See Ted Johnson’s article in Politico, entitled “California Can’t Get No Respect.” “If you are running a presidential campaign, Iowa and New Hampshire still count for a lot more, psychologically, than California,†said Jack Pitney, professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College. “The key is the definition of victory. If it is a matter of… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Archive
State Budgets: Good Times Slightly Worsening
An AP report by Andrew Welsh-Huggins on three new analyses of state budgets is making the rounds today. The above graph is from an outfit called the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The press release for the National Council of State Legislatures’ Budget Update says: Continue Reading
Republicans and the Voter’s FIRST Initiative
Thus far Ted Costa as well as Reps. Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy have come out against the Voter’s First redistricting reform initiative while, along with the Governor, the conservative California Republican Assembly has voiced support. Today Mike Schroeder, a former Chairman of the California Republican Party and prominent Orange County Republican, supports the measure… Continue Reading
Dr. Rossum on the Gerrymandering Hall of Shame
The Rose Institute’s “Gerrymandering Hall of Shame” simply provides maps of California Assembly, Senate, and Congressional districts in 1991 and 2001. By looking at these maps, one can easily see how these districts changed because of the bipartisan gerrymandering of the state legislature in 2001. A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento, Bill Cavala… Continue Reading
Redistricting Roundup
Republican Reps. Devin Nunes of Visalia and Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield just got approval from the FEC to “raise cash in $20,000 chunks to oppose” the Voter’s FIRST redistricting reform initiative, as Michael Doyle’s recent Sacramento Bee article reports: “The threshold question is whether the funds are in connection with an election for federal office,”… Continue Reading
Bill Cavala and the Redistricting Hall of Fame
My thanks to Bill Cavala for highlighting the Rose Institute’s “Redistricting Hall of Shame” website. Mr. Cavala clearly considers the maps posted on that site noteworthy enough to make it the latest target in his series of anti-reform columns. In our gallery of 18 districts, Bill only takes issue with one, AD 7. And he… Continue Reading
Dr. Pitney on Feinstein's Fire Zoning Proposals
From Duane W. Gang’s article in the Press Enterprise: Jack Pitney, a Claremont McKenna College government professor, said local officials might resent Feinstein’s push to act but it could prove effective.”I think many will want to act on their own rather than have Washington intervene,” Pitney said. “I would look at what has happened in… Continue Reading
CRA: Another Step for Voters First
The California Voters First effort put in place a significant piece of its election puzzle with the nearly unanimous endorsement of the California Republican Assembly. This endorsement highlights the grassroots nature of this effort: while the party leaders on both sides hold back, the grassroots are getting riled up. This measure’s “Six Steps to Independence”… Continue Reading
Dr. Pitney on Immigration and '08
From Steve Geissinger’s article in the San Jose Mercury News: “Much of the debate has been about ‘Gotcha!’ instead of substance,” said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College. “On immigration, Republicans spend a great deal of time with such matters as the illegals who worked on Romney’s mansion. On Iraq, Democrats… Continue Reading
“Californians call shots, set agenda in the 110th”
So runs the title of Jonathan E. Kaplan’s article in The Hill: Californians have “infiltrated all the different power centers in the House so they heavily influence the dialogue,†former Democratic Whip Tony Coelho (Calif.) said. *** The Bay Area Californians have known each other their entire professional lives from having served in the California… Continue Reading