Through George Will - Whitman says shrink the number of legislators and make initiatives impossible for grassroots groups to qualify.

Does that title sound absurd? Remember Whitman refusing to say what she'd cut from Government for about four months? Then Steve Poizner's Not Another Dime California Site comes out and Tom Campbell puts his site up causing Whitman to have a religious experience and she immediately starts spouting soundbytes.

Does that title sound absurd? Remember Whitman saying we can't stop welfare for illegals because there are children involved? (see also: Anchor Babies - illegals come across the border to have children knowing the child will be an automatic American citizen which gets the parents benefits and the child gets welfare)

Whitman Principle Number One - Campaign Nationally was on display again as the latest GOP establishment type - George Will wrote a column. Remember, the GOP establishment did such a great job handling power that we have a Socialist president and a filibuster-proof majority for the Dems in the Senate now. That same establishment is attempting to reincarnate Arnold in California...

Whitman and her team of Schwarzenegger staff have been tripping over their feet - George Will, in an attempt to lionize Meg Whitman sets her on fire again. Or maybe Meg did it and George Will's ignorance of California politics highlighted Meg's Ignorance of California Politics.

Enter Whitman Endorser and Supporter - State Senator Tony Strickland. Tony is the $10 Million Dollar Man - it took $10 Million to keep taxin' Jackson out of that Senate Seat. Do you think Tony was contacted before this latest policy "statement" from Whitman?

Whitman thinks it should be even more expensive to run for state office - why? She thinks we should have less members in the legislature - which would also make it easier for her fellow Liberals (SEIU, PETA, Sierra Club, CTA, etc etc etc) to control Sacramento.

In addition - her comments about "... the initiative process has outlived it's usefulness" were not a gaffe as she is now clarifying that statement by advocating making initiatives impossible for the grassroots and only possible for well-funded (eg Labor Unions) organizations to qualify them.

Look at what Will writes (in his blog on Townhall today):

She endorses a convention to revise California's Constitution, which was written in 1879 and has been amended 518 times. She would reduce the number of state Assembly districts (there are 80) because the Legislature is cumbersome, and would modify the initiative and referendum process. (Define cumbersome, the Dems control everything except the budget)

Voters have discombobulated budgeting by mandating spending without providing revenues, other than promiscuous borrowing. Whitman favors making it harder -- requiring more signatures -- to get measures on ballots, limiting the number on ballots in particular elections, and requiring the ballot language to specify the costs of measures being voted on.

I didn't make it up - George Will, in the process of trying to promote Whitman reveals that he spends too much time in D.C. He should write about D.C. politics and leave California alone.

It is clear - more signatures - making it more expensive and limiting the number of initiatives - making the early bird get the worm. Advantage Eco-Nazis, SEIU and CTA, they open their Warchests, get a bunch of initatives qualified and the rest of us are shut out because of a limit.

But, It doesn't stop there - cut the number of Assemblymembers to 40?

Tony Strickland? Wanna raise $20 million when you run for re-election? Why not run for U.S. Senate again if you're gonna need $20 mil... this is ridiculous.

Does Whitman really think the people of California would be thrilled at the prospect of shrinking the number of representatives so that it would be easier for the idiots that ran the state in the ground to avoid accountability?

In New Hampshire - they have a representative per 2,500 people. One of Charlie Brown's staffers was a NH Assemblyman who was recalled, even without a recall if a representative lies or votes for bad bills their constituents disagree with, they are done in two years.

Again, Whitman would have even more control to the eco-Nazis, SEIU and CTA. It is a wonder they haven't endorsed her!

Everytime Whitman makes a policy statement - her lack of prime-time experience becomes more apparent. Whitman Principle Number three - the sliding compass... with Arnold's team surrounding her, we can expect much more of these comments to come.

George Will forgot to read the memo - there's a primary that preceeds coronation.

The Senate has adjourned for the evening and they seem no closer to a deal than before. The fact of the matter is Abel Maldonado (love him or hate him) did not vote for the deal. Even if he had they would still be another vote short of what is needed to pass the bills in question. The midnight deadline means that the Prop 98 guarantee for school funding increases by $3 billion for Fiscal Year 2009-10. We will see if anything new develops as the session is set to begin at 10:00 AM tomorrow.

