An Education Funding Fight Over Crumbs
After more than two years of this governorship, there’s a clear pattern with Jerry Brown: he likes to pick big fights about small things. His latest big-over-small fight is the battle over his proposal to change how school funding dollars are allocated. Brown has puffed this up big time – as a “civil rights” issue, […]
CEQA Reform Can Happen – Support SB 787
The Governor said in his State of the State speech: “We … need to rethink and streamline our regulatory procedures, particularly the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).” CEQA, for those of you who do not know, was passed in California in 1970 – the year of the first Earth Day. It does not directly regulate land […]
Why I’m Running for SoS
Over the last six years (the first three heading up the bi-partisan non-profit Common Sense CA and the last three as head of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement at Pepperdine), I have seen Californians do amazing things. From citizens helping to solve a complex water policy issue up in Humboldt County to Bellians participating […]
Personal Reflections on George W. Bush
I served from 2002-2006 as a member of George W. Bush’s Administration. Because of this, I am completely biased in my opinion. However, I believe that sharing my perspective on events I personally saw might lend clarity to those who saw the Bush 43 Presidency only through their television screen and the lens of the […]