1. Massive state government employment and budget reform. Across the board 30% budget cut. Nothing is spared. The state has 235,000 workers – lay off 20% and force the public service employees union to accept drastic cuts in benefits to bring them in line with other states. Move state workers from a guaranteed retirement benefits plan to a contribution-based one.

2. A Constitutional Amendment requiring voter approval to raise income taxes and property taxes, 65% majority voter approval required for passage. Repeal Prop. 13.

3. Part-time Legislature.

4. Repeal Ballot Initiative Law or severely restrict it to ensure that any ballot initiative requiring spending also requires that it be paid for through an off-setting tax hike (see #2).

5. Reduce Corporate business taxes by 50%. Make California an attractive place for businesses again and jobs will return, revenue will go up, and the state will prosper once more.

Indeed a truly historic event. I share Mr. X’s cautious optimism.

A week ago I was prepared to hunker down and weather the first four years of America’s downward spiral into a fascist-socialist state.

Today? Yeah, not so much. Someone tell the fat lady her performance might have to be canceled.

It has happened before….

So much for the “Guiliani can’t get the nomination because of his stance on social issues” argument.

Not a bad matchup. I think I would still like to see Guiliani/Rice as I think McCain can be a little too unpredictable at times. But, I think I could go for this pairing with only a few reservations, especially since it would keep the Democrats out of the White House at a time when the nation needs serious leaders and the Democrats have proven themselves of late to be anything but serious.

It starts already, with two Democrats filling the airwaves with ads. I will qualify the following in that I don’t really know much about either of these two guys beyond their ads.

The first one I saw was from current California State Controller Steve Westley. Villified in some parts of his own party for committing the insufferable offense of actually trying to work with the Republican governor, the first ad of his I have seen, “Connect”, was introductory, quiet, stressed his business acumen (as a former eBay Sr. VP of Marketing) and accomplishments, and was generally very positive – hopeful even.

Next up is CA State Treasurer Phil Angelides. Go to his web site and right away you see your first glaring red flag. Then you watch his ad, “Deeply Believe”, and come away asking “believe in what, exactly?”

Bottom line: Barbara Boxer likes me and I opposed everything Arnold.

Inspiring.

I have no idea who I will be voting for. Arnold has been quite the disappointment, even with credit points for battling a state legislature dominated by hostile Democrats (you know the type – see Phil Angelides).

After watching these two ads, I am pretty sure which of the two I won’t be voting for.

Good news. Not great news (that would have been Shadegg), but good news nonetheless. If I never hear the name Tom DeLay again it will be too soon.

I have to say I am heartened by the results of this survey regarding the upcoming special election here in California next month. To hear the local media tell it, Arnold is in a ditch and isn’t getting out and the negative ads being run by the teachers’ unions are getting down-right nasty. From GOPBloggers:

Prop. 73 (parental notification prior to abortion for minors): 59% Yes 39% No

Prop. 74 (extend teacher probationary period from 2 to 5 years): 55% Yes 44% No

Prop. 75 (“paycheck protection” – require written consent from union members to use dues for political activity): 60% Yes 37% No

Prop. 76 (limit state spending growth): 58% Yes 36% No

Prop. 77 (eliminate gerrymandering by having retired judges to draw districts instead of Legislature): 59% Yes 36% No

I am voting YES on all of these.

Arnold is doing exactly what I expected him to do when I cast my vote for him and I can tell it is working – the liberals are howling something fierce.

My money is on Janice Rogers Brown.

**UPDATED**

Drudge has been running a photo of all three leading female possibilities – Harriet Miers, Janice Rogers Brown, and Edith Brown Clement. He has since parred that down to only Brown.

Is Drudge calling his pick? Does he know something we don’t? Or, it is just a space issue on his page. Time will tell, but I am getting the warm-and-fuzzies about JRB.

MJ @ Impossible Scissors has two great posts tonight. The first is some commentary on Paul Hacket, Marine Corps reservist turned congressional candidate. MJ makes an excellent point:

Although many great leaders have worn the uniform, the uniform doesn’t always make for a good leader. Hiding behind the camoflauged battle dress uniform doesn’t shield us from partisan hypocrisy.

The second post is almost too eerie because I felt the same resurgence of pride in the Shuttle program I think MJ is describing he felt today (at least that is how I am interpreting this post).

The only thing I would add is part of NASA’s change in direction, more in the way of attitude than anything else, may also be attributable to Spirit and Opportunity. Those two rovers are now coming up on Earth year number two when they were only supposed to last six months. Aside from the technical achievement, we are learning more about Mars in the last nearly two years than we have learned in the last thirty. That has to give NASA a good morale shot-in-the-arm and people that feel good about what they do tend to do great things.