About Author: Rogue Elephant

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http://www.taxrevolt2009.com/

Posts by Rogue Elephant

  • California's GOP leadership still doesn't get it.  That's the message from the Orange County GOP Central Committee, who have voted Rep. John Campbell "Legislator of the Year".  Campbell, who has supported numerous bailouts (including Cash for Clunkers), appears to share the GOP establishment's fiscal conservative principles, or lack thereof.  Whether in OC, Sacramento, or Washington, the center-right appears to have few friends in the political establishments.

    GOP Leadership Still Doesn’t Get it

    California's GOP leadership still doesn't get it. That's the message from the Orange County GOP Central Committee, who have voted Rep. John Campbell "Legislator of the Year". Campbell, who has supported numerous bailouts (including Cash for Clunkers), appears to share the GOP establishment's fiscal conservative principles, or lack thereof. Whether in OC, Sacramento, or Washington, the center-right appears to have few friends in the political establishments.

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  • It's a shame that the OC political blog wars have reached such a fever pitch that one faction has resorted to legal threats against another.  As noted elsewhere, at least one claim appears to be unsupported by law (putting at issue the motive behind the legal threats - an ethical concern for counsel).  Nevertheless, this appears to be just a flash point in a larger, long-running conflict.  These conflicts serve no useful purpose and the parties should give it a rest.

    Give it a rest

    It's a shame that the OC political blog wars have reached such a fever pitch that one faction has resorted to legal threats against another. As noted elsewhere, at least one claim appears to be unsupported by law (putting at issue the motive behind the legal threats - an ethical concern for counsel). Nevertheless, this appears to be just a flash point in a larger, long-running conflict. These conflicts serve no useful purpose and the parties should give it a rest.

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  • Just when you thought you’d heard it all, John McCain launches a radio spot announcing that “John McCain is leading the fight against President Obama every day.”  The radio spot […]

    Old Senators Never Die

    Just when you thought you’d heard it all, John McCain launches a radio spot announcing that “John McCain is leading the fight against President Obama every day.”  The radio spot […]

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  • “Drill, Baby, Drill!” California can help solve its budget crisis by selling oil leases, proposes Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.  His proposal would create a state board to consider leases off the […]

    Drill Baby, Drill

    “Drill, Baby, Drill!” California can help solve its budget crisis by selling oil leases, proposes Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.  His proposal would create a state board to consider leases off the […]

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  • The Citizen Power Campaign continues to gain momentum, garnering the endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner.  Poizner joins Chuck DeVore and Tom Campbell in endorsing the Citizen Power Initiative.  The measure will end the public employee unions' death grip on state government by prohibiting those unions from using forced member dues for politics.  The Campaign recently launched a revolutionary iPhone application for gathering signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2010 ballot.

    Poizner Endorses Citizen Power Initiative

    The Citizen Power Campaign continues to gain momentum, garnering the endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner. Poizner joins Chuck DeVore and Tom Campbell in endorsing the Citizen Power Initiative. The measure will end the public employee unions' death grip on state government by prohibiting those unions from using forced member dues for politics. The Campaign recently launched a revolutionary iPhone application for gathering signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2010 ballot.

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  • Willie Brown is calling for an "honest dialogue" on California's public employee unions.  Brown, the former San Francisco mayor and longtime Speaker of the California Assembly, has pointed out the obvious - that our civil servants now "[run] the show" in California.  They have "job security for life" and "pushed by our friends in labor, gradually expanded pay and benefits to private-sector levels while keeping the job protections and layering on incredibly generous retirement packages that pay ex-workers almost as much as current workers".  Standing against them, says Brown, is "politically unpopular and potentially even career suicide for most officeholders".

    Willie Brown: State of the Unions

    Willie Brown is calling for an "honest dialogue" on California's public employee unions. Brown, the former San Francisco mayor and longtime Speaker of the California Assembly, has pointed out the obvious - that our civil servants now "[run] the show" in California. They have "job security for life" and "pushed by our friends in labor, gradually expanded pay and benefits to private-sector levels while keeping the job protections and layering on incredibly generous retirement packages that pay ex-workers almost as much as current workers". Standing against them, says Brown, is "politically unpopular and potentially even career suicide for most officeholders".

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  • California gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell today endorsed the Citizen Power Initiative as one of the most important reforms for turning around California’s troubled state government.  Campbell is the first gubernatorial candidate of either party to endorse the measure, which will end the practice of allowing taxpayer money to be funneled to political causes through public employee unions’ paychecks.  “Fixing our broken state government is priority one,” he said. “That’s why I am running for governor.

