Corrupting the Redistricting Commission
The Citizens Redistricting Commission, built upon a hopeful ideal of enhancing political competition in legislative and congressional districts, has now descended into a cesspool of corruption, and the promise of fair new districts has been compromised by brutal partisan politics instigated by the commission itself.
At its Sacramento meeting last weekend, the commission was given a
chance to choose for the vital project of actually drawing the new districts
two firms, each of whom had ties to past partisan activities. Ignoring the
need for political balance in its line drawing, the commission chose a firm
with, in the words of Sacramento Bee political columnist Dan Walters,
"indirect but unmistakable ties to Democrats."
This firm is called Q2 Data and Research, based in Berkeley and
headed by Karin MacDonald, who also heads the Statewide Database, the census
and political data bank for use in redistricting. The political tie to the
Democrats comes from Professor Bruce Cain, an owner of Q2, who started the
database when he worked as chief consultant for Assembly Democrats in the
1981 redistricting.
A Reality Check in California’s Pension Discussions
It is absolutely worthwhile to consider how to ensure that California’s public pension systems remain on a sound footing and able to provide a secure retirement for public workers.
But issues about the cost/benefit of public employee pensions have become a major point of contention in the heated debate on how to fix California’s state budget problems. Pension-spiking poster children, manufactured data supposedly showing huge unfunded liabilities and false charges of labor intransigence have cast a dark cloud over public pensions.
For instance, a common claim is that pension costs will bankrupt state government. In fact, the entire costs of pensions for state workers in 2011 will be $3.5 billion, barely 4% out of an $85 billion budget. Add CalSTRS and the total is not even 6% of the budget. If we paid zero into public employee pensions and eliminated them altogether, we would not come close to solving the budget deficit.
In fact, the state of California pays less as a percentage of payroll for pensions today than it did in 1980. Meanwhile CalPERS has earned back more than $70 billion since the financial crisis and the system’s funding status is estimated near 70 percent.
Budget Transparency Will Make California Accountable
The next time you’re in the state capitol, come visit the Assembly
Chamber and look for the assembly motto. It declares: "Legislatorum est justas
leges condere," Latin for, "It is the duty of the legislature to enact just
laws."
This noble pronouncement, the guiding rule passed down from our
California forefathers, is a conclusion drawn from an inferred understanding of
the meaning of justice. What, then, is justice?
This question – What is justice? – is the driving question in the
history of politics. It is the purpose of government to answer this question correctly.
More importantly, it is government’s responsibility to see that justice is
rendered to each citizen.
Unlicensed, Uninsured, Untraceable — Isn’t That a License to Kill?
Cross-posted at RonKayeLA.
Police
Chief Beck says it’s the only fair and humane thing to do.
The mayor
says it’s "justice"
But what
does the City Council or Police Commission say about the LAPD’s new policy, its
protocol, for allowing unlicensed drivers to walk away from the scene of their
crime.
Not just
walk away, actually, but ride away in the company of a licensed driver, not
even the car’s owner as required by law, when they’re stopped by police instead
of having the car impounded.
It’s like
putting a gun back in the hands of a violent suspect after he’s been subdued
and writing him a citation for an infraction.