FR readers will recall that a couple of weeks ago I told you all about yet another lame bill from Assemblyman Lloyd Levine – this is the one that would, in effect, stop any new construction of hotel resorts along the coast. Levine would like you to neuter your dog. How about instead, we neuter his bill which is up for a vote this afternoon?

I’m pretty sure than no GOPer would vote for it — but I guess Dems will have to decide if they would support a bill so extreme that even the pretty liberal Coastal Commission opposes it…… Read More

Well, unfortunately, Assemblyman Doug La Malfa, FR’s North California Correspondent, didn’treally need to exercise much of hisconsiderable forensic talentin this morning’s televised "debate". The goodfolks at CNBC seemed to supportively suggest to Assemblyman Lloyd Levine that consumers drive the market — not government — and evenrhetorically questionedLaMalfa about his awareness of the fact that the rest of the country thinks California is a "laughing stock" for bills like Levine’s light bulb ban, the topic of discussion.

AB 722 would simply ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs in California by 2012. Levine, again, diagnoses the lack of consumer interest in substitute light bulbs that might save energy and money as a "market failure", a term used by political… Read More

The aforementioned, in today’s FR, bill to ban incandescent light bulbs moved through the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee this afternoonwith a 9 to 3vote.… Read More

As the falling rain pings against my window here in North California, I am relieved that it will alleviatesome of the shortage of stored water predicted for this upcoming usage season in California. Dramatic reductions in water delivery, especially to Central Valley agriculture are very likely. Those in the cattle business are lamentingwhat has been the shortest rainfallduring this area’s winter months, [January being one of the driest on record in California]for as long as they can remember, with grazing lands short of foliage and already starting to turn to the summer brown. These rains in recent days can only help.

What else would help is some real action by humans on providing for their own water needs. Relying on rain dances, good luck, or if you’re the 1948 Boston Braves with only 2 reliable pitchers for a7 gameWorld Series, "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain", we canask for Divine intervention every rain year and do nothing with our God-given abilities to help ourselves.

Governor Schwarzenegger has made a firm commitment to building above ground water storage in this state, something we used to do, and do… Read More

As the falling rain pings against my window here in North California, I am relieved that it will alleviatesome of the shortage of stored water predicted for this upcoming usage season in California. Dramatic reductions in water delivery, especially to Central Valley agriculture are very likely. Those in the cattle business are lamentingwhat has been the shortest rainfallduring this area’s winter months, [January being one of the driest on record in California]for as long as they can remember, with grazing lands short of foliage and already starting to turn to the summer brown. These rains in recent days can only help.

What else would help is some real action by humans on providing for their own water needs. Relying on rain dances, good luck, or if you’re the 1948 Boston Braves with only 2 reliable pitchers for a7 gameWorld Series, "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain", we canask for Divine intervention every rain year and do nothing with our God-given abilities to help ourselves.

Governor Schwarzenegger has made a firm commitment to building above ground water storage in this state, something we used to do, and do… Read More

Rider on Tax Freedom Day… The ever-analytical Richard Rider sends along some info from the Tax Foundation on Tax Freedom Day (TFD), and he focuses particularly on California. We’re losing ground (no surprise there), with this year’s TFD on April 30 butCA’s a week later.

TFD, of course, is the symbolic day upon which the average person would have paid all their taxes for the year, with the balance of the year their income to keep to themselves, if we paid taxes that way, of course. Given CA is one of the worst state’s in the nation, this info is of particular interest considering the legislature is once again considering an a "softening" of Prop 13.

Rider’s take:

Bad news — we Americans work two more days this year than last, with the nationwide Tax Freedom Day this year being 30 April, 2007. After some tax relief in the early part of the decade, thanks to desperately needed tax cuts (too bad spending mushroomed at the same time), the tax burden is once again rapidly growing.

For Californians, the news is even worse.… Read More

You have to figure that when there are train wrecks, they represent unavoidable, unanticipated situations that result in tragedy. After all, if you knew in advance that there was going to be a train wreck, you would do something about it, right? Well, there is a trainwreck coming for my own Republican Party, and it seems like we should be doing something about it now. If not, I predict that it will be horrible, and ugly, as trainwrecks can be… You see, one of Florida’s United States Senators, Mel Martinez, was elected to be the General Chairman of the Republican National Committee in January. For the most past, Martinez is a solid Republican and his credentials are strong. As a matter of fact, his close relationship with President Bush probably helps the RNC in many respects.

On the other hand, it may be more of a hindrance in some areas, where the RNC needs to make it… Read More

California Congresswoman Juanita Millander-McDonald has passed away today, according to a report from the Associated Press. As we reported last week, McDonald had taken a leave of absence from the House and was battling cancer. Our prayers go out to her family and friends over this horrible loss.

At some point when it is appropriate, the Governor will have to call for a special election to fill out the remainder of her term. That will all be about Democrats, no GOPers need apply in that district.… Read More