FLASHREPORT

Capitol Weekly is reporting that there very well may be a vote for the next Assembly Speaker today.  Apparently in the kurfuffle between two ultra liberal Democrat lawmakers from Los Angeles with terrible voting records, one of them has beat out the other.  It's more bad news for California that the State Assembly will continue to be led by someone who thinks that taxes are too low, regulations are too lax, and that the way to stimulate growth in California is to redistribute wealth.

That said, the big question of the day for Republicans remains -- will the name of Assembly Republican Leader Sam Blakeslee be placed into nomination during the speakership vote? 

We sure hope so.

There will be 28 Republican legislators on hand for the vote for Speaker.  Unfortunately, the outcome is preordained as all of these GOPers will have to watch the coronation of yet another Democrat.

That said, all of these Republicans deserve self-respect and as the minority party in the Assembly, Republicans should be allowed some pride.

Republicans should be able to cast a vote FOR a Republican candidate for Speaker, even if the outcome is already known.  This demonstrates that the choice of these 28 Republicans for Speaker, frankly, was not and is not a liberal Democrat.

This is how they do it in Congress (each party's leader is nominated for Speaker, with the party members voting for their leader).

The Democrats control the rules, so I guess they do not have to have a process for selecting a Speaker that even allows for nomination of multiple candidates, and a roll call vote.  But they should.  And any Republican legislator not given that choice should vocalize their outrage, and of course, vote against the liberal Democrat Speaker's election.