• California,  California Budget,  Flap's California Morning Collection,  Jerry Brown,  Tom McClintock

    Flap’s California Morning Collection: June 15, 2011

    All eyes are on California Capitol today, as the the Legislature faces a 11:59 PM deadline to pass a balanced budget or have their own paychecks affected. Any odds at some sort of “balanced” budget will pass when legislator’s own bank accounts are on the line?

    The answer is: YES.

    Both the California Assembly and Senate have morning sessions this morning and the poop is that they will pass a majority vote “balanced budget.” Remember California Democrats hold overwhelming majorities in both houses, but lack the 2/3’rds super majority in order to raise taxes.

    The California Legislature is facing an almost $ 10 Billion budget shortfall and is required by law to balance the books. Some of the proposals leaked out of the Capitol for the Democrat majority only plan include:

    • Increasing the state sales tax by 1/4%
    • Increasing car/vehicle registration fees by $12 each
    • Imposing the “Amazon Tax” or internet sales tax collection requirements for online retailers who do not have a physical presence in California
    • Charging rural homeowners a fee for firefighting services
    • Cutting the budget of the California Court system by $150 Million

    There are others, but the Democrats are floundering since most of the above will face certain court challenges or have no realistic ability to either cut spending or raise revenues. In other words, it is a SHAM and GIMMIC budget. Whether Democrat Governor Jerry Brown will go along with this Democrat majority only budget is uncertain.

    Brown will continue to negotiate with the Republicans and hope for a better deal. The Republicans have no incentive to deal with the Governor unless some real reforms become reality – if even that.

    So, on to the links:

    Field Poll: Support Slipping for Jerry Brown, Tax Extensions

    Gov. Jerry Brown still has public support for his tax plan, but the margin has slipped, and so has his public approval rating, according to a Field Poll released today.

    The poll comes as legislative Democrats – frustrated by months of failed budget talks between Brown and Republican lawmakers – prepare today to take up a budget of their own.

    Though Brown’s public approval rating has slipped just two percentage points since March, to 46 percent, many Californians who previously were undecided about Brown made up their minds against him. Thirty-one percent of voters disapprove of Brown’s job performance, up from 21 percent in March.

    Fifty-two percent of registered voters surveyed said they would be willing to extend temporary tax increases to close the state’s remaining $9.6 billion budget deficit, a drop of nine percentage points from March.


    Highlights of the Democratic budget plan

    Highlights of the Democratic budget package that lawmakers plan to vote on Wednesday, according to Assembly budget staff:

    TAXES AND FEES

    $900 million –- Raise local sales tax rate by 0.25 percentage point

    $300 million –- Raise annual car registration fee by $12

    $200 million –- Require online retailers, such as Amazon.com, to collect sales taxes

    $160 million –- Impose fee on residents in fire zones

    CUTS

    $500 million –- Cut spending on a local law enforcement program (could be offset by a vehicle tax hike, if GOP agrees)

    $300 million –- Reduce spending on University of California and California State University systems by $150 million each

    $150 million –- Reduce court spending

    DEFERRALS

    $2.85 billion –- Delay paying schools and community bills until the next fiscal year

    $540 million –- Delay paying some UC bills until next fiscal year

    OTHER

    $1.2 billion -– Revive a new version of proposal to sell state buildings,and then lease space back

    $1 billion –- Assume state wins lawsuit to take money from early-childhood programs

    $800 million -– Additional unanticipated tax revenue

    $750 million -– Cancel repayment of old school debts

    $700 million -– Assume federal government will pay some Medi-Cal bills

    Conservative heat to end redevelopment

    Who would have guessed that California conservative icon Tom McClintock, the former longtime legislator from Ventura County and current congressman representing a district in Northern California, would step up at a critical time to give Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown a boost in promoting one of his controversial budget proposals?

    The answer is, anyone who paid attention to McClintock’s position as a legislator on the issue of redevelopment. As a property rights advocate, he was a leading foe of redevelopment. Now he’s stepped up and released a You Tube video in which he calls on supporters to urge their state lawmakers “to abolish these rogue agencies.”

