New 2026 laws make the case for less legislating in California
“No man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”
Editorials
Editorial: Trump ditches America First to be the king of Caracas
Putting America first would mean putting the American Constitution above the interests of Big Oil...
Midterms cast a pall on coming Capitol session
At least Sacramento will be interesting.
Proposed California wealth tax is absurd and must be defeated
We will be very fortunate if the proposal fails to make it to the ballot,...
Newsom’s affordability moves are mostly smoke and mirrors
When a politician gets Oval Office Fever, his every act aims in that direction.
Huntington Beach continues its losing streak on NIMBY policies
Huntington Beach has doubled down on slow-growth, anti-property-rights ideas. It’s likely to keep losing.
California’s Julie Su finds a new home in socialist New York City
The only bright spot is that she’ll be across the country, not back here in...
California High-Speed Rail Authority offering more costly promises
There’s no cost-effective solution at this point, but lawmakers shouldn’t fall for the latest hype...
In-House Opinions: Local representatives on lowering healthcare costs
We asked, they answered
Editorial: Anaheim’s gutsy decision to open stadium debates
Kudos to the council for revisiting this sensitive issue in a transparent way. Let the...
Editorial: The case against a Rob Bonta run for governor
With no candidate yet consolidating Democratic support, California Attorney General Rob Bonta is reportedly considering...
Editorial: As Olympics loom, LA struggles to resolve the basics
Los Angeles should have conquered its day-to-day problems before tackling this unnecessary expense.
Indiana GOP shows real integrity
The GOP-controlled Indiana State Senate showed the nation what real leadership looks like last week,...
Chapman University economic forecast: slow but better growth in ‘26
Despite President Donald Trump’s zigzags on tariffs, taxes and regulations, the U.S. economy still should...
Hanukkah and the miracle of freedom
Jews throughout the world are celebrating Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, by lighting candles...
The race for California governor is still in total flux
Californians are still six months out from the June 2026 primary elections that, among other...
LA is America’s top ‘Judicial Hellhole’
It is that time of year again. The American Tort Reform Foundation has published its...
Don Wagner is right: airport deal is crony capitalism
This deal is dependent on a special dispensation from the government — one achieved after...
14th Amendment is plain on citizenship
As a general rule, babies born in the United States of America are citizens of...
Looming ballot measure sparks needed tax fight
California lawmakers won’t restrain their worst instincts, so the state’s voters will have to do...
State paternalism vs. AI innovation in Newsom’s California
With Mr. and Mrs. Newsom soon leaving office, we encourage those running for governor in...
Remember Pearl Harbor, and the camps that followed
Although the Greatest Generation mostly is no longer with us, Americans always will remember the...
Voter ID a fine idea, but don’t expect much
An effort to qualify an initiative requiring voter identification has garnered more than 750,000 signatures...
Southern California representatives on Trump immigration ‘pause’
Fraught times in international relations, whether in commerce and trade, in war, in migration of...
Abolish the Soviet Fast Food Council
California’s farcical Fast Food Council perfectly encapsulates everything that is wrong with this state’s governance....
Can Fullerton sell voters on sales tax hikes this time?
Can the city convince ordinary residents it’s in their interest to tax themselves more?
Trump’s immigration, asylum pause tramples core American ideals
Don't punish all for the crimes of one.
Hegseth’s take-no-prisoners approach
Whether or not you buy the story that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave “an oral...
Next governor must get tax policy right
California is truly a national leader in overtaxing its businesses, residents and visitors. Nevertheless, California...
So typical: California blows $450 million on failed 911 fix
Newsom was right that California’s government needs to be on the cutting edge of new...
Never forget the great Henry Hazlitt
“When your money is taken by a thief, you get nothing in return. When your...
Editorial: Thankful for all of our freedoms
We wish you and yours a cheerful and prosperous Thanksgiving.
In-House Opinions: Our ongoing surveys of local members of Congress
This list will be regularly updated.
Newport Beach must comply with housing laws, whether NIMBYs like it or not
We hope voters in Newport Beach are paying attention.
