California Issues ...
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Snitching on Your Neighbors for 'Hateful' Activity
There are several other problems with this program.
For starters, the hotline system relies on individuals reporting “hate incidents” or acts of bigotry, which can be subjective and open to interpretation. This leaves room for potential misuse and false reporting, as people may exploit the system to settle personal grievances or silence those with differing opinions.
The lack of clear criteria and guidelines for identifying and verifying hate incidents could lead to a chilling effect on free speech and the expression of unpopular views. Also, considering the fact that folks on the hard left view any utterance with which they disagree as bigoted makes this even more problematic.
Secondly, the program’s emphasis on bypassing law enforcement and offering civil legal options raises concerns about due process and accountability. By encouraging individuals to seek alternatives to the criminal legal system, the program could undermine the principles of fair and impartial justice. It may result in a lack of proper investigation and legal protection for both the accused and the alleged victims, potentially leading to unjust outcomes.
Lastly, the program’s broad definition of a hate incident, including actions such as name-calling and refusal of service, raises questions about the proportionality of the response. While such behaviors may be undesirable, categorizing them as hate incidents and potentially subjecting individuals to legal or social consequences could be seen as an overreach of governmental authority, especially if these incidents end up in the hands of law enforcement. This approach risks stifling open dialogue and debate, as individuals may fear retribution for expressing controversial or unpopular opinions.
This is the type of program that could easily be taken to a dark place despite its supposedly noble intentions. It could be weaponized to crack down on speech and intimidate people into censoring themselves. This outcome wouldn’t exactly be surprising in the People’s Republic of California, would it?
This sounds like the extra judicial campus rape tribunals
California Gov. Gavin Newsom demands records from textbook companies to see which are caving to Florida's 'extremist' demands
According to the letter, Newsom's office also sent a public records request to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the DOE asking for all communication between them and textbook publishers that show all the revisions they requested in order to get a textbook approved by the state.
The Florida Department of Education did not immediately return Insider's request for comment on Sunday.
Conservatives in Florida have been at the forefront of pushing to remove ideas that they disagree with from schools. Social-emotional learning, the teaching of critical race theory, and LGBTQ topics have all been on the chopping block as the state moved to ban books from schools and suspend teachers.
Social-emotional learning — which teaches self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills through social interactions — soared in popularity when schools closed and children became more isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the books rejected by the Florida Department of Education, "Social Studies Alive! My School and Family," published by Teacher's Curriculum Institute, was rejected for containing "special topics," The Tampa Bay Times reported.
The department did not give a specific reason for rejecting the book, but it includes an activity that teaches children what being a "good sport" means in an effort to teach cooperation and character, which are elements of social-emotional learning, according to the outlet.
According to the letter, Newsom's office also sent a public records request to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the DOE asking for all communication between them and textbook publishers that show all the revisions they requested in order to get a textbook approved by the state.
The Florida Department of Education did not immediately return Insider's request for comment on Sunday.
Conservatives in Florida have been at the forefront of pushing to remove ideas that they disagree with from schools. Social-emotional learning, the teaching of critical race theory, and LGBTQ topics have all been on the chopping block as the state moved to ban books from schools and suspend teachers.
Social-emotional learning — which teaches self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills through social interactions — soared in popularity when schools closed and children became more isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the books rejected by the Florida Department of Education, "Social Studies Alive! My School and Family," published by Teacher's Curriculum Institute, was rejected for containing "special topics," The Tampa Bay Times reported.
The department did not give a specific reason for rejecting the book, but it includes an activity that teaches children what being a "good sport" means in an effort to teach cooperation and character, which are elements of social-emotional learning, according to the outlet.
