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.
Should We Abolish Special Legislative Elections?
In the Ventura County Star, Timm Herdt offers a devastating takedown of California’s costly, low-turnout special elections to fill frequent openings in the legislature, as politicians play musical chairs.
He writes that political shuffling has set up, so far this year, as many as 13 special legislative elections. They cost $800,000 or so each and almost no one votes in them; among the six conducted so far, average turnout was 16.4 percent, with a low of 9.1 percent.
Timm concludes: “Looking at the numbers, here’s an observation: These elections are an absurd waste of money and, because of the paltry voter turnout, make a mockery of democracy.”
The Importance of the SD 16 Election
Who would have thought that the epicenter of California politics in 2013 would be found in Delano?
Political parties and their allies are in the midst of an intensive get out the vote drive after a surprising comeback by Leticia Perez (D) kept Andy Vidak (R) from receiving 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff.
If anyone tells you they know what the outcome will be, ignore them. The result will be determined by the number of absentee ballots returned, and whether Democratic factions that did not vote for Perez in May coalesce behind the party’s candidate.
Independence and Immigration
Last week we celebrated the birth of our great nation and paid tribute to a society, culture and economy that have been driven by immigrants and their descendants. For 500 years, people from far-away lands have displayed a passion for America and the dreams it offered. The desire to protect those dreams led to the founding of the United States of America 237 years ago.
Fixing our broken immigration system is essential to continuing the American dream for the next 237 years. Comprehensive immigration reform is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. We need an immigration policy that contributes to the workforce our country requires to maintain its global leadership in agriculture, manufacturing, technology and services.
New Day for Economic Development in California
Governor Brown executed a political double-play last week: wrapping top priorities for business and labor into a single bill and gaining bi-partisan support for the package.
At issue was the future of the once-popular, but recently embattled enterprise zone program. Eliminating that program’s hiring tax incentives had been a priority for the Governor since he regained the office – and for much longer for his union allies. While labor wanted to dismantle a program they believed was subsidizing nonunion workforces (and incidentally grab the money for general programs), the Governor had wanted to redeploy the economic resources for more effective incentives. (more…)
Let’s Put Leon Panetta to Work
Governor Jerry Brown has demonstrated that experience and pragmatism can go a long way towards easing California back from the fiscal cliff. Now, there is an opportunity for the Governor to enlist another “old pro” in finishing the job of getting California’s fiscal house in order. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is back in California and it is hard to imagine anyone better suited to tackling the job of crafting a long term financial and economic road map for the Golden State.
The Governor has accomplished a lot in reducing the “wall of debt” and balancing the State’s Budget, using something other than smoke and mirrors, but the need for long term stabilization is still there. (more…)
Mayor Garcetti’s Secret Weapon: L.A.’s Republican Voters
Even though Eric Garcetti has officially taken office, veteran observers of L.A.’s political scene can be forgiven if they’re still trying to figure out what happened in this year’s election for Mayor of Los Angeles.
Even weeks after the ballots were counted, the head-shaking is seen all around after the election among two Democrats in which the candidate endorsed by Bill Clinton, who campaigned side-by-side with Magic Johnson and was backed by millions of dollars from the city’s largest labor union went down to defeat by almost double digits. (more…)