Oh, for those good-old days without fossil fuels!
Maybe it’s time to start scaling back on our leisurely lifestyle to lower our greenhouse gas emissions and start reverting back to the pre-1900 horse and buggy days for our transportation systems, and the “snake oil” pitchmen for our healthcare system, and no medications, no cosmetics, no fertilizers, no computers nor IPhones, and shorter life […]
Change Brown’s Policies? Which Ones?
Last week’s Public Policy Institute of California poll contained a curious question that needed some in-depth follow-up to give us context. Since the follow-up did not occur, it left a reader of the poll to do some guessing. The question: “Would you rather see the next California governor elected in November 2018 generally continue Jerry […]
Finally, Some Honesty from State Leaders on High-Speed Rail
Jerry Brown wants to burnish his legacy with a high-speed rail line that would whip passengers up and down the state. But he’s more likely to be remembered as the governor who couldn’t make his fabulously over-cost train run on time. Brown’s dream train, according to the self-described “father” of the project, is no longer […]
If Only the Legislature Could Tax Self-Congratulation
If I’d been graded in college like the state legislature is being graded today, I would have graduated summa cum laude. (I barely graduated cum laude, and only then with some ‘90s era grade inflation). The end of the legislative session occasioned an orgy of self-congratulation, and many overly positive views of the performance of […]
Big Tech Finds Itself Lacking Political Allies
Our nation’s ruling tech oligarchs may be geniuses in making money through software, but they are showing themselves to be not so adept in the less quantifiable world of politics. Once the toast of the political world, the ever more economically dominant tech elite now face growing political opposition, both domestically and around the world. […]
Pray for Las Vegas Victims
Praying for the victims and injured in Las Vegas, many Californians among them. Los Angeles Deputy Fire Chief Trevor Richmond told us yesterday that a number of off-duty Los Angeles first responders attending the concert quickly involved themselves in the crisis, helping the wounded and working with local authorities. Some were injured. More on California […]
State & Local Tax Deduction Debate: An Old Story; a New Political Twist
The debate over the effects of state and local tax write-off from federal taxes in California is not new. Forty years ago, it was part of the historic battle over the iconic tax reduction measure Proposition 13. Forces opposed to Proposition 13 argued that lowering property taxes meant smaller deductions for California taxpayers on federal […]
Why We Shouldn’t Wait on Washington for Better Health Care
Let’s face it, health care in California is a mess. For the average person, buying insurance and accessing care is expensive and confusing. Small business owners must choose between paying enormous amounts of money to insure their employees, or hiring from the much smaller pool of people who have some other way of accessing care. […]
How Santa Rosa Became Inescapable
Adjust your California maps: The little dot marking Santa Rosa needs to be a lot bigger. Dramatic changes in housing, aging, transportation, and criminal justice are altering the Golden State’s geography, and no place in California stands to benefit more than Santa Rosa. The charms of this Sonoma County seat have been sung at least […]