Well FR readers, welcome to 2008. This promises to be a VERY eventful year in California politics.
We have not one, not two, but three statewide elections… Already we know that the first one will be filled with the politics of four referendums on Indian Gaming Compacts, the effort of Fabian Nunez to extend his time in office by another six years, and, oh, the minor matter of which GOP and Democrat candidates will win California delegates to their respective party Presidential nominating conventions.
At the center of this year’s three-ring circus will be the politically schizophrenic Arnold Schwarzenegger. On some days of the week, he’ll get out of bed putting his right foot down. This will be the Governor who wants spending caps, opposes “job killer bills” and talks tough on cutting state spending to tackle the state’s massive overspending problems. Other days of the week, he’ll leap out of bed onto his two left feet. He will be championing the largest business tax increases in California history as he trumpets his scheme with Fabian Nunez to expand government’s role in health care, or calling on Californians to over-regulate themselves with costly emissions standards when the very impact of mankind’s carbon emissions on the Earth’s temperate is questionable. I could go on. As usual, we’ll praise the Governor when he deserves it, and we’ll criticize him when he is deserving of it as well.
We will all be treated to a new year of “Fabian the Magnificent” – where we get to see the unchecked ego of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez continue to leave of us all entertained with his amazing hubris, as the L.A. Times and other publications reveal how he has used his office to live a lifestyle that appear to be a big more “lavish” than that of mere mortal legislators. And, of course, Senate President Don Perata will continue to keep his eye on growing the size and scope of state government, while at the same time continuing to squabble with the easy-to-squabble-with Fabian Nunez.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on the Republican Caucuses in the State Senate and the State Assembly, and whether they can stick together against an amazing and intense onslaught of all those who would seek increases in taxes (and “fees” which are actually just taxes with a different name). Republican Leaders Senator Dick Ackerman and Assemblyman Mike Villines, conservatives both, will both have their hands full as every special interest in the Capitol works them over.
Juxtaposed on all State Capitol politics will be the various legislative leadership battles. We here at the FR are figuring that Proposition 93, or as we call it — the “Fabian Nunez Career Politician Term Limits Weakening Initiative” – will go down in flames. As such, Don Perata, Fabian Nunez and Dick Ackerman will all be forced from their leadership posts as their caucus members look to new leaders to take them into the 2008 elections.
Finally, we have a kagillion elections taking place next year. Of course we’ll be following the Presidential elections, both the primary and the general election. In addition, there will be a lot of great local coverage here in the FR of open House seats, State Senate and Assembly Races, and high profile local elections. Of course, there will be loads of ballot measures to cover as well…
We’ll be returning in “full force” next week as we unveil our FlashReport Legislators of the Year for 2007. We’ll be bestowing honors on a member of the California Congressional Delegation, as well as one member of the State Senate, and one member of the State Assembly! (Thank you to the over 250 suggestions from FR readers – we read them all!) We’ll also have great original columns and commentary looking at some of the big issues coming up in Sacramento as the legislature comes back into session. As the saying goes, “No one’s wallet is safe when the California legislature is in session.”
Here’s to a great 2008!
Jon Fleischman, Publisher
P.S. Oh yeah, something’s going on in Iowa today, right? We’ll see how that turns out. I guess starting tomorrow, Republican candidates can oppose ethanol subsidies ;-)