The State Senate just adjourned its 12.5 hour session shortly after 10:00 PM.  The bad news is that no budget and no spending cuts were approved.  The good news is no tax increases were approved.

They will reconvene at 9:00 AM tomorrow.  The fiscal year ends at 11:59 PM tomorrow.  At this point, 25.5 hours remain to make any cuts to fill the multibillion dollar deficit from this fiscal year.  They will have to separately cut spending from next fiscal year's budget to match that budget's multibillion dollar deficit, which they adopted in February to take effect on July 1, which starts 25.5 hours from now.

The California State Assembly and State Senate is convening for a rare Sunday session to take up the 2009-2010 State Budget.

Thanks to Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine, District 70) who is making his posts via Facebook and Twitter on three of the four tax increases that are being proposed by the Democrats, because the tax language proposals are not available at either the State Assembly or State Senate homepages:

1)  SB 76 - $1.9 Billion Crude Oil Tax

2)  SB 77 - $15 Vehicle Tax to fund State Parks

3)  SB 78 - 4.8% tax on Property Insurance Policies to fund firefighting.

Governor Schwarzenegger has vowed that he will veto any tax measures when it reaches his desk.

State Senator Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar, District 29) comments on his Facebook about today's Sunday session, "The Dems are going to put up tax increase votes on Sunday evening. Do you suppose that is to avoid scrutiny from the press?"

Now, the scrutiny begins here on RedCounty, because every California taxpayers deserve to know what the Democrats are up to with these tax increases.

Update 7:30 PM PST - The 4th tax is a doubling the drivers license fees from $28 to $56 connected to a shift of $300 million in welfare costs to counties.  (Source from Assemblyman DeVore.)

Update 10:00 PM PST - Assembly passed the tax increases by a vote of 44-30, all GOP Assemblymembers  voted No along with 2 Democrats Assemblywoman Alyson Huber (D-El Dorado Hills, District 10) and Assemblyman Manny Perez (D-Coachella Valley, District 80), both are from marginal districts...Surprised they voted NO.

A breaking exclusive from the FlashReport...

This is a FlashReport blog exclusive.  The word is that 10News will run a story at 6 pm.  If so, I'll add it to the post, but -- thanks to great sources...

Francine Busby 2.0: Loud Music, Resisting Arrest, Pepper Spray, and Battery on a Police Officer

Erstwhile and announced future candidate for Congress Francine Busby sure knows how to toss a party.  The supposedly "centrist " Democrat and her followers don't seem to respect authority too much either.  Last night's event to raise funds for a challenge to Rep. Brian Bilbray would have only been more complete with a good old fashioned flag burning.

--- BEGIN POLICE REPORT ---
 
On 6/27/09, at about 2112 hours, Deputy ***** and *****, Clinician ***** responded to 1366 Rubenstein Avenue, Cardiff, Calif, regarding a Loud Democratic Rally with Loud Speakers.
 
The reporting party's residence is located on Summit Avenue just west of 1366 Rubenstein Avenue.  The reporting party told dispatchers he was willing to sign and wanted deputy contact.  It was later learned that the rally was a fundraiser for Francine Busby who is running for Congress.
 
Upon arriving at 1366 Rubenstein Avenue, Deputy ***** and Clinician ***** walked down a long driveway and found an open front door.  They noticed that some type of rally or party was taking place.  Deputy ***** asked someone outside where the homeowner could be found.  The person told Deputy ***** they were somewhere inside the house.
 
Deputy ***** and Clinician ***** walked inside and asked another person where the homeowner was.  That person pointed at a female later identified as Shari Lynn Barman.  Deputy ***** approached Barman and attempted to inform her that the rally was causing a disturbance for one of her neighbors.  Deputy ***** noticed Barman wearing a name tag with the first name of Shari written on it.  Deputy ***** asked Shari what her last name and date of birth was, so he could document the contact with her and complete his first responder notification.
 
