News From California

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[_moksha]

Thank God that I am a California Republican instead!.

What's the buzz at the Bohemian Grove?

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Thank God that I am a California Republican instead!.

What's the buzz at the Bohemian Grove?

Dear Moksha,

I am very happy that you decided to join me in this Discussion Thread down here. I think that I have pretty much busted the myth that the Democratic Party cares more for the poor, the sick and the elderly, than the Republican Party does. (At least I busted the myth that the California Democratic Party cares more for the poor, the sick and the elderly, than does the California Republican Party.) Democratic California Governor Jerry Brown approved cuts to services for the poor, the sick and the elderly, while at the same time, he was still trying to get a few Republicans to support him to extend the California State sales tax for an additional five years. The California State sales tax is currently the highest minimum State sales tax in the United States that is at 8.25%, which mostly hurts the elderly, the Poor and the Low-income earning People. Thank God that all of the Republicans in the California State Legislature stood their ground, and stopped Democratic California Governor Jerry Brown Plan of extending the highest minimum State sales tax in the United States for an additional five more years. Democratic California Governor Jerry Brown was not able to get the two-thirds votes he needed in the Legislature to extend those taxes for an additional five years.
Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg was the main California legislator over two years ago who negotiated and brokered the California State sales increase and the California vehicle tax increase, while at the same time, without doing a damn thing to raise the tax on California Alcoholic beverages. Now answer me this Dear Penguin Friend, would the LDS Church really have been for raising the California State sales tax and the California vehicle tax, without raising the taxes on California Alcoholic beverages???

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The State of California is in serious need for Pension Reform:


Contra Costa Times editorial: Jerry Brown, show us pension reform: http://www.contracostatimes.com/opinion ... ck_check=1

Dutton Responds to Governor Brown's 12-Point Pension Plan:
http://cssrc.us/web/31/news.aspx?id=10536

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I agree with this Commentary from the LA Times about California's Proposition 13.

It's time to tinker with 'untouchable' Prop. 13:
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/02 ... s-20110328


Unfortunately, it doesn't look like California's Democratic Governor Jerry Brown is going to go that route. Governor Jerry Brown is still trying to get a five year tax increase extension on the vehicle and sales tax.


Brown says he may not wait for voters on taxes:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1IT5LO.DTL


I am totally against any tax increase extension on the State sales tax.

[_bcspace]

Gay marriage in California won't resume for now, appeals court rules:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... uling.html

This is bad news. A Federal District Judge appointed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan rightly ruled that California's Proposition 8 is Unconstitutional.

That the state won't recognize gay marriages is always a good thing. Who cares if RR appointed the judge? He was wrong to strike down the righteous and constitutional will of the people.

Same-sex couples should have the right to marry each other in the State of California.

They already do. There is no compelling or constitutional reason for the state to recognize such marriages.

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Here is some more News from of California:



March jobless rate dips to 12 percent in Calif:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financia ... K9LDG0.htm




California renewable energy gets major boost in new law:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greensp ... brown.html

Power play

Alternative energy law expected to raise rates
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/12/2011 07:58:07 PM PDT


Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed legislation mandating California utilities to generate one-third of electricity from alternative sources by 2020.

Achieving the state's new standards will require billions of dollars from utilities to build new plants and power lines, and is also expected to lead to higher electric rates for businesses and residents.

Whereas the governor and other supporters view the mandate as a boon for the environment and "green" jobs, others say the law could deter business from relocating to the state. California is already known for regulations and shaky public finances, and the law would increase energy costs for businesses, critics said.

Brown signed the legislation at a public ceremony in Milpitas, near San Jose. The new law gives California the most aggressive mandate for alternative energy use in the U.S.

"There are people who think we can drill our way to happiness and prosperity," Brown said at the event. "Instead of just taking oil from thousands of miles away, we're taking the sun and converting it."

Jay Prag, professor at Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management in Claremont, had a more critical perspective.

The new law may be based on unreasonable expectations of how much electricity can be produced from alternative sources by 2020, Prag said.

He also questioned the wisdom of embarking upon an ambitious program when Sacramento has many other demands on tax dollars, such as pension obligations.

"If I were a business, I'd say `Fine. I'll wait until 2020 and we'll see if things work out. Then we'll come,"' Prag said.

A 2009 report from the California Public Utilities Commission forecasts $12 billion worth of new transmission lines will be needed to meet the new energy mandate.

The commission also predicted electric rates will be higher in 2020, but that the new standard will result in power being 7.1 percent more expensive than under the one-fifth mandate.

Southern California Edison, headquartered in Rosemead, supports the new law, said Laura Genao, an attorney for the utility.

Edison must now double its renewable energy portfolio, Genao said. She acknowledged the mandate will lead to higher rates.

She also said the law's multiyear targets, rather than single-year benchmarks, reduces the threat of spiking costs for new technology.

Edison reported delivering 19.5 billion kilowatt-hours of alternative energy to customers in 2010. That amount represented about 19 percent of the Rosemead utility's deliveries.

