Politics and ElectionsBerkeley’s Reactionary RecyclersWednesday, May 18th, 2011 MAY 18, 2011 By K. LLOYD BILLINGSLEY When cities outsource services to save money, they often take heat from workers. It’s different in Berkeley, where a revolutionary plan to “insource” services to the city drew the wrath of recycling reactionaries. Berkeley’s progressive pretensio... Prop. 14 Changes the Political GameWednesday, March 9th, 2011 MARCH 9, 2011 By DAVE ROBERTS The November elections were disastrous for California Republicans. They lost all nine statewide races, lost ground in the state Assembly and failed to gain a seat in Congress, despite California having 12 percent of the House seats and a nationwide tide that saw t... Reviewing Arnold’s DisasterSunday, November 28th, 2010 NOV. 28, 2010 By JOHN SEILER Although Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger keeps insisting he's not a lame duck, he is. As he leaves office, the best biography of him so far has come out, "The Governator: From Muscle Beach to His Quest for the White House, the Improbable Rise of Arnold Schwarzenegge... Thanksgiving for CaliforniaTuesday, November 23rd, 2010 Thank you for your wine, California, Thank you for your sweet and bitter fruits. -- "Sweet Virginia," by The Rolling Stones NOV. 23, 2010 By JOHN SEILER California has a lot of problems, with the budget, unemployment and all. But with Thanksgiving this week, I thought I'd list some of t... Expect More Population FlightTuesday, November 2nd, 2010 NOV. 2, 2010 By WAYNE LUSVARDI Given the predictably one-sided recent election results in California, a new trend may be soon emerging called “red flight” to describe the rapid mass out-migration of residents from cities and counties that are insolvent due to an inability to meet publi... If GOP Fails, 3rd Party Will RiseThursday, October 28th, 2010 OCT. 28, 2010 By JOHN SEILER Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, has taken a long, strange journey to veteran status in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he could soon be heading the House Committee on Science and Technology. He's campaigning for easy re-election in the heavi... Brown Ignored Union Bill’s WarningsTuesday, October 19th, 2010 OCT. 19, 2010 By ANTHONY PIGNATARO One of the few actual, honest issues in the California governor’s race has also been one of the least reported. And while it’s an old issue – dating back to 1977 – it’s nonetheless fascinating. “Back when Jerry Brown was governor nearly 35 ... San Fran Is Pension Ground ZeroTuesday, September 28th, 2010 SEPT. 28, 2010 By DAVE ROBERTS SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco’s 26,000 city government employees have had it pretty good for many years – so good that city officials have had to cut services and could be looking at eventual bankruptcy if the generous health and pension benefits continue fl... Taxation Without Representation?Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 SEPT. 22, 2010 By ANTHONY PIGNATARO If you’re a politician, pundit or just political junkie, chances are redistricting is on your mind. There are two measures on this year’s ballot dealing with redistricting – Proposition 20, which would create a citizens’ commission to draw new co... Ashburn: GOP Needs Freedom FocusTuesday, September 21st, 2010 SEPT. 21, 2010 By KATY GRIMES A recurring question during a meeting last week with Sen. Roy Ashburn was did he leave the Republican Party or did it leave him? Ashburn thinks that what he once knew as “the Freedom Party” has greatly changed, but is salvageable. I met with Ashburn las... |