Across the nation, local politicians have felt compelled to spend billions on commuter rail. It’s “feel good” spending pushed by special interests — results be damned. Commuter rail has been pretty much a disaster. It’s failed up to now, and is rapidly being made completely outdated by rider sharing (Uber) and driverless cars. But the madness continues.

Los Angeles is a stark example of the folly of light rail. According to the LA TIMES, the LA region spent over $9 billion on mass transit (primarily rail) since 1985, and they have fewer RIDERS in 2015 than they did in 1985.

http://riderrants.blogspot.com/2016/02/billions-spent-but-fewer-people-are.html

Here’s an article highlighting some examples of U.S. city commuter rail spending boondoggles. Impressive, sad to say.… Read More

Oh my! I just ran MY cost of California electricity stats using the latest federal data compilation:

CA residential electricity costs an average of 44.2­% more per kWh than the average for the other 49 states. CA commercial rates (think office buildings and shopping centers) are 60.6% higher.For industrial use, CA electricity is an astonishing 98.5% higher than the other states’ average. (August, 2017). https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_5_6_a

The Texas advantage compared to California is even higher. CA residential electricity costs 71.2% more per kWh than Texas residential electricity. CA commercial electricity costs 115.7% more than TX. But the astounding figure is the INDUSTRIAL rate difference — CA rates are 175.7% higher than TX.

I was prompted to run this update by a fine article (below) comparing how CA and TX deal with the cost of electricity. TX is well served by having more of a free market system with competition. Meanwhile CA is… Read More

Many California Republicans are excited about the federal GOP tax reform bill and anxious for tax relief, but others are warning about the negative impacts on individual taxpayers in high tax states like California and New York.

I spoke with California’s Congressman Tom McClintock this week to drill down into the corporate and personal aspects of the tax reform bill, to understand the nitty-gritty.

The bottom… Read More

The California Legislature is a hotbed of indecency, on many levels. Decades of vulgarity, obscene tales of trysts and assignations, and the usual gropes and grabs have made the rounds in local watering holes, and on the pages of newspapers. So when more than 150 women wrote an open letter last month condemning the culture of sexual harassment in the Capitol, news reports joined in the condemnation. Since then, more women have added their names to the letter. But it turns out the culture inside the Capitol is even more uncivil and indelicate than previously thought possible.

Following the women’s letter, it was reported that Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León said his office has asked the women’s caucus for further recommendations on “new protectionsthat will encourage those… Read More

Two “facts” I’ve unearthed that everyone should know:

1. There are about twice as many Democrats as Republicans in the two California state legislatures. 2. Democrat legislators and senior staffers are responsible for SIX times more sexual abuse incidents than Republicans.

Here is a Q and A about these facts:

Q. Is it true?

A. Yes, and no.

Q. Huh?

A. The California state legislatures’ ratio of Democrats vs. Republicans is an easily documented fact. The other is a complete unknown. Well, unreported, at least.

Q. Then why claim that “six times” ratio as the Democrats’ abuse figure?

A. Because a 6-1 ratio is probably quite low. I like to be conservative with my numbers. Note that 6 times more Democrat incidents translates to triple the propensity of Democrats to carry out such acts (remember the 2-1 ratio in the state legislature).

Q. What makes you think your ratio is conservative?

A. To the extent any names are mentioned by the press… Read More

As California Governor Jerry Brown burnishes his climate change credentials on his crusade to Rome for talks at the Vatican, his adoring California media are ignoring what he is really doing.

“Absent a seat at the negotiating table, Brown has a role organizing state and local officials from around the world who are increasingly seeking to craft their own climate deals, independent of what their nations’ leaders do,” CalMatters wrote.

Brown has conflated the Trump administration’s disinterest in pushing faux climate change policies with a lack of leadership.

“Brown struck an urgent tone about the threat of a warming world and welcomed the Trump administration to join his ‘crusade,’ CalMatters reported.

Brown’s latest ploy is another in a long line of… Read More

Jerry Brown says the world needs ‘brain washing’ on climate change. Sounding indeed brainwashed, Brown said, “The problem … is us. It’s our whole way of life. It’s our comfort … It’s the greed. It’s the indulgence. It’s the pattern. And it’s the inertia.”

I hate to be a party pooper but the totalitarian trio of Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot also said the… Read More

Some facts to consider about California and home mortgage interest deductibility:

The average home mortgage balance in California is under $350,000 — far below the proposed $500,000 loan cap on deducting home interest on income taxes.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-much-americans-owe-on-their-mortgages-in-every-state/

According to Zillow, the median home in California is worth $509,600.

https://www.zillow.com/ca/home-values/

Assuming one puts 10% down when buying a median-priced CA home today, that would make the loan $458,640. With 20% down, the loan would be $407,680.

Moreover, all existing home loans up to $1,000,000 are grandfathered as to deductibility. Loans above $1,000,000 are not deductible under CURRENT federal tax law, and that will not change.

Furthermore, as I read the convoluted language of the bill, if a new mortgage loan exceeds $500K, the… Read More