In case you missed the detailed links from today’s FR homepage, an excerpt from the SF Chron piece on the State GOP Convention:
The bad blood in the party was evident at the convention. On Saturday, state party vice chair Jon Fleischman angrily confronted state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County), who made his name last week by providing the critical vote needed to pass the state budget.
"You voted for the largest tax increase in the country when you could have stopped it," said Fleischman, publisher of the GOP Web site Flashreport.com, which had publicly pressured Republicans to stand united against the package of $15 billion in spending cuts and $12.5 billion in new taxes. "Good call."
As an open-mouthed crowd of Republicans looked on, Maldonado – viewed as a turncoat by some Republicans, and a hero by others – coolly shot back: "We need a change."
I think I heard something about change in a recent national election.
I have news for Senator Maldobama: That approximate $1,200 of change it will cost my family this year … that could be my own little personal stimulus package to the State of California.
The only thing to fear is change itself.
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 am
Maldobama! Once again, the FlashReport setting the tone and the language!
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 am
Jon showed true leadership during this fiasco, and now Barry coins a new word. Love it.
February 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Dont forget HillaRoy Clintburn
February 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am
You gullible Republicans fell for our Libertarian Party trap. Now I can tell you the REAL story.
Years ago, we recruited political drifter Maldonado into our party. He was a Democrat at the time, and easily turned by our rhetoric — as a man with zero principles, he’s really quite maliable.
His assignment was to join the GOP and pretend to be a fiscal conservative. Then at the right moment we had him switch his vote, selling out the Republican Party while enraging conservatives up and down the state.
Our goal was to undermine the GOP, leaving our tiny party as the only remaining fiscally frugal alternative. Now, if we can now gull the GOP into adopting “change” to become the Democrat Lite Party, our victory will be complete!
Richard Rider
Chief Poobah
San Diego Libertarian Party
February 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Barry,
Once again you have a way to get to the point, clearly and concisely. Maldonado not only betrayed the Republican Party, he betrayed all Californians.
The best way to censor Abel Maldonado is to vote him out. With friends like Maldonado, who needs enemies
February 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Richard, your intellect is matched only by your good humor.
You have forgotten one thing, however. In trading his vote in favor of a tax increase for something that benefits himself, the good senator was able to wrangle an open primary question onto the ballot. An open primary means a run off between the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, thus ensuring that no Libertarian candidate ever competes in a general election in CA again. So, it looks like the joke is on you!
OK, smart-aleckness aside, I have no doubt that the voters will once again reject the primary concept of Rotarians selecting the officers for the Kiwanians.
After all, I would miss terribly candidate forums, watching the Libertarian candidates making moderate GOPers very uncomfortable!
February 24th, 2009 at 12:00 am
If implemented, the open primary system will doom us in CA, as the GOP will field too many “moderates” who will not have the stomach for the budget veto. To be fair, the Republican legislators stuck together for a LONG time this past year. Without the ability to somewhat control the Dems on the budget, all is lost in CA.
Shoot, things are ALREADY lost!
In the last decade, we’ve lost a NET 1.4 million Californians to domestic out-migration. That’s right — 1.4 million more U.S. citizens fled California than moved here from other states. It slowed this past year to “only” 140,000 because people can’t sell their houses in this market. Ironically, if Obama bails out the RE market, that should only accelerate the departure of productive taxpayers from CA. Including my son, who this past year fled to income-tax free Texas.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I am so angry at the Rhino’s that signed the budget deal that I do not know how to react. I just started a new business hired three people this month and now I feel like shutting down and moving to Idaho or Utah.
Don’t these clowns know anything about economics or the business world? Aren’t they aware that businesses and bright people are uprooting now and leaving? This will just accelerate the brain drain. Other than nice weather what is to look forward to in California.
By the way I was not upset at your last article about solutions to our economic problems. What I was trying to imply was that since the Dem’s are in control everywhere in this state I don’t see how we can get any good ideas in. We are inundated with the Jerry Sanders of this world that just make things worst. Plus Joel’s and Dennis’s are unable to get there ideas moving forward because of the stupidity of Sacto.
I don’t think I have ever been this frustrated in California. We are losing on all fronts. Every expert that I follow has blasted what California is doing and what Obombia has done. Obambia(not a misspelling). What a nightmare our new President is. I was willing to at least give him a chance. That lasted three whole days for me.
There is not even another Country to move to. Can the next revolution be that far off? I am ready to join! What in the world is Obombia going to blow up next?
Grrrrrrrrr