As Texas Attracts California Companies, Will Texas be Californicated?

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Years ago, road signs at the border proclaimed: “Welcome to Oregon, Now Go Home” and: “Don’t Californicate Oregon,” met California motorists as they crossed into Oregon. Those signs are long gone as the process of transforming Oregon into a liberal blue state, have been completed.

California’s Apple Computer recently announced that expanding their Texas presence will make them central Texas’s largest employer.

Other large California corporations say they are transferring all or part of their operations out of the once formerly golden state. California has been getting deluged with television ads from other states, particularly Texas, who invite them to set up shop in their business friendly environments.

Apple, Campbell Soup, Comcast, Chevron Oil, Google and countless others are just the public tip of the iceberg, as California is engulfed in an economic wildfire burning up its private sector with record high taxes and miles of government red tape.

But will Texas and other business friendly “red states” soon regret what they wished for as they woo California business to their fold?

California’s recessions of the 70’s-80’s saw an outflow of residents seeking jobs and more reasonable living conditions in neighboring states. These new residents established themselves and invited extended families and friends to join them.

Soon these new residents started to outnumber the native Oregonians/Washingtonians and Nevadans. These former “red or red leaning states” with a rural flavor, started to see a distinct transformation of demographics, especially in their larger cities and urban areas. Today these states are reliable blue, or blue leaning states, supplying Washington DC, with an unending stream of liberal politicians who impose their values on the rest of America.

Google, another California company that has had Al Gore as one their senior directors, is a huge consumer of electric energy. Ironically/hypocritically, Google been quietly shifting operations to more energy friendly states/countries; translated: Fossil fueled energy states. Recently Google announced it especially loved Irelands cool rainy climate, which they claim make it a more energy efficient location. Ireland’s energy sector is fueled mainly with fossil fuel.

Last month, George Lucas announced he had sold his Lucas Film operation to Disney for a whopping 4 billion. Lucas had finally given up his decade’s long/multi million dollar battle with environmental zealots of Marin County California to expand his facilities. Eventually these hundreds of jobs will be transferred out of Marin to friendlier business climates. California’s film industry is already producing many of its films out of state where they are being wooed w/large tax credits.

California’s new main export seems to be companies and jobs that it once used to attract like a magnet. But will this export of California prove detrimental to the very business friendly states that are attracting them?
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Ed Farnan is the conservative columnist at IrishCentral, where he has been writing on the need for energy independence, strong self defense, secure borders, 2nd amendment, smaller government and many other issues. His articles appear in many publications throughout the USA and world. He has been a guest on Fox News and a regular guest on radio stations in the US and Europe.

Predicting the Biggest Stories of 2013, Part 2

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Each December I gaze into my crystal ball and predict what I believe will be the top 10 stories of the coming year. I almost never get these right but they’re fun to speculate about nevertheless. A year from now we’ll take a look back and see how well I did, unless I didn’t do well at all. In that case we will pretend this never happened for the sake of preserving my fragile self esteem. In case you missed part one, make sure to check out last week’s column for numbers 10 through six.

5. Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl
Look for the Packers to get healthy and hot down the stretch, and carry that momentum into the postseason—just as they did when they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl two years ago. This time the Packers will beat the Denver Broncos, 28-24, in a dream matchup of future Hall of Famer quarterbacks featuring Aaron Rodgers versus Peyton Manning.

4. Israel Finally Strikes Iran
It’s been rumored and expected for years since the world first became aware of Iran’s desire to join the list of nuclear-armed nations. With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party poised to win big in January’s Israeli elections, and no friend to Israel Barack Obama back in the White House, Netanyahu will finally have the political clout and sense of urgency to preemptively strike the terrorist regime by year’s end. What happens next is anybody’s guess.

