The Ryan Pick and California’s Policy Debate
A day after the Washington Post’s Morning Fix column headlined The Lamest Week of the 2012 Campaign, Mitt Romney selected a running mate that should, at least for a time, turn the presidential contest into a discussion about substance and policy. What a refreshing change. Over the last week or so, the presidential election had […]
Don’t Hold Your Breath Waiting for Top Two to Work
Recently, I debated Dan Schnur at the Sacramento Press Club over whether the new California election regime – with redistricting and the top two – represented an improvement on the previous system. Dan, arguing in favor of the promise of the new system, was terrific and funny. But one of his arguments didn’t make sense […]
California as Boogeyman
You want to scare America’s voters? Don’t say if the country stays on its current course it could become like Europe. If you really want to scare them tell them the country might become like California. That’s the word of advice Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan gave to Mitt Romney’s campaign. Here’s what Noonan […]
A Giant Among Men – Sheriff Warren Rupf (1943-2012)
Residents of Contra Costa County in California learned this week of the sad passing of a giant in public service – retired Sheriff Warren Rupf. He was only 69 and had been diagnosed with myeloid leukemia just six weeks ago. I got to know Warren four years ago during my campaign for state assembly. His […]