From Tampa: A New Direction for California and America
Despite the rain, nothing can dampen the enthusiasm in Tampa as we start the RNC Convention this week. Yesterday morning, I got to spend time with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. As Governor Christie shared with us, New Jersey and California faced very similar challenges. But while New Jersey and California were confronted with high unemployment […]
As an Old-Timer Myself, “Re-Tread” Doesn’t Fit
I like New Jersey governor Chris Christie. I think he would make a formidable candidate for national office. I oppose many of the high profile positions California Governor Jerry Brown has taken (see high speed rail and Prop 30) – but I don’t buy Christie’s characterization of Brown as a “re-tread.” That was the term […]
Guess Who Wants to Raise Your Taxes
Back in the days before he joined the dark side of “The Force,” Arnold Schwarzenegger was a compelling advocate for taxpayers. He noted that “from the time they get up in the morning and flush the toilet, they’re taxed. Then they go and get the cup of coffee, they’re taxed….This goes on all day long. […]
CEQA Modernization – The End or Just the Beginning?
On July 12th, the San Diego Union Tribune ran an opinion editorial co-written by former California Governors Gray Davis, Pete Wilson, and George Deukmejian as members of the Southern California Leadership Council. The Op-Ed urgently called for CEQA modernization. As the three governors put it, “While CEQA’s original intent must remain intact, now is the […]
Lessons from the Badger State for California
SACRAMENTO — During recent travels to Madison and Milwaukee for some research about reform-minded Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s survival of a union-backed recall, I found little residual anger among the friendly folks there, despite seemingly endless pitched political battles that divided families and led to angry water-cooler discussions. Perhaps the central issue — Walker’s […]
Greetings from Portland…Wishin’ We Were Here
Dateline Portland where I’m here to observe Oregon’s Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) process. As Joe Mathews noted in these pages a couple weeks ago after seeing this election cycle’s first review in Salem, the CIR offers an intriguing glimpse of what it’s like to hit an ostensibly democratic practice (the ballot initiative) with more democracy. Again, […]