Insurance giant State Farm to stop insuring new homes in California, citing catastrophic wildfires and rapidly rising inflation costs that have put polices at a premium
- State Farm has announced that they are stopping the sale of new home-insurance policies in California from Saturday
- The company, one of California's biggest insurers, said it had taken the decision due to the frequencies of wildfires and the high costs of rebuilding
- Existing policy holders will not be affected, and the company will still sell car insurance in the state
The insurance company cited the high cost of construction in the state and the growing threat of catastrophes including wildfires in its Friday announcement. The California Department of Insurance (CDI) told Axios climate change was driving the issue, making it beyond the state’s control.
“The factors driving State Farm’s decision are beyond our control, including climate change, reinsurance costs affecting the entire insurance industry, and global inflation,” CDI spokesperson Michael Soller told the outlet. “We have been here before after major wildfires. What’s different is the actions that we are taking with the first-ever insurance discount program for wildfire safety and unprecedented wildfire mitigation investments from the Legislature and Governor.”
The cost of building multifamily homes in California rose 25% per square foot from 2010 to 2020 after adjusting for inflation, according to the Terner Center for Housing Innovation, and wildfires continue to pose a major risk to homes in the state. State Farm’s announcement recognized California’s efforts to mitigate fires and pledged to work with the state’s insurance department to make it possible to provide coverage again.
“State Farm General Insurance Company made this decision due to historic increases in construction costs outpacing inflation, rapidly growing catastrophe exposure, and a challenging reinsurance market,” the company’s statement read. “It’s necessary to take these actions now to improve the company’s financial strength.”
https://dailycaller.com/2023/05/29/...vada-mountains-forcing-thousands-to-evacuate/
dailycaller.com
“The factors driving State Farm’s decision are beyond our control, including climate change, reinsurance costs affecting the entire insurance industry, and global inflation,” CDI spokesperson Michael Soller told the outlet. “We have been here before after major wildfires. What’s different is the actions that we are taking with the first-ever insurance discount program for wildfire safety and unprecedented wildfire mitigation investments from the Legislature and Governor.”
The cost of building multifamily homes in California rose 25% per square foot from 2010 to 2020 after adjusting for inflation, according to the Terner Center for Housing Innovation, and wildfires continue to pose a major risk to homes in the state. State Farm’s announcement recognized California’s efforts to mitigate fires and pledged to work with the state’s insurance department to make it possible to provide coverage again.
“State Farm General Insurance Company made this decision due to historic increases in construction costs outpacing inflation, rapidly growing catastrophe exposure, and a challenging reinsurance market,” the company’s statement read. “It’s necessary to take these actions now to improve the company’s financial strength.”
https://dailycaller.com/2023/05/29/...vada-mountains-forcing-thousands-to-evacuate/
California Blames ‘Climate Change’ For Major Insurer’s Decision To Stop Covering New Homes
State Farm will no longer homeowner insurance applications in California due to high construction costs and the growing threat of catastrophes and wildfires.
Another Plane Carrying Migrants Arrives in Sacramento
“Documents carried by the migrants appear to show that the weekend flight was arranged through the Florida Division of Emergency Management and that it was part of the state’s program to relocate migrants, mostly from Texas, to other states, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said,” reported the Los Angeles Times.
“The contractor for the program is Vertol Systems Co., which coordinated similar flights that took dozens of Venezuelan asylum seekers from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts last year,” it added.
Bill to Stop Employees Confronting Shoplifters Passed by California Senate
Senate Bill 553, which was submitted by State Senator Dave Cortese, has been passed by the State Senate and will now progress to policy committees in the State Assembly. Cortese hopes the proposed law will prevent workplace violence and protect staff from being forced by their employers to step-in during robberies. But some store bosses are furious about the plans, with the California Retailers Association mocking the move as an open invitation for thieves "to come in and steal."
The political wrangling in California comes just weeks after Home Depot security guard Blake Mohs, 26, was shot to death during an attempted robbery in Pleasanton, California. Other cities in the state are also facing their own problems as they attempt to deal with lawlessness.
