Vacationing in Newport Beach this week (where else would a Republican stuck living in Ron Dellums-Barbara Lee’s backyard go on vacation?), we had dinner last night with some SoCal friends when one of them asked what we thought of the governor. This friend was no fan of the governator when I was cheering on Schwarzenegger’s candidacy in the recall election. To my "I’m in the anyone-but-Phil-so-I’m-going-to-hold-my-nose-and-vote camp," I got a big (and deserved) "I told you so." I said that while I knew that the governor was no Ronald Reagan, I thought he was more of a Chamber-of-Commerce Republican. And he was–the first two years in office. But this morning’s news on the minimum wage rate increase convinces me that the California Republicans are going to help re-elect Schwarzenegger to office and spend the next four years wondering what we did to ourselves.

I don’t really blame the governor. He is a product of Hollywood and, it seems to me, values making a deal and keeping the press and Maria happy over sticking to GOP values. But since this is his first elected office, we had no idea how… Read More

Talk about taking the wind out of my sails. I came home on Sunday from the State GOP Convention all pumped up for the Fall elections. The Governor’s speech was great, and really fired me up. The Governor asked the audience, "What do we say to more government control?" The audience answered with a resounding "NO!" Well, by agreeing to hike the mandated wage that California businesses, large and small, must pay employees, the Governor has said a resounding "YES" to more government control. And that is exactly what has happenned – as Arnold Scharzenegger, without the support of our GOP legislative caucuses, has cut a deal with legislative Democrats to impose more government control on all California employers. His support for hiking the minimum wage (to the highest in the nation) strikes right at the heart of those who believe that the size and scope and regulatory authority of government is too vast, and that at risk is the liberty of all Californians. This… Read More

Talk about taking the wind out of my sails. I came home on Sunday from the State GOP Convention all pumped up for the Fall elections. The Governor’s speech was great, and really fired me up. The Governor asked the audience, "What do we say to more government control?" The audience answered with a resounding "NO!" Well, by agreeing to hike the mandated wage that California businesses, large and small, must pay employees, the Governor has said a resounding "YES" to more government control. And that is exactly what has happenned – as Arnold Scharzenegger, without the support of our GOP legislative caucuses, has cut a deal with legislative Democrats to impose more government control on all California employers. His support for hiking the minimum wage (to the highest in the nation) strikes right at the heart of those who believe that the size and scope and regulatory authority of government is too vast, and that at risk is the liberty of all Californians. This… Read More

Adding to Mike Spence’s and Doug LaMalfa’s posts below — as well as rightfully noting the leadership on the issue displayed by LaMalfa — Capitol Resource Institute’s take on today’s proceedings is of interest….

During a heated half-hour debate, several pro-family legislators affirmed their opposition to SB 1437.

Assemblyman Doug La Malfa introduced amendments that would have protected parents’ rights in public schools, especially relating to homosexual teaching. As soon as the amendments were voted down, debate on the actual bill began.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, the Assembly Floor Manager for SB 1437, argued that “the best way to correct a social wrong” is to outlaw it. Citing “daily” anti-gay harassment in public schools, Nunez maintained that SB 1437 would protect homosexual students.

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore responded with a poignant question: “What problem would this bill solve?” DeVore then asserted that SB 1437 is “a bill in search of a problem.”

Assemblyman Jay La Suer defended the children caught in the middle of this debate by asserting… Read More

No big surprise, the Sen. Kuehl bill on discrimination in curriculum and behavior towards homosexual individuals or ideology passed off of our floor today on a 47-31 vote today. It was pointed out that it is redundant to current law that protects all students. The Governor had promised a veto of the bill. Theoriginal language, which had the requirement of curriculum reflecting historical contributions by homosexual individuals, was amended out last week to what we had today. We received an enormous amount of mail from constituents on this bill, the most of any, perhaps a tie with illegal immigration, as a topic.

On a ‘higher’ note, the legalizing-of-hemp bill passed out as well, 44-27. The unlikely duo of my desk-mateChuck Devore and Mark Leno"joint" [update: quotes added]authored this bill to the Governors desk as well…I don’t think it received more than 1 Assembly Republican vote last I checked. Chuck makes a very principled argumentbut we couldn’t get there.

"ALL I NEED ARE SOME TASTY WAVES, A COOL BUZZAND I’M FINE!" … Read More

SB 1437, one of three bills trageted for defeat by pro-family groups passed the Assembly a couple hours ago and is on the wayback to the Assembly for almost certain approval and then willland on the Governors desk.

According to the Capitol Resource Institute, prohibits textbooks, teaching materials, instruction and “school sponsored” activities from “reflecting adversely” upon others based on actual or perceived gender and sexual orientation. and would result in removal of terms such as “mother and father” and “husband and wife” or any reference to traditional family because that would “reflect adversely” upon homosexuals.

This is the homosexual thought police telling everyone to condone and approve of their lifestyle. So much for tolerance.

This proposed law and two other bills have become a test of the Governor’ efforts to reach out to pro-family voters. At the CRP Convention a rally was held by about 150 people calling on the Governor to veto these bills. The governor had previously promised to veto the bill, but it was ammended before the vote today and rumors are flying he… Read More

There are lots of unnecessary bills which deserve to be vetoed by Gov. Schwarzenegger, but AB 1873 is one that should be on the top of his aides’ list of recommended vetos. AB 1873 would expand the state program which allows mothers to safely surrender their newborn infants within three days of giving birth. The proposed law wouldrequire all fire stations to be safe havens and, more troubling, giving mothers up to 30 days to abandon their child without any questions being asked. (The SF Chronicle carried a story today on the proposed bill and it’s author, Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, D-Fremont.) Under existing law, mothers can drop an infant off at a safe haven spot designated by their county (usually an emergency room or fire station) without having to identify herself. After three days, there is still a legal way for a baby to be given to the state, but a mother cannot remain annoymous.

Los Angeles County and CSAC are among the groups opposing the bill. And for good reason. Both organizations argue that giving parents 30 days to decide to give up… Read More

If you are a National Review digital or print subscriber, make sure to read Chris Weinkopf‘s piece on Governor Schwarzenegger, "The Unlikeliest Girlie Man."(Image courtesy of the California College Republicans.)

Weinkopf, the editorial page editor of the Los Angeles Daily News, makes some inevasible conservative arguments against Schwarzenegger’s administration of California.He also features input fromJon Coupal and Arnie… Read More