Now that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is backing yet another attempt to put Californian’s health care in to the tender hands of government — and the fabulous track record of efficiency and competence that goes with it — can he at least promise never, ever to talk about how Milton Friedman was inspiration? It’s an insult to the intelligence of thinking people for him to claim fealty to Friedman’s philosophy of individual and economic liberty while simultaneously mounting a massive assault on individual and economic liberty.

And maybe the Governor can also stop spinning that yarn about how he decided, soon after arriving in America in 1968, that he was a Republican because he believed in liberty. Whatever he believed then, Schwarzenegger’s embrace of government-run health care is concrete evidence he no longer believes it — other than lip service.

I would modestly but hopefully suggest Governor Schwarzenegger click on this link and re-register as a Democrat. At least that would be honest, and make it clear to Californians that if this train wreck of a plan is… Read More

With California facing a $14 billion budget deficit and an expected vote in the Assembly today to create a new $14 billion government-run health care scheme, I hope my Democrat colleagues will watch this video. Saturday Night Live has officially become the voice of reason on spending control…

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AB 1X [technically known as AB 1 X1] passes right on time to the floor for our scheduled 1PM session on a party line vote from Assembly Appropriations Committee, all Reps voting "no" on this 239 page document, still warm off the press.… Read More

Last week was a bit crazy, so I am playing a little bit of catch up.

We linked to a story by Nancy Vogel in the Los Angeles Times where, after much controversy swirled about Fabian Nunez buying thousands of dollars in french wines on a European junket, it turns out that Nunez foisted the wine on the California Democratic Party.

Well, last Friday the fine folks at the No on 93 campaign gave a gift to Speaker Nunez. They had delivered to his office a bottle of Charles Shaw Chardonnay. Those in the know refer to Shaw as "Two Buck Chuck" because that’s all it costs. It’s thrifty, its American, and I am sure it ended up in the Speaker’s sterling silver trash can.

The No on 93 folks say that, "Admittedly, the bottle of Two Buck Chuck was purchased at a Trader… Read More

With looming tax increasesneeded to fund it, AB 1X passes off the Assembly floor, on a party line vote of 46-31. The voters will likely be asked to pass a package of tax increases in November ’08 that would raise taxes on hospitals, employers payroll from 1-6.5%, and tobacco,to fund the projected, at least in Year 1, $14,000,000,000 health program, toprovide benefits for users at up to 400% of the federal poverty level.

With the Democrat drumbeat for tax increases to fix the current $14,000,000,000 budget messstarting up, I wonder what Dem tax increase ideas will be left over for eitherbudget or health. Tobacco tax was bumped up a few years ago, the sales tax also, 9% in some lucky jurisdictions. The richest Californians[or those at the 700% of poverty level I like to say] were hit by Prop 63 a couple years ago.It will be much more difficult to raid counties or the transportation funds now, with propositions rightly passed by voters to safeguard these funds from a hungry state budget.

The taxes on these 3 items are seen inDem floor arguments as a "self-funding" mechanism for… Read More

This just in from Joel Fox, President of the Small Business Action Committee. We wanted to get it posted right away. Attention Assembly Democrats: This plan HURTS the economy! We urge a NO vote…

From Joel Fox…

Small and medium sized businesses will ultimately carry more than a “fair share” of funding for the health care plan now being constructed in Sacramento. The plan requires businesses to fund health care for employees according to a formula based on wages and social security payments. Other funding mechanisms are a tax on hospitals, mandated individual insurance and a possible doubling or even tripling of the cigarette tax. Under the business revenue formula, businesses up to $250,000 in payroll must cover their employees’ healthcare or pay 1% of payroll into a state run pool for healthcare. Those employers with payrolls of $250,000 to $1 million will pay 4%. From $1 million to $15-million the tax is 6%. Over $15-million the levy is 6.5%. However, there is no inflation escalator clause being discussed for the funding measure. If that doesn’t change, then as time goes on many small and medium sized… Read More

Some things are so absurd they make you LOL (laugh out loud).

Proponents of the massive healthcare entitlement and tax increase package are calling it the “Health Care Security and Cost Reduction Act.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It would be more aptly entitled the “Health Care Insecurity and Cost Increase Act.”

Government intervention will ultimately reduce access to and quality of health care. And how you can call a multi-billion dollar tax increase a “cost reduction” is beyond me…

I guess this is what happens when Adam Mendelsohn and Steve Maviglio are double-spinning together.… Read More

Just over a week ago, I penned a commentary that included some analysis of FR friend Jim Brulte’s endorsement of Proposition 93, authored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, which if passed would loosen California’s current term-limit restrictions for state legislators. Today I am pleased to offer this perspective from Senator Brulte about his support for 93.

People try to personalize initiatives rather than looking at the whole picture. I am not supporting the initiative simply to keep Fabian Nunez or Don Perata in power anymore than my fellow conservatives are opposing it to keep Senator… Read More