San Francisco has been gripped by a crimewave that has seen Whole Foods close its downtown location after just a year of business, with bosses saying they were unable to "ensure the safety" of their staff in the city. Nordstrom followed suit by leaving the city this month, but many smaller businesses have had no choice but to remain, despite attacks on their premises.
The proposed new laws come as stores have blamed shoplifting for hitting their businesses, with Target issuing a statement in November blaming "organized retail crime" for an eye-watering $400 million loss in its profits in 2022.
California Bill Would Classify Not Affirming Child’s Transgenderism As ‘Child Abuse’
The bill amends Section 3011 of the Family Code, which deals with child custody disputes, and requires that a court determining the “best interests” of the child must consider affirmation of transgender identity. If a parent were to deny the child’s “gender identity,” it would be a violation of the child’s health, safety, and welfare — equivalent to child abuse.
Because the bill changes the definition of what constitutes the “health, safety, and welfare” of a child, any organization interacting with children — including schools, churches, and hospitals — would be required to affirm gender transitions in minors.
The Washington Free Beacon reported that Wilson’s spokesman disputed the claim that the revisions change anything about the bill and stated that AB 957 relates only to family law, not criminal law.
“It’s not saying [affirmation] is the most important factor or determining factor,” the spokesman, Taylor Woolfork, said. “It’s one of many factors that the judge should consider while working out a custody agreement.”
The bill’s text is ambiguous and general, making no distinctions regarding the age of the child, how long the child has identified as transgender, or the difference between affirming social transitions and sex-change treatments.
California Bill Would Charge Any Parent Who Doesn’t Affirm Transgenderism With ‘Child Abuse’
Originally, AB 957 required courts to consider whether a child’s parents were “gender-affirming” in custody cases. Wiener’s amendment completely rewrites California’s standard of child care.
AB 957 post-amendment “would include a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity as part of the health, safety, and welfare of the child,” altering the definition and application of the entire California Family Code.
California courts would be given complete authority under Section 3011 of California’s Family Code to remove a child from his or her parents’ home if parents disapprove of LGBTQ+ ideology.
By changing the definition of what constitutes the “health, safety, and welfare of [a] child,” schools, churches, hospitals, and other organizations interacting with children would be required to affirm “gender transitions” in minors by default—or risk charges of child abuse.
AB 957 could also expand which organizations provide “evidence” of gender “nonaffirmation” to California’s courts.
Because of the addition of “gender affirmation” to the qualifications of California’s standards for “health, safety, and welfare,” California’s courts would now be able to accept reports of gender “abuse” from progressive activist organizations—as long as they claim to provide “services to victims of sexual assault or domestic violence.”
In essence, a boy could report his parents to his local school’s Gay-Straight Alliance club or other LGBTQ+ organization, who could then report the boy’s parents for child abuse.
Incredibly, the bill provides no definition whatsoever of what would qualify as “nonaffirming” to a child’s gender.
California Can Either Charge Its EV Fleet Or Keep The Lights On
California is already incapable of generating enough electricity, importing 30% of its current electricity needs from other states. With respect to current generation sources, nearly 60% of California’s in-state electricity generation is produced by natural gas and nuclear power plants. Including conventional hydroelectric generation, which does not count as a renewable source for purposes of California’s policies, nearly two-thirds of the state’s current electricity comes from disfavored generation sources.
It is doubtful that California will be able to generate sufficient electricity to meet future energy needs using only the favored generation sources; and it is not even close.
Overall, total electricity generated will be 21.1% below the amount of electricity demanded — and this does not even account for the impacts from all the likely future mandates. Beyond the electric vehicle mandates evaluated above, officials are rapidly prohibiting connections for stoves, furnaces, hot water heaters, and dryers in new construction projects.
There are reasons to be exceptionally skeptical that California’s current energy policy environment is achievable. Either the policies will cause extreme energy shortages and jeopardize quality of life or the state’s political leaders will need to repeal the current suite of mandates.
