The SacBee's Capitol Alert is reporting that termed-out Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez is joining Mercury Public Affairs' Sacramento Office. He will join Team Arnold politico Adam Mendelsohn, and Steve Schmidt, the former campaign chief for both the Governor and for Senator McCain's Presidential bid.

Look for the Schmidt and Mendelsohn families to press for Nunez to be tapped as Managing Partner for the office soon — figuring that it will mean fine wine, luxury handbags, and a trip to France for the whole firm!… Read More

Over the next few days, as we give thanks for our many blessings, we should see fit to add something to our lists. Not the most important item, but a blessing nonetheless.

We should all be grateful that the City of San Diego recognizes its significance and rightful place of import in the region, in the State, and – yes – even in the nation and world.

Not the importance of whether libraries, parks and fire stations stay open, or even the tough decisions associated with a $2.8 billion pension deficit. It’s more than that. You see, all of those weighty issues combined are so significant to humankind – and the City of San Diego knows it – that the ceremony to administer the oath-of-office to the recently-elected individuals faced with the decisions has been given its correct due title: Inauguration.

The Inaugural Ceremonies for the mayor, four new city councilmembers and new city attorney will commence on the hallowed grounds of Golden Hall, in the City of San Diego Concourse, 202 “C” Street, at ten o’clock in… Read More

[Publisher’s Note: Today I am pleased to announce that I am seeking re-election as Vice Chairman, South, of the California Republican Party. Below my announcement letter is a partial list of my endorsements to date.]

Dear Fellow Republican:

It’s been three weeks since the Republican Party’s worst election night in four decades. Senator Barack Obama’s landslide victory along with significant Republican losses in the House and Senate requires our party to critically examine why we lost, who lead us astray and how we can win in 2010.

However, when you juxtapose the dreary national picture with California’s election results, our outlook isn’t nearly as… Read More

[Publisher’s Note: Today I am pleased to announce that I am seeking re-election as Vice Chairman, South, of the California Republican Party. Below my announcement letter is a partial list of my endorsements to date.]

Dear Fellow Republican: It’s been three weeks since the Republican Party’s worst election night in four decades. Senator Barack Obama’s landslide victory along with significant Republican losses in the House and Senate requires our party to critically examine why we lost, who lead us astray and how we can win in 2010. … Read More

Congratulations to State Senator-Elect Tony Strickland. We just heard from FR friend Bob Haueter, who has been on the ground there. Tony has an 801 vote lead and all that remains to count are a couple hundred LA County ballots, which will only widen his lead. Outstanding news!… Read More

Come into the FlashReport fortune telling booth, won’t you? No, we won’t be throwing the bones or pulling out the tarot cards this morning. This morning we’ll use the FR crystal ball!

Gather round and we’ll gaze into its depths…

“I see… Chronic overspending…. I see… Tax rates that are some of the highest in the nation… I see… Poor economic times and Californians who can’t afford to pay higher taxes… I hear… Doublespeak where reductions in projected increases are called decreases… I see… Liberal ideologues in the legislation who see the redistribution of wealth in society by government as some sort of religious calling… I see… Democrat lawmakers… Read More

Come into the FlashReport fortune telling booth, won’t you? No, we won’t be throwing the bones or pulling out the tarot cards this morning. This morning we’ll use the FR crystal ball!

Gather round and we’ll gaze into its depths…

“I see… Chronic overspending…. I see… Tax rates that are some of the highest in the nation… I see… Poor economic times and Californians who can’t afford to pay higher taxes… I hear… Doublespeak where reductions in projected increases are called decreases… I see… Liberal ideologues in the legislation who see the redistribution of wealth in society by government as some sort of religious calling… I see…… Read More

Everyone get out their pencils and take some notes. Here's what's going on at the State Capitol this afternoon. The liberal Democrats are putting up their own budget revisions in the form of a package made up of a half-dozen or so bills.

Make no mistake about it, the package up for votes today represents no negotiation, no concessions, and no meeting of the minds. Once again the Democrats are trying to push more taxes on Californians – around $8 billion worth (just what our fragile economy needs — not!). The Democrats also put up some cuts — but it is almost impossible for this lay person to sort out potential real cuts from what appears to be a lot of accounting gimmickry (this from the people who call increasing spending less than they desire a “cut”).

Absent of course is the one item that Republicans have made clear is their Omaha Beach — a real spending cap measure to place before voters.

Look for the whole package to go down today without one Republican vote (even the cuts offered up are tied legislatively to the tax increases). As for the Democrats — let's see what some of them… Read More