Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
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Early warning on big 2014 story: CA trial lawyers’ power play
In an unusually tart warts-and-all Sac Bee profile of Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, reporter Chris Cadelago gives early notice on what will be a huge story in state politics next year: “A 2014 initiative advanced by Jones, a Sacramento Democrat,
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Michal Bloomberg’s candor beats Jerry Brown’s candor — by a mile
Jack Dean of the invaluable pensiontsunami.com website sent me a Politicker story about departing New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s exit speech that Bloomberg plainly intended to be a historic demarcation of sorts. Bloomberg hammered home the theme that what
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An open letter to bullet-train board Chairman Dan Richard
Dan Richard was at it again in Saturday’s Los Angeles Times. LAT’s Ralph Vartabedian did a good job painting a downbeat picture of the bullet train’s prospects after negative legal and regulatory rulings. But he didn’t ask the question that blows
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Study: Caesar and Robin Hood enjoyed warmer climate
Toga! Toga! Toga! Ever wonder why the ancient Romans built an “empire without end,” to quote Virgil, while walking around in togas? Because it was a lot warmer then than now. And why Robin Hood ran around Sherwood Forest in
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Californians turning on unions
People with too much power are setting themselves up for a fall. In democracies, voters sometimes decide things, punishing one group with too much power, while rewarding others with less power. So it was inevitable that Californians would turn against
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McClintock: Ryan budget plan riddled with dishonesty
Tom McClintock, once the shrewdest guy in the Legislature, is now among the shrewder people in Congress. Last night the Northern California lawmaker sent out a column trashing the two-year budget compromise approved by the House at the behest of
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Sen. Blakeslee backs publisher whose kids were taken
Karen Velie is the co-founder and publisher of CalCoastNews.com. While in the process of working through the San Luis Obispo County Social Services system to become her grandchildren’s guardian, Velie was arrested for a DUI on Aug. 13. Because of the
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Eric Peters details why we fear the police
My favorite car reviewer and auto guru is Eric Peters of EricPetersAutos.com. In a new article he aptly explains how cops have gone berserk against citizens. Eric Peters: If it is reasonable – justifiable – for a cop to base every interaction with
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Santa Monica police a case study in excessive pay driven from top down
Santa Monica is one of the great places to be in the world, not just California. It has incredible weather, often in the mid-70s in August when the San Fernando Valley is baking, lots of great restaurants and a surprising
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George Skelton finally turns on bullet train. Now will Dan Morain?
So it’s been clear for years that when it comes to the bullet train, Gov. Jerry Brown has lost Sac Bee news columnist Dan Walters. This weekend’s column makes it clear that the LAT’s George Skelton is about to jump
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