Initiative Roadblock Awaits Governor’s Action
Jerry Brown’s career-making move was in 1974 when as Secretary of State he successfully sponsored Proposition 9, a statewide ballot measure that created the landmark Political Reform Act in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Fast forward: a bill awaiting his signature or veto would, if enacted, make such citizen initiatives far more expensive, if […]
Letter from London: Mirroring US Politics and a Plug for the Golden State
We came to London for a respite from the lunacy of American politics, only to have underscored how like the U.S. model British politics have become. And I’m not talking parliamentary sex scandals here! Observing media coverage of the annual Labour Party Conference revealed a party torn by ideology and a campaign process that relies […]
The Athletics Party and the Dodgers Party
Convention wisdom is that California politics is divided between Democrats and Republicans, with a growing number of unaffiliated voters. But does that explain the reality of California’s political divides. The Republicans are shrinking into irrelevance. The Democrats have less than a majority, but so many of the supposedly unaffiliated voters cast their ballots with the […]
Anti-UFW Farm Workers Seek Help from Gov. Jerry Brown
Roll over, Cesar Chavez, here comes Silvia Lopez. Silvia Lopez is a quiet, thoughtful 15-year Gerawan Farming employee, and the de facto leader of thousands of Central Valley farm workers who have been protesting for nearly a year to oust the United Farm Workers union from the farming company. Seven hundred Gerawan farm workers took […]