CA welfare state wants more ‘clients’

March 22, 2013 By Katy Grimes The Employment Development Department used to be called the “Unemployment Department.” And state welfare recipients are now “clients.” The majority party in the California Legislature appears determined on expanding social services in the state

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Prop. 8 protagonist: Media never cite her role in scam

March 22, 2013 By Chris Reed The pro-gay marriage movement continues to gather momentum, and I fully expect the Supreme Court to get aboard, with a 5-4 opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy upholding a lower federal-court ruling scrapping California’s

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Only in CA: Mandating ‘smart guns’ in future with bill now

March 22, 2013 By Josephine Djuhana “Owner-authorized” firearm technology. Biometric scanners. Guns with palm print readers that don’t go off unless the hand on the pistol grip had proper clearance. Sounds like something out of a James Bond movie —

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The radical roots of Jerry Brown’s school finance reform plan

March 22, 2013 By Wayne Lusvardi California Gov. Jerry Brown’s recently proposed radical public school financing reform –- the so-called “Local Control Funding Formula” –- reflects the Catholic Jesuit social doctrine of 1968 called “the preferential option for the poor.”

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Oceanside pol to Steinberg: Fix your own mess and leave us alone

March 22, 2013 By Chris Reed Veteran Sacramento watchers are so used to Democratic state lawmakers contorting themselves to please unions that almost nothing comes as a surprise any more. It’s what they do. It’s a puppet/puppet master relationship. Some

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State may seek parenting role with youngest kids

March 21, 2013 By Katy Grimes SACRAMENTO — In his February State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama asserted there was a vast need for universal preschool and said he would find the funding to send to state programs.

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Only 54% oppose bullet train? Sheesh

March 22, 2013 By Chris Reed When word came out Thursday night that a new PPIC poll showed the public was against the bullet train fiasco, I wasn’t surprised. But only 54 percent? Wow. Here’s John Myers’ account: “The survey

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LAO confirms insanity of Mac Taylor’s November happy talk

March 21, 2013 By Chris Reed In November, to the amazement of many journalists who have admired the independence and thoughtfulness of the Legislative Analyst’s Office over the years, LAO boss Mac Taylor gave an amazingly sunny take on the

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Radicalness of CARB’s long-term plans comes into focus

March 20, 2013 By Katy Grimes SACRAMENTO — While the California Air Resources Board continues to forge ahead like a blind bull in a china shop with its far-reaching climate change plan, the extent of the destruction that could result

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How to overfill prisons: Have SEC look at CA school districts

March 20, 2013 By Chris Reed The federal indictments this week of CalPERS’ former president and his alleged briber show that the federal government does occasionally notice the outrageous behavior of our state government. But what about the Securities and

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