You Gotta Love, California Politics

h/t: r2witco

California's Quick Tumble

John Cole is sick of California budget politics and says "Let [California] Burn." Hours later he returned to say he was right with the prescription, but wrong with the prognosis:

“The California Constitution has been amended or revised more than 500 times. It is now 157 pages. “

That just strikes me as a recipe for fail. Additionally, I learned that you all have term limits, so not only does it only take a 50+1 vote to increase spending and a 2/3 vote to raise money to pay for things, you also have special interests doing bond initiatives for anything that blows their trumpet, property tax laws that make no sense, and then to compound everything, people have no problem raising spending because when the shit hits the fan, they will have been term limited out and it is someone else’s problem. Then, the new people coming in to replace them have no experience and no authority and no way to fix it and the voters all hate them.

Pretty awesome.

You've got to respect someone who acknowledges when they're wrong and isn't afraid to do some research.

John pointed me to one of my new favorite blogs, Calitics, who takes the prognosis one step further:

The video features Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, Chair of the Budget Committee, breaking down the root of the evolving California budget crisis. It's an important watch, regardless of your party affiliation or ideology.

What's next?

As the notion of California as ungovernable grows stronger than ever, Mr. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has expressed support for a convention to address such things as the state’s arcane budget requirements and its process for proliferate ballot initiatives, both of which necessitated Tuesday’s statewide vote on budget matters approved months ago by state lawmakers.

“There could not be more of a tipping point,” said Jim Wunderman, chief executive of the Bay Area Council, a business group that moved forward on Wednesday with plans to push for a constitutional convention. “We think the interest is going to grow by orders of magnitude now.”

The constitutional convention would be must see TV. It looks to be the best solution to this mess.

A True Class Act: Andre Ward

Sports columnist Monte Poole is the best thing the Oakland Tribune has going for it.

It really is that simple.

He brings it once again with a profile of 2004 gold medal boxer and Oakland native Andre Ward.

Ward was the highlight of the '04 Summer Olympics. It turns out Ward is an even better person than he is a fighter:

Ward, however, won't compromise. He politely declines to talk trash even when provoked. And that's what Miranda is trying to do. He did it during a recent news conference and can't resist doing it whenever he finds an outlet.

A sample: "Andre Ward has never been in the ring with a fighter like me; he hasn't fought anyone talented. If there is one thing you notice about Andre's fights, he's always running."

Another sample: "Andre doesn't have the heart of a champion. He is holding onto his one achievement: the Olympic gold medal. But that is all he will ever achieve."

A third: "I feel sorry for Dan Goossen to have invested so much money in such an untalented fighter."

This is not atypical of boxers seeking attention. Whether showmanship or cheap chatter, it's designed to attract publicity and stir pre-fight promotion.

Ward responds with a shrug. If the immensely popular Manny Pacquiao doesn't need to swagger and boast, why should he?

"My kids are in this audience. My wife is here," Ward said after Miranda's verbal performance at the news conference. "So I'm going to continue to stand with integrity. And that's part of the reason I want to be an ambassador to the sport, because people expect fighters to do this.

I doubt I'll be able to make it to Ward's hometown debut May 16, but any locals should consider supporting this great boxer and great person.
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Now playing: Broken Social Scene - Almost Crimes (Acoustic)

Headline of the Day 02.05.09

You've got to love small towns. I grew up in Pacific Grove, and reading this doesn't surprise me one bit.

"P.G. says miniature horse OK"

Pacific Grove is still referred to as "The Last Hometown." Check out our Wikipedia. It's an interesting read. And if you're ever vacationing in California, Pacific Grove is worth a day of your time.

Quote of the Day - 01.13.09

h/t Kevin Drum

QUOTE OF THE DAY....From Peter Schrag, former editorial page editor of the Sacramento Bee, on the California GOP:

With each passing day, Republicans look ever more like a suicidal cult than a political party.

As noted here, bipartisan gerrymandering has relegated CA Republicans to protected districts thus moderation is nonexistent. Preach on, Mr. Schrag. But the only power they have is on taxes, with a 3/4 majority needed to raise taxes in CA. They are an obsolete political party.

