John Seiler, Author at CalWatchdog.com

Posts From John Seiler

John Seiler

John Seiler has been writing about California for 25 years. That includes 22 years as an editorial writer for the Orange County Register and two years for CalWatchDog.com, where he is managing editor. He attended the University of Michigan and graduated from Hillsdale College. He was a Russian linguist in U.S. Army military intelligence from 1978 to 1982. He was an editor and writer for Phillips Publishing Company from 1983 to 1986. He has written for Policy Review, Chronicles, LewRockwell.com, Flash Report and numerous other publications. His email: [email protected]

Auditor scolds state on state computer disasters

A longtime theme of CalWatchdog.com has been the numerous computer disasters of the California government, in juxtaposition to the computer and Internet revolutions that have taken place in the state. State Auditor Elaine M. Howle just released a comprehensive report scolding

CA officials can use private email

John Seiler March 21, 2015

Hillary Clinton has made headlines in recent weeks for using private email for official U.S. government business when she was secretary of state. Federal law mandates that all such business be conduced on public email systems that are archived. The

San Francisco could drop voting age to 16

John Seiler March 20, 2015

With shades of the 1960s Youth Movement, San Francisco might drop its voting age to 16 from 18. Doing so only would affect city elections, as other elections are affected by state and federal voting laws. Yet Fog City often has

VIDEO: Napolitano won’t take ‘crap’ from students

John Seiler March 19, 2015

University of California President Janet Napolitano apparently didn’t realize the mic was on. Talking to to Board of Regents Chairman Bruce Varner about student-protest chants, she said, “Let’s just break. Let’s go, let’s go. We don’t have to listen to this crap.”

Courts: Maybe public pensions can be cut

John Seiler March 19, 2015

One theme CalWatchdog.com has covered over the years is that public pension programs are not sacrosanct. Although the general interpretation of the California Constitution is that the pensions must be paid — no matter what — if there’s no money,

Ships still at sea from dock strike

John Seiler March 18, 2015

Anyone along the coast of Los Angeles and Orange County still can see the giant cargo ships stranded by the dock strike — which was resolved last month. The ships normally slip in and out of Los Angeles-Long Beach harbors and

Special Election: Moorlach wins, Glazer advances to run-off for CA Senate

John Seiler March 18, 2015

Two reformers, one a Republican the other a Democrat, won yesterday’s contested races for the California Senate. But the Democrat will face a difficult runoff. With 100 percent of precincts “partially reporting,” according to the California Secretary of State, here

VIDEO: Scott Walker on medical marijuana, same-sex marriage

John Seiler March 18, 2015

CalWatchdog.com Editor-in-Chief Brian Calle recently interviewed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. This is Part 3, on same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization. Walker is a leading potential Republican candidate for president. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.

Update: Moorlach wins, Glazer advances to run-off for CA Senate

John Seiler March 17, 2015

Update: 8 am, March 18, 2015: With 100 percent of the precincts in, according to the Secretary of State, John Moorlach won outright in Senate District 37, with 51.4 percent of the vote. In Senate District 7, the outcome continued

Video: Scott Walker on Iran, Russia and Keystone XL

John Seiler March 17, 2015

CalWatchdog.com Editor-in-Chief Brian Calle recently interviewed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. This is Part 2, on Iran, Russia and Keystone XL. Walker is a leading potential Republican candidate for president. Part 1 is here.