Just last month, this column noted that the professional political class harbors great hostility toward the tools of direct democracy — the powers of initiative, referendum and recall. These are effective tools to control an indolent or corrupt legislature.

From the perspective of politicians, direct democracy allows the great unwashed and unsophisticated to deal with matters such as taxation, victims’ rights, insurance and, most importantly, political reform. These are issues over… Read More

Ironically, just hours after State Senator Ben Hueso, D-San Diego,voted against California’s burgeoning ride-share industry, he was arrested for driving under the influence.When State legislators get arrested for drunk driving, it is apparent that even the most coddled in government need a free market solution rather than the hassle and expense of calling a cab.

Elected State Senators and Assembly members even have Capitol Sergeants-At-Arms to drive them where they need to go. The rest of the public doesn’t have Sergeants available, and have turned to Uber, Lyft and Sidecar. But now, the codddled Legislature wants to do away with this innovative, free market solution to expensive and unreliable cabs, shuttle services and limousines.

Given that the Democratic Party is an enthusiastic supporter of… Read More

Breastfeeding mothers have fed their infants for thousands of years, somehow, in public places. I’ve never seen a woman hassled for breastfeeding — even the women who do it immodestly.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal is authoring… Read More

FROM THE CARPE DIEM BLOG:

http://www.aei-ideas.org/2014/08/monday_afternoon_linkage818/ Item #10

More From Today’s BLS Report: a) Texas added more than 1,000 jobs every day over the last 12 months, a total payroll increase of 396,200 from July 2013 to July 2014. b) Texas payrolls increased in the last two months (+77,000) by more than the net increase in California payrolls since December 2007 (see chart above). c) Texas added more than 15 workers to the state’s payrolls sinceDecember 2007 for every one worker added to payrolls in California (1,078,600 net new jobs in Texas vs. 69,400 net new jobs in California, see chart above). … Read More

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In 2006 the California Legislature passed the most sweeping environmental legislation in the nation. Celebrity Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t wait to put his signature to the bill.

The two basic pillars of AB 32 was first, to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020 and second set up a cap and trade system that would make evil polluters buy credits to offset their GHG emissions. The money from the credits would go to fund green projects that would in turn meet the goals of pollution reduction.

At the time an overwhelming number of Californians enthusiastically supported this noble undertaking without asking what it would eventually cost.

The slick politicians told the gullible public not to worry about such minor details. And besides they could feel great about what they were doing and could look smugly at other benighted states that hadn’t reached their level of enlightened environmental consciousness.

Then in 2010 alarms were raised about the cost and the economic harm that might come if AB 32 was fully implemented.

Signatures were gathered for a ballot initiative that would delay… Read More

“In an era when we aren’t going to have tax increases, figure out how to be more efficient spending the money we’ve got, and the Republicans can help you do that if they’ll get off the philosophical cant about stuff and help you make things more efficient. They actually culturally know more and occupationally know more about efficiencies than Democrats typically do.” – California Treasurer Bill Lockyer, Democrat,addressing the state legislaturein 2010.

What was Lockyer thinking? As one of the most plain spoken and financially astute politicians California’s got, and as someone who has been around the capitol for decades, he certainly knows a thing or two about Republicans and Democrats. Did Lockyer make a fair generalization? And if so, what are the causes, and what are the consequences?

“They actually culturally know more and occupationally know more about efficiencies than Democrats typically do.”

To explore the basis for Lockyer’s assertion, the biographies of California’s state… Read More

A bold agenda has taken shape, showing without a doubt, Democrats are manipulating societal norms, under the guise of civil rights.

Who could forget the bathroom bill, passed into law last year, which would require a student to be permitted to use the male or female bathrooms and locker rooms in public schools, based on the student’s gender self-identification?

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano D-San Francisco, is the author of yet another bill to redefine the family:AB 2344, the “Modern… Read More

GOP Lt. Governor Candidate Risks Alienating Much of California with His Dogmatic War against Marijuana by Richard Rider

I’ve been a registered Republican for less than 10% of my life. For 35 years I was a registered Libertarian and active in the party. While my views never changed, in 2011 I decided to join the GOP as a more effective way to advancefiscalconservatism (not social) – the key issue that will decide the future of the Golden State.

One 2014 candidacy I’ve been watching with particular interest has been Republican Ron Nehring’s bid for Lt. Governor. While there is little chance of him winning in this solidly blue state, he has been doing an excellent job of hammering ruling Democrats on the failed fiscal policies that they have full responsibility for.

Expensive yet ineffective education,… Read More