CRP Convention & Other Weekend Notes

I started my weekend off early by taking Friday off to jet up to Sacramento to celebrate my Grampa Kenny's 85th Birthday. Happy birthday again Grampa! A great time was had by all the cousins, aunts & uncles. Grampa is like a rock star where he lives at the Davis Retirement Center. He has had a great life and we expect many more good years to come.

The next morning it was back to OC on the first Southwest flight out of Sacramento. The plane was pratically empty. I had the back off the plane nearly to myself. I like sitting in the back off the plane. They say it's statistically the safest part of the plane in a crash...not that I'm ever expecting one. Hopefully I'll never have to test those odds. Anyway, the view looking down on the Sierras was spectacular. You can see all the major landmarks of Yosemite clear as day. You could also see Mono Lake & Mammoth Mountain way in the distance. One of these days I'm going to get my pilot's license. I've always wanted to do it.

So I get home and then it's off to LA to the CRP Convention. I read the Flashreport Saturday morning when I got home from Sacto and Jon was saying that the convention was pretty sparsely attended. I'll go ahead and vouch for that. There was even speculation that a quorum might not be reached(that didn't happen). I can't remember the last convention that had so few party activists there. Maybe it's because Arnold's not very motivating to the base. Hint, hint team Arnold. The party ended up endorsing almost all the stupid bond measures and they watered down the resolutions on illegal immigration even though Arnold tried to talk a good game on the issue in his speech on Saturday. Talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words. It is extremely disappointing to me and a lot of other grassroots actvists to see the road the party is going down right now on the issues. The higher ups in the state party structure can try to talk all they want about how great we're going to do in November, but I'm not drinking that kool aid. I think we're going to lose every constitutional office sans the governorship.

There are a few other juicy little tidbits that I gleamed during the convention. Jim Gilchrist was there over the weekend speaking with convention goers, hocking his latest book, and from what I heard last night, he spoke with some of Congressman John Campbell's staffers and has endorsed Cong. Campbell for re-election because he thinks he is doing a great job. I say bravo to Jim for acknowledging the fine job our Congressman is doing. Bravo also to Jim for having the humility to support a guy who as recently as late last year he was having a knock down drag out fight with on illegal immigration and the right to represent the 48th CD in Congress. I know some people still think Jim is a little whacky(BTW, who isn't a little whacky?...as Jimmy Buffet says..."everyone has fruitcakes in their family"), but it's my opinion that the tough fight for this office has made John Campbell a stronger & better Congressman.

It was kind of a downer convention IMO. There just was no buzz. I am someone who loves to get on the phone and mix it up with our high propensity voters. I can see myself trying to tell our base what Arnold's people want us to spew. If there was truth in advertising, this is what it is going to sound like...

"hello Mr. Jones, this is Allan Bartlett from the Republican Party of OC. We think the state is not in debt enough so we we're urging a yes vote on all the bond propositions this November. Arnold also thinks illegal immigration is a federal issue and therefore he has no business showing leadership on this issue. He prefers to give amnesty to all the illegals that are here. He does however think that global warming is a huge problem so he has some proposals to lay larger burdens on businesses to help with this problem. So can I count on you to get out there and support the Republican ticket?"

This oughta fire up people, not. Check please.