After much effort to gather the more than 1 million signatures necessary, the Protect Our Homes initiative has qualified overwhelmingly. Voters swept this measure onto the ballot to protect farms, small businesses and homes from landgrabbers. Enough signatures were verified at a high validity rate to easily allow Secretary of State Bruce McPherson to declare its eligibility.

Conservative heroine Assemblywoman Mimi Walters led the charge to qualify this initiative in response to the Kelo v. New London, CT Supreme Court decision of last June. In a 5-4 decision in that case, the court tacitly allowed the taking of private property, homes, farms, small businesses, even church properties for other private uses, under the premise that higher property taxes or sales taxes generated from the new use than the existing owner’s use are in the ‘public good’. This ‘public use’ justification to allow takings is a blatant abuse of the Founders intent.

This initiative became necessary after the legislature’s unwillingness to place real reform on the ballot via the much more direct legislative route, a 2/3 vote of both houses.… Read More

I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts on the situation with the Republican base and its "energy" for the past two weeks. As I stated initially, I think the free fall has subsided, and our mood has stabilized for the time being. While we are only one policy disaster away from despair, I still sense that the GOP has bottomed out and has a chance to turn it up a notch this summer and fall. How we handle illegal immigration and spending issues in Washington and Sacramento remain the greatest concerns of conservatives everywhere.

Last week I detailed three issues which would serve to energize the Republican base: balancing the State budget (evidently now not going to happen); protect us from crazy liberals; and define the public employee unions before they define you. It appears that of these three, the Governor is only willing to protect us from the worst of what the legislature has to offer. His recent overtures to the CCPOA and… Read More

One should not take for granted the United States Constitution and our Bill of Rights.

For the past two weeks, I have been on vacation in Great Britain (just a few more days to go!). The trip has been great, but I won’t bore you all with the fun details of my vacation. But I will say that it has been quite interesting to watch the affairs of British Government played out in the local news tabloids (an apt description) as well as on the‘telly’.

It is amazing to me that here in the United Kingdom, thetelevision airwaves are owned by…the government. So guess what this does for choice and varietyfor the millions of Brits who do not have a satellite dish? You got it, there are only six stations in the whole country –and two of them always seem to be showing the same thing.

I tried to makea call on Prime Minister Blair today, over at10 Downing Street – but could not get past the Bobbies! Tomorrow I’m going to try to get into the ‘Strangers Gallery’ at the House of Commons to watch the Q&A period with the Prime Minister in person.We’ll see if it is an raccous in… Read More

Yesterday I recieved a press release from the Free Enterprise Fund announcing that Jim Terry, chief-of-staff to Congressman (and FR Blog correspodent) John Campbell, will be FEF‘s new execuitve director:

"I could not think of anyone better suited to help us lead the charge for free markets and free enterprise. I am proud to bring Jim Terry on board as we continue… Read More

Lately, all of the Congressional office in Washington have been inundated with bricks that have been mailed in from citizens concerned about border security. The bricks, which are accompanied by a letter calling for tougher border security, are meant to send a message to Congress that if we don’t build a fence the public is willing to do the job on their own. (The effort is being organized by www.send-a-brick.com) I couldn’t agree more that immigration reform must begin with tougher border security, and I voted for a border fence when we considered the immigration bill. However, my strong stance on this issue doesn’t change the fact that more bricks arrive every day. They have already filled up a whole cabinet in my office. So, we have a new and very serious issue to address. What am I supposed to do with all of these bricks? So far my office has received over 60, and we get more every day. Now, if every House member has received the same number would total over 26,000. … Read More

I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts on the situation with the Republican base and its "energy" for the past two weeks. As I stated initially, I think the free fall has subsided, and our mood has stabilized for the time being. While we are only one policy disaster away from despair, I still sense that the GOP has bottomed out and has a chance to turn it up a notch this summer and fall. How we handle illegal immigration and spending issues in Washington and Sacramento remain the greatest concerns of conservatives everywhere.

Last week I detailed three issues which would serve to energize the Republican base: balancing the State budget (evidently now not going to happen); protect us from crazy liberals; and define the public employee unions before they define you. It appears that of these three, the Governor is only willing to protect us from the worst of what the legislature has to offer. His recent overtures to the CCPOA and… Read More

I have never professed to be an expert on the state budget and luckily I don’t have to be, Senator Abel Maldonado, has released some interesting commentary on the budget deal.

From Senator Abel Maldonado (released Tuesday):

"When deciding to vote for this budget I asked myself, does this budget move California forward or back? The answer is simple: it moves California backward.

"This budget spends $9.9 billion that hardworking taxpayers unexpectedly sent us in a good year and spends another $7 billion we do not have. This budget puts less than two-percent away for a rainy day. The fact of the matter is, after we leave tonight we’re still saddled with a $4.6 billion deficit next year.

"I campaigned with Gov. Schwarzenegger and let me share something with you. He said politicians in Sacramento have an addiction to… Read More

Lately, all of the Congressional office in Washington have been inundated with bricks that have been mailed in from citizens concerned about border security. The bricks, which are accompanied by a letter calling for tougher border security, are meant to send a message to Congress that if we don’t build a fence the public is willing to do the job on their own. (The effort is being organized by www.send-a-brick.com) I couldn’t agree more that immigration reform must begin with tougher border security, and I voted for a border fence when we considered the immigration bill. However, my strong stance on this issue doesn’t change the fact that more bricks arrive every day. They have already filled up a whole cabinet in my office. So, we have a new and very serious issue to address. What am I supposed to do with all of these bricks? So far my office has received over 60, and we get more every day. Now, if every House member has received the same number would total over 26,000. … Read More