What to Expect of Governor Newsom
Gov. Gavin Newsom has just submitted his first preliminary budget– a mind-boggling and very big $144 billion. But so is California. It takes a lot to run the 5th largest economy in the world and satisfy a population which may already have passed 40 million! It also requires judicious use of money so it does […]
Kevin McCarthy in Position to be a Hero
If the GOP wants to stay in the game and restore some of its fading luster, one person who could have a lot to say about it is the new House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, who will now have the unenviable task of assuming command over some badly demoralized troops. He also has […]
The Second Coming of Nancy Pelosi
As we celebrate the new year—if that is an apt description— the non-stop spate of ugly news emanating from Washington is sure to dampen spirits. I would suggest that the biggest story going into 2019—though not quite equal to the non-stop revelations of crimes that may have been committed by this Administration—is the re-ascendancy of […]
The Arrival of Governor Gavin Newsom
All elections have consequences—some more than others. California’s often send ripples across the nation—none greater than the one just concluded. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (San Francisco) is a safe bet to be voted in as the returning Speaker of the House in a chamber that will be transformed with 40 new Democrats of diverse backgrounds and […]
Nancy Pelosi & Donald Trump: Two Tests of Survivability
After the results of the mid-term elections California’s delegation of 53 will now have 45 Democrats in the new ruling party which will acquire in toto at least a 241-seat majority depending upon the outcome of a few races still to be decided. If San Francisco’s Nancy Pelosi is to regain the House speakership—as projected—and […]
The Battle is Over—Now for the War?
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico The talk here amongst the natives in this balmy laid-back paradise—a favorite for sun-seeking worry-escaping Americans— is not of politics, but about the adequacy of today’s tuna catch and tomorrow’s weather. A fresh supply of fish is the bigger concern. What Democrats and Republicans are plotting as we begin preparing for […]
All Elections Have Consequences, Some More Than Others
Judgement Day—politically speaking—is upon us. Today millions of voters will render their opinions on who they would prefer to lead them in all 435 congressional districts. 84 of them are considered competitive with Republicans holding a 23-seat majority. With at least seven considered up for grabs in California, the nation’s largest state has the lion’s […]
Senator Dianne Feinstein Deserves Better and so Does the Republican Party
Some pundits have taken to demonizing Sen. Dianne Feinstein for losses that Democrats hope will not befall the party nationally in the upcoming elections. Will she also be seen as the cause for losses in California House seats which the state’s Democrats are working overtime to capture? As they story goes, they cite her role […]
Can Dianne Feinstein Win an Historic 6th Term?
I was among the 500 people crammed into a hall in San Francisco to hear what two candidates had to say who are hoping to be sworn in as California’s U.S. Senator in January. The incumbent, Dianne Feinstein faced off against Kevin de Leon, her challenger. The current title holder, hoping for a 6th historic term, […]
Our Political Future: The California Factor
At some point, we will all come to our senses and see that almost nothing –nothing of real lasting value—will come of it without reasonable accommodation on the critical issues of our time. But is it possible for either Party to assume the mantle of national leadership which has been largely vacated by both as […]