As reported earlier this month in theLos Angeles Times, California policymakers are expanding their war on “climate change” at the same time as the rest of the nation appears poised to reevaluate these priorities. In particular, California’s legislature has reaffirmed the commitment originally set forth in the 2006 “Global Warming Solutions Act” (AB 32) to reduce the state’s CO2 emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

Just exactly how California policymakers intend to do this merits intense discussion and debate.As the Los Angeles Times reporter put it,“The ambitious new goals will require complex regulations on an unprecedented scale, but were approved in Sacramento without a study of possible economic repercussions.”

At the risk of providing actual quantitative facts that may be extraordinarily challenging for members of California’s legislature, most of whom have little or no formal training in finance… Read More

Sacramento’s Very Expensive Homeless Problem

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s political track record is dismal; long on pious preening, and short on what makes a society successful. And if you don’t believe me, just look at where California stands now economically, with Steinberg’s25 yearsin political office. Fresh from the State Legislature, Sacramento’s new Mayor, former State Senator Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, announced his plans for making homelessness in Sacramento his priority – through more spending. But it appears that no matter the billions progressives spend on the homeless and homelessness, the problem is growing. And in Sacramento with its fancy new $556.6 million Golden One Center arena, the homeless problem is making the wealthy and… Read More

As is my custom for more than a decade on this eve…

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a… Read More

Good news! My constantly revised fact sheet — “CA vs. the Other States” — has been updated. Actually, now that I think about it, the update is BAD news.

My raw fact sheet (a Word file) is all but unreadable for normal human beings. Fortunately it’s just been reformatted and posted by the good folks at the California Policy Center. It’s QUITE readable. And up to the minute, as best as I can manage.

Sadly the superior formatting doesn’t improve the results. Almost three dozen updated comparisons to review. I dropped a couple of my topics because the data was too dated.

Lots of good ammo for critics of our progressive state policies. “Enjoy.”

http://californiapolicycenter.org/unaffordable-california-it-doesnt-have-to-be-this-way-7/

Currently California liberals are enjoying fantasizing about their state seceding from the Union — a process labeled “CalExit.” Legally it’s a silly idea. Though technically possible, it will never happen, for Constitutional and political reasons. But putting reality aside, is it a good idea? Oddly enough, I think it is.

Some of my conservative friends are unhappy about the proposal, even though they understand that ultimately it’s going nowhere. My frequent ally, attorney Kevin Dayton, presented his cogent arguments against allowing the CalExit proponents to even start circulating signatures for an official CA CalExit ballot proposition — a prop for what is surely a hair-brained, illegal idea. He posits a set of circumstances where the idea might actually come to pass.

http://www.flashreport.org/blog/2016/12/20/your-public-comment-can-help-keep-calexit-petitions-off-the-street-where-they-dont-belong/

But I disagree. I… Read More

I’ve just updated (December 2016) my salient household income comparison of California vs. hated Texas. My original figures were from 2009. Since then it’s gotten even better — for Texas.

According to recent U.S. census figures I can find, the 2015 median household income in California is significantly higher than Texas.

CA — $64,500

TX — $55,653 — 13.5% less than CA (vs. 18.1% less in 2009). TX is only $122 below the national average of $55,775.

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/acsbr15-02.pdf

But compared to the national average cost of living figure, the California cost of living (3rdquarter 2016) is 35.9% higher than the national average, while the Texas COL is 9.3% LOWER than the national average.… Read More

UPDATE! Here are the 39 public comments submitted to the California Attorney General on the proposed Calexit secession initiative for California:

39 Public Comments to California Attorney General About Calexit California Secession Initiative

Wednesday, December 21 is the last day to submit public comments to the California Attorney General regarding the proposed initiative called“Calexit: The California Independence Plebiscite of 2019.” You can and should submit a comment citing reasons why Attorney GeneralKamala Harris should NOT give it an official title and summary.(Go to thepublic comment pageand fill out the form.)

Ridiculous as it sounds, this secession campaign should not be mocked.… Read More

In apress releasefrom theNational Conference On Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) dated December 19, 2016, theCalifornia Policy Center, and its spinoff online publication,UnionWatch, were bothchosen, for the 2nd year in a row, as one of only 28 “policy and research organizations” that NCPERS has deemed to be “Think Tanks that Undercut Pensions.” Ponder the significance of this excerpt from that same press release: “Under the Code of Conduct,NCPERS urges its corporate members to disclose whether they contribute to these organizations.”

What exactly were the transgressions of the California Policy Center, and UnionWatch, that earned them a place onthis list of undesirables? That earned them an admonition from NCPERS to its corporate members to boycott us, or else? Here is their list of criteria – and, briefly, our response:

How… Read More