Here is a column I wrote for this week’s issue of the OC Metro. I will have more thoughts for you on the subject of immigration after the President’s speech on Monday night. Enjoy:

Immigration Solution Broad agreement on basic tenets can point the way forward

As I write this, Congress has not yet been able to come to agreement on an immigration bill. I suspect that that will still be the case by the time you read this. This is a difficult issue to agree on because of the volatility and emotion surrounding it lately.

Our TV screens have been filled with lots of images of the extremes on the issue of illegal immigration. On one side are those who would have no border controls and allow anyone to come here and claim all the rights of citizenship on whatever basis they choose (including terrorists). On the other side are some people who are against all immigration, legal or otherwise.

Once we reject those ideas from the fringes, I think there are a few tenets of the immigration issue that can be embraced by the vast majority of rational-thinking individuals in the middle. These tenets are not a complete solution. But they are a guide… Read More

In the upcoming special election in the 50th Congressional District, conservatives must come out to the polls and vote for Brian Bilbray. Why is this, you ask? Bilbray has an iffy-record on holding the line on Congressional spending, he supports abortion rights, opposes traditional family values, earned himself a flunking grade from the National Rifle Association, and proudly is endorsed from a lot of the folks in Washington who are a part of our spending nightmare in Congress (Bilbray’s press release touting the endorsement of House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, famously dubbed the ‘King of Pork’ was an ominous foreshadowing of where Bilbray will fall in the ‘order of things’ in the House Republican Conference). The reason for electing Bilbray, which is our reason for defeating Francine Busby (a flaming lefty), is to maintain a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. I don’t have to paint to big of a picture for you — just… Read More

A hearty congratulations from everyone here at Team FlashReport goes out to our friend Assemblyman Mike Villines of Fresno. Last week, Villines was tapped by Assembly Republicans (and their leader, George Plescia) to head up their elections and political efforts going into the fall elections. Villines, a strong conservative, is considered by many to be a rising star among Republican legislators in Sacramento because of his political acumen. Clearly this must be a sentiment shared by his colleagues as he has been tapped with a very important post. We’ll try to find out who will be serving on this important committee with Villines. In the meantime, I caught up to Mike this morning while he was driving across the Fresno County/Madera County line (I kid you not, on his way to a "Flatlanders Parade" — pretty funny). I spoke with him about his new role, and he is pretty excited about it.

"I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves, and working with my colleagues to… Read More

A hearty congratulations from everyone here at Team FlashReport goes out to our friend Assemblyman Mike Villines of Fresno. Last week, Villines was tapped by Assembly Republicans (and their leader, George Plescia) to head up their elections and political efforts going into the fall elections. Villines, a strong conservative, is considered by many to be a rising star among Republican legislators in Sacramento because of his political acumen. Clearly this must be a sentiment shared by his colleagues as he has been tapped with a very important post. We’ll try to find out who will be serving on this important committee with Villines. In the meantime, I caught up to Mike this morning while he was driving across the Fresno County/Madera County line (I kid you not, on his way to a "Flatlanders Parade" — pretty funny). I spoke with him about his new role, and he is pretty excited about it.

"I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves, and working with my colleagues to… Read More

In deference to the women in my life (mom, wife, daughter), as well as so my daughter and I may appropriately serve breakfast in bed to her mom tomorrow morning — instead of me tapping away at the keyboard — consider this late nite Saturday post my weekly Sunday San Diego.

Standing up for Soledad… Speaking of moms, I think I made mine proud several years ago when I first engaged in the battle to save the Mt. Soledad and Mt. Helix crosses. That was 1989…same anti-cross judge today…and the legal battle continues.

For those who don’t believe there’s a difference between Mayor Jerry Sanders and almost Mayor Donna Frye, here’s an issue that spells out a huge chasm in philosophies between the two. Frye has consistently voted against upholding the will of the people to save La Jolla’s Mt. Soledad Memorial. Sanders, alternatively,last week stood BIG TIME in support of the Memorial, along with backing Duncan… Read More

Ken Moser sends the attached Bilbray mailer along, providing a look at the urgency of the message the campaign is sending to Republican voters: "Due to the special election rules, Republican Brian Bilbray’s name will appear twice on your ballot…you MUST vote in both places in order to insure your congressional seat stays in Republican hands!"

No holds barred in a pretty decent mail piece, considering how convoluted the message has to be if one is concerned their base may not understand to vote twice. Another message: "Your Official Republican Nominee is Brian Bilbray." True, or half true, depending on whether a vote is being cast the first time or the second time on the ballot. Heck, I’d say the same thing if I were in Brian’s shoes.

Lastly, where the official ballot is mocked up in the piece, with Bilbray’s name circled in red (and this is why you have to view the attachment), look who is NOT on the list: Bill Hauf. Sure enough, there’s Busby listed right under Brian in the special run-off portion of the ballot, and Eric Roach and the handful of other… Read More

There were a couple of positive legislative developments in Washington this week. First, there was the passage of the arcanely named tax reconciliation bill. This bill extends the 2003 tax cuts.

These tax cuts include the 15% tax rate on capital gains and dividend income and an extension of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption. The AMT exemption had already expired and the 15% capital gains and dividend rate was scheduled to expire in 2008. The legislation which passed in the House (244-185) and the Senate (54-44) this week extends the AMT exemption for the current year (2006) only and extends the capital gains and dividend rate through the 2010 tax year. The bill included about 30 other assorted tax provisions which are narrower in their focus.

Now, I would have preferred to, and the House could have passed a permanent extension of the 15% rate, but the Senate would not have done so. Therefore, a 2 year extension was the best that we could get. This is policy by incrementalism. Republicans have not been particularly good at this in the past. But it works. We have the tax rates through 2010 and we can always try again next year for permanence. Furthermore,… Read More

Maybe I owe FlashReport’s readers an apology. Somehow I hadn’t noticed that San Jacinto Councilman Jim Ayres’ Assembly campaign website contained inaccurate information about the candidate’s military record. If I had noticed, I could have pointed it outbefore the L.A. Times came alongwith today’s headline: "Candidate’s Military Record Embellished".

I have to admit I had heard that thismight be coming. I get a lot of calls from opposing campaigns telling me this or that about one of the other candidates. The 65th Assembly District Republican Primary has been no exception.

Today’s L.A. Times makes this hand wringing irrelevant with the following statement: "…On his website … Ayres said he was awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal for valor and a Cold War medal."

… Read More