As portrayed in the 1970s movie about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Tora, Tora, Tora, Admiral Yamamoto states, after the attack, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." Turns out there is little historical evidence suggesting that the Admiral said any such thing. However, the line is illustrative of a self-evident truth: You don't kick a rabid dog; you don't poke a tiger with a stick; and you don't walk into a biker bar and start insulting Harleys.  Read more >>

All those who favor putting the breaks on Sacramento's ability to overspend, please raise your hands.

I see that is most of you. Those against? I see a couple of public employee union bosses over in the corner are opposed.

Well those Sacramento politicians who made a "deal" last month to resolve the budget process with a tax increase that will cost the typical California family over $1,100, are offering another deal they hope will appeal to the majority of you.  Read more >>

The pictures told the story. They were laughing, back-slapping and sharing high fives all around. It could have been Butch Cassidy and the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang celebrating a successful train robbery. Only these were malefactors of another sort. They were members of the Legislature expressing their joy immediately after agreeing to make California taxpayers the most overburdened in the nation for at least the next two years.  Read more >>

EDITOR'S NOTE: This column was written prior to passage of the state's budget yesterday morning (posted 2/20).  Read more >>

Rumors abound that the Big Five have agreed in concept to a budget solution. As the details of the plan are presented to the legislators who will have to vote on it, taxpayers hope that those who call themselves fiscal conservatives remember a few basic principles.

First, it is far better to have no budget solution at all than to acquiesce to a bad budget solution, i.e., one that adds to California's already crushing tax burden. This is not to advocate for continued gridlock. This is to advocate for the economic survival of the state.  Read more >>