Hi Brian.

In the past, California has always been a leader in attracting business and newcomers to the state. However, the current tax and spending climate is weakening the state. I believe that California should take an example from Texas when it comes to taxes. Texas has lower taxes accross the board and no state income tax. California, on the other hand, has some of the highest taxes in the nation. Texas beats California in sales tax, corporate tax and taxes on labor income. Lets face it, its difficult for California to compete with Texas because of the overall tax environment.

Basically, California needs to cut the tax rates and cut spending.

Texas has smaller state government. The Texas legislature meets for much less time during the year. I support a part time legislature in California. Members of the legislature should come from the community and have other jobs. Their interest should be to serve the state and not their own political interests by becoming a full time politician.

With all that said, I'm in California because I love California!

Your next question is how should Texas be more like California?

California has some of the most creative and hardworking people in the world. California has always attracted and welcomed new people.

In my law practice, I meet people all the time that have moved here to pursue their dreams and make a better life for themselves and their families. These people came to California, and stayed in California. California has always promoted diversity of ideas and led the nation in innovation.

Robert,

On your Facebook page you posted:

"Attended a lot of events, knocked on many doors and met a lot of voters. They all say the same thing. Less taxes , less government and more freedom! Its not a difficult concept; however, most politicians just don't get it."

Do you support people choosing medical marijuana for themselves or would you prefer a new law banning medical marijuana?

Brian,

I am against legalizing marijuana. Period.

Robert,

Your website describes your support for Proposition 8. Do you support civil unions?

Brian,

I believe marriage should be between one man and one woman only. The only state recognized union should be traditional marriage.

The US Supreme Court struck down laws across many states that outlawed gay relationships. Is that a decision that supports freedom under your definition of less government and more freedom?

The Court Case is Lawrence Versus Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_v._Texas

From a Constitutional Law standpoint, I don't feel that the Federal government should dictate to the states what laws they can and can't pass regarding behavior.

However, I also don't feel government should be intruding on behavior in a private residence between consenting adults.

Robert,

Would you have voted yes or no on the Briggs initiative? The proposal would have banned gay and lesbian teachers from working in public schools.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briggs_Initiative

I believe that all people should have equal employment opportunities.

I was a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District and many of colleagues were gay and lesbians. I never saw any indication that their sexual orientation had any bearing on their ability to teach Algebra or English Comp.

I am going to guess you're not a big fan of the film Milk. What are some of your favorite movies of the last couple of years?

As a father of three small children, I have not seem much of anything other than Disney movies for the last couple of years.

I did take my son to see Ironman. We liked it and we're looking forward to seeing Ironman II.

The state legislature is known for gridlock and partisanship. It often takes 2/3rds vote to get a budget passed.

If a budget proposal contained serious cuts to spending and reformed the budgetary process in ways you support would you consider voting for it if it contained minor tax increases?

I will never support a tax increase. Period.

Robert,

If you get almost everything you want, including some tax cuts and major structural spending cuts you would vote no against any budget that raised any taxes?

Do you think you will be able to influence legislation with that position?

Look, the tax burden is already to high in California. I can think of no reason to justify raising taxes higher than it already is. Can I influence legislation? I think this state needs people to stick by their principles. No new taxes means no new taxes.

Do you support expanded offshore oil drilling in California? Some groups support an extraction tax on oil recovered on state property. Would you support that tax? If it isn't taxed do you consider it a corporate giveaway of our shared resources?

The only way to lessen our dependancy on foreign oil is to utilize our own natural resources. That includes offshore drilling.

Robert,

Do you think it is ridiculous that some people believe Barack Obama isn't legally qualified to hold the office of president because of the conspiracy theory that he was born in Kenya?

Its been proven that Obama was born in Hawaii and is a citizen, and therefore legally qualified to be president.

In your experience as a candidate has money from large donors and special interest groups become too powerful in California politics? Do you support any solutions that would limit the influence of special interest group donations?

The Ventura County Republican Central Committee endorsed your opponent and they don't even list you as a candidate. Did you pursue their support? Do you know why they don't have you listed as a Republican candidate?

http://www.venturagop.org/about/candidates/

At this moment, Brian, I'd like to get some big donations from any group.

