Politics and Elections

The day after the election

Oct. 22, 2012 By Katy Grimes With the 2012 election in full swing, everyone’s focus seems to be on the candidates and ballot initiatives. We are inundated with ludicrous, often irrelevant political advertising. But what happens after the election? What

Brown sends signal for teachers to openly proselytize for Prop. 30

CalWatchdog Staff October 22, 2012

Oct. 22, 2012 By Chris Reed Gov. Jerry Brown’s weekend call for teachers to go all out for Prop. 30 and his agenda in the remaining two weeks before the election needs to be seen in the context of all

Bullet-train propaganda: China-style vs. California-style

CalWatchdog Staff October 22, 2012

Oct. 22, 2012 By Chris Reed Last week’s New Yorker features a well-reported but conflicted article that tries to depict China’s all-out push to become the world leader in bullet trains as a vast fiasco of corruption, incompetence and hubris

Right and left attack Prop. 31 budget reform

CalWatchdog Staff October 20, 2012

Oct. 20, 2012 By Dave Roberts California’s governing process is broken. Just some of the maladies afflicting Sacramento: Perennial billion-dollar budget deficits. Endless tax hike demands. Hyper-partisan legislation and bickering. All-day and late-night sessions in which barely read gut-and-amend bills

Lockyer blusters about symptom of union power — but not union power

CalWatchdog Staff October 18, 2012

Oct. 18, 2012 By Chris Reed The recent spate of attention paid to California school districts’ use of capital appreciation bonds — insane borrowing in which districts don’t begin to pay back the principal for decades — has been appropriately

Prop. 33 promotes auto insurance discount

CalWatchdog Staff October 18, 2012

Oct. 18, 2012 By Dave Roberts Proposition 33 is either a common sense way to increase competition in the auto insurance market, thus lowering rates for many drivers, or a ploy to raise rates on those who can least afford

Big Unions shifting to fight Prop. 32

CalWatchdog Staff October 17, 2012

Oct. 17, 2012 By John Seiler Say what you will about California’s ultra-powerful government-worker unions, they know how to protect their own interests. They have backed Proposition 30, Gov. Jerry Brown’s $8.5 billion tax increase, because they would get the

Obama’s Libya hyperbole dominates debate

CalWatchdog Staff October 17, 2012

Oct. 17, 2012 Katy Grimes: Unlike the first Presidential debate, President Barack Obama showed up to last night’s contest. But he brought his defensive, testy, argumentative, and rather condescending self to the match, and it’s understandable why. Obama does not have much

Prop. 32 could end union stranglehold on government

CalWatchdog Staff October 16, 2012

Oct. 16, 2012 By Dave Roberts “To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.” — Thomas Jefferson Propositions come and propositions go, with many amounting

Prop. 32 would curb union dominance

Katy Grimes October 15, 2012

Oct. 15, 2012 By Katy Grimes Long ago it became evident that a passion for teaching in California schools was overshadowed by union membership. Far too many teachers became flag-waving union members, choosing union activism over student achievement. Proposition 32,