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.
Would Kamala Be a Presidential Tyrant?
A president ruling by fiat has been a disaster for the country and California. So why does Kamala Harris want to be another president ruling by fiat?
But that’s what the U.S. Senator and presidential candidate is proposing. Indeed, Harris has coupled her policy ideas with pledges to enact them by executive order.
That’s not nearly as bad as Trump, since his policies are worse, are based in nonsense and bigotry, and come wrapped in all kinds of divisive action or rhetoric. But Harris is embracing his authoritarian method of enacting policies without Congress or proper process. (more…)
Businesses Still Won’t Get No Respect
Maybe now the local business community will get more respect, you think?
The Los Angeles Unified School District pretty much dissed the business community in the runup to the June 4 election. The district pushed a tax-raising question onto the ballot, ignoring the offer by businesses to work with the school district to come up with a tax proposal all could get behind so long as the district postponed the election.
Largely as a result, influential business groups came out against the measure, including the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles County Business Federation and the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Los Angeles. (more…)
The Rise of the Intolerant Left
In the past, the right, notably the segment affiliated with religious belief, was closely associated with censorship and control of thought. Today, enforced orthodoxy derives primarily from the left, emboldened by near total control of the media, university curricula and cultural products.
Remarkably, a recent study by the Atlantic found that “the most politically intolerant Americans” tend be white, highly educated urban progressives.
Conservatives may have once driven intolerance from the pulpit and the press, but they no longer have the ability to exercise thought control in a meaningful way.
Long ago, religious zealots embraced feudal ideals, but increasingly it’s the ultra-secular progressives who reprise the role of Medieval Inquisitors. (more…)
Putting Conscience Over Party Politics
California Republicans do a much better job of displaying unity around their candidates than their counterparts.
It is at least one reason why, even in this bluest of states, a few have broken thorough to claim the governorship and a couple of them rode the Golden State wave right into the presidency.
Ronald Reagan was a benefactor able to squelch stiff opposition to his candidacy from those on the far right. Richard Nixon prevailed eight years after his initial defeat by John F. Kennedy trouncing the liberal forces that propelled George McGovern, a controversial nominee, to a landslide defeat. (more…)
A Cross and History
Given the United States Supreme Court decision allowing the state of Maryland to keep a cross dedicated to the memory of World War I soldiers on public grounds, should the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors revisit the decision to remove a cross from the county seal? I ask this question in the context of the wider debate of modern sensibilities and the need to understand history.
Recall in 2004, Los Angeles County Supervisors, reacting to a lawsuit from the ACLU, decided to pull the small cross from the county seal. The cross shared a box on the seal with an artistic arc representing the Hollywood Bowl and two stars that stood for the county’s relationship to the movie and television industries. (more…)
Workers are changing. California Legislature must face that reality
Labor protections are meant to address certain situations where there is an imbalance in control between the employer and employee. But when the workers themselves control their working conditions, are these labor protections still necessary?
The heart of the debate over independent contracting in the gig economy is how can we improve protections for gig workers, without losing the control and flexibility they value.
Today, you can’t have it both ways. Having job security means the employer will schedule your hours. Without that control, you couldn’t get coffee in the morning if one day all the baristas choose to sleep in.S (more…)