Politics and Elections
Back to homepageProp. 13 ‘split roll’ looms: Karma for Chamber of Commerce?
Nov. 7, 2012 By Chris Reed For years, the California Chamber of Commerce has had a squishy aversion to confrontation and a comfort level with Sacramento’s machine politicians that should inflame any small-government conservative. What has this toadying and willingness
Read MoreWinning idea for CA GOP: A right-to-work initiative
Dec. 6, 2012 By John Seiler California Republicans seeking to get back in the game should look to Michigan. The big issue there now is advancing a right-to-work law. Given Michigan’s heavy union representation, especially by the powerful UAW, the
Read MoreVictor Davis Hanson: ‘California is very hard to screw up’
Dec. 6, 2012 By John Seiler “California is very hard to screw up,” noted author Victor Davis Hanson told about 130 California business and community leaders Wednesday. He spoke at the Freedom Forum held at the Fairmont Hotel in Newport
Read MorePost-pension reform law, let the public employee gaming begin
Dec. 5, 2012 By Chris Reed This Orange County Register story about top executives at the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California figuring out a way to game Gov. Jerry Brown’s pension reform by joining a union is only
Read MoreJoe Mathews weighs in on CalWatchdog piece
Dec. 5, 2012 By Chris Reed Joe Mathews, one of the least ideological mainstream California political pundits, has weighed in on the analysis I did last week on the evidence that unions are trying to stifle direct democracy in California
Read MoreSen. Lou Correa attacks free-speech rights
Dec. 5, 2012 By John Seiler Campaign finance “reform” always means one thing: attacking the other guy’s funding sources under the guise of “good government.” That’s happening with a bill by state Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, to reveal so-called
Read MoreSchools chief who tolerates bond scams wants to float own bond
Dec. 5, 2012 By Chris Reed The use of 30-year school “construction” bonds to pay for routine maintenance and short-lived electronics like laptops is a huge, ongoing, but basically uncovered scandal in California. Since automatic annual pay raises for most
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Legislative fractured fairy tale
Dec. 4, 2012 By Katy Grimes The swearing-in of new legislators is usually a party atmosphere. Lawmakers feel celebratory after long campaigns. Yesterday’s swearing-in was not a disappointment however, along with the celebratory mood, there was an air of fantasy and
Read MoreMac Taylor’s goofy happy talk triggers more toxic fallout
Dec. 4, 2012 By Chris Reed Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor’s unhinged decision to project budget surpluses in coming years in California could turn out to be the defining moment of his career. The decision of state voters to back temporary
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Election losers still win big
Dec. 3, 2012 Katy Grimes: The chief strategist for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign has finally spoken out about what happened. And as expected, he’s playing down the significance of the loss. In a Washington Post op ed, Romney’s Chief Strategist
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