There are very few absolutes in politics, but let’s be clear about this November’s election – a vote for any of the proposed bonds, Propositions 1B – 1E and Prop 84, is a vote for the same type of fiscal recklessness that led to the recall of Governor Gray Davis in 2003.

Think about it. Since 2003, tax revenues have exploded in California – up $20 billion annually. The Governor’s Workers’ Compensation reforms are an underappreciated reason for this increase and the economic activity associated with this increase. Unfortunately, the Legislature, Democrats and some Republicans, and the Governor, have spent the entire increased baseline in revenues and then some, and the State is still running structural deficits between $4 – $6 billion annually.

Almost none of this increased spending has been allocated to increased infrastructure spending, and instead gone to education and other issues, such as health care. So our roads, schools, levees and other long deferred infrastructure have not been funded – despite the obvious needs in each area.

**There is more… Read More

Read what Dick Morris Reports has to say…..

’06 ELEX: BACK TO TOSS-UP By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN

October 24, 2006 — The latest polls show something very strange and quite encouraging is happening: The Republican base seems to be coming back home. This trend, only vaguely and dimly emerging from a variety of polls, suggests that a trend may be afoot that would deny the Democrats control of the House and the Senate.

With two weeks to go, anything can happen, but it is beginning to look possible that the Democratic surge in the midterm elections may fall short of control in either House.

Here’s the evidence:

* Pollsters Scott Rasmussen and John Zogby both show Republican Bob Corker gaining on Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr. in Tennessee, a must-win Senate seat for the Democrats. Zogby has Corker ahead by seven, while Rasmussen still shows a Ford edge of two points.

* Zogby reports a "turnaround" in New Jersey’s Senate race with the GOP candidate Tom Kean… Read More

It is now what, 13 days until the election, and yet getting Arnold to take a position on Prop 90 is still like trying to nail jello to a wall.

Yesterday, he was asked point blank about whether he supports the Kelo-reform initiative.

His answer? Well, he hasn’t taken a position yet either way, but will "very soon because I’m looking at all the aspects. As you know, it’s a very complicated issue, and so I’m looking at all the different angles so that I come out very clear."

Glad you cleared that one up for us.… Read More

We’re down to less than two weeks left in the campaign.

We know how all but 3 down-ticket races are going to end up.

How LG, Controller, and Sec State turn out is still to be determined. Lots of decisions still are to be made and lots of money is still to be spent.

Each campaign still has some significant cash that will make a difference in the outcome. But legitimately, these three races are looking like they will be more shaped by independent expenditure efforts than by their respective campaigns.

And that isn’t a knock on the campaigns. The slates have been bought. The research has been done. It’s just that with the cash left for the last 13 days, these IE’s have far more to spend than any down ticket candidate.

On the Dem side, the Unions have pulled their money out of Angelides’ sinking ship. How much will they really end up spending on down ticket races? And where will they focus their efforts? These will be big questions in the coming 13 days.

First to see some major action on the Dem side is John Chiang, who yesterday received a $262,000 tv buy from the unions.

On the Republican side, some businesses are putting… Read More

Rep. Loretta Sanchez wasn’t worried a few months ago when she found out that Tan Nguyen was the GOP nominee in her 47th Congressional District. Sanchez, the lone Democrat in Congress representing Orange County still had a double digit lead in registration and a strong following.

Flash forward to last week when a letter was sent to Latino voters telling them that immigrants can’t vote and that it is a crime if they do. Here is the latest article on the mess. Although Nguyen denies any connection to the letter it is assumed that he not only knew about it but even played a role in it mailing.

The whole debacle is no surprise to many of us who never understood Tan’s strategy (which included never hiring a consultant despite spending hundreds of thousands in personal money on the campaign). Tan was a Democrat until he had to re-register to run against Loretta. In fact, Tan ran as a DEMOCRAT against Rep. Dana Rohrabacher IN 2004!

It is my nature to find humor in almost any situation and Tan provides…

Here is the actual text of a mail piece… Read More

Tom McClintock and John Garamendi went head-to-head for the second time in a one-hour debate before the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board on Monday. The debate was filmed at KPIX-TV. (Watch it here.)

Executive Life, the Enron-type scandal that has haunted John Garamendi for more than 15 years, triggered a lively discussion between McClintock and Garamendi in the final 10 minutes of the debate. It’s really worth watching… Emmy award-winning political reporter Hank Plante asked the last question of the candidates, and it was about the Executive Life commercials that have been running statewide featuring Sue and Vice Watson.

[See Hank Plante’s video story on the debate… Read More

I just broke this story on Red County/OC Blog.

Otto Bade, who was the GOP nominee in the 69th Assembly District in 2004, has qualified as a write-in candidate in the 34th Senate District. The Secretary of State should certify him in the next day or two.

Since Otto has a snowball’s chance in hell of actually winning, the only impact he can possibly have is to hurt Lynn Daucher’s campaign.

So why is he doing this? Is it purely retaliation against Lynn Daucher — and by extension Dick Ackerman — for their lack of support for his doomed 2004 campaign? Or are extra-party factors involved?

Stay tuned…… Read More

Tom McClintock and John Garamendi went head-to-head for the second time in a one-hour debate before the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board on Monday. The debate was filmed at KPIX-TV. (Watch it here.)

Executive Life, the Enron-type scandal that has haunted John Garamendi for more than 15 years, triggered a lively discussion between McClintock and Garamendi in the final 10 minutes of the debate. It’s really worth watching… Emmy award-winning political reporter Hank Plante asked the last question of the candidates, and it was about the Executive Life commercials that have been running statewide featuring Sue and Vice Watson.

[See Hank Plante’s video story on the debate… Read More