A Third Party In 2016?
Pollster Scott Rasmussen let the cat out of the bag with his presidential preference poll in late December: the American public believes Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will be the Democratic and Republican nominees, but they don’t really want to elect either of them. Rasmussen asked for preferences for president but gave voters an option […]
Why the Lies of “Trumbo” Matter
(This is a slightly expanded version of an essay of mine that appeared the past Sunday in the San Francisco Chronicle “Insight” section. I asked our publisher Mr. Fox to include today, and he agreed. This mid-twentieth century period in California politics, though relatively little-known by recent generations, continues to have great relevance for our […]
More Blows for Reed and DeMaio as Pension Efforts Ring in the New Year
A holiday blizzard of bad news has hit former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and former San Diego City Council member Carl DeMaio, undermining their efforts on two state ballot measures to reduce retirement security for public workers. In early December, the long-running battle between the City of San Jose and the city’s police department […]
Homeless Funding Must Protect Local Government Options
Any proposal to alter or redirect the use of Mental Health Services Act (MHSA-Prop 63) funds should enhance the County’s existing efforts to address the homeless problem. Funding must follow treatment needs. Greater flexibility means supporting effective local programs including hospitalization and family participation in recovery as well as extending supportive housing services to those […]