The most heated debate in Sacramento during the past two years hasn’t been budget cuts depriving poor children of health care or awarding billion-dollar tax breaks to corporations.  It hasn’t even been California’s massive multi-billion dollar budget shortfalls.

Generating far more public outcry is the mandatory spaying and neutering of cats and dogs.

A new bill in the California Assembly would mandate that electricity utilities store 2.25% of peak demand load by 2014 and 5% by 2020.

It’s Tax Day already, and as might be expected, a veritable tsunami of tax-related commentary has been entering the mainstream press. Much of it relates to the Federal Stimulus Package, which takes effect this year, and carries no less than thirteen new tax increases, according to Rep. John Carter (R-TX) on the Texas Insider blog. 

Having already won the prestigious CPAC straw poll, and virtually tying for first place with Mitt Romney in the more recent SRLC straw poll, GOP renegade Ron Paul has shocked political gurus with a stunning performance in a Rasmussen poll.

Barbara Boxer’s opponents may be exulting in her “vulnerability” as the 2010 election approaches, but they shouldn’t be tempted to underestimate California’s junior senator.  With practically zero effort, Boxer remains tied with or slightly behind two potential opponents – Tom Campbell and Carly Fiorina – according to a recent Field Poll.  

What would you do if you were asked to cut more than $18 billion out of the California budget? Many of our state legislators hem and haw at such a prospect, but you, the citizen at home, can make your views heard. 

At the least, you can see where your views on spending and the budget align with your fellow citizen, by checking out the newest think tank tool to assess spending and taxing in California.

Iraqi election (March 7th) results are still uncertain.  Prime Minister incumbent, Nouri al-Maliki, is challenging American favorite Ayad Allawi, who is said to have won the election.  As they battle for the most powerful position in Iraq, the fact remains that Maliki is currently commander-in-chief of Iraqi armed forces. 

A new California law which allows nonviolent prisoners to be released from county jails and state prisons without police supervision is drawing sharp criticism from law enforcement and crime victims groups. Opponents of the legislation are worried that unsupervised criminals will be more likely to re-offend, and that the measure might end up adding to the state's budget crisis.

The kerfuffle last week over the California Chamber of Commerce attack ad on Jerry Brown was not only an opening salvo in the expected race for governor between Attorney General Brown and eBay founder Meg Whitman, it also underscores concerns over campaign funding and financing in general.

While the Tea Party has planned nationwide rallies on April 15, the Coffee Party will be quietly discussing partisan warfare in Washington DC.  At Busboys and Poets, a panel of political thinkers will be exploring the topic "Ending the Partisan Warfare in America" and how to overcome this increasingly poisonous rift in order to effect genuine political change.