She refused to tell Deputy ***** her last name or D.O.B. and walked away from him several times.  Deputy ***** followed her and continued to ask for her last name and D.O.B. and she refused his request.  As Barman walked away from Deputy ***** again he grabbed her wrist to prevent her from walking away.  She resisted and tried to break free of his grasp.  Deputy ***** attempted to handcuff Barman as she screamed to the crowd of about 25-40 people.  The crowd surrounded Deputy ***** and began pulling Barman away from him.
 
The crowd was successful in taking Barman away from Deputy ***** and they continued surrounding him.  Clinician ***** was pushed out of the way by the crowd and kicked on the back of her leg by an unknown suspect.  Deputy ***** took out his pepper spray and used it on the crowd which effectively stopped them from advancing on him.  Additionally, it gave him an opportunity to go into the crowd and take Barman back into custody.  He attempted to handcuff Barman as she struck him several times on his arms and upper torso with her hands.
 
Another female later identified as Pamela Ann Morgan began pulling at Deputy *****'s arms trying to prevent him from arresting Barman.  Deputy ***** arrived and took Morgan into custody which allowed Deputy ***** time to handcuff and secure Barman.  Barman was arrested for 243 (b) P.C.-Battery on a Police Officer and 148 (a) P.C.-Obstructing a Police Officer and was later booked into the Vista Jail.  Morgan was arrested for 148 (a) P.C., issued a citation and released from the Encinitas Station.  Deputy ***** sustained several scratches and minor swelling on both of his arms.
 
Source of information: Sgt. Jack Reynolds, Encinitas Patrol Station
 
--- END POLICE REPORT --- 

Additional info in the links below. Screen shots have been produced in case the links "change"....
 
http://www.busbyforcongress.com/
 
https://www.completecampaigns.com/public.asp?name=Busby&page=28
 
http://www.busbyforcongress.com/pdf/barman_stratton.pdf
 
http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=name&lname=BARMAN
 
http://www.bieltd.com/about_us/bio1.html
 
http://www.bieltd.com/contact/index.html

I just got the following press release from Senator George Runner's office regarding a video that he released regarding the California versus Nevada business climate. I have posted the links to both of the videos right underneath here so that you can see what is being questioned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTVOSNr1RI8 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqSFGZpgLf8

Republican’s First Amendment rights
quashed by California Liberal Leadership

GOP Senator forbidden to post anti-tax video on state website, even though Democrats release pro-tax video on state dime

SACRAMENTO – Sen. George Runner (R- Antelope Valley) today decried Democrat leaders’ censorship of a Runner-produced video that deals with California’s high taxation and poor business climate. Specifically, the Senate and Assembly Rules Committees, chaired by  Democrats with a majority Democrat membership, forbid Runner from posting a video with an anti-tax message to his state website or emailing it to constituents.

“Clearly, the Democrat-controlled Rules Committee has two standards for senators and assembly members when it comes to corresponding with our constituents,” Runner said. “One standard denies First Amendment rights to GOP elected officials and effectively censors the voice of one party; the other standard grants Democrats the American right to unabashed freedom of speech.”

The Senate and Assembly Rules declared Runner’s video "too political", "looks like a campaign ad,” and "…creates a mood against taxes" and therefore cannot be sent out on state emails or posted on state websites. In the meantime, legislative Democrats post and email video segments that declare the Governor's proposed budget cuts will kill children and other propaganda in an effort to create a mood for tax increases. 

“If we view the world the way Democrats do, and develop video that agrees, we can get approved,” Runner said. “But if we disagree and show a different view of the world we will be denied. 

Runner said the decisions smack of totalitarianism.

“This reminds me of China, the old USSR, and the current Islamic regime in Iran,” Runner continued. “This should not happen in the United States with its First Amendment guarantee in the Constitution.

”Runner said he is reminded of a statement made by former Israel Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion: “The test of democracy is freedom of criticism.”

“The liberal leaders of the California legislature have failed the test of democracy by censoring the opinions of Republican legislators,” Runner said.