Right out of the book Atlas Shrugged, we have dingbat California legislators taxing internet sales to balance their precious budget, full of programs that don’t work, pensions that cost too much, and with over 40,000 State employees than just eight years ago, their solution is drive yet more business from the State. Brilliant.

In the book, or if you haven’t seen the movie, John Galt is the mysterious man who visits succesful business owners to tell them of a better place. Business owners begin to disappear from society with every new onerous government regulation.

In 2011, John Galt is the State of Texas, and any other State that can knock on the door of a California business owner and tell them of a place where they can live in liberty, less regulation, and keep more of what they earn. Almost any State can say that to us now.

So Amazon and Overstock.com have said “adios” and there will be many more to follow. California Democrat legislators have to be some of the most economically… Read More

Finishing up a three day swing through the Golden State, yesterday Texas Governor Rick Perry paid a visit to California’s Capitol city of Sacramento where he met with a large number of Republican state legislators. Held at the offices of prominent California GOP fundraiser and consultant Jeff Miller, Perry clearly made a strong impression on those in attendance. We know this because immediately following the Governor’s remarks, 21 GOP state legislators all signed onto a letter urging the Governor of the Lone Star State to throw his boots into the race for the Presidency. Legislators signing the letter were:  Senators Tom Berryhill, Bill Emmerson, Ted Gaines, Doug LaMalfa and Mimi Walters, and Assemblymembers Katcho Achadjian, Bill Berryhill, Connie Conway, Paul Cook (in an apparent defection from Mitt Romney), Tim Donnelly, Beth Gaines, Shannon Grove, Curt Hagman, Kevin Jeffries, Brian Jones, Steve Knight, Dan Logue, Mike Morrell, Jim Nielsen, Cameron Smyth, and David Valadao. Click on the image below to see the letter…

Needless to say, this is an impressive show of support for Perry, who continues to demonstrate a depth of support around the… Read More

Rick Perry might not have officially thrown his ten-gallon hat into the ring, but he certainly looked and sounded like a presidential contender when he stopped by Orange County yesterday morning.

Hosted by Orange County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh and the illustrious editor of this web site, Jon Fleischman, Governor Perry drew a stark distinction between himself and other presidential candidates by coming to Orange County to meet with conservative grassroots leaders—not just big money donors.

Unfortunately, California is often viewed as a lost cause for Republican presidential candidates. They see the state as an ATM for campaign cash, but don’t really return the investment by actively wooing voters or building an enduring political infrastructure. In Perry’s case, he seems genuinely interested in building the conservative movement by working with conservative grassroots leaders.

During an hour-long meeting with the select group of conservative leaders, the Texas governor discussed his recipe for success in growing the Lone Star State’s economy—and how that recipe can be applied on a national level.

Governor Perry detailed the principles that… Read More