IRC Roundup With Senator Ackerman

I just got back from the Irvine Republican Council meeting tonight with State Senator Dick Ackerman as our guest speaker. I appreciate the fact that Sen. Ackerman took time out of his busy schedule to meet with our conservative grassroots organization. Having said that, I'm afraid I don't really have any other good things to report back to all the conservative grassroots volunteers here in OC or the state. I don't know if it was Sen. Ackerman's laid back personality or the fact that he didn't have very good answers for our questions, but I'm afraid that this state is truly screwed. It's like our republican reps are waving the white flag right now. There was no passion at all from the Senator. The tone of his Sacramento update was basically....we can't do any better right now because we don't have the numbers so let's just enjoy getting rolled everytime on more taxes and spending, etc. He went on to explain why he was supporting Lynn Daucher over Van Tran. He said that they had "op research" that is really going to hurt Van. I asked point blank what was so bad. I mean is the guy a sex offender or something because short of that, I'm just having a real hard time with his reasons why he is doing this. He said that it was policy to not get involved in the 35th SD primary because it's already a GOP seat, but for a targeted seat like the 34th SD, the party wants to try to annoint errr I mean pick a winner before the primary who can win. I just don't understand how you can not endorse a great candidate like Diane Harkey over RINO Tom Harmon, but it's okay to give Lynn Daucher millions of party money even though she doesn't stand for any republican principles. Got it. I asked him about Ms. Daucher attending a NARAL event tonight celebrating the anniversary of the abomination of a decision Roe vs Wade and he said that she did not go. Ah Senator her name is on the guest list. I think Daucher must have got wind of the firestorm this event was creating and convienently spent more time with her family tonight or something. In fact i'm sure Van's consultants will be all over this issue in the very blue collar 34th SD.

So the tone of the meeting was pretty dreery. It then came question and answer period. I asked him why conservatives should be excited about Lynn Daucher....answer, because she is the only one in his opinion that can win. Why not save all that GOP money you're going to blow in the primary trying to prop up a candidate that can't be propped up and let the republican primary voters decide who they want as their standard bearer. I strongly disagree with that strategy and I told him so in no uncertain terms. If I'm wrong about Van having really bad skeletons, I'll apoligize, but I and most other activists are not going to lift a finger for Daucher. Later in some one on one questioning by yours truly, I asked him why the OC Supervisors are so in bed with the unions. His answer was..."I don't know Allan, you'll have to ask them about that". He was basically saying that he was at a loss to explain the direction on the BOS.

Some other items that were discussed was the huge bond issue shortly to come before the voters. That one is such a disastrous idea that I really won't say anything else except JUST VOTE NO on more bonds. He talked about having a cap of 6% of general revenue devoted to bond interest expense. How that will work when we have a recession is obvious. Get ready for more taxes. He also talked some some other budget issues that quite frankly waved the white flag of surrender. He talked about Arnold's political situation right now. He thinks Arnold will win re-election. Do we really want that at this point Dick? He told the story of how he introduced Susan Kennedy to a Senate GOP caucus. She was only supposed to talk for five minutes, but ended up talking for over forty five minutes. He thinks that the hire was bad, but he really likes her personality and thinks this pick is going to work out well for Arnold and the state. I'm sitting there thinking....yeah this is just going to work out great Senator(NOT). He thinks that if Arnold just had a "Karl Rove" type of consultant guiding him that he would be a lot better off politically. In other words, the guy is basically flying by the seat of his pants right now blowing in whatever direction the political winds take him. Failing to plan is planning to fail if you asked me.

I usually like to look at the glass as half full, but after tonight I am convinced there are only a few drops left in the glass. California is not a shining city on a hill anymore to quote the great one and the prospects going forward are bleak. I wish I could say otherwise. I'm out