Apparently the Senate and Assembly will meet this Sunday to vote on a budget bill, ostensibly before the official cut-off provided by the Secretary of State for placing items on the November ballot (it is pretty well accepted that this is a loosy-goosy deadline). Near as I can tell, this will be a pomp and circumstance drill as I have not heard anything coming out of State Senate President Don "The Golden Pig" Perata to indicate that Democrats are willing to put up a package palatable to any Republicans (not even the so called "in play" GOPers in the Senate Republican Caucus). So the Kabuki dance will continue.

This is a good opportunity, though, to counsel all GOP legislators, though especially certain ones in the Senate, to refer calls and inquiries about their interest in voting for a budget to the office of their respective leaders. Budget politics for the Republican Party this year is a team sport. We will ultimately get the best budget for Californians if no Republicans "go up" on a budget until both caucuses are satisfied that they have achieved the best possible outcome.

I think that there used to be a "Rule of… Read More

SB 381 which would allow on-line voter registration, passes off our floor today. This would allow a person with a California ID to register without actually signing their form nor set foot inside a county election clerk’s office. The secretary of state would use an electronic signature for you. You could then vote absentee, without being seen.Or if you should decide to vote in person, you still can, in the state of California, not show any form of ID and be handed a ballot.… Read More

California Republican Party Chairman has "live blogged" from the chambers of the United States House of Representatives, sending in the following report…

House Republicans are recapturing the spirit of 1994 in their ongoing confrontation with Speaker Pelosi and her House Democrats for refusing to even allow a vote on a bill to bring some energy price relief to Americans. Instead, the Speaker is on a book tour and the House is in "recess" (or as we call it in the real world, on vacation). While in Washington today I wanted to support the House Republicans in their efforts to draw public attention to the issue by keeping active on the floor even while the Speaker is selling books (which isn’t going all that well either, according to the ranking on Amazon.).… Read More

Grover Norquist is widely respected as one of the nation’s leading taxpayer advocates. As President of Americans for Tax Reform, he has been leading the charge in Washington, D.C., and in the states against new taxes. He has penned this exclusive column for FlashReport readers in light of the current over-spending crisis in Sacramento…

IN TAX TALK, TEMPORARY MEANS PERMANENT; BUT IN CALIFORNIA THE GOP CAN STOP ANY TAX INCREASE By Grover Norquist

The History of Americans for Tax Reform’s No Tax Hike Pledge In 1985 president Reagan asked me to run Americans for Tax Reform — to be the grassroots lobby for what became the Tax Reform Act of 1986 that lowered marginal tax rates… Read More

Hunters and recreational shooters are targeted by activists following a tragic hunting accident in Washington state that left an avid hiker dead and a 14-year-old licensed hunter facing manslaughter charges.

As the Los Angeles Times noted today, the two boys were hunting bear on the season’s opening day in hilly terrain with limited visibility. "From 120 feet away he fired a single shot with his .270-caliber rifle. He thought he was taking down a black bear; instead he struck Almli [the hiker] in the head, killing her as she bent over to place something in her backpack."

The (LA) Times also noted the hunter did not confirm his target with binoculars, only his rifle-mounted scope sight.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has already called for reinstating an earlier state requirement that juveniles hunt only under adult supervision.… Read More

Grover Norquist is widely respected as one of the nation’s leading taxpayer advocates. As President of Americans for Tax Reform, he has been leading the charge in Washington, D.C., and in the states against new taxes. He has penned this exclusive column for FlashReport readers in light of the current over-spending crisis in Sacramento…

IN TAX TALK, TEMPORARY MEANS PERMANENT; BUT IN CALIFORNIA THE GOP CAN STOP ANY TAX INCREASE By Grover Norquist The History of Americans for Tax Reform’s No Tax Hike Pledge In 1985 president Reagan asked me to run Americans for Tax Reform — to be the grassroots lobby for what… Read More

Petitioner Denise Erkeneff of Dana Point filed a lawsuit today against city council candidate Luigi Rossetti, Jr., the county and city to obtain a court order to strike the fictional name "Lou Penrose" from the ballot and ballot statements in the upcoming Nov. 4 municipal election. Rossetti is the District Director for Orange County Congressman John Campbell and a Dana Point resident. Erkeneff’s family are long-time Dana Point residents. Erkeneff is a Republican, and is active in the south country community.

Rossetti is registered to vote in Dana Point, and his driver’s license, marriage license, and social security numbers are all in the name of Luigi Rossetti, Jr. He is employed by Congressman Campbell and the U.S. Congress in the name of Luigi Rossetti, Jr., has received a traffic ticket in that name, has attended driving school in that name, and owns his home with his wife in Dana Point in that name.

However, Rossetti filed a Declaration of Candidacy for the Dana Point city council and a Candidate Statement in a different name, "Lou Penrose." The county and city certified this name on… Read More

Yesterday Assemblyman Mike Feuer was the floor jockey for Jack Scott’s SB 1171. SB 1171 prohibits carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle in unincorporated parts of California.

Several GOP Assemblyman (Keene, Benoit, Anderson, Berryhill and others) pointed out flaws in applying a city rule to very rural parts of California.

At the end of debate Mike Feuer complained about speakers talking about the lack of news stories about people driving around with loaded guns robbing banks, committing crimes in rural areas.

Mike Feuer than cited two cases of deputies, one from Yolo, the other Sacramento killed in the line of duty. Somehow this law would have protected them.

The truth is a little different. The Yolo County Sheriff was killed by a law-abiding citizen that was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon. I’m sure this new law would have factored into his thinking.

The Sacramento Sheriff pulled at 3:30 a.m. and was killed after a struggle with HIS OWN gun. The still haven’t caught the person responsible.

How would this law have saved them?… Read More