Posts From James Poulos
Back to homepage
Pot initiatives join forces
Skittish at the thought of divided loyalties leading rival pot initiatives to defeat, two major marijuana legalization groups united behind the well-funded effort associated with Silicon Valley heavyweight Sean Parker. Concentrated support His initiative, which counts Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom among its supporters,
Read More
CA gun laws back in crosshairs
The Golden State’s strict approach to gun control has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of the San Bernardino shootings. Recent curbs on access to firearms and limitations on certain gun features appeared to have made little or no impact on
Read More
CA GOP labors to keep top talent
With an underperforming field of gubernatorial candidates and no dominant figures leading the party, California Republicans have found themselves hard up for statewide leadership. Many high-profile California Republicans have shown a strong inclination to leave the state altogether to pursue their political fortunes
Read More
Brown juggles constituencies on climate
Relishing the opportunity to take a signature issue to a world stage, Gov. Jerry Brown had his political work cut out for him in taking California’s approach to environmental policy to the next level amid the United Nations’ so-called COP21
Read More
Harris campaign makes moves to reduce costs
The Senate campaign of California Attorney General Kamala Harris has displeased Democratic insiders, who worry that their leading candidate to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer hasn’t run a tight enough ship. Spokesman Nathan Click recently admitted the operation was “changing campaign
Read More
CA water priorities in question
Regulators and officials grappling with California’s ongoing drought face another unceasing problem: a chorus of criticism. From conservation to infrastructure, statewide policies and priorities have come under attack from a broad assortment of adversely affected residents. Water districts themselves have wound
Read More
CA solar plans snarled by controversy
In the California desert and in solar-paneled neighborhoods around the state, a new conflict over alternative energy has broken out. Pitting lawmakers, regulators, customers and the solar power industry against one another, the dispute centered around how much solar users ought
Read More
CA charts own course on marijuana
With outright legalization headed toward the ballot this coming election year, government and business alike have begun hardwiring marijuana into California law and economics. Already, state officials have begun their search for the right candidate to head the new Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation.
Read More
CA regulators demand VW recall
California’s powerful environmental regulator has ordered the recall of all Volkswagens, Audis and Porsches equipped with software secretly installed to defeat emissions tests. “On November 25, the California Air Resources Board sent an In Use Compliance letter notifying Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche to
Read More
CA delegates bring big agenda to climate talks
With an outsized delegation from California in attendance, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change began its work toward what environmentalists expect will be a significant new framework for policy. Although “it remains to be seen whether the gathering of
Read More