In his State of the State address this week, California Governor Gavin Newsom argued that the effort to recall him from office is a “partisan power grab.” But the reasons why Newsom is under fire have very little to do with partisanship at all.

Many California public schools are still closed, even though the research overwhelmingly shows that schools can open safely, and now. Vaccine distribution has been uneven, and many counties are still facing shortages, leaving at-risk Californians without protection. And Newsom has overseen one of the biggest management failures in the state’s history—the state unemployment insurance fund paid up to $30 billion in fraudulent claims, including to people are sitting in state prison as we speak. And let’s not forget that Newsom ignored his own public health rules and dined with lobbyists at a fancy Napa Valley restaurant during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Newsom hasn’t been a failure because Republicans say so. No, his own actions are to blame for that.

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The congressional budget office just released its new debt figures. The national debt this year will top 102 percent of GDP. This has only happened twice before, both during WWII.

This number does not count the 1.9 trillion stimulus bill, nor does it count the money which was borrowed from Social Security since that’s considered “inter-governmental” debt. Debt levels this high break the intergenerational covenant that we have with our children and grandchildren.

FDR borrowed to defeat the Nazis and Imperial Japan—money well spent. Reagan borrowed to defeat the Soviet Union. That was also money well spent.

These great projects made the world better for future generations, but our political class is not buying victories against international threats. They are buying political victories for incumbents.

This is nothing more than fiscal abuse and our kids will pay the price.

It needs to stop—now.

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Given the short supply of competent journalists today, we’ve been left with an endless loop of “Republicans are in a crisis” story. Journalism is actually in the crisis, not the Republican party. That line is nonsense.

The Republican Party is simply not in trouble. In American politics, renewals and comebacks are never far away.

Look at the current breakdown: The Democrats’ hold on power is razor thin. The Senate is 50-50. And the Democratic majority in the House has narrowed to what will eventually settle at 222 to 213. This is, as they say, a close-run thing.

Redistricting in the next two years will definitely advantage the GOP, as will inevitable midterm losses for the party that holds the White House. The Democrats.

Yes: The Senate map is rougher for Republicans in 2022. And yes: The GOP has been in stronger positions in the past, but this is no crisis.

The center-right and old right are simply angling for position while facing a new order, a different coalition of voters and a set of issues defined by the rising menace of the Chinese Communist Party.

Don’t believe the nonsense about a crisis.

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For Americans to have confidence in our representative democracy, we must have confidence that the rules of its elections are fair, favoring neither political party. Unfortunately, HR1 is a step in the wrong direction. Passed on a party line vote, it wouldn’t only overrule many state laws—it would do so in ways that would clearly favor Democrats.

HR 1 would allow ballot harvesting, create a federal right to no-excuse mail in ballots, and mandate both same-day voter registration and 15 days of early voting. What’s more, it would prohibit any form of identification but a signature in order for registered voters to obtain absentee ballots.

Of course: all who are legally eligible should be able to vote. But it’s equally important that their votes matter—and aren’t diluted by an influx of illegal votes or votes dishonestly secured.

Since our nation’s founding, men and women have died to secure the vote.

Let’s keep it free from the taint of corruption.

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As I speak to you, five different women have made charges of some kind of sexual abuse or sexual harassment against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

And it tells you something about our times that this is not the biggest scandal or controversy surrounding him.

It’s true because we’re also talking about life and death.

As most of you know, a directive from Cuomo’s office sent elderly people who'd been infected with COVID-19 into nursing homes, a decision that led to widespread death.

But as bad as that is, that's not even the biggest scandal. The biggest scandal is the coverup within the Cuomo administration of the very fact.

The Times Union newspaper, based in the state capital of Albany, summed up what should be obvious to all in the title of a recent editorial:

“Resign, Mr. Cuomo.”

The political elite should have recognized it a long ago, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

It’s time for Cuomo to go.

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Thanks to a nearly unanimous Supreme Court, colleges and universities may well face a reckoning for their attempts to bully students into silence on their campuses. Justice Clarence Thomas ruled in an 8-1 decision that a student at Georgia Gwinnett College did not have to demonstrate actual damages to sue over the school’s actions in preventing his religious expression and political speech on campus.

For far too long, these academic institutions have stifled dissent and discourse. The use of “speech zones” and policies prioritizing sensitivity over the First Amendment have been mere conveniences in forcing students to buckle under to the Left’s dogma in the very venues that should challenge it.

It’s an enormous victory by Alliance Defending Freedom—along with the support of, yes, the ACLU and the Catholic Church. It will serve to balance the equation back in favor of free speech and free thought. Speech codes and enforced assent will now have real costs to Academia.

Perhaps we may yet see a new dawn of freedom on our campuses.

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A recent Harvard/Harris poll asked Americans some questions about social media and political bias. “Are social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook” they asked, “biased in favor or against Democrats or are they largely unbiased?”

43 percent found them biased towards Democrats and 17 percent found them biased against. That’s a margin of more than two to one. What might this mean for the potential of regulating these companies? Well, 57 percent—a strong majority—support the idea of legislation that would regulate these companies.

These companies have chosen the wrong side, or more to the point, they’ve made a bad decision by choosing sides at all.

Corporations exist to serve customers, make a profit and give a good return to the investors who own them.

When CEOs decide to go public and have their shares owned by us, they’re relinquishing their right to use corporate resources to ride their own political hobby horses.

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Cancel culture struck again, this time aiming for Justice Clarence Thomas and the books of the late Dr. Seuss.

February was Black History Month. As if to make clear its hypocrisy, Amazon stopped streaming the inspiring documentary about Justice Clarence Thomas, “Created Equal.” It’s a great African American success story. Thomas chronicles his rise from poverty in segregated Georgia to the Supreme Court, brilliantly defending our founding principles.

Dr. Seuss has been charged with incorporating racist images in some of his classic books. Now six of them will no longer be published.

Cancel culture can’t stand either man because both proclaim the principle enshrined in our Constitution: all people are created equal, regardless of skin color. And for some today, that idea is a mortal threat.

Those who can’t defend their views in the marketplace of ideas instead try to shut down the entire market. It’s our job to say, “No.”

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The Biden administration has announced that they are pulling back their nomination of Neera Tanden to head the Office of Management and Budget.

This was not a party-line failure. Moderate democrats shared concerns about her too. Good. They were right to.

The OMB is one of those agencies that is supposed to be at least somewhat independent, keeping an accurate score on things such as budget deficits and economic forecasts. It’s supposed to be credible to both sides. Tanden was far from credible. Her specialty was political agitprop, not honest fiscal bookkeeping.

Some jobs require at least a measure of credibility across party and ideological lines. Budget director is one of them.

President Biden has a new opportunity to nominate a credible Democrat to the job.

Given the amount of spending we’re looking at and the concerns looming over inflation and the health of the economy, credibility is exactly what we need.

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Baseball’s spring training is always a time of hope, but this year is in a whole different category.

All who have listened to even a bit my radio program know that I’m a fan of Cleveland sports: the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers—and of course the Ohio State Buckeyes football team.

As the Indians—and all of major league baseball—begin spring training , the air is filled with a sentiment all too rare for many months: hope.

The Indians will be at Progressive Field starting April 5—and there will be fans in the stands, limited capacity at first, but fans loudly cheering and lustily booing. Television cameras will be able to pan the stands and not see cutouts, but kids with mitts hoping for a foul tip at Progressive.

Vaccines are rolling out. People are going back to work and school.

I’ve been scheduled for my second shot myself.

2020 was a very long year.

But what a great year 2021 will be.

Normalcy beckons.

We grieve those we’ve lost, but we look forward with hope.

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