Legislature is Done for the Year. But Numerous Calls for a Special Session
During the waning days of the shortened legislative session there were at least three appeals to the governor to call a special session of the legislature to complete pressing business. His office has indicated he is unlikely to do so. Not that many legislators want the session to continue. Normally legislators would rather be out […]
Energy Storage will get us out of this Mess
So here we are again, with blackouts in California, but the cause is new. We are starting to see the need to shore up one critical piece of our renewable energy strategy: energy storage. It is only by adding enough energy storage that we can support peak load after the sun has set. Some people […]
California lawmakers failed to enact sweeping police reforms. Here’s why.
Last summer, when California passed a landmark law meant to reduce police shootings, lawmakers praised the mothers, fathers and activists who had packed the Capitol throughout the year. They wore T-shirts memorializing shooting victims. Filled hallways with songs and prayer. Laid flowers at the doorsteps of politicians’ offices. And lined up, sometimes by the hundreds, […]
Legislature leaves much undone
When the Legislature reconvened in January, the stage was seemingly set for a year of sweeping action on California’s most vexing political issues, such as a chronic housing shortage, homelessness and an embarrassingly high poverty rate. Democrats enjoyed overwhelming majorities in both legislative houses, the Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, was fond of pursuing “big hairy, […]
SF DA Harris’s Surprising Decision Dealing with Prop 8, the Anti-Gay Marriage Initiative
Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his vice presidential running mate, and her subsequent nomination at the Democratic national convention, was generally applauded by civil rights activists, Typical of that praise was an Aug. 19 op-ed by Sasha Issenberg in the Washington Post, “”Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Both Worked For Gay Marriage – […]