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From the article:
And in all frankness, this was literally unconstitutional. To quote what the Supreme Court said in Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000):
California Is Set to Pass Laws Allowing for State-Sanctioned Kidnapping and Required 'Affirmation' of Gender-Confused Kids
Jennifer Kennedy, a California attorney and children’s advocate, told me in an email:
What is AB 665 doing linguistically? It is striking out those guardrails. A 12-year-old who on a given Tuesday has gender confusion can self-consent to outpatient counseling AND in-patient “residential shelter.” That’s right – the 12-year-old child can be housed in a state-sponsored group home while they are chemically castrated and physically mutilated. But rest assured, the state will provide counseling.
Wendy Carrillo, the bill’s author, and her co-sponsor, Sen. Scott Wiener (the guy who underdresses for Gay Pride parades), are super excited about the bill. Both claim AB 665 doesn’t “really” change the law. But it really, absolutely does.
What is the status of AB 665? It’s on the edge of becoming law.
Gavin Newsom Fines School District $1.5 Million For Rejecting LGBT Materials
The Temecula County school board voted to reject a curriculum that included a social studies book that referenced Harvey Milk, an LGBT activist and politician. Opponents are reportedly concerned about an alleged relationship Milk had with a teenager while in his 30s, according to CBS News.
“If the school board won’t do its job by its next board meeting to ensure kids start the school year with basic materials, the state will deliver the book into the hands of children and their parents — and we’ll send the district the bill and fine them for violating state law,” Newsom said in a July 14 press release after the school board voted to reject his curriculum.
Now, the Democrat governor has announced a contract to provide the books to school children in the district.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/20/powerball-winning-ticket-jackpot-sold-california
California State Official Escorted Out Of Heated School Board Meeting On Gender Policy
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond showed up at Thursday’s packed meeting and addressed the school board.
“I ask you to consider this, that nearly half of students who identify as being LGBTQ+ are considering suicide,” Thurmond said. “I ask you to consider this, that the policy that you consider tonight not only may fall outside of the laws that respect privacy and safety for our students, but may put our students at risk because they may not be in homes where they can be safe.”
Thurmond’s speaking time ran out and his microphone was cut, but he continued speaking for several seconds afterward.
Chino Valley school board president Sonja Shaw responded and pushed back on Thurmond’s criticism.
“Tony Thurmond, I appreciate you being here tremendously, but here’s the problem. We’re here because of people like you. You’re in Sacramento proposing things that pervert children,” Shaw said as the crowd in the room erupted into cheers.
Thurmond returned to the podium and asked to be allowed to respond.
“No, this is not your meeting. You may have a seat, because if I did that to you in Sacramento you would not accept it. Please sit.” Shaw said. “You will not bully us here in Chino.”
Four security officers approached Thurmond and motioned for him to leave, which he did not do immediately. One of the security officers took him by the arm before Thurmond relented and walked out of the room to shouts, chants, and clapping from the crowd.
‘It’s Egregious’: School Board Members Battle Gov. Newsom’s Personal Attacks, Threats Of Fines, Legal Action
The governor has likened the trio to “demagogues who whitewash history, censor books, and perpetuate prejudice,” bragged about a civil rights investigation launched by the state’s attorney general back in June into why the board rejected the curriculum, and vowed to send the district a bill for $1.6 million, along with a $1.5 million fine for initially refusing the textbooks.
“The governor’s statements are outrageous, and it has been a surreal thing for me to live through this with the amount of threats and intimidation and the bullying that’s gone on, whether it’s monetarily through a fine or a lawsuit and the name calling, it’s egregious,” Wiersma told The Daily Wire in a phone interview. “There’s no other way around it.”
The board voted 3-2 to delay the deployment of the curriculum last Tuesday, largely due to parents complaining that some of the content was too sexualized for elementary school students. Specifically, some parents took issue with lessons about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. Notably, Milk had a series of sexual relationships with young boys when he was in his 30s and was accused of rape. Other LGBT content parents felt was age-inappropriate included the mention of the Gay Liberation Front, which parents connected to NAMBLA, a pedophilia advocacy group. They also found some content ideological or politically biased.
