“Our budget problems in California are a symptom of the problems in California created by years of over-regulation and years and years of bills going through this house and the other house across the other side of this building that destroy jobs." Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth (R - Murrieta)

Anybody who has witnessed the madhouse that our state legislature becomes at the end of session or during cross-over, will have a heightened appreciation for the latest call to action from Senate Hollingsworth. In a speech before the Senate last week, Hollingsworth said that the goal of the Legislature should be 'to restore California's job climate and economy' and asked Legislators to ask themselves 5 questions before every bill they vote on.

1. Does this legislation include an analysis that proves that the bill actually improves the economic conditions in California?
2. Does this legislation improve the employment opportunities for struggling Californians impacted by this recession and state government-imposed burdens?
3. Does the legislation or the regulation make compliance easier for businesses to create jobs, or make it tougher to create jobs?
4. Does the legislation or the regulation make California a more attractive place to live and do business?
5. Does the legislation or the regulation encourage investment in jobs at all levels of the employment scale?

Sounds simple enough but given the performance of our Legislature over the past several years (decades), it's no easy task.

Seems there's always somebody hell-bent on doing just the opposite, giving in to every special interest, public union, green, enviro, fringe element to further alienate jobs, housing and economic growth. Tell me that's not so? 

If you have the fortitude to watch the final 2 days of this session, you'll see Legislators voting on literally hundreds of bills, most of them totally worthless and self-serving (the bills &/or the Legislators). They'll do this without having read the bills, without a moments debate and with no thought to the costs or consequences of their votes. I'd venture 80% of the bills will be passed on a straight party line vote and neither you nor they will have the slightest idea what they just voted on.

Senator Hollingsworth's goals are right in line with the California Chamber of Commerce's 'Agenda for Economic Recovery', as detailed in this article. Now if we could only find a few Democrats in Sacramento who have actually held private sector jobs and understood the economy we might have a shot at accomplishing what needs to be done. 

Awwww, that's just silly talk. What am I thinking? If you need any more proof, just look at what they're doing to the water bills in the face of that imminent crisis.  Well, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.