Stop mass spying on American roads
For many decades now, Americans who say they don’t have a problem with the proliferation...
Report: California’s economy lags the country due to low economic freedom
The key issue in the 2026 gubernatorial race ought to be why, with this state’s...
Editorial: Steyer and Swalwell jump into the race, offering little
California’s 2026 gubernatorial race continues to evolve with candidates jumping in and leaving.
What good is a high school diploma if the kids can’t read or do math?
Someday the unions’ power will have to be curbed and real reform implemented.
The Orange County Register editorial pages continue R.C. Hoiles’ libertarian legacy
During this season we give thanks for his vision and generosity and resolve to continue...
California Coastal Commission’s pro-growth picks offer some hope
Realistically, though, the state needs to rein in the agency’s powers or dismantle it.
In-House Opinions: Is the U.S. DOJ too politicized?
For our third iteration of In-House Opinions — letting Southland members of Congress have their...
Editorial: Trump attacks the press and excuses murder
President Donald Trump has spent the last week offering a disturbing vision for how he...
Editorial: Newsom sets a fiscal time bomb for whoever succeeds him
On Wednesday, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office published its fiscal outlook for the 2026-2027...
Michael Gates is back, and so is Huntington Beach’s losing streak
Given comments from two council members, it seems likely Surf City will be stuck with...
Democrats care about democracy only when it suits them
Ordinarily, the decision of an elderly member of Congress to retire is unremarkable. In the...
Newsom postures in Brazil as Californians face higher energy prices
He is going to have a hard time selling California’s climate-change agenda to a national...
Editorial: Remember the great Justin Raimondo, critic of the warfare-welfare state
Raimondo’s insights are as relevant as ever
Remember Russell Means, a champion for liberty
This National Native American Heritage Month, our editorial board would like to take this opportunity...
California lets repeat drunks terrorize state roadways
Given the carnage, this seems like an opportunity for the Legislature to save lives once...
The United States must stop sending people to be tortured in El Salvador
As the White House toys with the no-joke prospect of actually invading Venezuela out of...
Step one for gubernatorial candidates: Don’t sell voters snake oil
The first qualification ought to be not selling the voters fiscal snake oil.
Santa Ana cops need a refresher on the First Amendment
The Santa Ana police union has long exerted massive influence on the City Council, as...
Trump has an affordability problem
While Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has tried his best to assure his side that...
Love her or not, Nancy Pelosi leaves a powerful legacy
We usually opposed her lawmaking efforts, which is why we often cringed at her legislative...
Honor veterans and work for peace
Armistice Day memorialized the end in November 1918 of the Great War, which was widely...
How is the race for California governor shaking out?
Californians hoping for Sen. Alex Padilla to save them from the prospect of Gov. Katie...
Editorial: New law bodes poorly for CEQA reform agenda
We fear the Legislature might be shifting back to its bad-old NIMBY ways.
In-House Opinions: House members weigh in on Trump’s tariffs
The United States Supreme Court this week is considering the crucial constitutional argument of whether...
Proposition 50 win cements Newsom’s status
With their overwhelming approval of Proposition 50, California voters signaled their clear and unmistakable disdain...
Federal budget gridlock underscores need for fiscal reform
The biggest spending issue of all is the federal debt, now a staggering $38.2 trillion.
California should heed the voters and end clock changes
California lawmakers can simply vote (by two-thirds) to move to standard time and end the...
No on Prop. 50, an attack on democracy in California
Is gerrymandering wrong?
Report: California is still facing huge debt problems
We’d be be happy if prominent state politicians at least talked about the matter. Maybe...
What do local members of Congress think about bombing alleged drug boats?
When there’s a hot-button national issue, it can be instructive to get some in-House opinions...
Paying price for Trump’s pique against Canada
The careening juggernaut that is this increasingly interdependent world’s economy is already subject to enough...
Great Park hits latest snag in continuing saga
We hope one day Orange County residents will enjoy something other than a pretend park...
