Politics and Elections
Back to homepageLive-blogging Brown/Kashkari debate
CalWatchdog.com will be live-blogging throughout the gubernatorial debate tonight, between Gov. Jerry Brown and challenger Neel Kashkari. The debate kicks off at 7 p.m. Stay tuned…
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VIDEO: How Sen. Obama and Big Labor Killed Immigration Reform
Illegal immigration is once again a top issue for California. But in D.C., is there anybody working to reform the system? Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, provides his insights to CalWatchdog.com’s Brian Calle.
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Legislature should have heeded Brit regulators on plastic bags
Dubious bills often get passed on the final night of the state legislative session, and 2014 was no exception: A measure to make California the first state in the nation to ban single-use plastic bags. SB270 passed despite fierce opposition
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AG’s low-key Vergara appeal has damage-control vibe
Without fanfare, Attorney General Kamala Harris appealed the Vergara decision throwing out state teacher tenure and job-protection laws late Friday at the direction of Gov. Jerry Brown and with the encouragement of state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. Unlike
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Gerawan workers protest UFW as court date looms
A fresh twist has arisen in the drama surrounding Gerawan Farms’ dispute with United Farm Workers. The long-running controversy, which pitted Gerawan and its workers against the UFW and California’s Agricultural Labor Relations Board, has been developing fast. The primary action
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Unions win court round in battle with charter cities
Unions lost round one of their battle with California cities over “prevailing wages” on public works projects in 2012. That’s when the California Supreme Court ruled against a law they’d gotten the Legislature to pass targeting charter cities for their
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Update: Plastic bag ban passes Assembly
Update, 2:26 pm, Aug. 28: On a second vote, SB 270 just passed the Assembly. Despite strong momentum and an air of inevitability, California state legislators hit a major snag on Aug. 27 in their plans for a statewide ban on
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Vergara appeal decision: Nixon goes to China for Jerry Brown?
To an astounding degree, prominent California Democrats have so far avoided substantive comment on Judge Rolf Treu’s landmark — but tentative — June 10 ruling in Los Angeles Superior Court that teacher tenure laws are so harmful to minority students in
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Trust in govt. drops to new low
A new Gallup Poll shows what we all know just from talking to people: Trust in government is at a new low. Just 19 percent say they trust government “Just about always/Most of the time.” Must be government workers and
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A voting lottery?
Los Angeles is considering turning voting into a lottery. Last year’s mayoral election saw a turnout of just 25 percent. The idea is to hold out the potential of winning a cash prize for showing up to do one’s civic
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