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.
Stop Watching the Debates
A health advisory: Stop watching the debates. They are not good for you.
The presidential debates of both parties are considered great civic moments. But they are so overwhelmed with erroneous nonsense that they can’t help but misinform the masses. Late-night infomercials seem responsible and edifying by comparison.
The Democratic debate existed in a world divorced from all known laws of economics and budgeting. Trade makes people poor, if you believe Democrats. Health care and higher education and just about everything else can be free. I’ll stop there for fear of passing along any more nonsense.
The Republican candidates spent time lying outright about their plans and their pasts (the biggest lie being Dr. Ben Carson claiming he had no association with a company with which he is in fact associated). And when they weren’t lying, they were whining – especially about questions and the media. (more…)
“Yes, California Can Be Saved”
The prolific Victor Davis Hanson wrote an excellent piece for National Review two weeks ago, in which he attributed California’s present middle-class stagnation and decline in economic opportunity to the devolution of California’s two-party system in the 90s and the Golden State’s emergence as a de facto one-party Democratic state. Hanson describes how a favorite Democratic policy inexorably led to the decline of the Republican voter base:
“Higher taxes and increased regulations have driven out lots of small-business owners. In the last few years, hundreds of thousands of disgruntled middle-of-the-road voters voted with their feet and left for no-tax Nevada, Texas, or Florida.
The state devolved into a pyramid of the coastal wealthy and interior poor — the dual constituencies of the new progressive movement.” (more…)
Working To Build a 21st Century Los Angeles
Chambers of Commerce across America were often formed to champion major infrastructure improvements. For the L.A. Area Chamber, that project was the Port of Los Angeles 127 years ago.
Since 1888, the Chamber and its members have successfully advocated for the construction of the Port of L.A., the Los Angeles Aqueduct, new sources of electricity, the region’s highway network, LAX and our new transit system. Each of these projects and many others are why the City of L.A. grew from a town 50,000 people in 1888 to one of the world’s largest population and economic centers.
As L.A. ages, many of our legacy infrastructure projects are now in need of major upgrades or expansions because they are not capable of meeting the future needs of our evolving environment and economy. Exacerbating this challenge are regulations that make it more costly and increasingly difficult to build new, upgraded facilities. All the while competition is growing from other cities and regions across the world. (more…)
Legislators Wearing Badges with Donors’ Names a Serious Proposal
Requiring Legislators to wear sponsors’ names is a first step in addressing a serious problem.
Last week, Rescue California Foundation filed an initiative that might generate some smiles but is an entirely serious step in changing the structure of a broken and corrupt legislature election system.
Our initiative, called the Name All Sponsors California Accountability Reform (you can figure out what the acronym relates to) requires all the state legislators elected by California voters to wear stickers representing the top ten contributors to their political war chests. This will make our leaders look like race car drivers, showing off their sponsors. One key difference; race car drivers are proud to wear their sponsors names on their clothing – the same is likely not the case with our legislators. They are trying to hide the truth. Our intent is to expose it. (more…)
Has the State’s Business Reputation Improved?
Is California a stellar place for entrepreneurs? What caught my eye in Carla Marinucci’s California Playbook on Politico was an item than California ranked number three of all the states as a positive place for entrepreneurs.
One hopes that the entrepreneur spirit is alive and well in California. Certainly, many of the risk takers in the tech fields, Hollywood, aerospace and other endeavors have started out with little more than a dream and conquered their worlds. As Californians, we applaud those achievements.
Yet, California often ends up close to the bottom in so many surveys of states that are good places to do business. (more…)
California Economic Summit Introduces One Million Challenges
The California Economic Summit has unveiled three ambitious new goals—the One Million Challenges—that will be the focus of its growing coalition of business, environmental, labor, and civic leaders at the next statewide Summit two weeks from today in Ontario.
With Californians facing a widening opportunity gap, fast-rising housing prices, and dwindling water supplies, the Summit has highlighted three elements of its 2015Roadmap to Shared Prosperity that must be accelerated in the years ahead for the state to thrive.
At the California Economic Summit on November 12-13, participants will sharpen a set of strategies aimed at producing, over the next decade: (more…)