Ag Business Will Look Favorably on Feinstein-Harris Farmworker Bill
In an effort to assure that California’s enormous agricultural industry has the workers it needs, California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris co-authored with colleagues a bill to prevent alien farmworkers from being deported and, in fact, allow them to work toward citizenship. Expect the state’s agriculture businesses to be sympathetic to the bill. That […]
California’s Propaganda Warriors Have Work To Do
If California really is the heart of the Trump Resistance, our state’s propaganda warriors have some work to do. While showdowns over climate policy and sanctuary cities mark the political skirmishes of the day, there is a broader battle to be waged. It falls to all of us — across the political spectrum — who […]
Would Trump Actually Consider Resignation?
It is difficult to imagine someone who has reached the pinnacle of world power resigning from the most coveted position our nation offers. But if the conversation begins to go there, you can be sure Californians will be involved in the mix. There has been only one resignation in the 229 years since the creation […]
The Arrogance of Blue America
In the wake of the Trumpocalypse, many in the deepest blue cores have turned on those parts of America that supported the president’s election, developing oikophobia—an irrational fear of their fellow citizens. The rage against red America is so strong that The New York Time’s predictably progressive Nick Kristoff says his calls to understand red voters were “my […]
Trust Govt. to Spend New Money as Promised? The Record is Not Good
Reassurances to taxpayers about proper management of new revenue on the state and local level is too often ignored by politicians once the money is secured. Recent examples of attempts to spend money differently than promised are common—but it’s an old story, as well. The legislature passed the gas tax and vehicle license fee increase […]
Why Some Experts Say a Court Just Created a New Pathway to “Tax” Californians
Could a few words buried within a recent court ruling make it easier for the state to raise money from Californians? Those words—contained within a decision affirming the constitutionality of California’s policy of charging polluters—are causing a stir among some state budget experts, who wonder if the ruling could be used to could pry loose […]
Gas Tax Increase Could–and Should–Have Been Prevented
It’s the same old song and dance again in Sacramento. Only this time it’s to the tune of $450 per year for every California household. Under the guise of solving California’s infrastructure problems, politicians in Sacramento passed one of the largest tax hikes in recent history. In another hit against hard-working Californians, Sacramento just increased […]
California Squashes Its Young
In this era of anti-Trump resistance, many progressives see California as a model of enlightenment. The Golden State’s post-2010 recovery has won plaudits in the progressive press from the New York Times’s Paul Krugman, among others. Yet if one looks at the effects of the state’s policies on key Democratic constituencies— millennials, minorities, and the […]
Stop Higher Water Rates! Waste More Water Now!
It’s time for Californians to act responsibly on water. During the drought, we came together to serve. Now we must come together to waste as much water as possible. Why? For the poor. Water agencies around the state are preparing to increase their rates even higher. Why? Californians have cut back on water use, and […]