The long time political dispute between California farmers and state and federal water regulators predates the latest drought and will continue long after, unless some political honesty takes place.

By focusing on worn-out political balderdash, many in the media have bypassed sincere analysis of the drought, the causes, long-standing battles, and long-term ramifications.

California uses 40 percent of the water from the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Merced rivers,… Read More

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this picture of the cities and counties within the state of California that have already passed plastic bag ordinances, implemented bag bans and taxes, proves one point: Most of California is being ruled by the liberal coastal regions.

Is it any wonder the people up in the counties of Modoc and Siskiyouhave submitted a petition for the right to form a 51st State of America, which they want to callthe State of “Jefferson?”

Voters in Yuba, Sutter, Glenn and Tehama counties plan to present declarations soon, according toMark Baird, one of the State of Jefferson founders.

It’s easy to assume, judging by this map, no one in… Read More

Corruption is the misuse of entrusted power for private gain. Malfeasance and graft thrives in California’s state government. The well-documented corruption at the Employment Development Department, State Parks Department, Fish and Game, Air Resources Board, Coastal Commission, CalFire, and this year, in the State Senate, seems to continue, with business-as-usual by the Legislature.

This is Part ll about the unelected bureaucrats on state boards and commissions passing laws, and the Legislature which appears to condone this. Part l covered: 1) the Coastal Commission, 2) Air Resources Board, and 3) Parks Department. Part l isavailable here.

4) Groundwater monopoly

Despite… Read More

Part l of two parts

Corruption is the misuse of public or private power. Whether it is a state bureaucrat or a company CEO, corruption is the misuse of entrusted power for private gain.

During the gubernatorial debate last week, Democratic Gov., Jerry Brown chided Republican challenger Neal Kashkari for having worked at Goldman Sachs.

Brown should remember the old proverb, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” There is likely far more malfeasance and graft in California state government than in the multinational investment banking firm; government bureaucrats are not elected, and accountable to no one, while Goldman Sachs is at least accountable to its shareholders and regulators.

I’ve written extensively about the well-documented state corruption at the Employment Development Department, State Parks Department, Fish and Game, Air Resources Board, Coastal Commission, CalFire, and this year, even in the State Senate.

Scandals and corruption appear to be standard operating procedure for government agency employees at the top. Why else would state lawmakers make it easier for unelected… Read More

The Friday wrap-up of the 2014 legislative session brought passage of the ban on plastic bags, mandatory paid sick days,new groundwater regulations, more gun control, expanded tax breaks for Hollywood,and bilingual education bills. The Democrat-majority of the California Legislature has made it clear it honors only the interests of labor unions, trial lawyers, environmentalists and liberals politicians. And that’s it.

Gone is any pretext of concern for taxpayers, business owners and employers, or any respect for free enterprise and free markets.

The left has shown an historic distrust in free enterprise and free markets, and instead relied on socialism to artificially make market “corrections” following downturns, largely due to government intervention, heavy-handed regulations and manipulations.

California is a state whose politicians,… Read More

Instead of addressing the degrading hook-up culture young people have come to accept, the Legislature declared sex “a contractual event,” and redefined consensual sexual relations as “rape” if it occurs on a college campus.

Rather than promoting the education of college students about abstinence and self-respect, Senate Bill 967, by Sen. Kevin de Leon, will allow California colleges and universities to deal internally with campus sexual violence by requiring each school to adopt Legislature-approved “victim-centered sexual assault response policies and protocols that… Read More

Representatives of the State of Jefferson movement plan to submit declarations at the Capitol today, from Modoc and Siskiyou counties to withdraw from the State of California.

This historical move by the State of Jefferson shows the California State Legislature that the citizens of Modoc and Siskiyou counties are serious and have formally petitioned for appropriate representation.

The effort provides these counties with standing in the future to challenge the State of California in a federal lawsuit.

Differences between State of Jefferson and 6 States Initiative

This is not the 6 States ballot initiative, Silicon Valley resident Tim Draper’s effort. They are trying to split the Northern part of California off. It’s different than . There are major differences: 1. This is a grass roots effort – there … Read More

A devastating labor union-friendly bill authored by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, which did not pass the Legislature last year, is back, with amendments.SB 25would force a farming employer into “collective bargaining,” which actually is an order written by an arbitrator who forces it on the employer and employees against their will.

If SB 25 is signed into law, the waningUnited Farm Workers labor union stands to triple in size.

It is apparent labor unions are trying to gain what they can no longer win through the secret ballot process and sincere labor negotiations, with agriculture employers. The UFW… Read More