    The video comes just as city governments and other redevelopment advocates are sounding the alarm about a potential vote in the Legislature on two developing bills to accomplish most of what Brown is seeking. One bill would abolish redevelopment agencies; the other would allow specific agencies to stay in business, but only if they agreed to turn over most of their current flow of property tax revenues to their local school districts.

    Enjoy your morning!

  • Barack Obama,  Libya,  Tom McClintock

    California Rep. Tom McClintock Accuses President Obama of Violating War Powers Resolution Over Libya Military Action

    California Congressman Tom McClintock

    My old friend Tom McClintock is not to happy with President Obama about ordering military action in Libya. Here is his letter to the President:

    The Honorable Barack Obama
    President of the United States
    The White House
    Washington, D.C. 20500

    Dear Mr. President:

    I have read your letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate dated March 21, 2011 concerning your order that United States Armed Forces attack the nation of Libya. You cite the authority of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 and your “constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.”

    The Constitution clearly and unmistakably vests Congress with the sole prerogative “to declare war.” Your letter fails to explain how a resolution of the United Nations Security Council is necessary to commit this nation to war but that an act of Congress is not.

    The United Nations Participation Act expressly withholds authorization for the President to commit United States Armed Forces to combat in pursuit of United Nations directives without specific Congressional approval. The War Powers Resolution states that the President’s power to engage United States Armed Forces in hostilities “shall not be inferred . . .from any treaty heretofore or hereafter ratified unless such treaty is implemented by legislation specifically authorizing the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities…”

    The War Powers Resolution unambiguously defines three circumstances under which the President as Commander in Chief may order United States Armed Forces into hostile action: “(1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.” Your letter cites none of these conditions.

    Nor can the power to order an act of war be inferred from the President’s authority as “Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.” The Constitution’s Framers were explicit on this point. In Federalist 69, Alexander Hamilton draws a sharp distinction between the President’s authority as Commander in Chief as “nothing more than the supreme command and direction of the military and naval forces” and the authority of the British king “which extends to the declaring of war and to the raising and regulating of fleets and armies ~ all which, by the Constitution under consideration, would appertain to the legislature.”

    With all due respect, I can only conclude that your order to United States Armed Forces to attack the nation of Libya on March 19, 2011 is in direct violation of the War Powers Resolution and constitutes a usurpation of Constitutional powers clearly and solely vested in the United States Congress and is accordingly unlawful and unconstitutional.

    Sincerely,

    Tom McClintock
    Member of Congress

    I, frankly, don’t see ANY national security interest in Libya and a rationale for being there.

  • Chuck DeVore,  Tom McClintock

    CA-Sen: Tom McClintock’s Radio Ad Doesn’t Mention Chuck DeVore’s Support for Disastrous California Budget

    Representative Tom McClintock on Chuck DeVore for U.S. Senate

    But, Tom aren’t your comments a bit hypocritical in that Chuck DeVore voted for the disastrous California budget that you voted against?

    But, Chuck, this is not what you were saying in 2005 when you were supporting the California Governator and voting for his 2005-2006 state budget.

    So, the question is:

    Is Chuck DeVore a fiscal conservative? Well, not in 2005 when DeVore voted for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s disastrous budget. You remember the 2005-2006 budget that my then State Senator Tom McClintock opposed.

    I am sorry to interrupt the chorus of self-congratulations, but I feel compelled to state an obvious fact – that this budget is $6 billion out of balance; that the state’s chronic deficit spending is getting worse, not better; and that the growth of general fund spending is growing and not shrinking.Nor can I join applauding the “painstaking negotiations” that have produced this document. The fact is, in May the Governor proposed spending $88 billion (General Fund), the Democrats countered at $89 billion, and they have now compromised at $90 billion. I suppose it is a blessing that the negotiations didn’t go on any longer.

    Let me run through the vital statistics of this spending plan. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office in June, inflation and population will grow 5 percent and revenue will grow 6 percent. But according to the budget staff analysis, spending will grow by 10 percent. That makes it measurably worse than the plan the Senate rejected on June 15th.

    On June 15th, we rejected a $5 billion operating deficit. This budget spends $90 and takes in only $84 — for a SIX BILLION DOLLAR shortfall – THIS YEAR.

