Stardate:071810 Brand new to this site. 1st thoughts. Is progressive a term that only the far left can use? Are 'California Republicans' allowed to join this site and voice our views? I guess I will find out shortly if I am kicked off. And what is a 'California Republican' for that matter? I used think I knew but the last 20 years has been tough on our breed and our current governor has stigmatized it for years to come. We were pro-business and pro-choice. We were supportive of gay rights although many of us find the behavior to be very difficult to accept. However, we reluctantly supported gay marriage based on principal of individual freedom. The 1992 Republican Convention with Buchanan frightened many of us, especially those of us with strange names who did not look the stereotype wasp. Looking back it seems that this was the birth of the tea party. The cultural wars that began in ernest back then and have collected steam ever since divided the country and made the idea of being a moderate extremely difficult for either a Republican or a Democrat. The Iraq war, medicinal marijuana and the states right issue that it symbolized, abortion, immigration, gay rights, bombed the bridge where the moderates lived. We are left with a left and a right and pathetic excuse for a middle and that MUST CHANGE.

 So I came up with this idea called the Bear Flag Movement based upon a new political party that would act to lead by example and focus our energies on California where I was born and have lived ever since. It is based upon common sense. Politics as a buffet. If the policy works it does not matter where it comes from. Some might be left and some may be right and some may be far left and some may be whacky but if the policy works and makes sense then it does not matter where it comes from. The goal is to fix California first and then act as a beacon of hope to the rest of the country and the world. Californiaism. Imagine it. Dream of it.

 Our platform;

Pro-Business. We need a strong economy in order to have funding for strong schools and nice museums and good hospitals and bullet trains and tree lined streets. Jobs is the key and the private sector needs to be the creator of them. Relax the 40 hour work week. Bend on overtime rules. Adopt a 10 hour work day and take Fridays off. Think out side of the box California.

 Pro-Environment. We need a healthy state with vast tracts of virgin Redwood Forests forever. We should lead in all things green. Solar is our birthright. Recycling should be mandatory, yet rcycling is the least important of the three Rs. Reduce and reuse are much more important then recycling. No plastic bags.