Bartlett Cleland

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California and a Global Standard for Innovation

Even though the state has slipped in the rankings over the past several years, California is still an innovation hub with an economy that is firmly grounded in innovative industries from videogames to internet, and technology hardware to movies. There are nearly 43 technology jobs per 1000 people in California.  ...
Blog

Of Dumb Privacy Laws and Smart Speakers

Over the last couple of years, several state legislatures have considered online privacy legislation. Most of these efforts failed, including in California, but the misguided effort was brought back by a San Francisco real estate developer, Alastair MacTaggart, with no expertise in privacy law or legislation. He spent his millions ...
Blog

California “Data Dividend” Plan Would Hurt Consumers, Increase Government Power

Earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a so-called “data dividend” because, he says, “California’s consumers should also be able to share in the wealth that is created from their data…” The Governor provided almost no details then, and few to none since, but the idea seems to suffer from ...
California

Private Rail is a Promising Alternative to California’s High-Speed Train Wreck

Two years ago, the Trump administration rated infrastructure improvement as one of its key goals. While not much has happened since then, the president did raise the issue again in his State of the Union address. This prompted Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to write, “to keep pace with the ...
Blog

Techno Theatre of the Absurd

Washington, DC is currently in the grips of techno dystopian group think. Lobbyists and activists with something to gain, and politicians looking to reap rewards, have dreamt up an absurd imagined society where there is great injustice caused by technology. The assertions are that technology is evil, that it biases ...
Business & Economics

After 20 Years, the Feds Need to Stop Holding Up Wi-Fi for Automated Cars

Remember 1999? Yes, it was a memorable year thanks to the Prince song. But, the last year of the 20th century is also noted for the launch of MySpace, the announcement of Blue Tooth, the rage that was Napster, and the panic over Y2K and the millennium bug. We also remember ...
Business & Economics

Let’s Hope a Trade Agreement with Xi Jinping Is In The Works

Americans of all stripes should be able to unite in support of trade. It’s fundamental to a diverse and healthy economy. Robust U.S. trade relationships around the world are also critical to the national economy. That’s especially true in California. The state leads the country in exports, totaling $171.9 billion ...
California

California’s New Privacy Law is No Model for the Nation

The fundamental problem of defining privacy is the same as defining obscenity. What is an outrage to one person is no big deal to another. Justice Potter Stewart said it best in his concurrence in the landmark case on obscenity (Jacobellis v. Ohio): “I shall not today attempt further to ...
California

During Net Neutrality “Pause,” Lawmakers Should Think Twice and Repeal Misguided Law

On Friday, Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to temporarily delay implementation of California’s so-called “net neutrality” law while a federal lawsuit moves forward in the courts. California lawmakers would be wise to seize the opportunity from this time out to repeal this ...
Business & Economics

Will California Residents Begin Paying North Dakota Taxes Too?

A Supreme Court case to be decided by the end of June could require California residents to pay taxes to a variety states, counties, cities and even mosquito abatement districts across the country. South Dakota v. Wayfair is a case that asks whether there are limits on state taxing authority or ...
Blog

California and a Global Standard for Innovation

Even though the state has slipped in the rankings over the past several years, California is still an innovation hub with an economy that is firmly grounded in innovative industries from videogames to internet, and technology hardware to movies. There are nearly 43 technology jobs per 1000 people in California.  ...
Blog

Of Dumb Privacy Laws and Smart Speakers

Over the last couple of years, several state legislatures have considered online privacy legislation. Most of these efforts failed, including in California, but the misguided effort was brought back by a San Francisco real estate developer, Alastair MacTaggart, with no expertise in privacy law or legislation. He spent his millions ...
Blog

California “Data Dividend” Plan Would Hurt Consumers, Increase Government Power

Earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a so-called “data dividend” because, he says, “California’s consumers should also be able to share in the wealth that is created from their data…” The Governor provided almost no details then, and few to none since, but the idea seems to suffer from ...
California

Private Rail is a Promising Alternative to California’s High-Speed Train Wreck

Two years ago, the Trump administration rated infrastructure improvement as one of its key goals. While not much has happened since then, the president did raise the issue again in his State of the Union address. This prompted Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to write, “to keep pace with the ...
Blog

Techno Theatre of the Absurd

Washington, DC is currently in the grips of techno dystopian group think. Lobbyists and activists with something to gain, and politicians looking to reap rewards, have dreamt up an absurd imagined society where there is great injustice caused by technology. The assertions are that technology is evil, that it biases ...
Business & Economics

After 20 Years, the Feds Need to Stop Holding Up Wi-Fi for Automated Cars

Remember 1999? Yes, it was a memorable year thanks to the Prince song. But, the last year of the 20th century is also noted for the launch of MySpace, the announcement of Blue Tooth, the rage that was Napster, and the panic over Y2K and the millennium bug. We also remember ...
Business & Economics

Let’s Hope a Trade Agreement with Xi Jinping Is In The Works

Americans of all stripes should be able to unite in support of trade. It’s fundamental to a diverse and healthy economy. Robust U.S. trade relationships around the world are also critical to the national economy. That’s especially true in California. The state leads the country in exports, totaling $171.9 billion ...
California

California’s New Privacy Law is No Model for the Nation

The fundamental problem of defining privacy is the same as defining obscenity. What is an outrage to one person is no big deal to another. Justice Potter Stewart said it best in his concurrence in the landmark case on obscenity (Jacobellis v. Ohio): “I shall not today attempt further to ...
California

During Net Neutrality “Pause,” Lawmakers Should Think Twice and Repeal Misguided Law

On Friday, Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to temporarily delay implementation of California’s so-called “net neutrality” law while a federal lawsuit moves forward in the courts. California lawmakers would be wise to seize the opportunity from this time out to repeal this ...
Business & Economics

Will California Residents Begin Paying North Dakota Taxes Too?

A Supreme Court case to be decided by the end of June could require California residents to pay taxes to a variety states, counties, cities and even mosquito abatement districts across the country. South Dakota v. Wayfair is a case that asks whether there are limits on state taxing authority or ...
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