    On June 15th, we rejected a 9 percent increase in state spending. This budget is a 10 percent increase – averaging 7 ½ percent over the last two years. Spending increases under the Davis administration averaged 7 percent.

    Let me repeat: This budget spends $6 billion more than we take in. Last year we spent $2 billion more than we took in. That means that this year’s operating deficit is THREE TIMES bigger than last year’s.

    Now, I’m sorry to throw cold water on the celebration, but that is not progress. That is the opposite of progress.

    And yet, once again, we’re told that the budget is balanced. But the blunt truth is that it is only balanced with borrowed funds carried over from last year.

    And, a budget that the Howard Jarvis TaxPayers Association called overspending:

    “Overall, we’re pleased there’s not been any broad increase in taxes,” said Jon Coupal, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and a frequent adviser to the governor. “We do wish the administration would cut spending more but we understand given the makeup of the Legislature, that’s a difficult thing to do.”

    Chuck DeVore is just like every other career politician, like CongressmanTom McClintock.

    Strongest voice for fiscal conservatism is NOT Chuck DeVore – no matter what you say, Tom.


  • Meg Whitman,  Steve Poizner,  Tom McClintock

    Conservative Fire Doused: GOP Representative Tom McClintock NOT to Run for California Governor

    Well, it is NOT going to happen.

    On The Capitol Hour With Eric Hogue today, the excitement over a potential Tom McClintock bid for governor cascaded over the airwaves like splashing whitewater from a heavy Sierra snow melt.

    “This could be the positive, perfect storm for the conservatives,” Hogue said as he opened his noon-1 p.m. program. He fired up listeners on “intelligent conservative talk” KTKZ AM 1380 over internet chatter suggesting that 4th District Rep. McClintock may indeed contemplate a 2010 run against perceived party moderates Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner.

    Hogue said three sources told him that polling for the race is underway on McClintock’s behalf.

    But then McClintock doused the story.

    “I just want to make it very clear that there is absolutely no truth whatsoever to any rumor I am considering running for governor,” he said in a phone call to Capitol Alert. “I have not done any polling and I have not wavered from my position that, if nominated, I will not run and, if elected, I will not serve. I don’t know how I can make it any plainer or clearer than that.”

    Rep. Tom McClintock was interviewed by Neil Cavuto at the Sacramento Tax Day Tea Party.

    After a closely fought congressional race last November, might Representative Tom McClintock be angling for another run for California Governor?

    There are rumors on the LEFT and RIGHT.

    There is little doubt that McClintock would do the polling and with three moderate Republicans in the race, Tom would appeal to the California conservative base.

    But, two questions:

    1. Would McClintock vacate a relatively safe Northern California Congressional seat which has NO term limits and…..

    2. How would McClintock raise the money to run against two mega-millionaires, Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner who would run against him in the GOP primary election?

    Stay tuned…..

    Update:

    McClintock’s office is now denying the report and blaming the Dems who continue to covet his Northern California Congressional District for a bit of opposition drill.

    Previous:

    Representative Tom McClintock to Run for California Governor?; Updated: Rumor Denied By McClintock’s Chief of Staff


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  • Meg Whitman,  Steve Poizner,  Tom McClintock

    Representative Tom McClintock to Run for California Governor?; Updated: Rumor Denied By McClintock’s Chief of Staff

    Rep. Tom McClintock was interviewed by Neil Cavuto at the Sacramento Tax Day Tea Party.

    After a closely fought congressional race last November, might Representative Tom McClintock be angling for another run for California Governor?

    There are rumors on the LEFT and RIGHT.

    There is little doubt that McClintock would do the polling and with three moderate Republicans in the race, Tom would appeal to the California conservative base.

    But, two questions:

    1. Would McClintock vacate a relatively safe Northern California Congressional seat which has NO term limits and…..

    2. How would McClintock raise the money to run against two mega-millionaires, Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner who would run against him in the GOP primary election?

    Stay tuned…..

    Update:

    McClintock’s office is now denying the report and blaming the Dems who continue to covet his Northern California Congressional District for a bit of opposition drill.


