By Lewis K. Uhler and Jon Coupal

Governor Brown, California Attorney General Becerra, legislative and other government officials are fixated on battling the new administration in Washington with almost total disregard for California’s major problems and unmet needs. Failure to address these pressing problems threatens the viability of a state whose status is rapidly being transformed from “golden” to “tarnished.”

To help the political class refocus on the important, here is a list of the most exigent problems accompanied by modest solutions, as compiled by a couple of veteran taxpayer advocates who speak with, and hear from, thousands of California… Read More

On December 6, 2016 upon the return of the Legislature and newly-elected members, Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa, authored Senate Resolution 8, introduced to simply welcome newly-elected President Donald Trump and acknowledge the historical peaceful transition of power. SR8 said the Senate “hopes for the peaceful transition of power in the United States, that the incoming presidency will be a success, and that the president-elect will take his responsibilities seriously to ensure a strong and unified America.”

SR8 was supposed to be presented and voted on at the beginning of the 2017 Senate Session, during the first week of the New Year. But this congenial resolution message was never given a chance.

Instead on December 6, Sen. President pro Tem Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles, presented and then had the Senate vote on his own Senate Resolution, SR 7, on the day that the Senate was… Read More

Opportunistic California Democrats are presenting bills to refute the recent immigration executive orders of President Donald J. Trump, to protect Americans.

Senate President Pro Tem De Leon, D-Los Angeles, the author of… Read More

What’s the difference between a tax and fee? There is no easy answer and the political class likes it that way. In fact, they would prefer that the public remain confused to the point of apathy.

The political class, of course, consists of elected officials, bureaucrats and their special interest allies who are to the Capitol what insider traders are to Wall Street. Working in lockstep, their approach to increasing the take from taxpayers was best outlined by Jean Baptiste Colbert, Minister of Finance under Louis XIV of France: The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing.

But taxpayers are not defenseless because Propositions 13 – later strengthened by Proposition 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act – provides effective weapons against an insatiable government ever in search of more revenue. These include voter approval requirements. At the state level, new or higher taxes require a two-thirds vote of each house and, at the local level, voter or property owner approval requirements allow those who have to pay a government exaction (no matter what it is… Read More

In the labor union playbook to defend overly-generous “public servant” wages, one tired canard they love to trot out is that these government workers actually stimulate the local economy when spending their paychecks and pensions. There are two major problems with that argument.

1. It’s the classic “Broken Window Fallacy” — the ludicrous idea that if I take your money and spend it, society will be better off than if YOU spent it on something you actually preferred to acquire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window

2. When local government employees work in a city, odds are that they don’t LIVE OR SHOP in that city. Most of a city’s payroll is spent in OTHER cities — usually lower cost, more rural towns. The smaller the city or town, the more likely the employees live elsewhere.

Here’s the proof from a San Diego U-T article:

Are you an energized conservativeinterested in California politics and public policy? Are you concerned that California is not headed in the right direction? Are you a bright, determined person who wants to take California back? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider applying to the 2017-18 Capital Fellows Programs. Anyone who has a bachelor’s degree and is over age 20 by September 1, 2017 is eligible to apply. Graduate, postgraduate, and mid-career applicants are welcome.

In 2004 I was a fellow for then Assemblyman, and now Congressman, Doug LaMalfa. My year as an Assembly Fellow led me down a path that ultimately led to running for office myself and I currently serve as the Assemblyman for California’s 3rd District.In that capacity I have been able to champion individual liberty, fiscal responsibility, and opportunity for all. Through it all I continue to rely on the connections made and lessons learned through the Assembly Fellowship.I highly recommend it as one of the most rewarding opportunities of which a young, aspiring conservative can take advantage. The invaluable information about public policy issues and the political… Read More

President Donald Trump announced last evening an investigation into election and voter fraud is coming. “I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and even those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!” Trump tweeted.

This is music to the ears of many California voters –… Read More

While America’s new President Donald Trump was busy signing Executive Orders to boost energy independence and jobs in the United States, California Governor Jerry Brown was busy promising upcoming battles with Republican-controlled Washington, and used his 2017 State of the State address to double down on California’s regressive “progressive” policies.

On the heels of revealing faulty budget math that resulted in an additional $1.6 billion budget deficit, Brown dug his heels in today and… Read More