Operators of the Ivanpah solar plant in northern San Bernardino County will deliver one-third of power to be produced there to Edison, said Kristin Hunter, spokeswoman for Oakland-based Brightsource Energy.

The remainder of power to be generated there is contracted to Pacific Gas & Electric, she said.

Brightsource on Monday announced search engine firm Google's investment of $168 million in their Ivanpah plant. Brightsource also has a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy backing the Ivanpah project, which Hunter said is set to begin generating power in 2013.


The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Link: http://www.sbsun.com/business/ci_17830994




And who is going to have to pay for the higher electricity rates once this new law goes into effect? Will it just be the rich People? Of Course Not!. The Low-income earning and the Middle-income earning People are also going to be paying higher electricity rates as a result of this new law. The Democrats have basically complete control of the Government of California. The Democrats are supposed to be more for the Poor and Low-income earning People than the Republicans are. However, that is Not the case in the State of California. The California Democratic Party is Not more for the Poor and Low-income earning People than the California Republican Party. in my opinion, This is a stupid new law that will end the long haul hurt mostly the Low-income earning and the Middle-income earning People.



Note: I will address your comments at a later time here bcspace.

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What's interesting is that during the CA summer electricty crisis a few summers ago, the media would show plants idling in the mid morning when demand was low and wonder why the plants weren't producing electricity.

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Gay marriage in California won't resume for now, appeals court rules:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... uling.html

This is bad news. A Federal District Judge appointed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan rightly ruled that California's Proposition 8 is Unconstitutional.

That the state won't recognize gay marriages is always a good thing. Who cares if RR appointed the judge? He was wrong to strike down the righteous and constitutional will of the people.

Same-sex couples should have the right to marry each other in the State of California.

They already do. There is no compelling or constitutional reason for the state to recognize such marriages.

Hi Mr. bcspace,


Yes, The Majority of the voters of California did vote for Proposition 8 back in November of 2008. The election results from Proposition 8 back then were 7,001,084 votes (52.3%) Yes, to 6,401,482 votes (47.7%). The election results from Proposition 8 in Imperial County, California were 27,048 (69.7%) Yes, to 11,783 (30.3%). Since that time a Federal District Judge appointed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan ruled that Proposition 8 was Unconstitutional. This Ruling came down on Wednesday, August 4, 2010. (I do believe that the Federal District Judge in that case made the correct ruling.) Then came the State wide elections for California. Democratic Candidate for Governor, Jerry Brown, then California’s Attorney General, totally refused to defend Proposition 8 in Court after it had been ruled Unconstitutional. His Republican opponent for Governor of California, Meg Whitman stated that she favored defending Proposition 8 in court. The Republican Candidate for Governor, Meg Whitman ended up losing the California Governorship to Democratic Candidate Jerry Brown. The Democratic Candidate for Governor, Jerry Brown ended up becoming the next Governor of California. Then there was the race for the next Attorney General for California. The Democratic Candidate for Attorney General, Kamala Harris basically stated during the campaign that she would totally refuse to defend Proposition 8 during the Court Process. Her Republican opponent for Attorney General, Steve Cooley, basically stated that he would defend Proposition 8 during the Court Process. The Republican Candidate for Attorney General, Steve Cooley ended being endorsed for Attorney General by every law enforcement organization in the race as well as that of every major daily newspaper in California, but one the San Francisco Chronicle. The San Francisco Chronicle was the only major newspaper in California that ended up endorsing Kamala Harris for Attorney General. Then came Election Day, and then came the day after Election Day. The Attorney General’s race was too close to call the day after Election Day. There were still about 1,000,000 absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted to determine who would be California's next Attorney General. After several weeks of counting the absentee and provisional ballots, Democratic Candidate for Attorney General Kamala Harris ended up narrowing defeating Republican Candidate for Attorney General, Steve Cooley, even though Steve Cooley ended up winning 39 out of the 58 Counties in California. The Election results from the Attorney General’s race in Imperial County, California in November of 2010 were 12,695 votes (48.9%) for Kamala Harris, to 10,733 votes (41.4%) for Steve Cooley. Remember that Imperial County, California overwhelmingly supported Proposition 8 back in November of 2008. However, more of the voters of Imperial County ended up voting for Kamala Harris for Attorney General than Steve Cooley for Attorney General. If Proposition 8 was so important to the voters of Imperial County, then why did they not also overwhelmingly support Steve Cooley for Attorney General? Some of the People of Imperial County who voted for Proposition 8 back in November of 2008 ended up voting for Kamala Harris for Attorney General just back in November of 2010. It sure looks like Proposition 8 wasn't really that important to those People who voted in Imperial County. And Plus, since the November of 2010 Election of California is more recent than the election back in November of 2008, and California's Attorney General wants same-sex couples to be able to marry each other in the State of California, then Same-sex couples should be able to marry each other in the State of California starting immediately.


Sources:


California's Propositions Results By County For November of 2008:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/200 ... asures.pdf


California's Attorney General Results By County For November of 2010:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/201 ... eneral.pdf



Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris urges appeals court to permit same-sex marriage:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... html?lanow