Trump should leave Venezuela alone
At the Libertarian Party’s May 2024 national convention, President Donald Trump asked for an endorsement...
Milei’s midterm victory a true win for liberty
Argentinian President Javier Milei scored a major victory on Sunday as voters gave his party...
Chad Bianco’s fantasy run for governor drags on
Results ought to matter far more than talk and the results unfortunately speak for themselves.
Chamber’s CEQA measure strikes while iron is hot
California has needed comprehensive reform for a long time and it’s become a hot-button issue,...
Prop. 50 won’t solve much, but it will break things
If one believes the polls, it seems that Proposition 50 will pass quite comfortably on...
San Francisco stays calm under threat of federal troops
President Trump Thursday morning called off a planned deployment of federal immigration agents to San...
Cal State’s loan to pay bonuses is irresponsible
Compounding such gimmickry by using tight funds for a bonus is unconscionable. As those highway...
California’s Prop. 50 and New York City’s mayoral race are elections to watch
Americans will learn quite a bit about the direction of national politics on Nov. 4....
Placentia Airbnb ban undermines property rights
Instead of imposing a moratorium on all operators, the city should use existing code enforcement...
MAGA World versus Thomas Massie
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is one of the last of his kind in Congress....
Editorial: Rand Paul is right about Trump’s unlawful strikes in the Caribbean
When he’s not championing himself as a peace president, President Donald Trump is busy ordering...
Big-spending, low-discipline state budget
Late last week, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office issued its annual “California Spending Plan”...
Trump vowed to defend free speech. What happened?
In the run-up to the last elections, Donald Trump’s supporters expressed frustration at social-media companies’...
Newsom’s balancing act on reparations
In September 2020, amid the national uproar over the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota,...
Prop. 36 so far not delivering the drug treatment supporters hoped for
Sometimes plans made with the best intentions don’t pay off when you do the numbers.
Sacramento won’t show us bill for new wing
“We just want to see the receipts. We just want to see the receipts,” the...
Poetic justice as Huntington Beach faces penalties for its NIMBYism
The City Council has been more interested in performative MAGA lawmaking than productive solutions to...
Charlie Kirk’s deserved Medal of Freedom honor
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday.
Newsom’s bill signings and vetoes are mostly bad news for Californians
Newsom this year signed 794 bills and vetoed 123.
María Corina Machado’s fight for liberty
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Maria Corina Machado in recognition “for...
Columbus truly united the world
Somebody eventually had to knit the whole world together.
Hope for peace in Gaza
An Israel-Hamas ceasefire went into effect at noon local time on Friday.
Nursing shortage is due to state policies
We were dismayed to read a news story last week that refers to California’s “severe...
Gov. Newsom wrong to veto Senate Bill 274
You know how when you are watching some British crime drama on TV, you are...
Katie Porter’s meltdown with a reporter is disqualifying
Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter made a name for herself grilling corporate executives and...
State AG should look at Santa Ana’s police union
An outside look is warranted.
Newsom’s best veto yet with AB 699
With Gov. Gavin Newsom pouring through hundreds of bills sent to him by the California...
California tribes still using their power to stop competitors
California tribes should remain free to offer whatever games they choose, but they ought to...
More reason to reject Trump’s tariffs
Theoretically, it is obvious that President Donald Trump’s tariffs won’t restore American economic competitiveness, won’t...
Editorial: Vote No on Prop. 50, an attack on democracy in California
Is gerrymandering wrong?
Editorial: Lara’s lavish travel tarnishes insurance gains
On the specifics of insurance policy, Lara has in the last couple years been doing...
Hope against hope with new Mideast plan
In the cynical end, its several virtues aside, about the best that can be said...
Toni Atkins out, Ian Calderon in. Which Democrat can pull ahead of Porter?
Former California Senate President Toni Atkins announced she is dropping out of the 2026 race...
Orange County cities adopt Nanny State policies on vaping, smoking
Don’t OC cities have anything better to do than ramp up the Nanny State?