Here’s a positive agenda to take California from “worst to first”:
1. Give cities, counties, and school districts freedom to negotiate labor costs pensions and benefits. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s 2011 “Act 10” reforms would be a good start: paycheck protection for public employees, plus restricting collective bargaining to wages.
2. Pension reform is a must, yet already the state legislature is planning on going backwards. Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville) introduced AB 160, which would exempt the Teamsters unions from the reforms. Not OK. Let us not punish workers who played by the rules and invested in their pensions, but we should not punish the residents of today because of the greedy cowardice of city and county leaders of yesterday.
3. Discipline and restrict the PERB board, which has struck down the 70% voter approved pension reforms in San Diego. Shame on Gov. Brown for not standing with San Diegans.
4. Eliminate the state income tax, which could be balanced with substantial cuts in overlapping agencies, followed by a rise in the state sales tax. At least individuals would have some choice in how much they pay in taxes.
5. A part-time state legislature, like in Texas, would be another step in the right direction. Our legislators want to protect pets from private sales, but they have done nothing to protect the public interest from special interests.
6. Enact “Right to work” legislation, since forcing union membership on certain employees diminishes their paycheck, in the first place. (It’s also immoral) Workers have a right to organize, they do not have a right to frustrate commerce or prevent other people from working, or prevent businesses from operating — especially at the Port of Los Angeles.
7. School choice will force competition and efficiency in our schools. A voucher would be better, since families could enroll their kids in any school: public, private, or parochial, with a tax credit. Give tax credits to parents who homeschool their children. The notion that school choice will kill public schools is unfounded and unsubstantial. Choice is a win-win-win for everyone.
8. Establish and expand welfare to work (not “welfare to want”). It’s not most people’s fault that they cannot find the jobs that they are looking for. So many people have suffered in substandard schools
9. Get the government out of marriage. Government does not do its job as it is, yet people in power want to micromanage “I Do!” Give me a break! Left-leaning activists have been using marriage as a divisive distraction so that they can ignore the more pressing issues — i. e. will the state of California remain Golden for our Golden years and provide a gleaming future for future generations?
10. Reenfranchise law-abiding, tax-paying felons. It is immoral to keep punishing people for crimes that they have already done time for.
11. Restructure abortion based on three simple words: Safe, Legal, and rare (that you, Bill Clinton). Life begins at conception, but let us recognize exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. I have spoken with Democrats who are not fans of abortion. I believe that consensus exists that can respect the life of the mother and the child.
12. Decriminalize and tax marijuana. The state of California can worry about harder substances in the future. Nixon’s commission suggested decriminalization in the early 1970s, and today’s Republican Party should advance the same.
There are plenty of issues that Californians left and right can agree on. Nothing more than the integrity of the state is at stake, and our leaders should dream big so that future generations can dream bigger.
