The big challenge facing Republican Leaders as we dialogue with our stakeholders (activists, donors, party members) is making the credible case that if we reachieve a majority on Capitol Hill, will we do things differently. Will we shrink instead of grow the size and scope of the federal government?

Well, the ability to make that case was dealt a major blow this morning as House Republicans re-elected the same Republican Leader who had his post soft-balled to him by former House Speaker Dennis Hastert. That’s right, Boehner’s re-election means that House Republicans maintain their status-quo — all of the Ranking Members on Committee stay put, and so on.

It’s hard to make the case that Republicans have learned their lesson when they aren’t willing to bench the failed leader.

Obviously we want Republicans to succeed — but to keep in as leader the guy who literally enforced ZERO party discipline and literally does nothing to take on the GOP Porkers on the House Appropriations Committee… Well, it certainly doesn’t make this State Party Officer feel comfortable.

I ask myself, "Would I want John… Read More

As longtime FR readers know, we are very selective about promoting any kind of events prospectively on this website. That’s for a pretty simple reason – whenever we do, I get swamped with e-mails asking us to promote more events. That said, occasionally I take the risk when one of our site’s bloggers is playing a significant role in some sort of event – it’s a way of saying “thanks” since our bloggers volunteer their time for FR!

Our longtime statewide correspondent, Dan Schnur, recently became the Director of the USC Jesse Unruh Institute on Politics.

This coming Friday and Saturday, at USC, the Unruh Center is hosting its first major conference since Schnur took the helm (co-hosting the event is POLITICO). From looking at the list of participants (see the attachment below), you can see that Dan has been reaching deep into his large rolodex – with impressive results. Below are a few details, but the attachment has a comprehensive agenda, and all of the information you would need to attend.… Read More

As longtime FR readers know, we are very selective about promoting any kind of events prospectively on this website. That’s for a pretty simple reason – whenever we do, I get swamped with e-mails asking us to promote more events. That said, occasionally I take the risk when one of our site’s bloggers is playing a significant role in some sort of event – it’s a way of saying “thanks” since our bloggers volunteer their time for FR!

Our longtime statewide correspondent, Dan Schnur, recently became the Director of the USC Jesse Unruh Institute on Politics.

This coming Friday and Saturday, at USC, the Unruh Center is hosting its first major conference since Schnur took the helm (co-hosting the event is POLITICO). From looking at the list of participants (see the attachment below), you can see that Dan has been reaching deep into his large rolodex – with impressive results. Below are a few details, but the attachment has a comprehensive agenda, and all of the information you would need to attend.… Read More

On behalf of the FlashReport, I would like to extend a hearty congratulations to Frank Russo of The Progress Report who has just announced that he has been hired as the new Chief of Staff to incoming freshman Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Frank and I don’t see eye to eye on much (maybe not on anything at all) — with me being a free market oriented conservative, and Frank being — well, a devout advocate of socialism. That said, I have a healthy respect for Frank’s commitment to his principles, and for all of the work that he has put into his lefty blog site.

Russo and the Assemblywoman can sit around the office and talk about the great social injustice in the world and try to figure out how to play a key role in using government to take wealth from one Californian to give it to another (if history is any indicator, they will probably succeed in their quest).

And if the stereotype of the socialist blogger going to work for the legislator from the People’s Republic of Berkeley isn’t enough, let’s not forget that LA Times… Read More

Congressman and FR Blogger John Campbell has co-signed a letter along with Arizona Congressman Jeff Flake to the Chairman of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, asking that the $230 million in earmarks being sponsored by now-convicted Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska be thoroughly reviewed.

This seems like a good idea.

Congressman Flake has this to say in a press release accompanying the letter:

“Despite the fact that Senator Stevens was under indictment for corruption charges, his 39 earmarks worth $240 million received scant scrutiny this year,” said Flake. “I would hope that his conviction spurs Congress to examine these earmarks more closely before they are awarded.”

“If the Appropriations Committee isn’t interested in scrutinizing the earmarks of a convicted Senator, I think we can fairly conclude that the Appropriations Committee isn’t interested in scrutinizing earmarks at all.”

Duh.… Read More

As a young staff member in the office of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Malcolm Baldrige, I was asked to help compile some documents for a senior staff meeting,who were going todiscuss the problems of the U.S. auto industry during the 1982 recession. When I asked my boss at the time if the focus of the discussion would be the auto industry’s constant caving-in to their labor unions, thus pricing low and moderate end autos out of the market in the face of heavy Japanese competition, he said, "oh no, we aren’t going to discuss labor; don’t include anything on the cost of labor, we are just going to talk about productivity."

Of course, productivity is labor. It is making labor more productive that creates better productivity. And the cost of laboris one of the biggest factors in whether it is ultimately productive.

But it was easier for the government to ignore the problem of high labor costs and the hard decisions needed to change union contracts, when they could have their meeting and talk about how robotscould help the ailing auto industry, rather than getting to the heart of the matter: a history of… Read More

After facing two rounds of devastation election defeats, tomorrow House Republicans will gather to elect their leaders.

I wish that I could tell you that after the drubbing we took, that the incumbent Leader of House Republicans, John Boehner of Ohio (a.k.a. “Mr. Nice Guy”) had done the appropriate and honorable thing (like the #2 and #3 members of his leadership team) and stepped aside.

I wish that I could tell you that there is a vibrant contest taking place for who will be our new leader, with the idea that whomever it would be would be able to present a new face, and new image, and a new commitment to returning the Republican policy agenda on Capitol Hill back to one of increasing freedom for Americans and putting the federal government on a diet.

I wish that I could tell you that with the election of a new Republican Leader, that would mean that a long over-due shuffling of Committee Ranking Members would be taking place, the kind of changes that only take place through the dynamics of a competitive race for leader.

I wish that I could tell you that the infamous pork-loving GOP… Read More

After facing two rounds of devastation election defeats, tomorrow House Republicans will gather to elect their leaders.

I wish that I could tell you that after the drubbing we took, that the incumbent Leader of House Republicans, John Boehner of Ohio (a.k.a. “Mr. Nice Guy”) had done the appropriate and honorable thing (like the #2 and #3 members of his leadership team) and stepped aside.

I wish that I could tell you that there is a vibrant contest taking place for who will be our new leader, with the idea that whomever it would be would be able to present a new face, and new image, and a new commitment to returning the Republican policy agenda on Capitol Hill back to one of increasing freedom for Americans and putting the federal government on a diet.

**There is more – click the link**

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