3. Rand Paul Goes Mainstream
In contrast to likely 2016 GOP presidential rivals Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan polishing their establishment credentials (see last week’s piece for more), I predict the Kentucky Senator will spend the year building his street cred within the mainstream of the conservative movement. He already endorsed Mitt Romney for president after he secured the nomination when his father did not, and Rand will lead off the New Year by going to Israel with influential evangelical activist and organizer David Lane. Remember that one of the largest obstacles in the way of his father extending his coalition of young conservatives and libertarians into conventional social conservatives was his foreign policy views. While others run and hide from the social issues, look for Rand to continue to be one of the most outspoken personhood voices in Washington, D.C. as well. With an eye towards 2016, Rand will continue building relationships within the conservative movement his father never bothered to while maintaining much of his father’s domestic agenda.

2. U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Prop 8
There are a lot of nervous values voters and Christian organizations concerned about the news the U.S. Supreme Court is going to take on the challenge to Proposition 8, which defended marriage in California (there’s only one kind of marriage, so I don’t call anything else but “marriage” marriage). Even some anti-marriage Republicans like former Bush Solicitor General Theodore Olsen have been trying to engineer a Roe v. Wade for marriage for years now.

Considering the makeup of the court, where there are really only three judges on the court who actually have respect for the original intent of the Constitution when considering their opinions, they have good reason to be. However, after knee-capping the Constitution in last summer’s Arizona immigration and Obamacare rulings, I predict the politically-motivated Chief Justice John Roberts will engineer an outcome in this case to avoid a potential Constitutional crisis. For the Supreme Court to assume it has the authority to nullify a duly enacted law from the United States Congress (signed by President Clinton) and enshrined in 31 state constitutions would be an unprecedented abuse of power and arrogance, even by the contemporary court’s standard.

Several of those states would challenge that breathtaking over-reach immediately either in court or their own legislatures, because if the court can tell a majority of the states it can’t determine its own policy on this matter than essentially any attempt at state sovereignty on any issue is null and void from the outset (Second Amendment, anyone?). It would also touch off a movement to protect religious freedom in each of those states as well (and thus another Constitutional fight).

That’s why when it’s all said and done I suspect the majority will write an opinion very sympathetic to homosexuality in general – perhaps even urging for federal legislation like ENDA to be passed – but in favor of upholding Prop 8 nonetheless. Look for the court to say such emotional issues should be decided by the political process so the people’s voice can be heard and not imposed outside of it by judges, similar to what a federal court in Hawaii recently said. I also predict it will be none other than Roberts himself, who will author that majority opinion.

1. John Boehner will be ousted as House Speaker
I don’t think there’s enough courage within the Republican caucus to find 16 members willing to vote “present” in January, thus denying Boehner the Speaker’s gavel right away. But by the end of the year the frustration with his lackluster leadership will be overwhelming, and Republicans concerned about another 2014 bloody primary season, similar to 2010 and 2012, will respond to the demands of conservative leaders who have grown tired of being sold out by the GOP.

Read Part 1 of Steve Deace’s predictions HERE.
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You can friend “Steve Deace” on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @SteveDeaceShow.

Video: Sam Donaldson Tells Tea Party, ‘It’s Our Country Now’

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On Chris Matthews this past weekend, leftist Sam Donaldson contended that the Tea Party has lost it’s relevance:

It’s the Tea Party and thinking of the Tea Party and people like that that are driving the Republicans out of contention as a national party.

You cannot win nationally if you don’t know something about the way the country’s changed, and the Tea Party seems to think the country can go back 25 or 30 years.

The greatest slogan that I hated during this last campaign was “We want to take back our country.” Guys, it’s not your country anymore – it’s our country and you’re part of it, but that thinking is going to defeat Republicans nationally if they don’t get rid of it.

The Cost of Living in a Free Society

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We often hear the phrase “Freedom isn’t Free”, and we generally attribute that cost to the sacrifice our fighting men and woman make to preserve our republic. But we should all realize that we also must pay the price at times for the privilege of living in a free society. In the wake of the devastatingly crushing news of the school shootings in Newtown Connecticut on December 14, we are left pondering what we can do as a free society to prevent this type of tragedy from ever occurring again. Perhaps we should first ask ourselves, What price are we willing to pay?

