Building the Bay Bridge the Right Way (We’ve Done it Before)
So now the new eastern section of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge may not open on time because it is not safe. Even Gov. Jerry Brown finally admits there is a safety problem; guess he does not want the bridge falling into the bay on his watch. The Federal Highway Administration has opened a […]
Playing Politics With the Legislative Process Has Human Consequences
Anybody who reads Fox & Hounds regularly knows about the organization Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. Their focus is self-explanatory. A similar organization should be created: Citizens Against Legislative Abuse. The mission would be to identify and expose bills that have no real policy objective but are used as political vehicles by special interest groups. These […]
Higher Education Resonates on Both Sides of the Aisle
As the Governor and legislators wrestle with the size of greater than anticipated state revenues and what to do with additional funds, there is one priority where Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, liberals and moderates should be able to come together—public higher education. The state legislative analyst’s office has projected revenues that are $3.2 billion higher than […]
My 2013 High School Commencement Speech
To the distinguished California Public High School Class of 2013. I’m sorry James Franco canceled at the last minute. I’m even sorrier that you wound up getting me as your substitute commencement speaker, but I was offered gas money plus a free lunch. I believe Franco planned to talk about your potential—to say that you […]
A Prize for Tech Solutions to California’s Problems
What if the fuel for California’s next great Gold Rush lay buried within its governmental bureaucracy? Not through some policy or program mind you but in the revolutionary power of technology to transform what constitutes government. That augurs some nontrivial potential for the human condition. In his most recent inaugural address, Governor Brown reflected on […]