Fox and Hounds Daily Says Goodbye
With this article, we end publication of Fox and Hounds Daily. It has been a satisfying 12½ year run. When we opened in May 2008, our site was designed to offer an opportunity to those who wished to engage in public debate on many issues, especially in politics and business, but found it difficult to get placed in newspaper op-ed pages.
Co-publishers Tom Ross, Bryan Merica and I have kept F&H going over this time investing our own time, funding, and staff help. Last year at this time we considered closing the site, however with an election on the horizon we decided to keep F&H going through the election year. With the election come and gone, and with no sense of additional resources, we have decided to close the site down.
Fox and Hounds will live on, at least, with my articles collected in the California State Library.
On a personal note, I have spent over 40 years in California policy and politics. There have been some incredible high moments and some difficult low points. It pains me that politics too often is a blood sport, frequently demonizing the motives of opponents and using the legal system as a weapon in public discourse. At Fox & Hounds, we tried to adhere to the practice of giving all a voice in the debate, yet keep the commentaries civil and avoided personal attacks.
F&H offered the opportunity to publish different perspectives (even ones that criticized my writings!). We had success as indicated by the Washington Post twice citing Fox and Hounds Daily one of the best California political websites and many other positive affirmations and comments received over the years.
Tom, Bryan and I want to thank our many readers and writers for being part of our journey. The publishers of Fox and Hounds Daily believe that we added value to California and its people. We hope you agree.
Suburbs Still the Choice for Housing Consumers
Let me hear it again. What’s wrong with the suburbs? Nothing, says the latest report of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). While urban centers are experiencing a revival, suburban areas are thriving, too, according to the recently published report, Evolving U.S. Suburbs Continue to Shape Residential Demand and Development.
Indeed, the white-picket fence enclosing a large backyard is still the preferred choice of families and individuals. The report reveals that outward migration is alive and well and builders are showing up to meet the need.
Among the report’s key findings: (more…)
My Pasadena Homie, Obama
I recently learned that, in the second grade, I was part of presidential history.
Every morning during the 1980-1981 school year, I walked the five blocks between my family’s home in southwest Pasadena and Allendale Elementary School, where I was in Beverly Thomas’ class. Sometimes I went back in the evening to play in the Little League at Allendale Park, adjacent to school.
The round trip seemed unremarkable then, as I passed homes and apartment buildings. But just last month, my hometown of Pasadena announced that my path had crossed with greatness. The city installed a plaque on the sidewalk outside one of those apartment buildings I used to pass—an ugly place at 253 Glenarm Street. The plaque explains that an Occidental College sophomore occupied one of the apartments in 1980 and 1981. (more…)
Big Opportunities for 2017
2016 finished strong for the Los Angeles County economy. Employment during the year grew by 65,300 jobs and the unemployment rate declined to 5.1 percent. Voters expressed their willingness to invest in transportation (Measure M), housing (Measure HHH) and education (Measure CC) at the Nov. 8 election by 71.15 percent, 77.14 percent and 75.92 percent respectively. We have the opportunity to continue this positive economic momentum in 2017 if our voters and elected officials continue taking bold actions to build on these basic foundations. Here is how:
The City of L.A. must make modernizing its 37 community plans the highest priority at City Hall. These plans are so antiquated that almost every residential and commercial construction project of any size requires a plan amendment or a variance. The staff at City Hall should immediately start the planning and community outreach necessary to update these plans. (more…)
How Arizona vs. United States Will Stop Democratic Immigration Efforts
Sorry, California Democrats, but you have already lost the battle over stopping President-elect Trump’s immigration policies. You lost five years ago when the state of Arizona tried, as sanctuary cities are doing now, to upend federal immigration laws, and the US Supreme Court said no.
In 2010, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law SB 1070, a law that made it illegal to be an undocumented immigrant in Arizona and in essence allowed the state to enforce immigration laws. Supporters insisted the Obama Administration was doing too little to protect the borders, so the state had to step in.
While now the shoe is clearly on the other foot, efforts by California Democrats to somehow frustrate a Trump Administration immigrant policy have more than faint echo of the Arizona law, since both involve an attempted nullification of federal law. That issue is well settled, and Democratic leaders are not going to stop Trump’s interpretation and enforcement of the law. (more…)
Is California About to Pick a Governor? Or a President?
California needs to take its next governor’s race more seriously.
2014’s contest between Jerry Brown and Neel Kashkari felt like an experiment in voter suppression—no one followed it, and few bothered to cast ballots. 2010’s race turned on meaningless issues around the wealth and housekeeper of Republican Meg Whitman.
In 2018, the stakes are much higher. We’re not only picking a governor to tackle the state’s governance challenge and battle an authoritarian regime in Washington.
We might be picking a president. (more…)
Jerry Brown, Donald Trump And Climate Change
Even well before the 45th U.S. president is sworn in on January 20th and the glittery Inaugural Balls have played host to a the gathering swarm of Trump celebrants and big-spenders, the New Yorker’s ascendancy as the free world’s leader is setting off alarm bells across the globe.
There is no lack of doomsday scenarios as we head into uncharted waters under a presidency that only Hollywood writers could have dreamed up.
Californians, the majority of whom rejected Trump’s seizure of the White House, would just as soon have done business with someone else. Hilary Clinton received 4 million more votes here—twice the number of more popular votes she garnered nation-wide over the constitutionally certified winner. (more…)