The bad news continues to pour in as California faces the worst recession since the 1930’s.

First, California lost more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs in the past year and nearly 1,500 manufacturing jobs in November. In fact, more than 536,000 jobs have been lost in the sector since the decline started in Dec. 2000 — nearly a 28 percent decline.

While most western state’s manufacturing sectors have also lost jobs, California’s manufacturing situation is far worse. As a matter of fact, California’s costs to do business is 24 percent higher than the national average and contributes to its manufacturing segments lagging behind key western states which compete for manufacturing jobs – jobs that provide (or did provide) hard working California families with upwardly mobile, high paying job opportunities.

The second major problem is that since January of 2001 the private sector has experienced a 2% decline in jobs. Given the recession we are living through, that would provide a great deal of explanation. Unfortunately, during the same time period, government jobs have grown 7%. This is the wrong way street California has been… Read More

Capitol Resource Family Impact and the California Republican Assembly both sent out alerts to their supporters this week, warning them that there are rumors in the capitol Republican assemblymembers may be considering voting for SB 572, Mark Leno’s bill that will make May 22 Harvey Milk Day in California. Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed identical legislation last year, citing the overly broad impact of declaring a statewide day of significance for a San Francisco County supervisor. The legislation calls for all schools and educational institutions to participate in “exercises remembering the life of Harvey Milk, recognizing his accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state.” Apparently the wavering Republicans believe that because SB 572 doesn’t explicitly mandate schools to participate in Harvey Milk Day activities, they can vote in favor or simply abstain. However, legislators should know better than anyone else that “encouragement” from the government eventually turns into … Read More

My earlier blog reporting on CRA and Traditional Values Coalition’s concern about Republicans possibly supporting or abstaining from voting on Harvey Milk Day (SB 572) has elicited quite a response from the capitol. I should be clear that the email alerts I received and capitol sources I talked to indicate Republicans weren’t necessarily going to vote Yes on the bill, but possibly abstain from voting at all. Republican abstentions on such a controversial measure send the wrong message to the governor and constituents.

The theme running throughout each of the phone calls and emails I’ve received today is that people can’t understand why the CRA or TVC would question the votes of any Republican. In addition to reports from capitol insiders, perhaps their trepidation stems from GOP votes (or abstentions) on HR 17, which passed the Assembly just last month. HR 17 proclaims June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month. An elaborate ceremony was conducted on the Assembly floor to commemorate the passage of the resolution. Unfortunately,… Read More

There is something particularly offensive about charitable foundations established by those who made billions of dollars through their success in the private sector, when they then use that money to fund efforts to make it harder and harder for other people to own or use lands. In essence, they fund efforts to either expand government ownership or restrictions on land, or to create quasi-governmental “land trusts” for the purpose of taking lands and place them out of the realm of private ownership. When you look at a map of the United States, it’s stunning the percentage of raw land in our nation that is government owned, or is partially or totally restricted in its use by… people.

This background is important because it puts into context a power-play by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation to advance their agenda of restricting people-use of lands – or in this case, actually, the ocean. The Packard Foundation has invested countless millions of dollars into promoting the creation of “marine reserves” off the California coastline. The Packard Foundation… Read More

There is something particularly offensive about charitable foundations established by those who made billions of dollars through their success in the private sector, when they then use that money to fund efforts to make it harder and harder for other people to own or use lands. In essence, they fund efforts to either expand government ownership or restrictions on land, or to create quasi-governmental “land trusts” for the purpose of taking lands and place them out of the realm of private ownership. When you look at a map of the United States, it’s stunning the percentage of raw land in our nation that is government owned, or is partially or totally restricted in its use by… people.

This background is important because it puts into context a power-play by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation to advance their agenda of restricting people-use of lands – or in this case, actually, the ocean. The Packard Foundation has invested countless millions of dollars into promoting the creation of “marine reserves” off the California coastline. The Packard Foundation… Read More

It’s amazing to me that it has been over fifteen years since I along with hundreds of conservative Republican activists left the internecine battles of California Young Republicans, and formed an activist-based organization for young Republicans, the Young Republican Federation of the California.

Since leaving the CYRs all of those years ago, I never regretted the decision. For many years now, the YRFC has continually proven themselves as a conservative group focused on sending Republicans into local, state and federal office that understand the principles of our founding fathers. I can’t keep track of the scores of YRFC activists who have gone on to public office or taken on other prominent leadership roles in state or national politics.

Occasional glances through the looking glass have quickly confirmed and reconfirmed to me that the CYR’s as an organization continues to be diminutive and fraught with inner-organizational battles that always end the same way – which is that the organization of former Congressman and Bill Thomas and his protégé-now-Congressman Kevin McCarthy, under the iron fist of Bakersfield political consultant Mark Abernathy,… Read More

The budget impasse has now become a full-fledged capitol circus. Even the Drudge Report had a link to a story reporting the situation has devolved into a “food fight,” metaphorically and somewhat literally after Governor Schwarzenegger criticized lawmakers for advancing legislation relating to blueberry commissions and pomegranate juice standards amidst the budget crisis.

Responsible legislators have been calling for the legislature to set aside non-budget related legislation until the state solves its $26 billion deficit. Considering the severity of the problem—the governor has declared a state of emergency—that would be the reasonable thing to do. Instead, Democrats are irresponsibly continuing with committee hearings and floor sessions, voting on bills that will further regulate citizens and spend their tax dollars. This leaves one wondering whether leadership truly understands just how precarious the situation is. As they debate whether to establish Harvey Milk Day, California’s… Read More

Team Poizner scored another point yesterday against Jerry Brown in the already hot campaign for Governor in 2010.

A month ago, when press reports surfaced that Brown had accepted campaign contributions from two men that his office was investigating, Steve Poizner stepped up and called Brown out on his questionable ethical compass. Poizner immediately called for Brown to do the responsible thing and return the campaign contributions.

In classic Jerry Brown fashion, Brown blatantly refused to return the money and even characterized Poizner’s suggestion that he do so as “the silliest thing I’ve ever heard” and “pathetic.” Yesterday, when Brown dropped the news that he would, in fact, return the money, Team Poizner was quick to make sure that Brown ate his words. The campaign’s rapid response operation sent around this YouTube of Brown refusing to return the money a month ago and noted that, “Jerry Brown seems to have changed his mind on… Read More