Governor Arnold has made history. Since 2005, he’s been repudiated by almost every political coalition in California. Its a great illustration for all aspiring "GOP moderates" – stay in the middle of the road and EVERYONE runs over you.

Even with yesterday’s thorough beating, it will soon be obvious that California’s Democrat leadership and the Governor will prove to be too stupid to understand thatCalifornia voters have a limit to what they will put up with from Sacramento. Across the State, we knew from the day the budget deal was inked in February that it was a failure, that it was going to fail, and that higher taxes would drive stake into the heart of the economy. Apparently, those that voted yesterday agreed.

The Republican Party should not now "let a good crisis" go to waste. We need to show up with alternatives – NOW, and the first alternative we need to suggest are tax rate reductions, across the board, on small business and families. There is NO other strategy to jump start this economy than tax relief. Revenues to the State will increase if such a bold move is made, but when I observe… Read More

10:20am UPDATE: The Governor’s office has clarified that the first item I mentioned is on his agenda — getting a waiver for the stimulus bucks. But the other stuff is not… (At least today, eh?)

As part of his "Get As Far Away From California When My Ballot Props Flame Out Tour, " Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today will meet with California’s entire Congressional Delegation – Republicans and Democrats. I found this out when talking to Congressman and FR blogger John Campbell last night.

Undoubtedly he will be talking about a waiver to allow California to get stimulus dollars despite the SEIU’s so-far successful lobbying to get the Obama Administration to condition those funds on undoing cuts to pay for unionized home-care workers that took place last February. That’s a good idea.

He’ll undoubtedly have some bad ideas on his agenda too — like asking Uncle Sam to guarantee California’s bonds (dumb) and asking for more federal bailouts for California government (dumber) — and maybe he will… Read More

This column was submitted by FR reader Eric Wickland. Wickland is a recently retired urban planner and building official. He is a former director of the California Association of Professional Employees, CAPE, AFL-CIO. Wickland serves on the Executive Committee of the California Republican Party, and is a member of the Lincoln Clubs of Los Angeles County.

The Case For Taxation With Representation by Eric Wickland Tomorrow morning, after California voters’ rejection of budget balancing propositions 1A-1F, Governor… Read More

Courtesy of the Republican National Committee.… Read More

Today is special election day, and I realized that I reached out to the five members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors to ask them their positions on the ballot propositions, but then didn’t tell you, our readers!

This is pretty simple: Pat Bates, John Campbell Janet Nguyen, John Moorlach and Chris Norby all unanimously oppose all of the Propositions. They will be voting (or have voted) no on 1A-1F!

They join Orange County’s two top law enforcement officials, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, in opposing the whole slate of ill-conceived measures.… Read More

I guess there are some general guidelines you can follow in the world of Sacramento. One of them is that behind liberals creating messes by increasing the size and scope of the state’s bureaucracy is a conservative cleaning up the mess.

Recently we brought you a column from Republican Assemblyman Jeff Miller, where he went into some detail about how gas station owners are being hit with a draconian regulation to update all of their pumps with some new technology that has a fractional effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from stations. The cost for this new equipment is high, and the ability to comply difficult. Read more about that here.

It would appear that Miller’s Republican colleague, Martin Garrick, rolled up his sleeves and has, in the absence of a repeal of this draconian regulation, at least negotiated a "settlement" over this matter. We asked the Assemblyman to share with FR readers what he has pulled together… … Read More

Today’s resounding defeat of the ballot measures is a victory for California taxpayers. As soon as the voting public started to learn that their passage would mean higher income taxes, sales taxes and car taxes – support for the whole package of "insider measures" was doomed.

Voters rejected, soundly, the kind of back room, behind closed doors political scheming that led to this group of measures that hikes taxes, expanded state gambling, diverted funding from one source to another, and undid billions of cuts. We saw an unprecedented alliance of politicians, public employee unions, and big business interests all trying to jam it to average taxpaying families – and they were rejected.

Going forward from here, there is an important message being sent to the Governor and to State Legislators of both parties – solve the problem that you have with the money we’re already giving you. We don’t want, and cannot afford to pay more in taxes and fees.

Hopefully the politicians get it, now that their unholy alliance of interest groups and vastly superior financial advantage has come up short. Maybe now they will… Read More

A liberal Democratic Governor failed the State of California. Then, sold as a savior, a "moderate" Republican Governor failed the State of California as well.

It appears that leaves only one option.

In the meantime, the state’s GOP legislators must fill the leadership void. All of them, unified. No excuses; no turning a blind eye to those who deal on their own or against the best interests of California.

Tonight, Republican legislators, you have a mandate from the citizens of California. Tomorrow, you have an opportunity to show leadership. Success will mean forging ahead with one voice.… Read More