“Given demographics and voting trends, realistically, what is the future of the Republican Party in California?”
Their immediate future (this political generation), appears to have ended in 1994 when Gov. Pete Wilson declared war on “illegal aliens.” Bye, bye, Latino vote.
Add toxic incompetence to that mix and you have another decade of decline. They
“The Battle for the City of Vernon is over. What was this fight really about? Who are the real winners and losers?”
Over? Did you say “over”? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Still not clear how this one became the fight
“Amazon, which has put another $2.25 million into its effort to repeal California’s online sales tax law through a referendum, is gambling that voters ultimately will agree to eliminate the tax. What do you think – is Amazon right or wrong?”
Right. California is already too hostile to business, the voters know this.
I’d bet
Antonio Villaraigosa for governor in 2014? What are his chances against Brown, not to mention the others who might be in the same primary – Newsom, Harris, Chiang, even Lockyer?
Brown wins. Next question.
If it’s time to contemplate 2014 let’s go long: Philandering politicians Villaraigosa and Newsom split the middle-age-males-in-crisis vote; turnout disappoints Brown
“Getting rid of term limits in conjunction with a return to a part-time Legislature. Brown’s thinking about this. What do you think?”
It’s Back to the Future … or should we say Forward to the Past! Part-time Legislatures work well in other states.
I’m betting a part-time Legislature would poll (before arguments) at about 75
“Dwindling property values are slamming the counties and, in turn, the state. Is it time, finally, to repeal Proposition 13?”
An interesting question if doing so meant property taxes would go down. If nothing else, it’s time to repeal how Prop. 13 has frozen property taxes for businesses/commercial properties.
Absolutely not. Raising taxes will increase
“What’s your take on the independent redistricting commission? Court fights, VRA problems, partisan criticism, communication issues, etc., but is it doing its job and will we be better off because of it?”
Commission was a great idea but has had poor execution. They have spent all their time determining communities of interest and have yet
“CSU raised its tuition for the second time in less than a year and approved a $100,000 salary boost for a new chief at the San Diego State campus. UC is recruiting out-of-state students because they pay more. What’s wrong with this picture?”
It’s often said that you get what you pay for. San Diego
“How about a report card for Gov. Brown after six months in office? No pass-fail here: looking for a letter grade of A through F.”
B for legislative relations, D for communications, and an E for effort.
A solid D. He spent the entire first five and a half months in office closeted in Sacramento
“A question that arises with the passage of the latest budget and next year’s elections: Are California Republicans irrelevant?”
They are close to irrelevant – and richly deserve to be so. They had a chance to negotiate some real reforms with Brown, but their ideological blinders wouldn’t let them see that in politics, you have