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  • Tom McClintock

    Charlie Brown Concedes – Tom McClintock New Member of Congress from California

    Tom  McClintock Election Night 2008

    Former California State Senator Tom McClintock, R- Thousand Oaks and wife, Lori on election night, November 4, 2008

    Flap knows it is anticlimatic because the votes that put McClintock over the top came in last week and McClintock declared victory on Monday but this race is FINALLY over.

    Democrat Charlie Brown conceded defeat Wednesday in Northern California’s 4th Congressional District race, 29 days after Election Day and two days after opponent Tom McClintock declared victory.

    In a letter e-mailed to supporters Wednesday afternoon, Brown wrote: “A short time ago, I called Senator Tom McClintock to congratulate him on a hard fought victory, and to wish him well in Congress.”

    There will be no recount and McClintock can move on to Washington.

    Hold onto your hats, folks. A lifelong conservative is about to hit DC.


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  • Tom McClintock

    Tom McClintock Declares Victory in California’s 4th Congressional District

    tom-mcclintock-declares-vic

    Former California State Senator and Congressman-elect Tom McClintock and wife Lori, December 1, 2008

    Former California State Senator (R-Thousand Oaks) Tom McClintock (he left office yesterday when his former aide Tony Strickland was sworn into the Senate) declared victory in his race for Congress.

    In front by almost 1,800 votes with all but El Dorado County certifying Nov. 4 election results, 4th congressional district Republican candidate Tom McClintock held a victory press conference Monday.

    Democratic Party candidate Charlie Brown has polled 183,840 votes to the GOP candidate’s 185,615 – a 1,775- vote difference.

    “The liberal wave that swept over American lapped at the edges of this district but it was here in the 4th District of California that the wave was turned back,” McClintock said. “When the final votes were counted, the people of the 4th congressional district made a decision to stand on the traditional American principles of individual freedom and limited government – and it will be my distinct honor to carry that message to the 111th Congress of the United States.”

    Brown issued a statement Monday saying he “remains committed to ensuring a fair and accurate count where every voice is heard and will be evaluating the results over the next 24 to 48 hours to determine if any additional action is warranted on the part of our campaign.”

    The difference between the two candidates is just less than half of a percentage point. A recount is possible, although McClintock used two state elections as benchmarks against extending the count – where candidates were separated by fewer votes and fewer percentage points that the 4th District election but were not moving forward with recounts.

    Speaking at Roseville campaign headquarters to an audience of supporters flanked by regional media representatives, McClintock made a formal statement of victory. Counts over the past three weeks have increased his lead by more than 1,000 votes over election-night totals..

    Looks like this race is over, despite Charlie Brown’s reluctance to concede.

    Watch the video of McClintock’s victory declaration.

    Here is the text:

    Many years ago a wise friend of mine, Larry Arnn – now President of Hillsdale College — told me that if you stand on principle, you’re going to lose some elections and those that you win, you’re not going to win by much.  But those elections that you do win are going to mean something.

    And that is certainly true of this election.  The liberal wave that swept over America last month lapped at the edges of this district, but it literally was in the 4th Congressional district of California where that wave was turned back.

    When the final votes were counted, it was the people of the 4th Congressional District who made the decision to stand by our traditional American principles of individual freedom and limited government, and it will be my distinct honor to carry that message to the 111th Congress of the United States.

    The long election count has required that we compress the transition period into just a few weeks.  I had the opportunity to meet with John Doolittle in Washington the week before last.  I want to thank him and his staff for their extraordinary cooperation in making this a smooth transition.

    I want again to congratulate Charlie Brown and his supporters on waging one of the most hard-fought campaigns I have ever faced.  As I said last Wednesday, there can be no doubt of the sincerity of their views or the dedication with which they pursued them.  No one knows better than I do how difficult it is to lose a close race, and I hope it is a consolation for them to know that they made a truly superb effort.

    I’ve asked my wife, Lori, to join us for this press conference.  She is the one who kept our family going during a brutal primary and general election.  At least I got to fight back – she had to take it and then have to put up with me when I got home each night.

    And I want to thank all those who made this victory possible – those who so selflessly donated so much of their time; those who so generously contributed the resources to get our message out; and our campaign staff who worked impossibly long and difficult hours.  It is the close elections in which EVERY effort becomes decisive – and it is those elections that make a candidate acutely aware of the trust and confidence that has been placed in his hands.  It is a lot to live up to, and I will do everything in my power to be worthy of it.

