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]

Gov. Brown, Legislature seek road funds

No question California’s roads are close to those in Iraq. The only makes car repair shops happy. Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature now are looking at taxing cars by the mile, instead of at the pump. Reported KPCC: California lawmakers are

SoCal carpool lanes could open up

John Seiler February 9, 2015

If you have traveled in Northern California or the East Coast of the USA lately, you know they do carpool lanes differently. After rush hour, the lanes are opened to anybody, helping traffic flow more easily — and thus actually

CA could suspend high-school exit exam

John Seiler February 9, 2015

State Sen. Carol Liu, D-Pasadena, has introduced Senate Bill 172, which “would remove the high school exit examination as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation or a condition of graduation from high school for each pupil completing grade 12”

Cartoon: GOP immigration sniper

John Seiler February 9, 2015

Grizzly Bear Project seeks property tax increases

John Seiler February 8, 2015

There could be a property tax increase in your future — if the Grizzly Bear Project gets its way. Project head Anthony York is a veteran reporter who has “covered California politics for close to 20 years. Before launching the

Will Nunez scandal hurt Villaraigosa Senate run?

John Seiler February 7, 2015

It’s looking like former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is running for the U.S. Senate seat now open with Sen. Barbara Boxer’s impending retirement. He’s “very, very close to running,” close friend Fabian Nunez told the Los Angeles Times. “There’s still a

Electric vehicle sales survive low gas prices — so far

John Seiler February 6, 2015

Call it the Tesla Effect. Good news — so far — for California’s successful electric-vehicle maker and others in the industry. At least through last November, the low gasoline prices of recent months have not crashed electric vehicle sales. Plug In

Why doesn’t GOP follow the Gipper, 104 today?

John Seiler February 6, 2015

Today is Ronald Reagan’s 104th birthday. He died in 2004 at age 93. He has become a beloved figure for most Americans, even Democrats, much as President John F. Kennedy has for different reasons, including for Republicans. JFK is remembered

CalPERS reacts to Anthem security breach

John Seiler February 5, 2015

The hacker attack on health insurance provider Anthem Blue Cross announced last night in particular affects hundreds of thousands of members of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. But a security expert told CalWatchdog.com the breach is not critical —

CA spends more than other states

John Seiler February 5, 2015

How does California government spending, state and local, compare to that of other states? On average, it’s more. That’s according to a new study by the U.S. Census Bureau, “State Government Finances Summary: 2013. Economy-Wide Statistics Briefs: Public Sector.” According to