Friday, September 01, 2006

Bad News For California

Several high-profile bills go to the governor on the last day of the legislative calendar.



Despite heavy Republican opposition, the Legislature sent to the governor a landmark bill that will make California the first state in the nation to cap carbon dioxide emissions, a pollutant widely believed to cause global warming. Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders came to an agreement on the bill Wednesday, ensuring the governor will sign it. There was absolutely no reason for this bill other than to impose more regulation!

The bill requires industries such as utility plants and oil refineries, to reduce their emissions by roughly 25 percent by 2020. Republicans and business groups opposed the bill, saying it would drive business elsewhere and have little effect on a global problem.

They also sent the Governor a bill to increase the state's minimum wage and provide health insurance to all Californians. Under a compromise hammered out by legislative Democrats and the governor, California's hourly minimum wage will increase by a total of $1.25, going from $6.75 to $7.50 on Jan. 1, 2007 and then to $8 on Jan. 1, 2008. Horrible bill IMO!

The universal health care proposal, that would blow up the state's current health insurance structure and create a system where the state provides coverage for all Californians. The multi-billion dollar proposal, which mimics systems in Europe, faces an almost guaranteed veto by the Republican governor. We hope!

The Legislature also sent to the governor bills prohibiting the chaining of dogs and the payment of signature gatherers per signature collected; a bill that would make it harder for religious broadcasters to buy the KOCE television station in Huntington Beach; and a bill to split the Department of Health Services into two agencies.

One good bill that is going to the governor is a plan to deregulate the cable TV industry, allowing telephone companies to become cable providers through a statewide process rather than by negotiating with local governments. Cities staunchly oppose the measure for taking their franchising power, but both Democrats and Republicans support it on the grounds that increased competition will lower cable prices and bring new technology to market. Schwarzenegger has not indicated where he stands on the issue.

All these bills save the last are no good for California, but what should we expect the governor gave the people of this state a chance for real change and advancement into the future and the people (through hundreds of millions of dollars from unions and the like) shot him down in flames. I have a feeling by the time folks understand what’s happening and how bad it’s going to get, it will be too late!

Governor Schwarzenegger has allied himself with the socialists in this state and has cut off our nose to spite our face just so we can feel better!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

In my opinion you are a horses ass...Its obvious that you dont really understand most of the bills you are blasting. Perhaps your ideal govt system disapeared with the feudal system in europe. maybe we should all be satisfied with our status as surfs, and stop whining,.. but i would be happy just to be a hard working american, able to feed my family. now I am just a hardworking american, without health insurance, not even able to make ends meet.

Steven Foley said...

If you could get past your name calling and actually took an intellectually honest approach to these issues you would realize that liberalism is a failed philosophy! But that may be too much to ask for...