I thought it was Politics 101 that a recall petition has to include a rebuttal from the targeted elected official before it can be circulated. And, that any decent consultant knows that. Or, any real player. I guess the California Republican Assembly was right to take a "watch" approach on whether to join the effort, as a way to see how the guards do in the initial stages.

Some advice to the guards: Seek advice.

Sacramento, CA – The California Secretary of State’s Office today rejected the prison guard’s recall petition because of the union’s failure to include Gov. Schwarzenegger’s response to their recall effort on the petition violates California law. … Read More

State Senator Dean Florez (Blowhard) – Bakersfield, actually proposed that the State’s retirement system, CALPERS, "invest" in the State’s debt, in a letter to State Treasurer Bill Lockyer (D). Lockyer, whose been hiding from the media during the State’s budget crisis, had no immediate comment, but he had to be thinking: "why would CALPERS jump onthe Titanic when she’s already halfway down?

Florez, who’s mom is running for Assembly against Republican Danny Gilmore, reputedly was an "investment banker" in Shafter for about 30 seconds before he decided to become a lifetime politician. Given the intellectual validity of his proposal, which is uh, zero, its not hard to see why he chose politics. Its the easiest way to "invest" everyone else’s money.

The fact is, there isn’t a market for California’s paper (for those of you in Sacramento, that mean "debt") because California has been run into the ground by Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with a cast of willing Democrats in the Legislature pushing higher spending the entire way. Oh sure, there were a… Read More

From reading newspaper accounts this morning, Governor Schwarzenegger is seriously looking at calling a special session of the state legislature to deal with the fact that the economic downturn that is taking place is created a much larger than expected negative impact on the current fiscal year state budget. It is not surprising that state government income would take a hit at the same time that the California economy does – the real question is how will Sacramento politicians deal with this issue.

If there is a special session to deal with what is essentially an out-of-balance state budget (remember, the one that was just passed?), we will be going right back into the polarized environment which delivered us such a late budget in the first place.

There will be two schools of thought – more cuts in government spending, or increasing “revenue” (i.e… taxes or borrowing). The former position is the correct prescription for California taxpayers, already suffering the effects of the economic downturn. The latter position will be that of the public employee unions… Read More

From reading newspaper accounts this morning, Governor Schwarzenegger is seriously looking at calling a special session of the state legislature to deal with the fact that the economic downturn that is taking place is created a much larger than expected negative impact on the current fiscal year state budget. It is not surprising that state government income would take a hit at the same time that the California economy does – the real question is how will Sacramento politicians deal with this issue.

If there is a special session to deal with what is essentially an out-of-balance state budget (remember, the one that was just passed?), we will be going right back into the polarized environment which delivered us such a late budget in the first place.

There will be two schools of thought – more cuts in government spending, or increasing “revenue” (i.e… taxes or borrowing). The former position is the correct prescription for California taxpayers, already suffering the effects of the economic downturn. The latter position will be that of the… Read More

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore is not shy about his support of the American Jewery. Irvine has a thriving Jewish Community and while DeVore is not Jewish himself, he is always on hand for community events and milestones.

Last month a new Orthodox congregation dedicated its new facility in the heart of Orange County, Chuck was there. This article appeared in the October edition of Orange County Jewish Life. … Read More

Well, it’s Monday and it is entirely possible that Governor Schwarzenegger’s Chief of Staff, Susan Kennedy, is telecommuting via a video-conferencing set-up from her Marin County home. Must be nice. Hard to believe it, but it’s that time of year again. Time for the FlashReport annual “rant” about Susan Kennedy and call for the Governor to dump her and hire a Republican Chief of Staff.

It’s now been over two years since Governor Schwarzenegger passed up millions of Republicans in California to appoint Kennedy, a Democrat as his Chief of Staff (actually, it’s been 2 years and 31 days according to the still-operating count-up clock on the ultimately ineffective stopsusankennedy.com website).

Susan Kennedy is a former Executive Director of the… Read More

Well, it’s Monday and it is entirely possible that Governor Schwarzenegger’s Chief of Staff, Susan Kennedy, is telecommuting via a video-conferencing set-up from her Marin County home. Must be nice. Hard to believe it, but it’s that time of year again. Time for the FlashReport annual “rant” about Susan Kennedy and call for the Governor to dump her and hire a Republican Chief of Staff.

It’s now been over two years since Governor Schwarzenegger passed up millions of Republicans in California to appoint Kennedy, a Democrat as his Chief of Staff (actually, it’s been 2 years and 31 days according to the still-operating count-up clock on the ultimately ineffective stopsusankennedy.com website).

Susan Kennedy is a former Executive Director of the… Read More

FR Readers, I don’t know whether you have had an opportunity to meet Frank Schubert. Frank is one of California’s premiere public affairs and political consultants — and is also a fine conservative. Some time ago, Frank began to pen a week "rant" over on his firm’s website. Very quickly I came to look forward to them as Frank would also write about issues that matter, with a healthy injection of cynicism or humor (whichever is appropriate depending on the subject). I am very excited that we here at the FlashReport have successfully lobbied to carry Frank’s Rant as a regular feature here on the FR Blog. Below is Frank’s most recent diatribe, and look for his next one later in the week! Jon Fleischman FR Publisher BAILOUTS, BUDGETS AND… Read More