, so few as to make it not worth the effort.

I think this is like Punxsutawney Phil coming out and, seeing his shadow, going back into his burrow for six more weeks. Except our elves are just going back into their hiding place for three more days.

So look for the FR Main Page to be back, in force, this Monday, with great original content and links to what will presumably be a healthy badge… Read More

In my county office I often get mailed reports and studies. Most of them are of no value at all and quickly go in the recycle bin.

In November I got a report sent to me from Eli Lilly titled Navigating the Currents: A Guide to California’s Public Mental Health System. I read it a few weeks later. It is easily the best report that has come across my desk this year. Eli Lilly worked with the California Association of Local Mental Health Boards and Commissions to produce the report.

In 106 easy to read pages it covers the historical background of the issue in our state, describes the California system, the local/county system, and takes a look at some of the issues that must be addressed in the coming years.

If you are interested in county government or state government and want to know more about the mental health system this is the document you want to get. Andrew Bradley and Perry Communications Group at andrew@perrycom.com or Kit Wall at wall_kit@lilly.com are the contacts to get your copy.

Many of us want a smaller more economical government. I certainly do. That involves drawing a line… Read More

[Cross-posted from OC Blog]

There have been some close elections in Orange County recently — Janet Nguyen’s three-vote margin in her 2007 supervisor win comes to mind — but victories don’t get any closer than Yorba Linda Councilman Jim Winder’s.

Winder’s election day margin over was a mere 7 votes Ed Rakochy. The recount completed yesterday, and Winder won by 1 — count ‘it, 1 — vote:

… Read More