California Less Progressive Than Oregon?

A friend yesterday asked when Oregon became so progressive and California fell to the wayside? It took me a second, but then I realized it wasn't that OR is more progressive, quite the opposite. It's that OR is less partisan and Republicans are more moderate.

Bipartisan gerrymandering in CA is at an all time high, which leaves seats protected and inhibits more moderate representatives from winning them. This has caused much of budget gridlock and even more of the rancor that's surrounded a moderate Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When districts are aligned so tightly on partisan lines, it makes pushing social, even moderate social issues more difficult. Pockets of CA are much more progressive than any part of OR. The Bay Area, for example.

As for electing a openly gay mayor in CA.

It could happen in SF, Oakland, Los Angeles, or San Jose, but only if the candidate also fell in line with the California Democratic Party. Vallejo almost elected Gary Cloutier as the Bay Area's first openly gay mayor in 2007. Cloutier was sworn in before a recount showed Osby Davis won by less than five votes.
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Now playing: The Roots - I Remain Calm

At Least Someone Wants the Job

Two articles, historically, well, depends what you consider historically, badly managed programs. Cal hasn't been to the Rose Bowl in 50 years. The 49ers haven't won the Super Bowl since '94 or made the playoffs since 2002.

Jeff Tedford has turned it around at Cal, winning 5 of 6 bowl games and the highest winning percentage ever, all the while playing in ans recruiting for horrible facilities. When I hear he wants to stick around, I say, "hallelujah!" I hope he does stick around to 2015.

And now Mike Singletary, who dramatically turned this dreadful season around, wants complete control of the 49ers. Again, I say, "hallelujah!" Give it to the man. The 49ers were turning into the dreadful Oakland Raiders before he took over.

With the track records of these teams/programs, I just hope they don't screw it up.
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Now playing: Palace Brothers - Come a Little Dog

CA Budget Crisis Takes Next Step

We knew the day was coming. With an impending deficit of as much as $40 billion common logic could predict severe cuts and tax increases. Remember those cuts Krugman vented about yesterday?

State Controller John Chiang warned today that unless a budget solution comes to fruition shortly, the state will start issuing IOU's.

"Without immediate cash solutions or the ability to borrow billions from the strained financial markets, the state controller's office has no choice but to pursue the deferral of potentially billions of dollars in payments and/or the issuance of ... IOUs," Chiang wrote in a letter to state agencies."

Whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature figure it out is anyone's game.

This is How We Roll

This is more like it. Sunday SFGate lightly glossed over the roles many Californians will play in the Obama administration. Today the Washington Post digs in and shows why the Chronicle is severely lacking as a paper. The WaPo covers three of the most important Californians in D.C, all of which the Chronicle left out, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep Henry Waxman and Senator Barbara Boxer.

"It's unique in terms of the power of this state in modern times," said James A. Thurber, who directs the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University. To find another example of a state wielding such national influence, Thurber had to reach back to Texas in the 1950s, when Sam Rayburn was the House speaker and Lyndon B. Johnson was the Senate majority leader."

Waxman pushed out Rep. John D. Dingell earlier this year to head the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This new authority will give Waxman the ability to morph federal environmental laws that had been hindered by Dingell's loyalty to the Michigan car industry.

The money quote:

"It's not a question of passing new landmark laws," Boxer said. "It's a matter of getting these agencies back in gear. We have great tools, but they have not been functioning. For the past eight years, they've been sitting idle. The Californians coming, they don't have to rewrite the laws. They just have to enforce them. It's like the EPA has been asleep for eight years. The Californians are coming to wake the sleeping beauty."

Boxer's not telling the full truth. They know full well they want to enact policy change. The most likely coming in a cap and trade system that Obama ran on. It's sometimes difficult for Californians to forget the rest of the country doesn't have the same priorities as we do. But this is where Pelosi comes in. Dems still want to stay in power. It'll be entertaining watching it all unfold.

