According to various reports, Sarah Palin may be getting paid at least $75,000 to speak at the nation's first, official Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.  If confirmed, such a development would fuel skeptics who have long criticized the motivation and make-up of the movement.

Corporate America embraces Earth Day for its symbolism, but California’s ski industry takes its role in the protection of our planet far more seriously.  Why?  Because bumps along the Earth’s surface create their product; therefore, stewardship of the planet’s environment makes good business sense.

Before the Roosevelt's “New Deal,” Americans lived in smaller, more tightly knit communities. Neighbors helped each other.  Communities took care of their own.  After the Depression, “The People” decided that increased Government involvement and support was the answer to coping with difficult economic times.  Perhaps this was a naïve and short-sided view, but life in the United States at that time was flavored with the after-taste of desperation.

A recent press release from California Food Policy Advocates--a public policy advocate group-- asserts that over 13 million Californians suffer from “food insecurity.” The remedy, according to the CFPA, is to remove all legislative roadblocks to reaching 100% statewide participation in the federally funded Food Stamp Program.

Parents, business leaders and educators have lost faith in our public schools. For example, 25% of teachers in the Los Angeles area send their children to private schools. There is no more telling statistic than this. Ironically, California’s public schools were once the standard by which other state systems were measured.

Though official filings have yet to be released, a CBS News correspondent estimates a substantial tab for the US Congressional delegation's presence at the recent Copenhagen Climate Summit.  The bipartisan group, including family members and staffers, is estimated to have required 3 military jets, 321 hotel bookings at a five-star outfit, dozens of commercial flights, and tens of thousands of dollars more in fancy meals.  When asked about the monolithic presence, not a single member of the congressional delegation would respond on camera.  Very telling.  

Already faced with 12% unemployment, California consumers are now facing rising prices at the pump.  A year ago, when markets were collapsing, gas averaged $1.99 a gallon in the golden state, but have recently risen to $3.04.  Nationally, gas averaged $1.78 a year ago, but have risen to $2.75 a gallon. Analysts state that a sharp rise in the price of crude oil is driving the steady ascent.  Oil is more than $40 a barrel more expensive compared to a year ago.

Governor Schwarzenegger has laid down the gauntlet to the Federal Government.  Claiming that California is chronically short-changed due to an inaccurate federal funding formula, Schwarzenegger is demanding $6.9 billion to help plug the current $21 billion budget deficit. If California is unable to secure the additional federal aid, then the Governor has threatened to make painful cuts to a variety of statewide social programs.  Thus far, however, the Federal Government has not been very receptive.

Watching the current debate over the attempt to place a constitutional convention on California's ballot, one cannot help but notice the persistent invocation of a very dangerous political fallacy - the fallacy of universal "independence." That is to say, looking at the state of California's economy and government, practically everybody thinks to themselves, "Good God! It's both of those squabbling, silly parties that got us into this mess in the first place!