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.

Both Sides Are Right on Transportation. Let’s Find a Deal

To the outside, a deal may appear elusive on transportation funding this session. Republicans are intent on using existing funding and demand accountability reforms. Democrats want new funding while also agreeing that accountability reforms are necessary.

Both sides are right. It’s time to make a deal.

Before we consider new revenues, we must agree to a combination of responsible reforms and accountability to ensure we’re using the most out of existing transportation dollars.

We must ensure that transportation dollars are constitutionally guaranteed to go to transportation projects and not diverted for other purposes. And we must restore current transportation dollars that are being diverted for other purposes.  (more…)

Let’s Have an Honest Immigration Debate

There is no doubt that the candidacy of Donald Trump has reignited the immigration debate. There is also no doubt that while Americans may disagree over how to deal with our broken immigration system, there is a general consensus that it must be fixed.

The problem with the approach of both Trump and the media to this debate is that it’s not rooted in all of the facts.

When the citizens of the United States engage in important policy debates, they are always best served when the relevant facts and data lay the foundation of those discussions. Sadly, that is not what we are seeing in the immigration debate. A clear example of this was seen on a recent edition of Meet the Press in the interview conducted by host Chuck Todd. When discussing Trump’s plan to deport the approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., the following exchange occurred:  (more…)

The Jobs Perplex (2): California, Labor Day 2015

bernicklabordayWe arrive at Labor Day 2015, with a much different story line in California than previous Labor Days.

Four years ago, our Labor Day 2011 posting, entitled the Jobs Perplex, looked at the slow pace of job growth of the Great Recession recovery. Then the Perplex was why job growth was slower than previous recoveries. One factor discussed: the runaway growth of the government benefit rolls, and replacement of employment with government benefits. (more…)

Governor Signs Legislation that Limits Access to Direct Democracy

Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 1100 (Low-D) into law. EffectiveJanuary 1, 2016, citizens who wish to submit a ballot initiative or referendum must pay $2,000, instead of the current fee of $200.

Direct democracy is a citizen’s right – a cornerstone of the checks and balances of democracy that have been protected passionately in California. Raising the fee by 900 percent is cost prohibitive.

The ballot initiative process engages voters and increases interest and participation in elections. The intent of this extraordinary fee increase was to deter frivolous filings, but with this new $2,000 charge, the freedom and balance of powers that California’s early Reformers established are slowly being eroded away.  (more…)

Donald Trump At War

Now that Donald Trump has the Republican presidential nomination sewn up, it is time to look at how he would approach important matters of policy such as the military.  With Mr. Trump this is a problem, because although hawkish today he is a classic Vietnam- era draft dodger.

For California Republicans this presents a dilemma, because they will have to repudiate one of the early pillars of Ronald Reagan’s popularity, as he was caustic about yellow bellies and draft dodgers.  Colorfully he once said of the Vietnam War protesters, “The last bunch of pickets were carrying signs that said ‘Make love, not war’.  The only trouble was they didn’t look capable of doing either.”

Of one unruly draft dodger Reagan said, “His hair was cut like Tarzan, he acted like Jane and he smelled like Cheetah.” (more…)

The Easy Fix for Prop 39

Let’s chill out at Prop 39. It’s easy to fix.

Yes, the AP and other media have reported on how little of the money collected in corporate taxation for green-energy investments has been spent, and how there is little accountability for what has been spent.

That’s good to know. But it shouldn’t occasion much outrage, or much concern. The fix is within the measure itself.

Prop 39 married a sensible change in corporate taxation (changing the formula to punish out-of-state corporations) to a questionable bit of ballot-box budgeting. That questionable bit involved carving half of the money out of the general fund for investments in projects in schools and other buildings to make them more energy efficient. (more…)