One Temecula parent, who is also a U.S. Marine veteran, voiced outrage at Newsom during the contentious nine-hour long board meeting last week.
One family pocketed $7.6 million by taking cans and bottles from Arizona and recycling them in California. That's fraud, prosecutors say.
In a felony complaint filed this month, state prosecutors charged eight family members in Riverside County with defrauding the state by importing used bottles and cans from Arizona — some 178 tons in 8 months — and recycling them in California.
The recycling operation earned the family $7.6 million, according to a statement from the office of California's Attorney General, Rob Bonta. Investigators also found a stash of "illegally imported beverage containers" worth another $1 million.
When someone purchases a plastic or aluminum bottle in California, they typically pay an extra 5 to 10 cents in "California Redemption Value," or CRV, which the consumer can get back by returning the items to one of the state's more than 1,200 recycling centers. Arizona has no such program.
"California's recycling program is funded by consumers, and helps protect our environment and our communities," Bonta said. "Those who try to undermine its integrity through criminal operations will be held accountable."
Los Angeles man arrested after FBI search found explosive devices, Nazi propaganda
Federal investigators arrested a Los Angeles man associated with the white supremacist Peckerwood prison gang after discovering illegal firearms and an improvised explosive in his home. The man had posted links on Telegram group chats teaching how to build explosives and had plastered his home with white supremacist and Nazi paraphernalia.
The man was charged with conspiracy to distribute meth and illegal ammunition possession.
Who is Ryan Bradford? White supremacist known for antisemitic speech arrested on meth and ammunition charges
Bradford is supposedly a member of the San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods, a violent white nationalist gang that originated in the California prison system, according to authorities.
2012 saw his burglary conviction, according to the US Attorney's Office. An improvised explosive device and more than 100 rounds of ammunition were discovered by police at his residence, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration agent's affidavit included in a criminal complaint, as reported by NBC.
Nazi literature, gun parts, two "auto sears," and five "switches," all of which were created using a 3D printer, according to the prosecution, were also discovered. The gadgets let semi-automatic weapons fire entirely automatically, much like a machine gun. He allegedly sent communications online from January 2021 to January 2023 discussing the use of 3-D printed weapons and violence against Jews.
California lost more than $300 million in tax revenue from wealthy residents moving: study
- According to Census Bureau data, only 12% of U.S. households earn $200,000 or more annually, making it a relatively high income.
- High-earning families are increasingly moving to lower-cost states, particularly in the South, with Florida experiencing the largest net migration of high-earning residents.
- States like Florida and Texas, which do not collect state income tax, are particularly attractive for high earners due to lower tax burdens. On the other hand, states like California and New York saw a greater number of high-income households leaving.
Households earning $200,000 or more are flocking to these 10 states—5 are in the South
1. Florida
- Inflow: 40,134
- Outflow: 12,567
- Net migration: 27,567
2. Texas
- Inflow: 22,751
- Outflow: 13,743
- Net migration: 9,008
3. North Carolina
- Inflow: 11,437
- Outflow: 5,991
- Net migration: 5,446
4. Arizona
- Inflow: 9,763
- Outflow: 5,200
- Net migration: 4,563
5. South Carolina
- Inflow: 7,312
- Outflow: 2,802
- Net migration: 4,510
6. Tennessee
- Inflow: 7,353
- Outflow: 3,436
- Net migration: 3,917
7. Nevada
- Inflow: 5,576
- Outflow: 2,791
- Net migration: 2,785
8. Idaho
- Inflow: 3,246
- Outflow: 931
- Net migration: 2,315
9. Colorado
- Inflow: 8,771
- Outflow: 6,719
- Net migration: 2,052
10. Utah
- Inflow: 3,579
- Outflow: 1,827
- Net migration: 1,752