    But most of all I want to thank the voters of the 4th Congressional District who have stood with me in this election.  Thank you for the stand that you have taken.

    You have been heard around the country: that there are many communities throughout our nation where Americans will NOT abandon the founding principles of our nation.  And it is from these communities that we will now begin the fight in Congress to restore them as the foundation of our national policy.

    I am honored – deeply honored – to have your charter to deliver this message to the Congress of the United States – and I will do everything within my power to see that your voices are heard and that our freedoms are restored.

    Congrats Tom!

    By the way, Nacny Pelosi is just going to love Tom………


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  • Tom McClintock

    Tom McClintock WINS California Congressional District 4?

    Tom  McClintock Election Night 2008

    California State Senator Tom McClintock, R- Thousand Oaks and wife, Lori on election night, November 4, 2008

    Tom McClintock lead in his race against Democrat Charlie Brown surged late this afternoon and he may have locked up victory in California Congressional District 4.

    State Sen. Tom McClintock’s campaign on Friday surged to nearly a 1,800-vote lead in the tight congressional battle against Democrat Charlie Brown, perhaps sealing victory in the foothill district.

    “We’re not claiming victory, but we just think it’s mathematically impossible for (Brown) to win,” said Bill George, spokesman for McClintock.

    George said the thousands of Placer County votes tallied Friday stretched McClintock’s lead from barely 300 votes to 1,793, with only about 4,500 more votes to count in the nine-county district.

    Brown spokesman Todd Stenhouse said Brown would not concede, noting that thousands more votes remain to be counted, most of which are provisional ballots that “have been breaking very, very strongly for Charlie.”

    “We remain committed to the same goals that we’ve been committed to all along and that is that every vote is counted in this historic election,” Stenhouse said.

    McClintock who has been in Washington D.C. attending freshman orientation will return to California this evening or tomorrow in all likelihood with a new job – member of Congress.

    Stay tuned…….


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  • Tom McClintock

    Tom McClintock Lead Holding Up in California Congressional District 4

    Tom  McClintock Election Night 2008

    California State Senator Tom McClintock, R- Thousand Oaks and wife, Lori on election night

    Team McClintock is exceedingly optimistic that Tom McClintock has beaten Charlie Brown in CA-4.

    The latest batch from Nevada County dropped us by 60 votes, partially offset by a 30-vote gain out of El Dorado County, leaving us with a lead of 592 today.  Nevada County is rapidly running out of ballots – we estimate it has roughly 1,000 yet to count.  Everything else – approximately 25,000 more ballots — are from counties that we are carrying.

    Butte and Placer counties comprise 23,000 of those ballots and are expected to release their numbers in a single batch when they complete their full counts later this week or early next.  In short, the fat lady hasn’t begun singing yet, but she’s on stage and appears to be wearing a McClintock button.

    And, in the race to replace Tom McClintock in the California State Senate, apparently the Fat Lady has already sung.


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  • Tom McClintock

    Tom McClintock’s Lead Expands in California Congressional District 4

    Tom McClintock and yes on 8

    State Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, a candidate for the 4th Congressional district, spoke in favor of Proposition 8 at rally at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008.

    Updated vote tallies (as of last night) have expanded California State Senator Tom McClintock’s lead in California’s 4th Congressional district to 1,283 votes.

    Our lead has now widened to 1,283 votes out of 326,395 counted, or 0.39 percent.  We are now taking 50.20 percent of the votes counted and need 48.49 percent of the remaining 42,500 ballots.

    Nevada County reported 1,950 additional votes today, of which we received 45.79 percent – well above the 42.52 we had on Election Day.  This loss was more than offset when Sacramento County reported 491 additional ballots counted, of which we received 54.17 percent of the vote (up from 53.10 on election day); and El Dorado County processed an additional 5,573 ballots, of which we received 52.79 percent (up from 50.34 on election day).

    Team McClintock estimates there are 8,600 ballots remaining to be counted in counties where McClintock’s opponent, Charlie Brown, has had the lead and 33,900 ballots remaining from counties where McClintock leads.

    Better to be ahead than behind…..

    Stay tuned……


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