Today at 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, the U.S. Senate will commence deliberations on a bill to fund the federal government for the rest of the year. Sometime this week, as part of the legislation, a heated discussion about polar bears will likely take place.

Then the majority Democrats (with a little help — it will take 60 votes) will probably push through the Omnibus Appropriations Bill, H.R. 1105, along with several "riders" such as Section 429, all of which President Obama will probably sign into law.

Section 429 is aimed at protecting polar bears at all costs, while at the same time creating a real possibility that the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) will finally push America’s economy, the Act itself, the polar bear himself/herself, and perhaps all of the above, toward extinction.

This reminds me a little bit of last year’s tax day, April 15, when the Nevada Development Authority sent people dressed in bear suits to the Capitol in Sacramento. The bears held up signs saying it was "Time to Feed the Bear."

This was intended as a message to business owners and relocation managers thinking of leaving… Read More

In a specialpresentation last weekend at the Sunday floor session ofthe California Republican Party Convention in Sacramento, the Temecula/Murrieta Valley Republican Women Federated club took home the honor of "Chairman’s Grassroots Club Award."

Recognized for "outstanding volunteerism on behalf of the Republican Party," the Republican women were honored for registering over one thousand new Republican voters (in the middle of one of the most difficult periods to register new Republicans) and logging an impressive total of 4,500 hours from August to Election Day in the Southwest Riverside County headquarters for the McCain campaign. Accepting the award from CRP officials was President Adele Harrison.

One volunteer present at the Convention, but too humble to take credit for the honor, is Bridget Blanton. This dedicated young lady volunteered six days a week, for at least a twelve-hour shift each day (10 AM-10 PM), working a… Read More

Lester Snow, Director of Department of Water Resources, has once again penned an exclusive commentary for FlashReport readers…

We’re in our third consecutive year of drought due to below-average rain and snowfall in California. Despite the recent storms, we are still well behind average for the year and there’s virtually no chance that we will get enough rainfall this spring to pull California out of this drought. Three dry years combined with court-ordered restrictions on pumping from the Delta climate change impacts, and a state that has grown by 9 million since the 1991 drought has created a real crisis for our economy, our environment and our agriculture industry. Today, the Governor has taken bold action to assist… Read More

Lester Snow, Director of Department of Water Resources, has once again penned an exclusive commentary for FlashReport readers…

We’re in our third consecutive year of drought due to below-average rain and snowfall in California. Despite the recent storms, we are still well behind average for the year and there’s virtually no chance that we will get enough rainfall this spring to pull California out of this drought. Three dry years combined with court-ordered restrictions on pumping from the Delta climate change impacts, and a state that has grown by 9 million since the 1991 drought has created a real crisis for our economy, our environment and our agriculture industry.

Today, the Governor has taken bold action to assist people, communities and businesses as they deal with the challenges of this drought. By proclaiming a… Read More

Remember the "Don’t tase me bro," line that was all the rage after an anti-war protester slammed the John Kerry speech years ago.

Well, taxpayers can adopt their own version of this request: Don’t tax me bro!

Ashley Nicole Ingram posted the line on her FaceBook status while attending the LA "Taxpayer Tea Party" – similar "Tea Parties" are going on across California to protest the recent Mega-tax hike and pork-pie stimulus package.

She’s allowed me to use it here, but I can see the bumper sticker industry rolling out a new hit sometime soon. … Read More

As I’ve previously mentioned several times, Controller Chiang decided to put his public employee union bosses, from whom he has raked in plenty of campaign dough, ahead of taxpayers when he refused to implement the Governor’s Executive Order during the last budget impasse. While the state was facing an huge financial shortfall and the Governor was taking executive action to cut costs by reducing the pay of state employees to minimum wage, Chiang refused to implement the order and cited that his computers weren’t up to speed with what was required from a 5-year old court ruling.

Yesterday, Judge Timothy M. Frawley has tentatively sided with Schwarzenegger based on a 2003 case, White v. Davis, that ruled that state workers aren’t authorized their full pay until the money is appropriated in the state budget. Since tentative rulings are rarely overturned, we can expect that the Judge will take this stance again on Friday in his final ruling. This sets a… Read More

As I’ve previously mentioned several times, Controller Chiang decided to put his public employee union bosses, from whom he has raked in plenty of campaign dough, ahead of taxpayers when he refused to implement the Governor’s Executive Order during the last budget impasse. While the state was facing an huge financial shortfall and the Governor was taking executive action to cut costs by reducing the pay of state employees to minimum wage, Chiang refused to implement the order and cited that his computers weren’t up to speed with what was required from a 5-year old court ruling.

Yesterday, Judge Timothy M. Frawley has tentatively sided with Schwarzenegger based on a 2003 case, White v. Davis, that ruled that state workers aren’t authorized their full pay until the money is appropriated in the state budget. Since tentative rulings are rarely overturned, we can expect that the Judge will take this stance again on Friday in his final ruling. This sets a… Read More

You have to ask yourself what kind of a dumb person would literally, and with a lack of literary delicacy, put a cell phone up their butt. Actually, it turns out maybe not so dumb after all. Who would have a good reason to do this? Better yet — why should it be a felony? Senator John Benoit can answer these questions right here.

(And before you prejudge me or Senator Benoit, he is not introducing legislation that would limit the use of a cell phone, in this manner for "recreational" purposes… Individual liberty is, after all, not to be trampled upon lightly… I know… Gross…)

For those of you with long memories, back in the 80’s, Eddie Murphy recorded this tune, which seems an appropriate way to end this most inappropriate blog post…

… Read More