James Poulos, Author at CalWatchdog.com

Posts From James Poulos

James Poulos

CA Dems face election year divides

Conflicts over the spoils of Democratic leadership in California have come to define the party’s prospects and future in 2016 and beyond. Division and disagreement Falling victim to their extreme dominance in statewide politics, an increasing number of Democrats have sharpened their blades

Sanders/Clinton split could sting CA Dems

James Poulos January 26, 2016

California Democrats divided amidst their own dominance — along lines of class, geography and spending policy — can add another fracture line to the mix: the race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for their party’s presidential nomination. “En route

CPUC slaps Uber with big fine

James Poulos January 25, 2016

To play in California, Uber must pay. “The California Public Utilities Commission agreed last Thursday with a judge’s recommendation to fine Uber $7.6 million for failing to meet data reporting requirements in 2014,” the Los Angeles Times reported. “Uber will appeal the

CA rejects VW recall plan

James Poulos January 25, 2016

Thanks to California regulators, Volkswagen hasn’t yet found a way out of worldwide trouble. Federal agencies have flexed their muscles in tandem. “U.S. regulators rejected Volkswagen AG’s plan for recalling nearly 500,000 diesel-powered cars,” as the Wall Street Journal noted. “The Environmental Protection Agency,

Gov. Brown shakes up CA Dems on preschool

James Poulos January 24, 2016

California Democrats have been put back on their heels once again by Gov. Jerry Brown, whose approach to preschool education has departed from party orthodoxy. “Brown wants to combine three state-funded early education programs, strip their requirements and let each

Pensions initiative pulled

James Poulos January 22, 2016

The landmark effort to take public pension reform straight to the people of California has been withdrawn from ballot consideration. “Beleaguered by fundraising doubts and attacks from organized labor, two former California officials said Monday they are backing off plans

CA seeks drought relief from mountains to desert

James Poulos January 19, 2016

This season’s heavy El Niño rains haven’t brought clarity to California’s competing drought plans, which now range from increasing water collection infrastructure to siphoning ancient reserves locked beneath the Mojave desert. Stepping up water collection has emerged as a priority

Once-undocumented claim half of new CD drivers licenses

James Poulos January 17, 2016

Roiled by immigration fears on both sides, California supplied drivers licenses to big numbers of the otherwise undocumented, further sharpening the statewide debate. “California issued more than a half-million driver’s licenses under a new law granting the identifying documents to

CA Supreme Court clears Citizens United challenge

James Poulos January 15, 2016

Critics of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case cheered a ruling by the California Supreme Court, which cleared the way for a ballot measure that would express support for an end to the campaign finance regime the nation’s

Iraqi refugee arrested in CA on terror charge

James Poulos January 15, 2016

Two Iraqi refugees, one in California, have been arrested on joint terrorism-related charges. “From his pictures on Facebook, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab looks like any other millennial with a wardrobe of Nike sneakers, Ray-Ban sunglasses and flannel shirts. But federal officials