As promised, here’s the list of Republican Senators’ votes on Assembly Bill 1801 (Laird), the Budget Act of 2006:

Ayes

Dick Ackerman (R – Tustin) Roy Ashburn (R – Bakersfield)

Jeff Denham (R – Merced)

Bob Dutton (R – Rancho Cucamonga)

Chuck Poochigian (R – Fresno) * 5 TOTAL

Noes

Sam Aanestad (R- Nevada City)

Jim Battin (R – Palm… Read More

The Strickland (for controller) Campaign has released the results of a new statewide poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies (POS) showing Strickland leading Democrat Chiang by 3-points.

There is no runaway victory waiting for Strickland but this does mean that if the election were held today, one of the down-ballot GOP candidates would win.

Conventional wisdom says that the Governor AND McClintock AND McPherson AND Poizner must win for a candidate like Strickland to have a shot. While that scenario is exciting to think about, I believe Strickland’s campaign is unique in that he has better name ID than most other statewide candidates (Schwarzenegger and McClintock excluded) and Strickland has an excellent ballot title: Taxpayer Organization President

When looking only at voters most likely to turn-out in November, the POS poll shows Strickland’s lead grows to 31% over Chiang’s 23%.

Don’t get me wrong, I have not drank the kool aid, I know a statewide win for a Republican is a huge up-hill battle. But to start with an advantage shows Strickland may be able to rally Democrat votes if he has the resources to wage a… Read More

Here’s an email that Assemblyman DeVore sent out to constituents and supporters (as I am both a constituent and a supporter, I thankfully receive these):

A Big Government Budget Last night the California Legislature approved the budget for 2006-07. Compared with the approved budget from the current year, it grows government by $11.3 billion – $90 billion to $101.3 billion in the General Fund, $131 billion overall including even more State employees than the record number under former Gov. Gray Davis. I voted “no” as did 23 of the 31 Republicans in the Assembly, with only 8, the minimum needed, voting to approve the budget. Last year, by contrast, almost… Read More

Lately, all of the Congressional office in Washington have been inundated with bricks that have been mailed in from citizens concerned about border security. The bricks, which are accompanied by a letter calling for tougher border security, are meant to send a message to Congress that if we don’t build a fence the public is willing to do the job on their own. (The effort is being organized by www.send-a-brick.com) I couldn’t agree more that immigration reform must begin with tougher border security, and I voted for a border fence when we considered the immigration bill. However, my strong stance on this issue doesn’t change the fact that more bricks arrive every day. They have already filled up a whole cabinet in my office. So, we have a new and very serious issue to address. What am I supposed to do with all of these bricks? So far my office has received over 60, and we get more every day. Now, if every House member has received the same number would total over 26,000. … Read More

Orange County has given birth to and/or nurtured its share of people and organizations that have powerfully impacted the Republican Party — for good or ill.

Richard Nixon was born here, and Ronald Reagan’s political home base was here.

The state’s two leading GOP groups — the Lincoln Club of Orange County and the New Majority — also originated here.

The Lincoln Club was formed in the wake of the bitter 1962 gubernatorial primary between Richard Nixon and Joe Schell. The purpose was to "build Republican strength by lowering the intensity of intra-party warfare and making party politics more orderly and business-like."

The New Majority was born in the wake of Dan Lungren’s lopsided 1998 defeat and dedicated to "bringing a Republican majority to California… Read More

The Democratic Primary for the 51st AD is finally over. Hustler backed Gardena Councilman Steve Bradford finally conceeded after losing by 114 votes in the first tally. See article here. For more on the Hustler connection click on this non-porn linkhere.… Read More

Orange County has given birth to and/or nurtured its share of people and organizations that have powerfully impacted the Republican Party — for good or ill.

Richard Nixon was born here, and Ronald Reagan’s political home base was here.

The state’s two leading GOP groups — the Lincoln Club of Orange County and the New Majority — also originated here.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

After much effort to gather the more than 1 million signatures necessary, the Protect Our Homes initiative has qualified overwhelmingly. Voters swept this measure onto the ballot to protect farms, small businesses and homes from landgrabbers. Enough signatures were verified at a high validity rate to easily allow Secretary of State Bruce McPherson to declare its eligibility.

Conservative heroine Assemblywoman Mimi Walters led the charge to qualify this initiative in response to the Kelo v. New London, CT Supreme Court decision of last June. In a 5-4 decision in that case, the court tacitly allowed the taking of private property, homes, farms, small businesses, even church properties for other private uses, under the premise that higher property taxes or sales taxes generated from the new use than the existing owner’s use are in the ‘public good’. This ‘public use’ justification to allow takings is a blatant abuse of the Founders intent.

This initiative became necessary after the legislature’s unwillingness to place real reform on the ballot via the much more direct legislative route, a 2/3 vote of both houses.… Read More