I just got off of the phone with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, who passed along that not only have official Senate meetings on the health care plan been scrapped for now as well, but also he said that the last-minute flurry of negotiations on a potential water-bond package have also been scuddled, due to a policy impasse.

"There won’t be anything on the water issue on this February’s ballot," said Ackerman. So the focus now likely will be on next November’s ballot…"

Whether the legislature is ultimately able to settle on something that can pass muster with a 2/3 vote in each house remains to be seen. Of course, to add to the challenge for those intent on coming up with a solution to our looming water-access problems…is the poor fiscal health of state government. So discussions on water policy will be taking place amidst the backdrop of a discussion of the need for significant cuts in state spending…… Read More

Yesterday the Federal Election Commission agreed on a so-called “safe-harbor” that would allow for issue ad spending without the usual FEC regulation during Federal election campaigns.

Under the newly adopted rule, an established nonprofit advocacy organization whose major purpose is not candidate elections, a corporation, or a union, can fund communications that mention a Federal candidate’s name, even during an election, where the communication contains no words of “express advocacy,” (i.e., “vote for,” “vote against,” “support,” “oppose,” etc.) and where the content of the communication focuses on a public policy issue and either urges a candidate to take a position on the issue or urges the public to contact the candidate about the issue.

The new rule isn’t much help to clever political consultants that want to start new nonprofit organizations for the purpose of intervening in an election with what liberals call “sham” election ads. However, it is a big help to existing nonprofit organizations that want to continue articulating their mission to the… Read More

With the approximately 1.1 million signatures gathered statewide in hand, a press conference was held this morningat the Sacramento County Elections Office to ceremoniously turn in several boxes of petitions from Sacramento County voters for the California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act.

Some of the manyindividualson hand were representatives from various pro-property rights groups or supporters including Howard Jarvis TaxpayersAssociationand theirspokesman Jon Coupal; California Farm Bureau, [Vice President Kenny Watkins] ; National Federation of Independent Business executive director John Kabateck; chairman of the California Alliance to Protect Private Property Rights, former Senator Jim Nielsen; the Hispanic Chamber Of Commerce Chairman Ken Macias; former Congressman Doug Ose; and another Doug, myself, were among those that spoke.

All 58 countiesshouldreceive their petitions bytomorrow, ending the first, and successful, petition drive… Read More

Great news for California taxpayers. King Fabian “Loius Vuitton” Nunez has officially called off next week’s legislative special session. Apparently all of the forces of evil that want to expand state government’s role in health care couldn’t get on the same play sheet.

That’s good news going into a quiet Thanksgiving weekend.… Read More

FEC Commissioners were scheduled to consider new rules today to implement the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Wisconsin Right to Life case, gutting much of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law reform in favor of free speech. But the Commissioners delayed their meeting by 2 1/2 hours this morning to wheel-and-deal behind closed doors on defining the words “indicia of express advocacy,” and how or if those words differ from the words “express advocacy.”

At issue is the fundamental right of free speech, and the right to criticize any elected official, such as, say, Hillary Clinton, for her awful policy views, even during an election campaign, without being swarmed by Federal regulators care of McCain and Feingold.

I’ll be reporting soon on any actions the FEC actually take.… Read More

Welcome to our third weekly FlashReport Podcast! I had a chance last Friday to chat for about twenty minutes with California Congressman John Campbell, our own FlashReport D.C. Correspondent, and also with Andy Roth, the Director of Government Relations for the Club for Growth. The three of us discussed Congressional earmarking, Presidential vetoes, and also Reagan 21, a new caucus made up of member of the Senate and House dedicated to true fiscal reform.

[You can check out our first two Podcasts – one with Presidential candidate Fred Thompson, the other with Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, here.]

Please start the Podcast Player below and join us for an informative update on what is going inside of the United States Capitol. The show kicks… Read More

Welcome to our third weekly FlashReport Podcast! I had a chance last Friday to chat for about twenty minutes with California Congressman John Campbell, our own FlashReport D.C. Correspondent, and also with Andy Roth, the Director of Government Relations for the Club for Growth. The three of us discussed Congressional earmarking, Presidential vetoes, and also Reagan 21, a new caucus made up of member of the Senate and House dedicated to true fiscal reform. [You can check out our first two Podcasts – one with Presidential candidate Fred Thompson, the other with Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, here.]

Please start the Podcast Player below and join us for an informative update on what is going… Read More

In the coming months much will be written about the ballot measure on term limits. Speaker Nunez and President Pro Temp Perata will both spend a tremendous amount of resources to extend their legislative careers.

So here is my question — if term limits need to be extended for the people of California to benefit from the experienced leadership of the Speaker and President Pro Temp then shouldn’t the people of California benefit from the experienced leadership of Governor Schwarzenegger and Insurance Commissioner Poizner?

All the arguments that apply for Nunez and Perata also apply to the Governor. If Prop 93 does pass in February I predict that Nunez and Perata will suddenly not be so enthusiastic about someone needing 12 years in the same job to get it done — when it will not help them.

If Prop 93 passes I am confident that an effort will be made to extend that same 12 year standard to constitutional offices as well.… Read More