But seriously, people have the right to influence the political process by donating money to campaigns and political causes of their choosing.

Do you believe climate changed is influenced at all by human behavior?

It is my understanding that they endorsed my opponent long before I entered the race. However, there are members from the committee that are actively helping me with my campaign.

I feel that I would have gotten more endorsements if I had entered the race earlier. But I understand how the game works and am not bitter about it.

I thougt the term was global warming. Its funny how the term has changed to "climate change". In light of the recent scandals involving climategate, I question the science.

I use climate change because some people don't understand that global warming doesn't mean every location will warm the same, if at all, if average temperatures go up.

I understand it is difficult for us to know exactly the impact we are having but do you believe human behavior can impact the climate?

I'm not a Scientist Brian; however, what I've read tells me that there's a lot of different views out there among people who are. The debate is not over. Can human behavior change the climate? I don't know, but we need to be sure before we use it as an issue to pass public policy.

Robert,

Thanks for taking your time and answering my oddball questions. Keep us updated on the campaign. Have a good night.

Thanks Brian, have a good night.

Good interview. I agree that we should be a little more certain about climate change being driven by humans before we invest trillions of dollars and fundamentally change our economic system.

I understand where Howell is coming from on not raising taxes, and keeping spending under control. If no one has a job, and the state is broke because of crazy spending should the priority really be issues like Climate change?

ignoring climate change is like not maintaining your car or leading an unhealthy life-style: eventually the system breaks-down in a far more expensive way that prevention ever would cost. And what is that cost, the most conservative cost analysis of Waxman-Markey, one done by the Energy Information Agency, estimated an additional $83 a year for the average household (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/hr2454/pdf/sroiaf(2009)05.pdf). Thats less than a postage stamp a day to avoid significant economic impacts and start to make up lost ground on "Chindia" in clean tech as the report finds that W-M would create a net 1.7 million jobs in that industry. And don't think thats not important, last year clean tech was valued higher than global defense and aerospace sectors combined (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/16ed65f4-a3eb-11de-9fed-00144feabdc0.html) and will grow to $2 trillion by 2020. Right now we are not doing well in this sector. China in particular is eating our lunch: 5 years ago China had no presence in solar or wind manufacturing, now they are the leading manufacturer. In 2007 when CA started the CA Solar Initiative only 2% of panels we manufactured in China, this year: 49%. Why is China successful? Why is not sunny Germany out-performing us in this sector? They have strong policies. the only trillion issue here is what we are losing because we are not providing businesses with the security of stable policy environment. Repealing AB in November will off-shore our infant clean tech industry in CA, dooming us to buy our future from Chindia for years.

That is just the US, global cost of taking the actions needed to avoid catastrophic climate change (meaning we still have some) at WORST would slow global GDP .12% annually and just as likely net positive economic growth from this sort of investment (http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf), avoiding catastrophic impacts that could cost as much as 5-20% of global GDP to deal with (http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sternreview_index.htm),

As far as cutting taxes deeply: where does Mr. Howell propose to cut? Education (38%) and Health and human services (28%) make up 2/3 of overall budget spending and 3/4 of General fund spending (http://www.dof.ca.gov/budget/historical/2010-11/governors/documents/FullBudgetSummary.pdf). Hard to avoid those when you want to cut deeply and we need more out of those areas not less. Income tax (41%), Sales tax (26%) and corporate tax (8%) make up 3/4 of our revenue. If Mr. Howell wants deep cuts in those to Texas levels what will he replace it with? Repeal Prop 13 for commercial property and get us back on a stable fund source? Decimate public education and health care in CA, thereby damaging our ability to produce a citizen group that can compete in the global economy to pay for the Mr. Howell's generation's social security and health care?

10,000 foot answers from a party script, no solutions. Waffling on civil liberties. Doesn't understand even basic micro- or macro economics and science (Does CO2 retard heat or not? pretty basic). Can't see the forest for the trees on global competitiveness in the fastest growing economic sector in the world. I'll pass on Mr. Howell. To solve CA-sized problems right now we need the best, Mr. Howell sounds like all the rest.