While Legislators gear up to battle over the State budget crisis, a new group is emerging as a leader in the anti-tax debate this year.

Americans for Prosperity has been taking the state by storm since kicking off their "Already Taxed to the Max!" (ATM) Tour in May, traveling the state with a giant ATM machine and asking Legislators and citizens alike to sign a petition for "no new taxes" in this year’s budget.

And, as the new Democratic Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass proposed a whopping 6.5 billion in new taxes last week, Americans for Prosperity’s campaign comes not a moment too soon.

With gas prices at an all-time high (thank you, environmentalists) and grocery prices poised to rise even higher, California families are, in essence, "being forced to choose between a gallon of milk and… Read More

The football adage of "If you get into the end zone, act like you have been there before." I would also add — act like you are going to come back.

Since last Tuesday I have noticed that around that state we have some poor sports. A few of the people have been those that lost on Tuesday.

The vast majority of poor sports have been those that have won races.… Read More

It is arguable that no single person has had more influence on the development and popularity of American wines than the late Robert Mondavi. Mondavi, considered the modern-day pioneer of the San Franciso Bay Area’s wine region was an inventor, a businessman, and foremost a visionary. He saw where the wine industry could be, and then lead the charge over decades to take it there.

At the time of Mondavi’s passing, we dedicated much of our main page to this pioneer – who was a master of the politics of wine.

As I pen this blog post, I am with my brother deep in the heart of the Napa Valley. We spent the better part of an hour this morning in the To Kolon Reserve Tasting Room at the Robert Modavi winery, sipping a vertical tasting of some outstanding reserve Cabernet Sauvignon wines, and toasting to the life of one who has made so much impact on an industry so important to California, and one very impactful to the publisher of this website.

To Robert Mondavi — salut!… Read More

Ok, The San Diego Primary Election Contest results are in (see prior post if you missed the opportunity to awe your fellow political hacks with your savvy predictions).

The response was pretty overwhelming for the blogs, with nearly 40 respondents! Before I announce the winners, first a recap of the questions, the correct answers and a brief analysis of the responses on each, as well as some creative comments that were occasionally included:

Question #1: 75th Assembly – Name the winner of the Republican nomination.

Correct Answer – Nathan Fletcher. This one was a throw away, worth zero points if answered correctly, but if wrong I wasn’t going to waste my time with the rest of the guesses. Fortunately, everyone got it right. Actually, one respondent nearly muffed it, initially answering Martin Garrick, only to email again and say "Oops," he had mis-read the district number.

“Cutest” Answer – “Mindy’s husband…I forgot his name.” Question #2: San Diego Mayor… Read More

Besides the November showdown between Senators McCain and Obama, the highest profile item that will be on California’s general election ballot will clearly be the Protect Marriage Act. This is the Constitutional Amendment that would "undo" the unfortunate decision by the California Supreme Court to nullify Proposition 22, which placed into California statute a definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

When the California Supreme’s made their decision, there was a statement released by Senator McCain’s campaign that was very carefully worded, saying that California residents should decide who can marry "rather than having that decision made by judicial fiat."

Ummmm. If I were a trial lawyer, I would have to raise a question, "Objection! Vague!"

It is great that McCain thinks that the Supreme Court’s decision to nullify… Read More

After lunchtime, the delegation heard a rousing speech from California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring, after which John Pesching, the Regional Political Director for the McCain campaign, and who served as the ground-guy for McCain in California for the primary, came forward to recognize those who lead the effort for the Arizona Senator in California: Cassandra Vandenberg, Finance Director for California Andrea Jones Rivera, California Campaign Manager Regional Chairs: Bob Laurie Anito Beck, Don Nelson: Bay Area Brian Forrest: Central Valley Rob Bren: Central Coast Steve Kuykendall: Los Angeles County, Luis Averado Robbie Hightower: Inland Empire Chris Truax – San Diego County Kevin Muldoon – Orange County Volunteer Coordinators Fred Hildbrant Alexia Delgianni Communications Team Jill Buck Chris Rubin Coalitions Chairman Gayle Pacheco (Gayle read off a lot of names of… Read More

It seems like I should add, from my first post, by adding that there are quite a few folks at the delation meeting who were supporter other candidates than John McCain. In a few instances you have some Romney delegation who represent the handful of House District that the former Massachussetts Governor carried — but much more so is a lot of outreach done by the McCain campaign to include supporters of former candidates Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney (I’m still looking around for an official Ron Paul supporters that is now on the delegation).

Who is making everything happen for the delegation?

The delegation staff is as follows (thus far):

Kathy Tavoularis, Executive Director Hector Barajas, Communications Director Charles Moran, Media Director (he’s an FR friend, so we’re looking for special treatment) Anthony Kuo, Executive Assistant Martin Paine, Transportation Coordinator Christina Tatevossian-Clendenin, Delegate Services Coordinator Jame Clark, Finance Consultant Julie Vallante, Housing Coordinator Janine Eggers, Major Gifts … Read More

I’m live blogging this morning from the organizational meeting of California’s Delegation to the Republican National Convention, taking place this morning in Burbank. After the primary concluded, the McCain campaign asked me if I would be willing to serve as a Statewide At-Large Delegate. I accepted the offer which means that FR readers who are not at the big event will be able to follow along as I blog from Minneapolis. There are about 450 people here, mostly made up of original supporters of Senator John McCain in the Presidential primary (each candidate puts up a slate of delegates and overwhelmingly, based on the results of California’s February Presidential primary, Senator McCain’s delegates were overwhelmingly seated). The meeting was opened by California’s Republican National Committeemembers, Tim Morgan and Barbara Alby. Both received a standing ovation for their service as both will be retiring this Summer after twelve years of service on the Republican National Committee. Tim and Barbara are both serving in leadership roles for the convention. Alby placed into nomination former… Read More