Californians have abysmally low levels of civic engagement as evidenced by the recent election where voter turnout set an historic low. And the widespread disengagement of California’s younger voters is even worse.

True, in 2008 California’s youth turned out in large numbers to elect Barack Obama as President. And in 2012 they turned out again because, in addition to Obama being up for reelection, Proposition 30 was on the ballot. Proposition 30, which gave California the highest income tax rate and highest state sales tax rate in America was, ironically, entitled Temporary Taxes to Fund Education.

During the Proposition 30 campaign, Governor Brown traveled to several university campuses to push the massive tax hike promising that passage would prevent tuition hikes. California’s college students, being as gullible as they are idealistic, believed the promise hook, line and sinker. So much for critical thinking.

But perhaps California’s younger voters are finally getting wise to all the broken promises of tax-and-spend politicians and that might explain, in part, why they stayed home in this last election. And sure enough, their increasing cynicism… Read More

Someone recently asked me what Cap and Trade and Carbon Trading is. The simple answer is the State of California is taxing the air we breathe. However, it is also one of the biggest taxing schemes perpetrated on Americans, Californians, and businesses.

The beginning

Carbon trading is actually emissions trading by businesses forced into these “agreements.”

When California’sGlobal Warming Solutions Act,AB 32, was passed in 2006, it was sold to the public as a necessary step to reduce dangerous carbon emissions. California politicians gloated over being the first state to enact such an aggressive policy.

The state’s unemployment rate was very low at the time at only4.8 percent. It… Read More

Kudos to billionaire T. Denny Sanford! This successful South Dakota businessman has decided to give most of his wealth away BEFORE he dies — to causes he favors. While many wealthy people end up donating most of their wealth to charities, Sanford’s “give it all now” philosophy is far less common.

But in alaudatory U-T interview, there’s one fact mentioned in passing that bears note. In the interview, Sanford says “I live about six months a year in the Scottsdale area.” Actually, a more accurate statement would likely be “I live LESS than 6 months a year in Scottsdale.”

The reason? His business is in South Dakota, employing thousands of people. He still resides in South Dakota FOR INCOME TAX PURPOSES. While Arizona has only a 4.54% top state income tax bracket (about 10th lowest in the nation), South Dakota has NO state individual or corporate income tax. ZERO.… Read More

Following the deadly shootings and murders of two Sacramento Sheriff deputies, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones called on President Barack Obama for immediate immigration reform. If the President’s speech Thursday evening left you hollow, Sheriff Jones’s video will change that.

President Obama announced he will sign an executive order granting “deferred action” to two illegal immigrant groups- parents of United States citizens or legal permanent residents who have been in the country for five years, and young people who who were brought into the country illegally as of 2010.

That announcement came on the heels of Sheriff Jones’ video address to the President.

… Read More

Well, this day came much faster than I expected.

After penning hundreds of these missives, I find myself now sitting down to write what will be my last “Laptop Report” to all of you as a Member of Congress.

For the last decade and through several sessions of Congress, you’ve given me the opportunity to share my thoughts on a myriad of issues facing this nation and our world. This has truly been a privilege and honor that I never took lightly.

These reports have been a way for me to talk to you directly and to engage with you on complicated issues that weren’t always easy to solve with a polished quote or quick sound bite. In turn, many of you responded with thoughtful feedback each time. I want you to know that I read and appreciated those replies.

For those who asked to be added to my “Post-Congress” list, this will not be the last time you hear from me. We will continue our discussion sometime next year.

However, I want to take this last chance to just say thank you. I enjoyed writing these reports and I hope they offered you a perspective that you were not getting from the usual… Read More

Our remarkably anti-business country (well, our country’s governments) works 24/7 to help businesses prosper everywhere else— except perhaps France. Thank goodness for socialist France — we can count on these losers to keep us off the bottom of the pile. And then America’s politicians claim to be shocked that businesses seek to leave the “free market” USA. And that foreign businesses are reluctant to come TO this country with anything but retail stores and imported goods.Of the 34 OECD countries (the developed countries), the U.S. ranks 32nd in “tax competitiveness,” according to the Tax Foundation. France is the worst. Plus we “beat” Portugal (big whoop!). Even economic basket case Italy is not quite as bad as the U.S. Adding insult to injury, of the 50 states, California’s 2015 “business tax climate” ranks 3 … Read More

Wednesday the California Air Resources Board announced the first joint cap-and-trade carbon credits auctionbetween California and Québechas been postponed due to “technical difficulties.” Some carbon followers say the new auction will be scheduled in the next three working days.

Under AB 32, California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, the 2006 legislation signed into law was to supposedly lower the state’s carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. CARB recently added to the carbon reduction plan the goal of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, because California already reached 1992 levels just with technological advances in autos, as… Read More

FROM BRAD BOSWELL: Check out the 2012 CCW lists of states below. Look at where things were in 2002.In 1987, Florida was just the 9th state that addedconcealed carry permits. The NRA has done awesome work over 25 years.Violent crime has not gone up with the dramatic expansion of CCW permits.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/one-needs-know-guns-crime-three-charts/

byS.H. BLANNELBERRYonNOVEMBER 12, 2014

Admittedly, this isn’t all one needs to know about crime and guns in three charts, but it does substantiate the general claim made by many pro-gun advocates, including myself, that expanding concealed carry does not increase crime rates. In fact, one can argue the opposite is true based on the… Read More