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.

NFIB Legal Center’s Winning Streak Continues with Three Victories in Two Days!

This has been a historic year for the NFIB Legal Center. In April SCOTUS Blog listed NFIB Legal Center as one of the top-ten most influential organizations in the Supreme Court—in terms of bringing the Court’s attention to important issues. In May we closed out a remarkably successful Supreme Court term helping to secure victories in several major employment law and property rights cases. In November we filed our 50th amicus brief of the year (a new record for NFIB Legal Center). And we are continuing to churn right along, filing another important amicus brief today—this time defending small business free speech rights in New Orleans.

Last week was especially exciting because we received three victories in 48 hours! Here is a quick run-down of the action:

Three Who Are Making A Difference

After the 2012 Republican disaster it became apparent to many GOP officeholders that they had to adapt to the new demographic realities of California or join their many former colleagues as ex-officeholders.  Three legislators are leading the way towards a Republican Party that can still be relevant.

Assemblyman Jeff Gorell (R-Camarillo), Sen. Anthony Canella (R-Ceres) and Sen. Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) all hold “borrowed districts”; that is seats that are mostly Democratic.  President Obama carried all their districts in both 2008 and 2012, as did Gov. Brown in 2010, and each won with less than 55 percent in their most recent elections.

(more…)

The Initiative is on the March — Everywhere But Here

Direct democracy, and specifically the initiative process, is advancing around the world.

Except in the U.S. and in California.

Ireland’s constitutional convention has voted overwhelming to introduce a new initiative process that would include both petitions to the government (what some Californians persist in calling, misleadingly, the “indirect initiative” even though it is a direct appeal to lawmakers) and petitions that would trigger popular votes.

(more…)

The Politics of the Arts

The arts rarely are mentioned in the context of political or economic coverage, unless it is the opening of a glitzy new venue or a kerfuffle over a Mapplethorpe exhibit or some other over the top cultural expression.  Public arts funding has been squeezed hard by the fiscal crises at every level of government.   Nonetheless, funding of the arts and fostering new creative visions need to be on the agenda of both public and private sector institutions.   Nowhere is that truer than in California.

The Golden State’s creative spark, along with great weather,  have made our state a pacesetter–both economically and culturally. The respected Otis College Report on the Creative Economy attributes one in eight jobs in the Los Angeles region to creative endeavors from  entertainment to fashion, toys and interior design.  That adds up to more than $230 billion in economic activity in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.  The arts are, of course, about a lot more than money.  The arts open up our minds and souls.

(more…)

Pension Reform: What Will Eric Garcetti Do?

Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Herb Wesson led City Council of Los Angeles have refused the recognize the severity of the City’s almost $10 billion unfunded pension liability and the impact it will have on the City’s ability to provide core services such as public safety and well maintained streets and sidewalks.

As of June 30, 2013, the City’s two pension funds, the $17 billion Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System and the $20 billion Fire and Police Pension Plans, were only 74% funded. As a result, over half of this year’s pension contribution of $950 million (19% of the budget) will help to amortize a small portion of this unfunded pension liability.

(more…)

Preparing Young People for Their Future

The young people of today are going to be the leaders of tomorrow and that should raise a collective “Uh oh” across the nation, a Stanford professor believes.

In a recent report on civic education – think high school civics classes and the like – William Damon and his associates are convinced that young people aren’t being readied for the public roles they inevitably are going to take.

Education “is not preparing students for effective participation in civic life,” he said in a consensus report out of a conference held earlier this year at Stanford. “Few young people are sufficiently motivated to become engaged in civic and political activity.”

(more…)