Popular myth holds that Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, ended Communism and broke up the Soviet Union. Yet, when the hammer and sickle were lowered over the Kremlin for the last time on Christmas Day 1991, it was over Gorbachev’s strenuous objections. The man most responsible for relegating Communism to what he called the ash heap of history was Ronald Reagan.

Most of today’s college students were born after the fall of the Berlin Wall. They never experienced Ronald Reagan in the White House as the leader of the United States of America and the western alliance of democracies built around NATO.

This holiday season it’s worth… Read More

November and December proved interesting times for teachers and their unions as the calendar marched toward 2014. While some unions are protecting teachers accused of abusing children, other teacher groups voted to decertify their union.

In the first major development, theLos Angeles School Report, an online reform news site, highlighted theNational Day of Actionsponsored by the teachers unions. On that day, theAmerican Federation of Teachersnationally emphasized “The Principles that Unite Us.” The AFT’s California affiliate is the California Federation of Teachers, the state’s second largest teachers union.

The… Read More

California wins yet another “superlative” from the business community. The 100,000 member nationalSmall Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council)again ranked California the worst state in their Small Business Policy Index. I’m not sure how many years we’ve held our ground in this survey, but I know we were the same in 2012. We currently maintain a comfortable (though admittedly not insurmountable) lead over our fellow anti-business states.

It appears that the bottom 11 states are all controlled by the Democrat Party. And most of the best states are controlled by Republicans. But, of course, correlation doesn’t prove causation — yada, yada, yada. Still, one MIGHT start to wonder . . . .

http://www.sbecouncil.org/2013/12/12/sbe-council-ranks-the-50-states-in-small-business-policy-index-2013/

For the 3rdstraight year, 24/7 WALL ST ranks California the “worst run state” in the U.S. The comparison uses a variety of criteria to measure how a well a state is managed, which results in some otherwise attractive states scoring low. Nevada, South Carolina and Arizona are also listed among the bottom ten states.

Apparently the analysis does not give weight to the cost of living. If it did, California would probably be ranked 57thor so.

Seems that no matter what economic criteria one uses, California consistently scores in the worst five — often numero bottomo.

Ahhh, but there’s always the California weather to fall back on. Too bad businesses can’t crank weather into their income statements and balance sheets.

Top five well run states? In order: North Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah.

http://tinyurl.com/WorstRunState… Read More

David Lanier has his hands full. Formerly Gov. Jerry Brown’s legislative affairs secretary, on Nov. 6 the governorgave him the nodto be the California’s new secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

Lanier takes charge more than three months after the meltdown of the computers of the Employment Development Department.

Ireported on those problems earlier this month. The problems are supposed to be fixed by Dec. 31. The “fix” already has cost California taxpayers $100 million.

In September, following the computer update,150,000… Read More

As is my custom the last several years…

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of… Read More

If Edward Snowden had chosen to share his information concerning surveillance activities by the National Security Agency with Senators like Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, his declaration of “victory” might have some merit.

Instead, by choosing to leak vital American national security secrets to newspapers, and by extension American adversaries, all around the world, his claim rings hollow. Rather than a whistleblower victor, Edward Snowden today is a loser of the first order.

He is under indictment in the United States, no country other than Russia will have him (and his “asylum” there is only temporary), and he will probably never step foot in his home country ever again unless in… Read More

At the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, we receive thousands of calls each year from taxpayers with questions and concerns. Of all those, about two dozen stand out because they are complaints that HJTA is responsible for raising their taxes. The callers tell us that a local government agency wants to impose an assessment on their property and they have received notice and a mail in ballot. When they called the officials responsible for the assessment, they have been told “it is Jarvis’ fault because they passed Proposition 218.”

Now this may not be a whopper of the magnitude of “If you like your policy, you can keep it,” but it is almost as misleading. Here is what is going on.

Proposition 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act, placed on the ballot by HJTA and approved by the voters in 1996, requires that those who are to be assessed be sent notice by mail and provided a ballot so they can cast a protest vote. So, to the extent that the homeowner is being informed and being sent a ballot, this much is HJTA’s fault. The government agency is still completely responsible for efforts to impose an assessment.

Assessment districts in California… Read More