Last Friday, I visited an oil drilling platform, known as “Irene,” five miles off the Coast of Santa Barbara County. I had a chance to witness first-hand the good work that goes on here to supply energy to American families.

Irene is part of the Tranquillon Ridge Project, which would allow one of California’s leading oil and natural gas producers, Plains Exploration & Production Co., to access oil and gas reserves located beneath California state waters.

The project is a win-win for the environment and the economy:

•PXP will convey approximately 3,900 acres of land to The Trust for Public Land, including approximately 3,700 acres adjacent to the Burton Mesa Ecological Reserve in the Lompoc Valley and up to 200 acres on the Gaviota Coast. These lands will be permanently protected for open space and public access.

•The T-Ridge project will include a legally enforceable “end date” which ends all PXP’s offshore oil production on four platforms and removes the associated onshore support facilities.

•By limiting the life of the platform operations, the T-Ridge “end date” significantly reduces the risk of an… Read More

The U.S. Supreme Court indeed issued decisions in three cases this morning but did not publish an opinion in the very important campaign finance reform case of Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which remains pending.… Read More

Yesterday we featured an update on goings-on with the Young Republican Federation of California, penned by their new State Chairman Adam Abrahms. For many people in the state, there is some confusion over the fact that there are actually two different statewide YR organizations recognized by the California Republican Party — the other one is the California Young Republicans. I guess the easiest way to summarize the reason that there are two YR organizations would be this: Back in the early 1990’s, a large activist surge brought a bunch of new people into the California Young Republicans, which at that point was the only statewide YR group. The CYR leadership, afraid of "losing control" of the group as it grew in size, cheated to keep their Kern County based group in charge. This cheating caused the vast majority of CYR’s members to leave the group, forming the YRFC, which for the last fifteen plus years has really been the dominant statewide YR group.

All of that said, I have been extremely impressed, lately, with a surge of activism within the original CYR group that has come under the Chairmanship of Jenniffer Rodriguez. The… Read More

According to this story by Anthony York over on Capitol Weekly’s website, Speaker Bass may schedule a vote for her successor as Speaker for as early as next week. The article says that this will be a voice vote.

This is a terrible idea.

Republicans deserve some respect and the ability to have some pride. This is best facilitated by a process that allows more than simply a motion for the anointed candidate by the Democrats to become speaker on a voice vote. As a matter of fact, under that system, there is no way for a Republican legislator to make it clear that they do not, in fact, approve of or cast a vote for whichever liberal the Dems put up for the top job.

In the ideal scenario, the Democrats will accept a process whereby Republicans can place the name of their leader, Sam Blakeslee, into nomination for Speaker. Blakeslee will get only 28 votes (one GOP seat is vacant until January) and will lose the election, but will be able to stand tall for the Republican Party — and every Assembly Republican will have the pride… Read More

As someone who has been engaged in the process of politics in California for well over two decades now, I have developed a “thick skin” when it comes to watching our state’s policy makers, dominated by the ideological left, make decision after decision that makes no sense whatsoever when juxtaposed over the reality of life. But I am used to the fact that we have too many policy makers who are very comfortable over-taxing, over-borrowing, over-spending and over-regulating. For a great many of these policy makers, they pursue this kind of “taking” of individual liberty and freedom with the fervor of a religious quest – decrying those who believe in individual liberty and people’s rights over collective rights and societal responsibility like we are heretics.

One can only imagine what this menagerie must look like to a commercial fisherman or recreational boater who one day hears a rumor, “Guess what? California politicians are going to ban fishing and boating in wide swaths of the ocean, off of the state coastline!”

I’m sure disbelief transitioned to shock which then became outrage and by now these folks are well on their way to… Read More

I’ve always said the problem with California schools isn’t about how much moneywe spend but rather howwe spend it.

Take the story of San Jose Community College Chancellor Rosa Perez, who has received a 48 percent pay increase in just four years, which includes nearly $300,000 in annual income and a $147,000 bonus for staying on the job for four years.

The California Taxpayers’ Association reported yesterday that it wasn’t enough for Perez to pull in a king’s ransom every month, she also charged taxpayers for lavish hotel stays in San Jose (even though Perez lives in San Francisco!) and trips to El Salvador and Scotland.

At a time when California schools are laying off teachers, it’s disappointing to read about greedy "educators" who are supposed to have the best interest of the students in mind. Don’t get me wrong; I believe people deserve pay commensurate with their talent. But in these fiscally difficult times, everyone should share in the pain — that means taking pay cuts and curtailing unnecessary spending.… Read More

Death Tax: Last week, the House passed a permanent extension of the Death Tax, setting the tax rate on any estates over $3.5 million at 45%, not indexed for inflation. The vote was 225-200 with ZERO Republicans voting in favor and 26 Democrats voting to oppose. The Senate is talking about a much preferable 35% on estates over $5 million, indexed for inflation. I favor complete repeal of the tax, although the Senate proposal would be a step in the right direction. Here is a clip of my 2 minute floor speech on why I oppose this bill and this tax.

I heard a great story last week from a Leonard Letter reader that I wanted to share with all of you on Pearl Harbor Day. The USS Utah was sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The ship is on the opposite side of Ford Island from the Arizona and many tourists to the memorial do not even learn about the Utah or the 58 sailors still entombed in her. The Utah had a long and impressive service record before the damage at Pearl. Efforts to right and restore the ship failed so she lies on her side in the water to this day. Learn more about the Utah and her crew: I heard a great story last week from a Leonard Letter reader that I wanted to share with all of you on Pearl Harbor Day. The USS Utah was sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The ship is on the opposite side of Ford Island from the Arizona and many tourists to the memorial do not even learn about the Utah or the 58 sailors still entombed in her. The Utah had a long and impressive service record before the damage at Pearl. Efforts to right and restore the ship failed so she lies on her side in the water to this day. Learn more about the Utah and her crew here. Cal DeKnikker (a Navy vet, son and grandson of Navy sailors, and… Read More