“What’s the first thing you would you do to fix the Capitol’s structural mess? Simple-majority vote for budgets and taxes? Eliminate term limits? Open primaries? Part-time Legislature? Something else?

Public floggings.

Open primaries.

All of the above. And then get a Governor who’s actually into the job rather

“What do you think will happen next Tuesday with the ballot propositions? If they fail, then what?”

They will just barely pass, but it won’t be enough to get the state back to even….

The first five will fail. Maldanado’s ransom will pass. Maldonado will then try to take credit

“The governor says it’s time for a debate on legalizing marijuana. What do you think?”

Judging by his press releases, I thought he was already high.

This is where the left and the right will come together. The true Libertarians on the Republican side and the liberals on the far

“Will Abel Maldonado pull an Arlen Specter? Would he? Should he? Could he?”

I know Arlen Specter. Arlen Specter is a friend of mine…and believe me, he’s no Arlen Specter

No, he’ll wait to be appointed lieutenant governor if Garamendi wins CD 10. And the Senate would probably confirm him

“Rep. Jane Harman reportedly was overheard on a NSA wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department to reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee. Is Harman’s political career over?”

If Harman has a plausible defense, she may survive. Otherwise, Harman

“How would you assess Antonio Villaraigosa’s chances of being elected governor in 2010? Why?”

Zero. Jerry Brown.

Zero.  His base is the Latino community and they don’t appreciate his philandering.

Good, if he can keep his pants zipped. The more important question is whether the Legislature can work

“Is there really a new tax revolt brewing, as some media accounts suggest? Thirty-one years after Proposition 13 was approved, is a new anti-tax plan headed to the ballot?”

Don’t underestimate the outrage of ordinary people over state leaders’ unwillingness or inability to solve budget problems without more taxes.

Democrats

“Don Perata is running for mayor of Oakland — a job he’s always wanted. Can he beat Ron Dellums? Why or why not?”

If there is a white guy in the 510 who could be mayor, it would be Don Perata.

Depends on whether or not he’s indicted.

“For the anti-Proposition 1A people, the question is, where’s the money? Will Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner and others who publicly oppose 1A actually open up their wallets?”

Possibly. They need to check in with their leader, Jon Fleischman. They will do what he instructs them to do — drink the Kool-Aid, put

"The only thing certain about the federal stimulus package is that nobody in Sacramento knows how much money will actually come here. Why all the secrecy? Deliberate smoke-and-mirrors or just governmental incompetence? "

Well, I usually try to deliver the most cynical reply to these surveys. But here, we have a bunch of projects