Free Republic

Once, California was known as the "Golden State." No more. It's struggling with a fiscal crisis of epic proportions. And voters are so disgusted with the ineptitude and waste of a state legislature dominated by liberal Democrats that they are poised to vote down a $16 billion tax increase and a slew of propositions allegedly intended to beat back fiscal Armageddon. snip Similarly, if one is an illegal alien or in need of public aid, California works well, offering a panoply of health and other welfare services with few questions asked. Just last week, in fact, Democrats in the state...

More Davis than Reagan /Tom McClintock’s Blind (Personal) Ambition [Carol Platt Liebau] 9/22/03 Yesterday, ABC’s Sunday morning news program, This Week, focused on the upcoming release of Reagan: A Life in Letters, a collection of President Reagan’s writings over the years to family, friends, adversaries and ordinary Americans. The program was a tribute to one of the finest, most principled Americans of all time. It was followed by a local news update prominently featuring the recall. The juxtaposition of the two broadcasts suggests a question: What would Ronald Reagan think of the recall, and Republicans’ roles in it? Of course,...

Of course, everyone knew that Arnold Schwarzenegger was no Ronald Reagan. But for a while, if one donned the political equivalent of “beer goggles” and squinted hard, Schwarzenegger’s pitch about lower taxes, smaller government, and reform seemed pretty darned attractive, especially in California. But everything changed when Arnold’s “reform agenda” was unceremoniously defeated in last November’s special election. Now, there is a “new” Arnold Schwarzenegger, brought to heel by his Democratic adversaries, and he was on full display last night during California’s State of the State Address. In the wake of the special election, Arnold pledged more “bipartisan cooperation.” Obviously,...