California’s Supreme Court ruled today that California’s statutory ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional. The court also held that the term "domestic partner" creates injury for those who are so labeled in thattheir dignity is presumptively attacked bycarrying such a label.As such, thecourt held that to deny a member of a domestic partnership the legal right to call their union a marriage is also unconstitutional.

Justice Baxter, in crafting his dissent stated:

"I cannot join this exercise in legal jujitsu, by which the Legislature’s own weight is used against it to create a constitutional right from whole cloth, defeat the People’s will, and invalidate a statute otherwise immune from legislative interference. Though the majority insists otherwise, its pronouncement seriously oversteps the judicial power. The majority purports to apply certain fundamental provisions of the state Constitution, but it runs afoul of another just as fundamental — article III, section 3, the separation of powers clause. This clause declares that “[t]he powers of state government are legislative, executive, and judicial,”… Read More

Yes, I know, more unsolicited and likely unwelcome free advice – it’s the bane of consultants and campaigners everywhere.

But anyway, I recently posted information from the Registrar of Voters about Paul Hegyi not actually being a Sacramento Republican for 10 of the last 13 years (for math people that 23%)… now it turns out he was also supporting left-wing candidates as well…

In his "Dear Republicans" splash page, 32-year old Paul claims that he spent his “whole life supporting conservative Republican causes and candidates..." What he should have said is "Ever since they started paying me, I’ve been supporting Republicans."

You see, it seems that Paul was a feature endorsement for uber-lefty Sean South (along with the President of the Sac State Young Democrats and former Darryl Steinberg CofS Gary Davis).

South – as many Capitol people will recall… Read More

Minutes ago the California State Supreme Court released its decision on the gay marriage question (they were looking at the constitutionality of voter-passed Proposition 22, which placed into statute that marriage shall be between a man and a woman).

On a 4-3 decision, the Supremes OVERTURNED Proposition 22, striking the language from California law.

You can read their decision here.

You can be sure that the liberal Democrats who control the legislature will have a homesexual marriage bill on the Governor’s desk as quick they possibly can, which he apparently will sign.

The Governor released this one-sentence response to the court’s ruling: “I respect the Court’s decision and as Governor, I will uphold its ruling. Also, as I have said in the past, I will not support an amendment to the constitution that would overturn this state Supreme Court ruling.”

Note that the Governor refrains from any subjective statements such as "I am disappointed by this… Read More

Offsetting the glee from the loony-left, Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines issued this strong statement in response to the Supreme Court decision to, in essence, prepare the way for legal same-sex marriage in California…

TO: Members and Friends, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association FROM: Jon Coupal, President SUBJ: California State Budget Yesterday, the Governor released his "May Revision" of his earlier budget proposal. The "May Revise," as it is called, takes into account more recent financial considerations of which our political leaders were unaware back in January. HJTA has several concerns about the Governor’s May Revise. First and foremost, it reflects another failure by projecting a level of spending in excess of revenue. The fact is, the taxpayers of California have done their job — and then some. You have provided political leadership with billions of dollars more than just a few years ago. In fact, general fund spending has about doubled in just ten years, from $50 billion to $100 billion. It may be a worn-out expression, but it is fundamentally true: California does not… Read More

It may come as a shock, but actor (and liberal agitator) Sean Penn and FR’s own Mike Spence share a political belief: government should butt out of cigarette smokers’ freedom. Apparently Penn decided to openly defy new French laws that ban all smoking in public enclosed spaces by lighting up during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival. (I wonder how the French will respond to this latest revolution?) … Read More

Longtime FR friend Jim Brulte, the former Leader of both the Senate and Assembly Republican Caucuses, penned this commentary after reflecting on the Governor’s May budget revisions, announced yesterday.

Fiscal Conservatives Have Got To Rally Around The Governor’s Budget And His Call For Rainy-Day Fund By State Senator Jim Brulte, Ret.

Before this year’s state budget gets picked apart by the interest groups who always want more funding and spun up by legislators who have to position themselves for re-election, I want to note a few things about the Governor’s May revision.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full… Read More

Longtime FR friend Jim Brulte, the former Leader of both the Senate and Assembly Republican Caucuses, penned this commentary after reflecting on the Governor’s May budget revisions, announced yesterday.

Fiscal Conservatives Have Got To Rally Around The Governor’s Budget And His Call For Rainy-Day Fund By State Senator Jim Brulte, Ret. Before this year’s state budget gets picked apart by the interest groups who always want more funding and spun up by legislators who have to position themselves for re-election, I want to note a few things about the Governor’s May revision. A Governor is the only elected official in Sacramento who has to make a budget work.… Read More