As union-controlled politicians look to foist billions of dollars in new sales, income and car taxes on Californians, guess what isn’t happening — at least here in California? As public employee pension costs for unrealistically generous defined benefit pensions (and Cadillac-level health benefits) cause more and more of state and local government budgets to be sucked away from providing services, our Governor and legislature, County Supervisor and Administrators, City Councilmembers and City Managers, all need to take eight minutes and watch and listen to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

In this video he takes a question from a local police officer who is concerned about how he is going to make ends meet with cuts he is having to take because of legislation signed by Christie. Christie understands that addressing this problem is not just about looking at long-term reforms effecting future state and local employees. But that the crisis is here now, and can’t be resolved without participation (willing or not) of current employees.

See the video… Read More

In the coming days conservative movement leaders and brothers Charles and David Koch (pictured) and their company, Koch Industries, will be hosting their annual conference in Palm Desert bringing together other like-minded people from throughout the country who are interested in job creation, free enterprise, eliminating deficit spending, lowering taxes and protecting our economic freedoms. In other words, Americans, many of whom are the job creators, are getting together on their own dime to talk about these important subjects and to discuss how they might work together to further these goals with real solutions. You would think that supposed “good government” groups like Common Cause would be supportive of citizens who care enough to do what they can to engage in the issues most important to them. We are, unfortunately, talking about Common Cause and their… Read More

We always say that an answer is only as good s a question. Today the MSM will undoubtedly make hay with a PPIC poll question that shows public support for Governor Brown’s proposal to balance the state budget with a plan that includes both spending cuts and higher taxes. They will likely not, however, tell you that the question is skewed in support of the plan…

Here is the exact question:

32. On another topic, Governor Brown proposed a budget plan for the current and next fiscal year to close the state’s $25-billion budget deficit. It includes major spending cuts to nearly all state agencies, including health and human services, higher education, and state parks. It will not cut spending to K–12 education. It plans to realign some funding and responsibilities for carrying out certain programs from the state government to local governments. It calls for a June … Read More

Last night the Temecula City Council held a public hearing on the proposed construction of a new mosque in their community. Apparently the project has roiled the public to such a degree that the meeting went on for 8 hours. Ultimately, local opponents were defeated as the Council voted at 3:30am to approve the mosque. Perhaps they were swayed by the most compelling arguments in favor of the proposed mosque, which came from the last public speaker on the topic. At 3:06 am Murrieta resident Leilani Alman (sp?) stepped to the microphone and delivered one of the most eloquent pieces of oratory every articulated in American political history.

… Read More

Liberal California campaign finance attorney Rick Hasen laments in today’s Slate blog that "for the past several years the three Republican FEC commissioners have blocked enforcement of what remains of federal campaign finance law." My response is to say "Yeah!!!." The First Amendment is the First Amendment, and perhaps there is more appropriate lamentation in order for the three Democrat FEC commissioners who do not support the constitution consistently enough.… Read More

The budget proposed by Governor Jerry Brown does nothing to improve California’s dismal jobs climate. Instead it would make California even less competitive in the battle for jobs.

I’m particularly concerned about the governor’s proposal to eliminate enterprise zones. It makes no sense to eliminate these vital economic development zones – we should instead be expanding them. Better yet, we should make all of California an enterprise zone. After all, the entire state is now economically distressed.

Please take a moment to read my recent op-ed on this subject in the Sacramento Bee and let me know your thoughts.… Read More

Rahm Emanuel’s troubles in trying to get on the ballot to run for Mayor of Chicago may not seem like a California issue, but it is a political law issue nonetheless, and one that lawyers and politicians in California scrap over every election cycle, and will surely be fighting over next year: residency requirements to qualify to run for office.

I won a full-blown trial early last year representing now State Senator Bill Emmerson in a case filed by supporters of opponent Russ Bogh, who wanted to kick Dr. Emmerson off the ballot in a special election for that State Senate seat, on grounds that he "didn’t live" in the district. Such claims were highly technical. Emmerson had spent practically all his life in and around the Inland Empire district he wanted to run in. He simply happened to represent an adjoining Assembly District at the same time. When the Judge worked through the evidence, he agreed with Emmerson, not Bogh’s supporters, and Dr. Emmerson went before the voters and was elected to fill the seat. Thus, the PEOPLE decided, not the… Read More

In what can only be good news for American taxpayers, it would appear that the Republican Congress has funding for High Speed Rail projects in their crosshairs. Two other states have rejected HSR funding from the Feds, and California should be doing the same. In fact the legislature should put a undoing of the HSR bonds on the next California ballot. The filing has closed in the special election to fill the 4th Assembly District seat vacated by new State Senator Ted Gaines. There are eight candidates, seven Republicans and one Democrat. This special election is the first one in a Republican seat where we will see if the new Proposition 14 "Top Two" election rules in place — if no candidate wins 50%+1 of the vote in the first election, which is likely, then the two candidates with the most votes will advance to the runoff. As of a few months ago, registered Republicans outnumbered Democrat 131,899 to 91,395 with DTS at … Read More