◼ State’s policies tend to discourage families with children, resulting in slower economic engine, widening gulf between workers, pensioners. - Joel Kotkin/OC Register
For all of human history, family has underpinned the rise, and decline, of nations. This may also prove true for the United States, as demographics, economics and policies divide the nation into what may be seen as child-friendly and increasingly child-free zones.
Where California falls in this division also may tell us much about our state's future. Indeed, in his semi-triumphalist budget statement, our 74-year-old governor acknowledged California's rapid aging as one of the more looming threats for our still fiscally challenged state....
◼ THE STATE OF JERRY BROWN’S CYNICISM - Tom Del Beccaro, Chairman, California Republican Party/Flash Report
The State of the State speech has come and gone. Governors, politicians that they are, use the speech to advocate for their political causes and themselves – and that’s ok. Jerry Brown’s recent speech was no different in that regard. But hidden in the rhetorical flourishes and references, was a contradictory and cynical speech....
Simply stated, Brown gave a flowery speech that defies his actions.
Brown decried that there are too many laws being passed in California. This from a Governor that has signed over 12,744 laws including hundreds last year alone! If he thought there were too many law and regulations in California, he should have vetoed the vast majority of those laws. To present himself to California in the State of the State as being adverse to the proliferation of laws is well beyond cynical. The failure of the major media to point out that contradiction is a sad day for our state.
While offering the jobless precious few words on which to hang their hopes, Brown talked about the need streamline regulations to help the economy. Of course, later in the speech, he touted the benefits of the largest regulatory scheme in the history of America, AB 32, the Global Warming law. That is contradictory at best – cynical at worst.
Overall, the speech sounded conservative in parts such as when he advocated the decentralization of policy and the need to save in case of future troubles. Why would Brown take that position when, in truth, he wants to raise expenditures to rise by $25 billion over the next few years?...
