Halting a Bad Precedent
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for withholding state funds—in this instance transportation money– from cities for not meeting their housing goals was wrong from the beginning. Newsom has now pulled back on that dictate opting for a carrot rather than a stick solution, at least temporarily. But it would be a terrible precedent, one that has […]
California Still Needs a Death Penalty—But Not For People
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s declared moratorium on the death penalty isn’t all that important. California hasn’t executed anyone in years, and, despite reports to the contrary, it wasn’t going to execute anyone anytime soon. But the state still needs a death penalty, though not necessarily one for people. It needs a death penalty for laws, regulations […]
Redistricting: Big Job Ahead for 14 Californians
Every 10 years we go through a ritual which attracts little attention but can have much to say about who gets to govern California. Known as redistricting, the exercise is tied directly to the decennial taking of the nation’s census which is mandated to keep track of our ever-growing and changing population. The next count […]
Was the Last Redistricting Fair?
California’s Citizen Redistricting Commission is kicking off its second redistricting of California’s 120 state legislative, 53 congressional (the most of any state), and the four State Board of Equalization districts. This is an apt time to recall Communist Dictator Joseph Stalin’s words: it is not who votes but who counts the votes that matter. Californians […]