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Agriculture
What We’re Watching – August 7
Evan Harris – 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II It’s a somber anniversary, but 75 years ago this week, the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. As a fan of military history, American use of nuclear ...
Blog
An Assembly Bill 5 Update
Humorist Will Rogers regularly uttered world-class comments, but few of his eminently quotable remarks can compete with his observation that a deadlocked Congress which can’t act “is the greatest blessing that could befall this country.” It’s tempting to say the same about California’s Legislature. But it’s back, having reconvened on ...
Blog
Racial Quotas Could Be Mandated for California Companies
Last year, California became the first state to mandate women on corporate boards. Now the legislature wants to make California the first state to require racial quotas. Assembly Bill 979 introduced by Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) and Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) forces companies to appoint board members from “under-represented communities” by ...
Blog
Let the Legislature’s End of Session Games Begin
As the calendar shifts into August, there’s less than a month to go in the wildest legislative session in recent memory. The turning of the calendar also marks the return of the Legislature’s annual end-of-session games. No, I’m not talking about “legislative bingo” (which is a real thing where legislators ...
Blog
Lawmakers Finally Begin to Question Governor’s Executive Powers
A recent survey, conducted by researchers from Harvard and other universities, found that Governor Gavin Newsom’s approval rating had fallen significantly due to the COVID-19 crisis. As Newsom’s actions provoke increasing opposition from Californians, lawmakers are finally beginning to ask tough questions and demand legislative oversight. State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley ...
Blog
What We’re Watching – July 31
Rowena Itchon – A Tribute to Herman Cain https://youtu.be/2qeFfGpJ2m8 Kerry Jackson – Ricky Gervais gives the ‘cancel culture cretins’ a massive serve “Just because you’re offended, doesn’t make you right,” comedian Ricky Gervais says. He could have also said that just because you’re offended, it doesn’t give you the right to ...
Blog
California Nightmarin’
It would be neither profound nor unique to note that the California dream, immortalized by John and Michelle Phillips’ famed lyrics, ain’t what it used to be. It would be nothing more than a mere statement of a fact which is well-known but nevertheless denied by those who have taken ...
Blog
Nine California Statues Vandalized or Removed
There have been countless times when I’ve walked by a shapeless, twisting sculpture on public property and shuddered at the thought of how much it cost taxpayers. But it never occurred to me to take a sledgehammer and “cancel” the object d’art. Last time I checked, it was against the ...
Blog
High on Spending, Light on Stimulus: Legislative Democrats Propose $100 Billion Borrowing Plan
This week in Washington, Democrats and Republicans are squabbling over the next economic stimulus package. Republicans have proposed a roughly $1 trillion plan, while Speaker Pelosi is pushing a $3 trillion plan. The partisan haggling and negotiations via shuttle diplomacy have already begun. Upon returning from their summer recess, Sacramento ...
Blog
CalPERS and CalSTRS Annual Returns Latest Public Pension Crisis Warning Sign
The COVID-19 recession has fueled volatility in the financial markets. Investment portfolios saw sharp drops in March and April but have rebounded recently as the economy opened up in some areas. This volatility has negatively impacted public pension funds. The Sacramento Bee reported last week that, “California’s pension fund for ...
What We’re Watching – August 7
Evan Harris – 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II It’s a somber anniversary, but 75 years ago this week, the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. As a fan of military history, American use of nuclear ...
An Assembly Bill 5 Update
Humorist Will Rogers regularly uttered world-class comments, but few of his eminently quotable remarks can compete with his observation that a deadlocked Congress which can’t act “is the greatest blessing that could befall this country.” It’s tempting to say the same about California’s Legislature. But it’s back, having reconvened on ...
Racial Quotas Could Be Mandated for California Companies
Last year, California became the first state to mandate women on corporate boards. Now the legislature wants to make California the first state to require racial quotas. Assembly Bill 979 introduced by Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) and Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) forces companies to appoint board members from “under-represented communities” by ...
Let the Legislature’s End of Session Games Begin
As the calendar shifts into August, there’s less than a month to go in the wildest legislative session in recent memory. The turning of the calendar also marks the return of the Legislature’s annual end-of-session games. No, I’m not talking about “legislative bingo” (which is a real thing where legislators ...
Lawmakers Finally Begin to Question Governor’s Executive Powers
A recent survey, conducted by researchers from Harvard and other universities, found that Governor Gavin Newsom’s approval rating had fallen significantly due to the COVID-19 crisis. As Newsom’s actions provoke increasing opposition from Californians, lawmakers are finally beginning to ask tough questions and demand legislative oversight. State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley ...
What We’re Watching – July 31
Rowena Itchon – A Tribute to Herman Cain https://youtu.be/2qeFfGpJ2m8 Kerry Jackson – Ricky Gervais gives the ‘cancel culture cretins’ a massive serve “Just because you’re offended, doesn’t make you right,” comedian Ricky Gervais says. He could have also said that just because you’re offended, it doesn’t give you the right to ...
California Nightmarin’
It would be neither profound nor unique to note that the California dream, immortalized by John and Michelle Phillips’ famed lyrics, ain’t what it used to be. It would be nothing more than a mere statement of a fact which is well-known but nevertheless denied by those who have taken ...
Nine California Statues Vandalized or Removed
There have been countless times when I’ve walked by a shapeless, twisting sculpture on public property and shuddered at the thought of how much it cost taxpayers. But it never occurred to me to take a sledgehammer and “cancel” the object d’art. Last time I checked, it was against the ...
High on Spending, Light on Stimulus: Legislative Democrats Propose $100 Billion Borrowing Plan
This week in Washington, Democrats and Republicans are squabbling over the next economic stimulus package. Republicans have proposed a roughly $1 trillion plan, while Speaker Pelosi is pushing a $3 trillion plan. The partisan haggling and negotiations via shuttle diplomacy have already begun. Upon returning from their summer recess, Sacramento ...
CalPERS and CalSTRS Annual Returns Latest Public Pension Crisis Warning Sign
The COVID-19 recession has fueled volatility in the financial markets. Investment portfolios saw sharp drops in March and April but have rebounded recently as the economy opened up in some areas. This volatility has negatively impacted public pension funds. The Sacramento Bee reported last week that, “California’s pension fund for ...
