A powerplant at sunset. (Photo: David Crockett)OPINION: Last week, politicians congratulated themselves on passing SB 32 – the climate change bill that aggressively extends and expands greenhouse gas emission reductions for the next 13 years—until 2030. Unfortunately, for Californians like you and me, this bill will result in ever-increasing cost burdens on businesses and employees throughout the state.
The Los Angeles skyline late at night. (Photo: Songquang Deng, via Shutterstock)Where are the Southern Californians? We are at the beginning of the run-up to the 2016 political season; candidates and potential candidates for statewide office are beginning to make their presence known. But where are the candidates from the land of palm trees and Valley Girls? An outside observer could be forgiven for thinking Northern Californians are taking over the state’s politics, given the outsized disparity between Southern California’s population and its candidate offerings.
Dear Big Daddy,
Why don’t more legislators become governors? They are all ambitious politicians, aren’t they?
–Curious in Cucamonga
Pop singer Coolio performs at last year's Back to Session Bash. A decade ago, the first Back to Session Bash drew 270 people, mostly political junkies, who wanted to party and celebrate the beginning of the legislative year. Which they did, loudly. Thus, a tradition was born. Each year, the party lovers come into their own and this week, the 10th anniversary Bash will be held Thursday. It promises to be a real blowout.
OPINION: Sadly as we witness the Affordable Care Act unfold, we’re seeing the exact opposite. We’re finding “mom and pop” small businesses – indeed, our leading job creators – not just marginalized, but much of the time left out of the discussion altogether.
California Assembly chamber. Photo: David MonniauxAn unprecedented class of freshmen legislators is wading into the waters of California governance. “Most freshmen classes, Republicans and Democrats, come in with great ideas on how they’re going to change the institution, but ultimately the institution changes them,” said Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga, the chairman of the California Republican Party who served as his party leader in both houses of the Legislator.
California is the most ethnically diverse place in the world. From corner to corner, across its coastline, valleys, deserts and mountains there is just about every type of voter in the state. From the strong Republican rural communities along the Nevada border to urban Democrats in Los Angeles and San Francisco the state typifies diversity.