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Now playing: Erykah Badu - The Healer

"Slick" Willie Bombs as a Columnist

For someone who rarely has a boring thing to say, "Slick" Willie Brown sure writes a boring column. Willie was the keynote speaker at the Boys State I attended. Prior to Obama's keynote at the 2004 convention, then CA State Assembly Speaker, Willie's speech was the best I'd heard. This was long before he became "Da Mayor." He had the boys standing and cheering. I'd like to think the column is the the fault of over editing. Let's us just hope so.
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Now playing: Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running

California Love

Obama loves California, and California loves Obama. That's the gist of "Obama taps California's political talent" in today's SF Chronicle. One thing that confused me, though, was that the reporter some how left Speaker Pelosi, the most powerful Californian in Washington, DC, out of the article completely.

Bay Area residents have grown to take for granted Pelosi. If anything, many continue to be frustrated with her for not at least attempting to impeach Bush. Comment sections on most political articles usually end up with anti-Pelosi tirades. Whatever the reason for her exclusion from the article, nothing on President-elect docket will get through Congress without the help of Speaker Pelosi.
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Now playing: Amanda Palmer - Guitar Hero

Mom, I'm sorry. I'll be better. I promise.

Rich Bucher at ESPN.com has a great profile of Stephen Jackson today. Most sports fans will always remember him for brawling and shooting his way out of Indianapolis. Once Jackson arrived here in Oakland he's been on his best behavior. Jackson along with his mother are helping out families back home in Port Arthur, TX.

It's worth a read just to know redemption is possible and even grown men can turn their lives around.

WaPo Has it Just About Right

For those of you that are unaware, California is about to be flat broke. Yes, if the Governator and the Dems don't find a compromise on the 18 billion dollar impasse, Calif., will be out of money in two months.

Yesterday the Huffington Post headlined the front page "CA Bankrupt." The AP article that followed had a tamer headline "CALIFORNIA BROKE? State Could Run Out Of Money In Two Months, Says Official." While alarmist that doesn't make it untrue. The AP has been busy concern trolling recently so it's hard to take much of what they do seriously.

The Huff Post article gives a run down of the soap opera unfolding in Sacramento. Revenue needs to be increased, Republicans refuse ot raise taxes, Dems want to find a tricky work around that at may or may not be legal and Republicans refuse to meet to work it out.

The money quote:

"I prefer having my Republican friends at the table, and I prefer to get a two-thirds vote. But we do need revenue increases," he said. "To save California, I'm forced to negotiate just with the Democrats. This is the situation I am forced in because of lack of participation by the Republicans."

The Washington Post takes a more even keel and less brash look at the same issue by exploring the structural issues at hand and the reason for repeated drama in Sacramento.

Again with the money quote:

Yet students of California politics say both sides are prisoners of a system that constrains decision-makers while encouraging short-term conflict. Every state is required to balance its budget, but California is one of three that require a two-thirds majority for any tax increase.

If the parties got along, this would not be an insurmountable challenge. But state law encourages political polarization by allowing lawmakers to draw their own districts, which results in few competitive races except in primaries, in which strict adherence to partisan ideology is most likely to be rewarded. In the budget negotiations, for instance, GOP lawmakers are sidelined by their vow as a group never to raise taxes.

Much could be done if all parties would get involved. But then again, this is California and we're bound to repeat ourselves over and over again.

California Dreamin'

Attorney General Jerry Brown was a horrible mayor of Oakland. Not that the current Mayor Ron Dellums has been any better. But I've always been under the impression that both men were not successful for the same reason.

The minutiae of running the mayors office was just too small time for them. They both are visionaries, of their own right, and see big picture issues. Dealing the day-to-day responsibilities, along with their own over sized egos, was never going to be easy for either men.

This became even more evident with today's news that Brown asked the CA Supreme Court to over turn Prop 8. Brown understands that it was never the intention of the state constitution's author to allow right to be taken away from the minority group by a simple majority vote.

Money quotes below from SFgate:

"'We have a conflict between the amendment power (through voter initiatives) and the duty of the Supreme Court to protect minorities and safeguard liberty," Brown said...

Fundamental rights in the state Constitution, including the right to marry that the state's high court has recognized, "become a dead letter if they can just be amended" by popular vote, Brown said."

And for those that remember Kenneth Starr of Whitewater and Lewinsky fame, he's heading the yes on Prop 8 legal team. Would this guy please just go away?