Posts From Chris Reed
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Chris Reed is a regular contributor to Cal Watchdog. Reed is an editorial writer for U-T San Diego. Before joining the U-T in July 2005, he was the opinion-page columns editor and wrote the featured weekly Unspin column for The Orange County Register. Reed was on the national board of the Association of Opinion Page Editors from 2003-2005. From 2000 to 2005, Reed made more than 100 appearances as a featured news analyst on Los Angeles-area National Public Radio affiliate KPCC-FM. From 1990 to 1998, Reed was an editor, metro columnist and film critic at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in Ontario. Reed has a political science degree from the University of Hawaii (Hilo campus), where he edited the student newspaper, the Vulcan News, his senior year. He is on Twitter: @chrisreed99.
CA 2014 fire season: A test of government competence
The two worst wildfires in recorded state history struck San Diego County in 2003 and 2007, as I wrote about in today’s U-T San Diego. “In October 2003, the Cedar Fire … broke out in the Cleveland National Forest, started accidentally by
Read MoreBrown’s CalSTRS fix hammers districts, protects teachers
Contrary to the impression given by some of the current coverage of Sacramento’s attempts to shore up the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, the underfunding problem hasn’t been completely ignored for all these years. Here’s what I wrote about the
Read MoreTX routs CA in education test scores
Every time I write or speak on a radio show favorably about Texas compared with California, I get harsh online comments, emails and phone calls. The usual theme isn’t just that California is a nicer place to live. It’s that
Read MoreU.S. CEOs again call California most hostile to business
It’s a May tradition: Chief Executive magazine announces its best and worst states when it comes to receptivity to business. And in what’s also a May tradition, California is found to be the worst. That’s 10 years in a row
Read MoreGermans turn on CA-style green energy push
California may think of itself as the epicenter of the green religion, but even more extreme environmentalism has been playing out in Europe. In Germany, the result is increasingly sharp disillusionment. The Washington Times has the details: “[Germany moved] to
Read MoreCovered CA enrollees not necessarily Obamacare fans
There’s a logical fallacy to the stories, editorials and social media buzz saying or strongly implying that Covered California is a triumph because it is doing better than expected at signing up people for the Golden State’s version of Obamacare.
Read MoreAttempted $1B cover-up can’t even crack Top 5 of bullet-train outrages
With any big public works project, a report that an independent consultant had been pressured by the responsible government agency to hide a nearly $1 billion increase in project cost is absolutely outrageous. Pathetically enough, when it comes to the
Read MoreMass transit for poor frowned on in Bay Area
There’s plenty of research that shows that bus rapid transit is far the most cost-effective type of mass transit, with a flexibility that’s particularly helpful to the less affluent. This is from a Reason Foundation study released in January about
Read MoreCA cities gain tool to chop retirement benefits
A cliche in government circles is that there is no “magic bullet” available to address many big, difficult problems. But thanks to a recent action by the California Supreme Court, many local governments now do have a “magic bullet” to
Read MoreLongevity breakthroughs make gov pensions even more of a gold mine
On Sunday the Drudge Report sent Twitter abuzz with the report of a hugely significant breakthrough on aging and longevity: “It may seem the stuff of gothic horror novels, but transfusions of young blood could reverse the ageing process and
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