The Contra Costa Times recently ran an article about California Democratic leaders putting pressure on Democrats who are supporting the Voters First Initiative to toe the party line. There has been an “attempt to bring everybody into line” now that the state party has come out against the redistricting measure, said Kathay Feng, the measure’s… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Rose Report
Johnson on Recalls
According to an article in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, a local businessman is considering leading a recall petition against three city council members in Baldwin Park. Rose Fellow Doug Johnson was quoted on the difficulty of recall elections: “It’s very hard,” said Douglas Johnson, a fellow with the Rose Institute of State and Local… Continue Reading
Pennsylvania State Rep. Jake Wheatley Criticizes State Redistricting Reform Bill
In a recent opinion piece in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jake Wheatley, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, criticized the redistricting reform brewing in the Pennsylvania legislature. He takes issue with the lack of concern for the racial makeup of the Pennsylvania’s elected officials. I am deeply concerned with the impact such legislation would have… Continue Reading
Santa Cruz Sentinel Joins Rank of Papers Endorsing Voters First Initiative
In a recent editorial, the Santa Cruz Sentinel endorsed the Voters First Initiative. The paper becomes one of a bunch of papers statewide that have endorsed the initiative including the San Jose Mercury News, Fresno Bee, the Torrance Daily Breeze, San Diego Union Tribune, LA Daily News, North County Times, Stockton Record, San Gabriel Valley… Continue Reading
Pitney on Obama Forfeiting Public Financing
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune recently ran an article on the subject of Obama turning down public financing in favor of a self financed campaign. Professor Pitney is quoted in the article, which addresses some of the risks involved for Obama in choosing to opt-out of public financing. Said John Pitney, a professor at Claremont McKenna College:… Continue Reading
Democrat Steve Chessin on Redistricting
Steve Chessin, a member of the California Democratic Party Executive Board has a piece at the California Progress Report supporting the Voters First Initiative. While acknowledging that Voters First may not deliver all it promises, he supports the reform effort: Experience with redistricting reform in other states shows that it doesn’t change much. A few… Continue Reading
Taxpayer Advocate Believes Flaws Exist in “Voters First!”
PolitikerCa.Com ran an article mentioning that Ted Costa, CEO of People’s Advocate, a government watchdog organization, finds that the “Voters First!” initiative has flaws that make it not as effective as claimed. He believes that the initiative would have to be amended in the future to reach its full potential. Costa said he’s concerned about… Continue Reading
California Part of “Dirty Dozen” on Redistricting
According to George Skelton of the Los Angeles Times, the Democratic Leadership Council has named California as being among twelve states whose gerrymandering of elections has suppressed voter turnout. The Democratic Leadership Council came to fame around the time Bill Clinton was running for office as an organization of moderate democrats promoting “the third way”… Continue Reading
Pitney on Obama and Independent Voters
The Christian Science Monitor recently ran an article on the subject of independent voters and the 2008 election. The article analyzes the challenges and advantages each candidate has in the race. Pitney addresses Obama’s current 4% lead in national polls: The narrowness of his lead “is a sign that the public isn’t quite comfortable with… Continue Reading
Pitney on Ron Paul Conceding
A quote from Professor Pitney recently appeared in a Los Angeles Times article on the subject of whether Ron Paul will concede the Republican Presidential race. Pitney comments on whether Ron Paul might cause a schism in the Republican party: “It depends on his definition of libertarianism, which is a very elastic term,” said John… Continue Reading