A Memory of John McCain
Pulitzer Prize winning Washington Post political columnist David Broder was surprised at my response to his question about the 2000 Republican presidential primary when I told him I was supporting John McCain. He asked why and I replied that it started with McCain’s story of courage and bravery, his traditional values, and ended with his […]
#MeToo, But Maybe Not For You
Preventing sexual harassment and protecting victims has been a high priority for the Legislature – fallout from the #MeToo movement sweeping politics, the media and Hollywood, and especially on the heels of harassment scandals in the State Capitol. So it’s noteworthy that one of the signature bills to combat sexual harassment explicitly exempts the Legislature and other […]
California Can Either Make Use of Its Sea of Oil, Or Drown In It
Earlier this month, The New York Times gave space to a climate activist who argued that policymakers must “Free California of Fossil Fuels.” Six days later, the Times’ California Today feature covered the state’s “Move to Mandate 100% Carbon-Free Electricity” through Senate Bill 100. A significant portion of Californians would agree with the articles. After all, […]
Recycling Rates Are Tumbling; The Legislature Needs to Fix the Bottle Bill
Recycling rates are falling in California. For the first time in a decade, the percentage of beverage containers being recycled has dropped below 80 percent. The decline means that about 1.7 million containers that five years ago were being recycled are today being buried in landfills or, worse, tossed aside as litter. Part of the […]
What to Watch for in Last Week of Legislative Session
What to watch in the Legislature’s final week: California’s own version of net neutrality. A fire deal. A $400 million aerospace tax break for hiring. A new water tax to pay for clean water. One hundred percent green electricity by 2045. Fighting over Cadiz Inc.’s desert water project. Gig economy workers. Police accountability. Later school start times. Steve Ballmer’s new Inglewood basketball arena. And more. Oil companies […]