Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has put out a statement on the recent adoption of the Big 5/Big Taxes budget: “The budget that was passed by the State Legislature is not the solution. Instead of respecting taxpayers and championing job creation, Sacramento is increasing taxes on the middle class. The proposed budget will kill jobs, hurt families and make future deficits even worse.”

We couldn’t agree with Whitman more. The center piece of this budget deal is the largest tax increase at the state level in the history of the United States of America.

Whitman’s campaign also released a list of her Finance Committee which predictably contains a lot of heavy hitters from the Silicon Valley, as well as from around the state. Our personal favorite: Jenny Craig! (Out of deference to Ms. Craig, we… Read More

The SacBee has a calculator up that will allow you to estimate how much more you own under the New Maldonado Tax Plan.

Check it out.at http://www.sacbee.com/1098/story/1627728.html… Read More

H/T to Mark Landsbaum at Orange Punch:

As Dan Ackroyd said in "The Twilight Zone" movie, "Wanna see something really scary?"

OK, not so much scary as sickening. Either way, check out these Los Angeles Times photos of "Republican" Sen. Abel Maldonado and Roy Ashburn celebrating the inglicting of a massive tax hike on Californai citizens. Recoil at the sheer ecstasy in their faces as they vote to suck at least a thousand dollars out of the every working Californian and toss it down the state government rat hole — and collect their tax-free per diem in the process!

These guys are a disgrace. If the Senate Republicans have any self-respect, they’ll toss these them out of the caucus. That goes for the Assembly republicans, as well. First order of business is electing a new leader, and then exiling Assemblymen Anthony Adams, Roger Niello and Mike Villines. If those three are willing to put the interests of the government ahead of the interests of taxpayers and isde… Read More

This weekend the CA GOP will gather in Sacramento for the Spring Convention and the power of the State Republican Parties and the National Committee men and women is made clear in this article just published in Politics Magazine. State and local party members have a real impact in setting our national agenda.

A cloud of potential ruin hangs Republicans and over the Democrats too. State Senator Maldonado’s sucker punch in the gut of organized political parties could destroy our party structure. The ‘top-two’ Primary System could see two Republicans face-off in a General Election.

Expect strong opposition to the measure this weekend.

http://www.politicsmagazine.com/plan-of-steele/… Read More

I don't know who the first people to wander through the bloody fields after the battle at Waterloo. But as I board a flight to Sacramento this morning, I feel like I may be one of the modern-day equivalents of those people.

The loosers of this battle — taxpayers, believers in a twop party political system. The winners — Sacramento's special interests who succeeded in driving overspending for years and years, and then were able to get the largest state level tax increase in the history of our nation to boot. A horrible loss for those who champion limited government — and a devistating blow to the GOP — the “promise breakers” in all of this.… Read More

The "ruling power" has carried the day against the ruled.

Sen. Abel Maldonado named his price for voting for a massive tax hike, and the Democrats (along with a few Quisling Republican) met it, reminding me of the famous story about Winston Churchill’s propositioning a woman.

First, let me thank Sen. Abel Maldonado for taking a large sum of money out of my family budget and handing it over to a reckless, thieving state government. My wife thanks you, Senator, and my four daughters thank you. After all, is there any sacrifice too large if it benefits Sen. Maldonado’s political ambitions? (This is sarcasm, in case anyone missed that)

Secondly, I invite all FlashReport.org readers to join my new FaceBook group, "Never Elect Abel Maldonado To Anything, Ever Again." Are we the party of lower taxes? Or the party of raising taxes little bit… Read More

The following is the text of a press release by the Lincoln Club of Fresno County sent this morning regarding the budget deal:

The following Republican legislators voted to place on the ballot a "reform" of California’s election process to end partisan primary system. Under the proposal that will appear on the June 2010 ballot thanks to their critical votes, all voters may cast their ballots for any candidate, and the top two candidates, regardless of political party, move on to a general election runoff. This system is more or less designed to reduce the influence of the party system, and create more moderate, middle of the road public officials. I would note that it is a certainty, in my opinion, that under this system, we would never again in California have enough conservatives in the legislature to stop routine 2/3rds vote to raise taxes (which, by the way, IF the so-called spending limit that will be on the upcoming special election ballot passes, would also raise the spending cap).

SENATE Roy Ashburn Dave Cogdill Dave Cox Jeff Denham Abel Maldonado

ASSEMBLY Bill Berryhill Tom Berryhill Sam… Read More