Last night a few folks gathered to celebrate FR blogger Adam Probolsky’s 34th birthday. A few of the familiar guests — Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, and Assemblyman Chuck DeVore… Senator Ackerman wanted me to let FR readers know that if you would like to make a donation to GOP efforts to pick up legislative seats in Adam’s honor, that he will accept credit card or check… … Read More

I think that one of the challenges about addressing concerns about healthcare in California as a public policy question is figuring exactly what government can do to help the situation, versus big brother getting involved in a way that will ultimately make things much worse. Yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced a health care plan that would represent a radical and extreme shift in California, moving us significantly down the path towards a government-run healthcare system. There are a whole slew of problems with his proposal, but the single biggest part of it is that it defies one of the most basic, fundamental principles of our American democracy — individual responsibility. Using fancy rhetoric (courtesy of the left-wing New America Foundation), the Governor has declared that the provision of health care coverage in California is no longer an individual responsibility, it is now a "shared" responsibility. Apparently "shared" responsibility sounds better than saying "taxpayer responsibility" or, to put it in longer form, that health care is no longer YOUR responsibility. This proposal marks a radical… Read More

Yesterday, Senate President Don Perata pushed a vote on his ill-conceived water bond package. Happily, it did not get the 2/3 vote required and failed. Perhaps the only good to come of that vote was that it created a reason for Senator Tom McClintock to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and pen this floor speech:

California’s water shortage is real. The last major dam built in this state was the New Melones in 1979. In the intervening time, the population has grown from 23 million to 38 million people. California now stores less than one year’s water consumption in the entire system, which is why the prospect of even a moderate drought has become ominous.

The problem is that in the last ten years, voters have approved SIX bond measures totaling almost $17 billion that ALL promised to enhance California’s water supply.

… Read More

I think that one of the challenges about addressing concerns about healthcare in California as a public policy question is figuring exactly what government can do to help the situation, versus big brother getting involved in a way that will ultimately make things much worse. Yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced a health care plan that would represent a radical and extreme shift in California, moving us significantly down the path towards a government-run healthcare system. There are a whole slew of problems with his proposal, but the single biggest part of it is that it defies one of the most basic, fundamental principles of our American democracy — individual responsibility. Using fancy rhetoric (courtesy of the left-wing New America Foundation), the Governor has declared that the provision of health care coverage in California is no longer an individual responsibility, it is now a "shared" responsibility. Apparently "shared" responsibility sounds better than saying "taxpayer responsibility" or, to put it in longer form, that health care is no longer YOUR responsibility. This proposal marks a radical… Read More

Some brain surgeon on the Placer County GOP Central Committee introduced a resolution to… get this… “censure” Assemblyman Ted Gaines for opening an exploritory committee for a candidacy for Congress — challenging embattled incumbent John Doolittle for the GOP nomination in CD 4.

On this website we have reported about survey data that shows that Doolittle would lose handily to Democrat Charlie Brown next November…

So Doolittle has a short period of time to demostrate, objectively, that he can hold CD4 for the GOP. Until he can do that, who can really throw stones at other GOPers who want to run?

Apparently the elected members of the Placer County Central Committee agree, as they overwhelmingly rejected the proposed resolution.

Now the situation in CD4 is complex, to be sure. I have known John Doolittle for 20+ years, and I truly believe that he has committed no criminal wrongdoing. Still, no one “owns” a U.S. House seat. Doolittle should make his case to primary voters — and he will need to demonstrate an ability to defeat Brown…. But he has to… Read More

There is no better source documentation for the real disaster of Arnold Care than Fresno County’s own Dr. Linda Halderman. Her recent piece in the Fresno Bee is literally all you need to know about the issue. Not only is there no basis in freedom and capitalism in his approach, but the sheer numbers tell us this – if you put every uninsured person into the health care system tomorrow – it would collapse. There aren’t enough doctors – period.

There is nothing here to support. The entire plan is a lark.… Read More

Capitol Resource Family Impact (CRFI) released theirscorecard for the state legislature. They measured only social and family issues. Who got a perfect score? See it here. There were more Senators than Assembly members with perfect scores.… Read More

The email I got today was simple. "CRA Press Release" It pointed out that CRA was supporting the Governor’s health plan.

I was a little surprised considering CRA has always been against more government control of health care and doesn’t think taxes should be raised to cover illegal aliens in the plan.

Here is the rest of the story.

The California Republican Assembly doesn’t support the plan, but the press release was from the California Retailer’s Association. Think about it. Your next 80-ounce soft drink purchase subsidizes the effort to create more government subsidies for health care.

No word on when the California Reading Association, California Restaurant Association, California Rehabilitation Association, California Redwood Association, California Rental Association or the California Redevelopment Association will send their releases out.… Read More