Of course the first remedy after an event like this spouted by the simpleminded media and politicians with a larger agenda is to assault the Second Amendment. We are so accustomed to this attack on our freedom that many of us immediately begin to fret about the battle to come over gun rights instead of mourning the loss of the victims of the massacre. But we never have long to wait before a “gun grabbing” senator or even a president begin to capitalize on the tragedy to promote the idea that “El número dos” from our Bill of Rights is an outdated concept that needs to be ignored, altered, or abolished outright. But would a move to remove guns from legal firearms owner’s hands ensure a safe environment for us and our children forevermore? Of course not. The worst school massacre in U.S. history occurred in Bath Township, Michigan in 1927. The deranged individual used a makeshift bomb made from commercial explosives to kill thirty eight elementary school children, two teachers and four other adults. In China, on the same day as the events in Newtown, a deranged man slashed twenty two school children with a knife. Crazy will always find a way to be crazy, and the world is full of tools that can be used to carry out such attacks. So are you willing to give up your freedom and security in the form of your firearms to provide an inadequate, destined to fail guarantee of safety as a result?

One course of action that some have promoted is increased vigilance by the state in the monitoring and control of those in our midst with mental health issues. Of course the state would first have to identify those individuals that are deemed (by them) to be a possible threat, no doubt predominantly at the public school level. And then take over their care, medication and or incarcerate them through commission to a mental health facility if they are evaluated to be a risk. While we do need to pay more attention to the folks in our society that are afflicted with mental issues that may affect that same society as a whole, forgive me if I doubt the government’s ability to address the issue while protecting constitutional and parental rights in the process. As they have already shown, they have a dismal record of addressing behavioral and developmental problems (real or make believe) among our children so far. So the question is, are you willing to give up your rights as a parent or your own personal liberty to insure that anyone with the perceived potential to go postal at some point in the future as determined by some governmental bureaucrat are contained through mandatory medication or incarceration?

Read more from this article HERE.

New York Newspaper Faces Backlash After Publishing Map of Gun Permit Holders

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A local New York newspaper is drawing the ire of its readers after publishing an interactive map that shows the names and addresses of thousands of residents who have handgun permits.

The online map was published by The Journal News along with an article under the headline: “The gun owner next door: What you don’t know about the weapons in your neighborhood.”

The newspaper obtained, and then published, the names and addresses of pistol permit holders in Westchester and Rockland counties through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The article, in explaining the decision to publish the information, pointed to the school massacre in nearby Newtown, Conn., and the concerns of some residents about which of their neighbors might have firearms.

But readers swiftly condemned the move. They pointed out that the interactive map could make the gun owners a target, but also make clear to would-be robbers which homes do not contain a gun.

Read more from this story HERE.

Glenn Beck: Obama Destined for Prison? (+video)

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As many news sites and pundits break down the biggest stories of 2012, one story too big to miss has been resurrected by the website TeaParty.org, a story at least one national pundit believes could send Barack Obama to prison.

The tea-party site posted a Glenn Beck video from October in which the TV and radio host insisted a case for treason could be built against President Obama for his role in the attack of Sept. 11, 2012, in which armed Libyans captured and killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three others at an American diplomatic mission in Benghazi.

“This president is lying to you about Benghazi in such spectacular fashion that I believe people will go to prison,” Beck said on the Blaze TV broadcast of his radio show. “This is impeachable; the president might go to prison for this one.”

Beck cited evidence that Ambassador Stevens had been helping arm Arab Spring rebels in Libya and Syria, rebel forces that included al-Qaida operatives and a heavy Muslim Brotherhood influence.

Yet when those same forces turned on the diplomatic mission and overran it, killing Ambassador Stevens, the Obama administration initially suggested it could have been the result instead of mass, popular protests run amuck over a YouTube video critical of Islam’s prophet, Muhammad.

Read more from this story HERE.

Coast Guardsman Plunges 1000 Feet to His Death in Kodiak

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A Coast Guardsman slipped on an icy trail and plunged 1,000 feet to his death while hiking a treacherous Alaskan mountain in search of its legendary vistas.

