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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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Lawsuit threatens teachers unions’ power
“Money is the mother’s milk of politics” — Former Assembly Speaker Jesse ‘Big Daddy’ Unruh The California Teachers Association has poured more than $150 million into state politics in the past decade – most of
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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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In reform showdown, who does Obama administration target? Disabled CA students
During the budget theater of recent months, the Obama administration’s ruthless determination to make cuts hurt the public was on display over and over again. Cancel a beloved air show that actually makes money? Sure. Deny death benefits to famiiles
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Non-profit accused of 'money laundering,' exonerated, but fined
The California Fair Political Practices Commission is announcing today at noon they have reached a settlement in the investigation into the mysterious $11-million donation from an Arizona nonprofit, during the 2012 California general election. One of the groups accused of the
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Why was 2003 recall so unique? Joe Mathews misses key point
Joe Mathews has written an interesting column about the 10th anniversary of the recall of Gov. Gray Davis. assignment online “Critics of the recall said it was a crazy idea, a partisan Republican power grab, a perversion of America’s tradition
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No Nixon-goes-to-China for Obama on CA school-testing retreat
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said last week that testing students was vital to measuring their progress and to improving student and teacher performance. Duncan warned California not to proceed with a reckless move away from standardized testing. That didn’t
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CA public schools: ‘Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job’
The notion that one heard fairly often about Sacramento for much of 2013 — Abel Maldonado’s election reforms actually had led to a more moderate batch of lawmakers coming to town — was annihilated in the final week of the
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Critics charge AB 375 doesn't really protect students
SACRAMENTO –The Legislature still is working on teacher-discipline legislation. AB375 is by Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo. It passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday and is being heard Wednesday in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Prior to Tuesday’s hearing, all of the
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A dramatic illustration of teacher unions’ grip on Sacramento
The Obama administration has had enough of the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers and how they use their clout to undercut education reform. “Hours before a key vote in the Legislature, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
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