California
California
PRI Hails Supreme Court Decision Protecting Free Speech Rights of Americans who Make Donations to Charities
The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) today applauded the U.S Supreme Court’s decision upholding the First Amendment rights of all Americans to make donations to the charities they support. The Court struck down as facially unconstitutional the California Attorney General’s compelled disclosure of major donor’s identities—thereby exposing them to harassment. “Cancel ...
California
Enough of Politicians’ Expensive Toys
With President Joe Biden now making federal transportation policy, the reckless California high-speed rail project is in line for a $929 million grant from Washington, D.C. The funds will surely be squandered in similar fashion to the billions already wasted. The grant had been sensibly pulled by Donald Trump in ...
Agriculture
Key Supreme Court ruling protects Californians’ private property rights
“I’m going to take this to the Supreme Court,” is almost always an empty, baseless threat generated by in-the-moment fury from someone who believes they were wronged. But sometimes cases get that far. Sometimes the offended party wins. And on occasion, that victory undergirds the framework of a free society. ...
Business & Economics
Basic Income: High Praise but Poor Results
Handing out taxpayer dollars in the form of basic incomes is the latest policy rage. The Los Angeles Times reports there’s “a growing enthusiasm for basic income programs.” Vox says “guaranteed income is graduating from charity to public policy.” At KQED, they’re giving Oaklanders tips on how they can apply for the city’s ...
Blog
Monday’s Budget Vote Typical of Perhaps Least Open Budget Process in Recent Years
Lawmakers on Monday voted on what’s now commonly referred to as a “Budget Bill Jr.” Since the passage of Prop. 25, which enacted a majority vote budget and docked lawmaker pay if budgets were adopted past June 15, lawmakers have routinely passed on-time budgets to keep getting paid, regardless of ...
Commentary
States are better off without Medicaid expansion
Congressional Democrats are debating several ways to offer Medicaid coverage to low-income, able-bodied adults in the 12 states that have refused to expand the program under Obamacare. Spending more federal dollars on the country’s largest entitlement is a bad idea. Medicaid is an unsustainable program that costs a fortune yet ...
Blog
Playing the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game”
Now and then during one’s work life, a colleague comes up with something so clever that your heart twinges with envy. This happened to me the other day when I stumbled upon the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game,” the brainchild of John Osborn D’Agostino. Kudos to Mr. D’Agostino. For think ...
Blog
Restaurants, Customers Should Beware Government “Help” Over Food Delivery Caps
Ronald Reagan famously remarked that “the most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Eater San Francisco reports that the City by the Bay “became the first city in the country to pass a permanent cap on the fees that delivery ...
Blog
Another July 1, Another California Fuel Tax Hike
“Won’t you get hip to this timely tip: When you make that California trip, get your kicks on Route 66.” – Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” Coinciding with inflation rising faster than it has in 13 years, the cost of driving in California will inflate again on ...
Blog
Getting CEQA Out of the Way of Missing Middle Housing
California is in the grips of an unprecedented housing crisis, which has sent hundreds of thousands of Californians packing for affordable states like Arizona and Nevada. Here in Los Angeles, both home prices and homelessness have hit record highs, a sign of the ironic situation of the Golden State. At ...
PRI Hails Supreme Court Decision Protecting Free Speech Rights of Americans who Make Donations to Charities
The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) today applauded the U.S Supreme Court’s decision upholding the First Amendment rights of all Americans to make donations to the charities they support. The Court struck down as facially unconstitutional the California Attorney General’s compelled disclosure of major donor’s identities—thereby exposing them to harassment. “Cancel ...
Enough of Politicians’ Expensive Toys
With President Joe Biden now making federal transportation policy, the reckless California high-speed rail project is in line for a $929 million grant from Washington, D.C. The funds will surely be squandered in similar fashion to the billions already wasted. The grant had been sensibly pulled by Donald Trump in ...
Key Supreme Court ruling protects Californians’ private property rights
“I’m going to take this to the Supreme Court,” is almost always an empty, baseless threat generated by in-the-moment fury from someone who believes they were wronged. But sometimes cases get that far. Sometimes the offended party wins. And on occasion, that victory undergirds the framework of a free society. ...
Basic Income: High Praise but Poor Results
Handing out taxpayer dollars in the form of basic incomes is the latest policy rage. The Los Angeles Times reports there’s “a growing enthusiasm for basic income programs.” Vox says “guaranteed income is graduating from charity to public policy.” At KQED, they’re giving Oaklanders tips on how they can apply for the city’s ...
Monday’s Budget Vote Typical of Perhaps Least Open Budget Process in Recent Years
Lawmakers on Monday voted on what’s now commonly referred to as a “Budget Bill Jr.” Since the passage of Prop. 25, which enacted a majority vote budget and docked lawmaker pay if budgets were adopted past June 15, lawmakers have routinely passed on-time budgets to keep getting paid, regardless of ...
States are better off without Medicaid expansion
Congressional Democrats are debating several ways to offer Medicaid coverage to low-income, able-bodied adults in the 12 states that have refused to expand the program under Obamacare. Spending more federal dollars on the country’s largest entitlement is a bad idea. Medicaid is an unsustainable program that costs a fortune yet ...
Playing the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game”
Now and then during one’s work life, a colleague comes up with something so clever that your heart twinges with envy. This happened to me the other day when I stumbled upon the CalMatters “Spend the Surplus Game,” the brainchild of John Osborn D’Agostino. Kudos to Mr. D’Agostino. For think ...
Restaurants, Customers Should Beware Government “Help” Over Food Delivery Caps
Ronald Reagan famously remarked that “the most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Eater San Francisco reports that the City by the Bay “became the first city in the country to pass a permanent cap on the fees that delivery ...
Another July 1, Another California Fuel Tax Hike
“Won’t you get hip to this timely tip: When you make that California trip, get your kicks on Route 66.” – Bobby Troup, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” Coinciding with inflation rising faster than it has in 13 years, the cost of driving in California will inflate again on ...
Getting CEQA Out of the Way of Missing Middle Housing
California is in the grips of an unprecedented housing crisis, which has sent hundreds of thousands of Californians packing for affordable states like Arizona and Nevada. Here in Los Angeles, both home prices and homelessness have hit record highs, a sign of the ironic situation of the Golden State. At ...