Derek Winn Russell, 20, disappeared Saturday morning after attempting to climb Mount Barometer, which is near the Coast Guard base on Kodiak Island where he was posted. Rescuers found his ice ax and skid marks 2,200 feet up the 2,450-foot mountain on Christmas Day. His body was discovered 1,000 feet below that point a few hours later.

Officials believe he slipped and fell to his death while descending the mountain, the Portland Press Herald reported.

Mr Russell, a native of Maine, was not reported missing for 36 hours because his roommates didn’t realize he hadn’t come back from his hike until Sunday night. A rescue party scoured the mountain that night, but was turned back by a snowstorm that hit the dangerous mountain.

Mount Barometer is a popular climb and in summer the trail to the summit can be attempted by casual hikers. It has become popular for its spectacular views of the remote Kodiak Island. In winter, ice and snow can make hiking treacherous and strong winds create bone-chilling temperatures.

Read more from this story HERE.

Holiday Sales Growth Tanks Amid Economic Fears, Hits Lowest Level Since 2008

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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. shoppers spent cautiously this holiday season, a disappointment for retailers who slashed prices to lure people into stores and now must hope for a post-Christmas burst of spending.

Sales of electronics, clothing, jewelry and home goods in the two months before Christmas increased 0.7 percent compared with last year, according to the MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse report.

That was below the healthy 3 to 4 percent growth that analysts had expected — and it was the worst year-over-year performance since 2008, when spending shrank sharply during the Great Recession. In 2011, retail sales climbed 4 to 5 percent during November and December, according to ShopperTrak.

This year’s shopping season was marred by bad weather and rising uncertainty about the economy in the face of possible tax hikes and spending cuts early next year. Some analysts say the massacre of schoolchildren in Newtown, Conn., earlier this month may also have chipped away at shoppers’ enthusiasm.

Retailers still have time to make up lost ground. The final week of December accounts for about 15 percent of the month’s sales, said Michael McNamara, vice president for research and analysis at MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse.

Read more from this story HERE.

Federal Report Lambasts China for Breaches of Trade Rules

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China is still flouting World Trade Organisation rules 11 years after it first joined, misusing the complaints machinery for tit-for-tat retaliation, said US Trade Repesentative Ron Kirk.

“China’s trade policies and practices in several specific areas cause particular concern for the United States,” said Mr Kirk in his year-end report to Congress.

“China’s regulatory authorities at times seem to pursue anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations and impose duties for the purpose of striking back at trading partners that have exercised their WTO rights in a way that displeases China,” said the report.

A range of policies raised “increasing concerns that China has not yet fully embraced the key WTO principles of market access, non-discrimination and transparency. China’s incomplete adoption of the rule of law has exacerbated this situation.”

The report accused Chinese officials of running rough-shod over foreign firms, forcing them to give up trade secrets in clear violation of WTO rules.

Read more from this story HERE.

There’s a ‘Chilling’ Economic Report Making the Rounds Among Top Execs — And Wait Until You See What It Says About Gov’t Programs

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“ . . . The biggest [Ponzi scheme] … is still ongoing: the Ponzi scheme of the developed economies,” the report says near the beginning. “It is not simply that the developed world has borrowed significantly from future wealth to fund today’s consumption, leading to huge burdens for the next generation. It has also reduced the potential for future economic growth, making it more difficult for the next generation to deal with this legacy . . .”

1. “The West was not going to find its way to the right economic path with a little tweaking at the edges, the CEO said. What is needed is a wholesale overhaul of the economic system to tackle record levels of public and private debt.” — from Business Insider

2. A summary of the report’s findings:Mr Stelter and his colleagues do offer some solutions. First, there has to be an acknowledgement that some debts will never be repaid and should be restructured. Holders of the debt, be they countries or companies, should be allowed to default, whatever the short-term pain of such a process.

In social policy, retirement ages will have to increase. People will have to work harder, for longer and should be encouraged to do so by changes in benefit levels that do little – at their present level – to reward work at the margin.

The size of the state should be radically reduced and immigration encouraged. Competition in labour markets through supply-side reforms should be pursued.

Read full story HERE.