Currently browsing Politics Archives

3.05.2010
Lawmakers Tell Lobbyists to Do as We Say, Not as We Do

Lawmakers Tell Lobbyists to Do as We Say, Not as We Do

Lawmakers placed Proposition 15 on the June ballot. They titled it the “California Fair Elections Act of 2008.”

The measure requires lobbyists and their employers – irrespective of whether they work for private sector entities or local government – to pay an annual $350 fee that would be used to offer public financing for candidates for Secretary of State, who licenses lobbyists, among other professions.    Read more »

More

3.02.2010
Assembly Committee Debates Costs of Open Primary Switch

Assembly Committee Debates Costs of Open Primary Switch

Four county registrars of voters told an Assembly committee March 2 that their costs of printing and processing ballots would increase if Californians approve Proposition 14, the so-called “open primary” initiative on the June ballot.

The informational hearing of the Assembly Elections and Redistricting Committee was dominated by Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, an Oakland Democrat, who voted against placing the open primary measure on the ballot and has created a campaign committee – Swanson’s Ballot Measure Committee to Oppose Prop.    Read more »

More

2.17.2010
Karen Bass Announces for Diane Watson’s Congressional Seat

Karen Bass Announces for Diane Watson’s Congressional Seat

I am very excited today to announce that I will be launching a campaign to fill the congressional seat being vacated by my dear friend and mentor, Congresswoman Diane Watson. Today the Congresswoman, City Controller Wendy Greuel, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and a group of grassroots leaders will join me at a press conference announcing my campaign, and I hope you can support me as well.    Read more »

More

2.04.2010
Initiative Would Strip the Attorney General and the Legislature of Power to Write Ballot Title and Summary

Initiative Would Strip the Attorney General and the Legislature of Power to Write Ballot Title and Summary

An initiative awaiting an official title and summary from Attorney General Jerry Brown would transfer the job of creating ballot descriptions to the Legislative Analyst.

The “21st Century Ballot Reform Act” would also forbid the Legislature from writing ballot titles and summaries as well.

Brown – and the Democratic majority Legislature — has been criticized for slanting the title and summary of several ballot measures.    Read more »

More

2.01.2010
New Poll Offers Foretaste of Tone in Attorney General Race

New Poll Offers Foretaste of Tone in Attorney General Race

In a foreshadowing of the tone of next year’s race to become California Attorney General, the Ted Lieu campaign released a poll February 1 showing him competing favorably with one of the GOP contenders, Steve Cooley, the district attorney of Los Angeles County. 

Commissioned by Leiu’s campaign, the poll of 500 likely voters notes that 41 percent of Democratic voters are still undecided and that San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has a slight early lead at 19 percent.    Read more »

More

1.28.2010
Tax ‘Em If You Got ‘Em: Marijuana Measure Files Signatures

Tax ‘Em If You Got ‘Em: Marijuana Measure Files Signatures

California moved a step closer to legalizing marijuana January 28 as proponents of a measure to regulate and tax the drug submitted approximately 700,000 signatures to place the proposal on the November ballot.

The “Regulate, Control, Tax Cannabis” initiative requires 434,000 valid signatures to be placed before voters.

The initiative says one of its purposes is to “regulate cannabis like we do alcohol: Allow adults to possess and consumer small amounts of cannabis.”    Read more »

More

1.14.2010
Tom Campbell — From GOP Governor’s Race to U.S. Senate

Tom Campbell — From GOP Governor’s Race to U.S. Senate

Dear friend 

I write today first with a sincere word of thanks. Your encouragement for my candidacy for Governor in California has been personally, deeply rewarding. 

I initially made the decision to run for Governor because I believe that my level of record of public service (especially on the state budget), and my willingness to present specific, pragmatic solutions to our most pressing problems would enable me to help chart a better course for our state.     Read more »

More

12.28.2009
Independent Voters a Key Predictor of 2010 Election Results

Independent Voters a Key Predictor of 2010 Election Results

As the 2010 election year nears, some of the outcome can predicted by examining the views of independent voters.

Independent voters, those who decline to state a party preference are the only growing bloc of voters in California, now representing 20 percent of the state’s 15.7 million registered voters.

Their support is numerically necessary to elect a Republican governor, as Gov.    Read more »

More

12.21.2009
A Look at the Complicated Constitutional Convention Plan Likely Headed for the November 2010 Ballot — Part Two

A Look at the Complicated Constitutional Convention Plan Likely Headed for the November 2010 Ballot — Part Two

Of competing proposals to call a constitutional convention, “The Call for a Citizen’s Limited Constitutional Convention” is the most likely to appear on next year’s November ballot.

It’s 16, largely single-space, pages detail a complicated and sometimes contradictory methodology for choosing some 465 delegates who would attend a convention with a budget of $95 million that must begin no later than June 3, 2011, exercise limited power to change the constitution and be paid a $95,000 salary until the convention ends, no later than July 1, 2012.    Read more »

More