Growing up in Michigan I never understood what a levee was…or what Robert Plant was saying when Led Zeppelin’s When the Levee Breaks came on Detroit radio I know I wasn’t thinking about the 1600 miles of levees throughout Northern California or about the 34 levee breaks that happened in the last 25 years along those miles. Or that a name like Katrina would be embedded in our lives.

After calling Sacramento home for years now I know what a levee is thank you very much…but after seeing the horrific video of displaced people and a flooded New Orleans… I think we all viscerally understand the lyrics “If it keeps on rainin’, levee’s goin’ to break, when the levee breaks, I’ll have no place to stay.”

Yep, I get it.

And it appears the liberals do too. Whether it’s bashing the President over slow FEMA response, or Barbara Boxer’s and Nancy Pelosi’s newly found wedge issue to fix the levees of the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta, it’s clear the bad guys are shamelessly using Hurricane Katrina to our detriment.

Politics… Read More

Senator John Campbell to debate Minuteman Founder Jim Gilchrist today LIVE on John and Ken (KFI AM 640) 3pm – 7pm.

For all you political junkies this afternoon there will be one of those moments–a time when your spouse and friends won’t understand why you would be glued to you computer or radio or actually drive to the Ayres Hotel in Laguna Woods to hear a political debate between these candidates for Congress…but you do it anyway.

Detail on the show: www.johnandkenshow.com

Live streaming audio: www.kfiam640.com/interactive/streaming.html

Gilchrist has the advantage on illegal immigration hands down, especially since Campbell has a couple bad votes in the Senate. But he does not present well and Campbell will mop the floor with Gilchrist on every other issue. Some politicos might suggest that this is a mistake, a strategic error on the part of Dave Gilliard, Campbell’s consultant. Actually, Campbell is going to be the top GOP vote getter no matter what, so he should try to reach a bit to see if… Read More

A Los Angeles Times editorial laments the the passing over of David Dreier as the Republicans replacement for Tom Delay. (http://www.latimes.com/…)

Of course it blames conservatives for opposing him because of his votes to federally fund experimentation on human embryos, his opposition to a constitutional ammendment to stop homosexual marriages and of course his views on immigration. While other accounts verify this, they fail to mention the most important point. This was good news for Dreier.

The 2004 elections saw his vote totals plumment as attacks on his record concerning illegal immigration by LA Radio Hosts John and Ken became more widely known.

The Majority Leader position would of made him a bigger target for those trying to recruit a credible candidate to run in the GOP Primary. Most of the focus is still on John March, the father of Deputy March, killed by an illegal alien.

The lower profile the better. Conservatives didDreier a big favor.… Read More

UNION THUGGERY Today in the Los Angeles Times is a ‘must read’ story that talks about how, in their battle to stop Proposition 75, "Paycheck Protection," unions how now resorted to threatening companies if they contribute towards the passage of the measure. This is thuggery at its worst. But, the public employee unions have everything on the line here. Remember that the CTA even mortgaged its headquarters to pay for their political push to defeat this measure. Why? You need only look to the union membership. Exit polls showed that in the 1993 recall election, around 40% of union members actually voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom McClintock. Yet, if you look at public employee union political spending, 100% (yes, that would be ALL) went to defend Gray Davis. It is really about a small group of union leaders that are totally out of touch with their members. The do not want to empower the individual employees, for fear that if they continue to be myopic in their spending habits, that their members will simply stop giving a portion of… Read More

Recently a police officer friend of mine, very active in his Central California based union, grabbed me by the shoulder told me how critical it was to get Fresno State Senator Chuck Poochigian elected Attorney General in 2006. After a nod and a brief pause, I asked “then why are you screwing him so bad on TV right now?” Befuddled, he looked at me and asked me “what I meant by that.” I replied, “It’s real simple, your union is spending $50 million in a concerted campaign to destroy the Governor. What makes you think ANY of our candidates down the ticket from the Governor can win if you are successful in your efforts? You can’t have it both ways. If you defeat Arnold, you get a terrible replacement AND Jerry Brown for your Attorney General. You will be less safe under that scenario than ever before. But you might get a 4% cost of living raise!” With that, my friend walked away shaking his head. I shook my head back. I have never been more disappointed in public safety unions that I am today. Pursuing a narrow, labor first agenda, they are imperiling all the citizens of California by attacking our Governor. If you know a… Read More

The seminal song by The Who — Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere — may not have been the first song to encourage rebellion, but it certainly was the first to showcase feedback.

These two points are what I hope to bring to this corner of The Flashreport: Rebellion. Feedback. And maybe a little fun.

Those who know me well know that I’m passionate about my business, my clients, and proud of my blue collar roots. For those who know me even better, they know I’m irreverent and I refuse to take life too seriously.

My anti authority take on the world was founded by my mother who walked precincts for Barry Goldwater, my stint working third shift at a Buick plant ultimately flattened by a thug union bent on destroying the very jobs it vowed to protect in Flint, Michigan, the life experiences of running campaigns in 17 states, and a mosh pit or two growing up.

I’m a blue collar conservative and damn proud of it. I’m far from sophisticated. But I’m not an… Read More

The Main Street Partnership’s decision to get involved in the special election for the 48th Congressional District is an example of putting their agenda for the Republican Party ahead of the Republican Party. I’ve seen enough polling data to convince me that Ms. Brewer has no chance of winning but every chance of forcing Senator John Campbell into an unecessary run-off election. A run-off for Campbell would waste hundreds of thousands of dollars in Republican money, put a safe Republican seat in possible jeopardy, and leave the House GOP short-handed a vote for several weeks.

You can argue that the House GOP doesn’t need that one vote, or that there is plenty of campaign cash in Orange County, or that Jim Gilchrist won’ t have enough impact on a run-off to put the 48th in play for the Dems. But why take the chance?

Some will argue that the national GOP needs to hear the message from the base (in the form of Gilchrist) by forcing a run-off but I would argue that the national GOP has heard the message.… Read More

All of us agree that he Governor has an uphill battle to fight in this special election. Few would disagree that his political shop has failed him. You can’t populate the shop with conservatives, moderate and liberals or you get a jumbled message, which is what we have seen up until list week. A couple of suggestions: quit talking about “union bosses”. Today’s public employee unions, while thuggish as a political adversary, are viewed more professionally than in the old days. Instead, refer to them as what they are: enemies of reform. Repeat it often. Second, these “staged” town halls are phony and they look phony. In the recall campaign you mingled with the people. Do it again. Take on the protesters. Better yet, let us do it for you. We are itching for the fight because you are RIGHT on the issues and we are eager to defend you. Return to your populist instincts. As a politician you look too contrived and scripted. The Terminator didn’t run from the competition. More later……..… Read More