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.
I Marvel That Brown Got Through Berkeley With So Little Vision
You can learn a lot about a man by his insults. And the essential elitism of Gov. Jerry Brown came through when he took a shot at U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican presidential candidate recently.
“I tell you – I have not given a lot of thought to Sen. Cruz, but I marvel at the fact that he got out of Harvard and had so many lame ideas,” Brown said on April 11.
It’s true that Cruz has some awful ideas (from unnecessary government shutdowns to surveillance of Muslim neighborhoods). But the governor gives Harvard too much credit. First off, the standards aren’t so high. I can personally assure you that even a wiseacre Southern California-based blogger at Fox & Hounds Daily can get through Harvard pretty easily in this era. (Grade inflation is a godsend, particularly if you’re spending all your time at the campus newspaper). (more…)
A $15 Minimum Wage Is A Booby Prize For American Workers
In principle, there is solid moral ground for the recent drive to boost the minimum wage to $15, with California and New York State taking dramatic steps Monday toward that goal. Low-wage workers have been losing ground for decades, as stagnant incomes have been eroded by higher living costs.
This has been particularly tragic for workers in high-priced cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York, where the movement has achieved irresistible momentum. If the Democrats manage to win a sweeping victory in the fall, the $15 minimum could also be imposed nationwide, with huge impacts on “laggard” regions like the South. (more…)
‘Civil War’ Between Actors and Ad Industry Fades into the History Books
Motion picture director Billy Wilder was once asked whether he would ever again hire Marilyn Monroe, who was routinely late to the set.
“I have an aunt who’s always on time,” Wilder answered, “but nobody would pay a nickel to see her.”
That tells you a lot about the business of acting. The ultimate judge of the work is the audience, not the employer.
This week, something interesting didn’t happen. The actors’ union —Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists — did not go on strike. (more…)
Trump could be the Gift the Democrats Want Most
Donald Trump is the gift the Democratic Party could never have expected. The Republicans of whom he purports to be one want nothing to do with him. All the more reason the Democrats should welcome him with open arms.
So loathsome is the prospect of his nomination that some Californian Democrats are actually talking about re-registering as Republicans just to vote against him. That would be a mistake.
Fellow columnist on these pages, Joe Mathews, bemoans the fact that California’s GOP does not allow independents such as him to vote in the Republican-only presidential primaries. Of course if the motivation is high enough, those so inclined have until May 23 to change party affiliation for the June 7th primary. (more…)
Now is California’s Watershed Moment
It is now safe to say that El Niño will not solve California’s drought. Though this should have been obvious from the start, there is a silver lining – it has bought the state more time to put better policies in place to create a sustainable water supply for years to come for all Californians.
We are at a true “watershed moment.” If we take decisive and effective action, our state can thrive within the limits of its current and future water resources. But if we fail to act (or act as we have in the past), the challenges our growing state will face each year will grow. (more…)
Business And Labor In Promising Discussions For Ports Future
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are essential to the economic health and well-being of the Southern California – as well as the State of California and the nation. The two ports are responsible for more than 300,000 jobs for our friends and neighbors. But the world in which the ports operate is increasingly competitive. In a few short months an expanded Panama Canal will be operational, allowing larger vessels to transit the canal. In addition, ports in Canada and Mexico, as well as those on the East and Gulf coasts of the United States, are expanding their facilities – all with the intent of drawing cargo away from Southern California’s ports. (more…)