Fox and Hounds Daily Says Goodbye

With this article, we end publication of Fox and Hounds Daily. It has been a satisfying 12½ year run. When we opened in May 2008, our site was designed to offer an opportunity to those who wished to engage in public debate on many issues, especially in politics and business, but found it difficult to get placed in newspaper op-ed pages. 

Co-publishers Tom Ross, Bryan Merica and I have kept F&H going over this time investing our own time, funding, and staff help. Last year at this time we considered closing the site, however with an election on the horizon we decided to keep F&H going through the election year. With the election come and gone, and with no sense of additional resources, we have decided to close the site down. 

Fox and Hounds will live on, at least, with my articles collected in the California State Library.

On a personal note, I have spent over 40 years in California policy and politics. There have been some incredible high moments and some difficult low points. It pains me that politics too often is a blood sport, frequently demonizing the motives of opponents and using the legal system as a weapon in public discourse. At Fox & Hounds, we tried to adhere to the practice of giving all a voice in the debate, yet keep the commentaries civil and avoided personal attacks.

F&H offered the opportunity to publish different perspectives (even ones that criticized my writings!).  We had success as indicated by the Washington Post twice citing Fox and Hounds Daily one of the best California political websites and many other positive affirmations and comments received over the years.

Tom, Bryan and I want to thank our many readers and writers for being part of our journey.  The publishers of Fox and Hounds Daily believe that we added value to California and its people. We hope you agree.

Happy Holidays!

Fox and Hounds Daily will resume publication on January 2, 2014.

Black Bart Award Winner: The Mayors

Fox and Hounds Daily’s Black Bart Award as Californian of the Year in Politics for 2013 goes to: The Mayors. In a year when many of California mayors made headlines for different reasons: rallying support for changes in public pensions; dealing with bankruptcies or potential bankruptcies; or becoming entangled in scandal, many mayors around the state demanded the political spotlight.

As Joe Mathews wrote in his nominating article, “California mayors are notoriously weak players in politics, because of all the Progressive-era checks on their power, and our affection for city manager systems.

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Black Bart: The Mayors

My first thought for this year’s Black Bart was Peter Lee of Covered California. There was sleight of hand in Lee’s ability to sell California’s trouble-filled implementation of the ACA as a success – by comparing it to the disastrous federal implementation. And there was intelligence in Lee making himself accessible and available around the state. Much more needs to be done, but Lee and Covered California appear on their way to maximizing whatever success is possible under this hopelessly complicated law. Let’s give him an honorable mention.

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Brown for President? Been There, Said That!

The Brown for President speculation is gaining steam. Old story, at least for me, I was on that speculation bandwagon early, as you’ll see below.

Just yesterday in the Los Angeles Times, veteran political reporter Mark Barabak wrote an article titled, Jerry Brown, urged to run for president, won’t rule out 2016 bid. The piece suggested that California’s rebound, Brown’s good national press and a long held desire of Jerry Brown’s to occupy the Oval Office might get him thinking about one more try for the biggest of all political brass rings.

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Neighborhood Legislature Initiative is a Game Changer for CA Politics

A change of politically seismic proportions is about to hit the California governmental landscape.  The Neighborhood Legislature Reform Act has received its title and summary and is now ready for signature collection.  Once enacted, Californians of all political views – and no political views – are going to find this to be the greatest transfer of power since 1776.

What is the Neighborhood Legislature?  A simple constitutional amendment with potentially profound implications.  It shrinks the size of all legislative districts in California to proportions that make sense; 5,000 people for an Assembly district and 10,000 for a Senate district.

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Small Business Wish List for 2014

Will Small Business ‘Deck the Halls’ this holiday season, or have a ‘Blue Christmas’?

To say that 2013 was challenging for small business is really an understatement.  Coming off of 2012 saddled with additional taxes with the passage of Prop. 30 and more regulations with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, many small business owners certainly thought that some restraint might be shown this year.

That turned out to be too good to be true – our elected representatives were able to get a 25% increase in the minimum wage passed, which means that small business owners will be paying $10 an hour in 2016.  And there are some who are proposing $15 an hour in the future!

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