    California gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell endorses Citizen Power Initiative

    California gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell today endorsed the Citizen Power Initiative as one of the most important reforms for turning around California’s troubled state government. Campbell is the first gubernatorial candidate of either party to endorse the measure, which will end the practice of allowing taxpayer money to be funneled to political causes through public employee unions’ paychecks. “Fixing our broken state government is priority one,” he said. “That’s why I am running for governor."

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  • California, in the (appropriate) person of Governor Schwarzenegger, has gone crawling to Washington to beg for handouts.  This is a bad idea because it is no long-term solution and federal money comes with strings attached.  Washington, like Mr. Potter, the avaricious banker in Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, cares only for its ambition to own and control everything and everyone.  There is another solution - debt  restructuring (“bankruptcy”).

    California’s Nuclear Option

    California, in the (appropriate) person of Governor Schwarzenegger, has gone crawling to Washington to beg for handouts. This is a bad idea because it is no long-term solution and federal money comes with strings attached. Washington, like Mr. Potter, the avaricious banker in Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, cares only for its ambition to own and control everything and everyone. There is another solution - debt restructuring (“bankruptcy”).

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  • Over a century ago, California voters enacted our initiative and referendum laws to stop the railroad barons in Sacramento.  In 2008, a different set of Sacramento robber barons railroaded voters […]

    Stop the Railroad Barons

    Over a century ago, California voters enacted our initiative and referendum laws to stop the railroad barons in Sacramento.  In 2008, a different set of Sacramento robber barons railroaded voters […]

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  • California is on Barbara Boxer’s naughty list in the healthcare deal coming out of Washington.  Other states got goodies in their stockings, while all California got was coal.  The corrupt […]

    Boxer Puts Coal in California’s Stocking

    California is on Barbara Boxer’s naughty list in the healthcare deal coming out of Washington.  Other states got goodies in their stockings, while all California got was coal.  The corrupt […]

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  • U.S. Senate candidate Chuck DeVore this week endorsed the Citizen Power Initiative, a California ballot measure and proposed constitutional amendment that will end the corrupt practice of allowing taxpayer money to be funneled to political causes through public employee unions. DeVore said, “California’s fiscal crisis will continue unless we can break the political machine. The political alliance created by legislators and the powerful public employee unions who bankroll their campaigns results in bigger government, more spending, and taxpayers are shut out of the process. Nothing will change until we get the government out of the business of collecting union members’ dues that are used for politics.”

    DeVore Leads GOP in Fighting Union Corruption

    U.S. Senate candidate Chuck DeVore this week endorsed the Citizen Power Initiative, a California ballot measure and proposed constitutional amendment that will end the corrupt practice of allowing taxpayer money to be funneled to political causes through public employee unions. DeVore said, “California’s fiscal crisis will continue unless we can break the political machine. The political alliance created by legislators and the powerful public employee unions who bankroll their campaigns results in bigger government, more spending, and taxpayers are shut out of the process. Nothing will change until we get the government out of the business of collecting union members’ dues that are used for politics.”

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  • Sen. Jim DeMint has launched a conservative PAC to reshape the GOP Senate caucus.  The Senate Conservatives Fund is backing DeVore, Florida's Marco Rubio, and conservative challengers in Kentucky and New Hampshire.  Conservative activists oppose the (supposedly neutral) National Republican Senatorial Committee's (NRSC) support of faux-conservative candidates like Carly Fiorina and Florida's Charlie Crist (who OC conservatives booed for praising Schwarzenegger's governorship).  Sen. DeMint has given the center-right a badly needed voice.

    Conservative PAC Backs DeVore

    Sen. Jim DeMint has launched a conservative PAC to reshape the GOP Senate caucus. The Senate Conservatives Fund is backing DeVore, Florida's Marco Rubio, and conservative challengers in Kentucky and New Hampshire. Conservative activists oppose the (supposedly neutral) National Republican Senatorial Committee's (NRSC) support of faux-conservative candidates like Carly Fiorina and Florida's Charlie Crist (who OC conservatives booed for praising Schwarzenegger's governorship). Sen. DeMint has given the center-right a badly needed voice.

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  • The left is giving the GOP a sneak peek at Barbara Boxer’s campaign.  The left’s narrative will be largely the same whether Boxer faces DeVore or Fiorina.  (And contrary to […]

    Boxer Campaign Sneak Peek

    The left is giving the GOP a sneak peek at Barbara Boxer’s campaign.  The left’s narrative will be largely the same whether Boxer faces DeVore or Fiorina.  (And contrary to […]

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  • Washington is where conservatism goes to die.  GOP Senate candidate Chuck DeVore is learning that the hard way.  In his recent trip to Washington, Chuck learned that Sacramento isn’t the […]

    Mr. DeVore Goes to Washington

    Washington is where conservatism goes to die.  GOP Senate candidate Chuck DeVore is learning that the hard way.  In his recent trip to Washington, Chuck learned that Sacramento isn’t the […]

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