From George Skelton’s column in the Los Angeles Times: Their original lofty strategy was a winner: Team the term limits measure with redistricting reform that stripped legislators of the power to draw their own districts, an indefensible conflict of interest. Meanwhile, chalk up some significant achievements in 2007: reform healthcare, upgrade waterworks, pass an honestly… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Rose Report
The California Republican Divide
I took a look at the Republican Presidential election returns for California and found an interesting dynamic at play. McCain (according to the counting so far) has won 50 out of 53 Congressional Districts in California. But he faces a much-discussed challenge to pull the various factions of the Republican Party together if he does… Continue Reading
Local Measures; Feds Effect on State
Michael Coleman, the progenitor of the highly informative CaliforniaCityFinance.com, has a preliminary analysis of how the various types of local measures fared on the ballot yesterday. Via Dan Weintraub. Dan Walters points to the California Institute for Federal Policy Research’s analysis of the President’s 2009 Budget Request and its effect on California state agencies. Continue Reading
On CMCers and Super Tuesday
Claremont McKenna College freshman Charles Johnson’s article in the New York Sun says that last night he and his fellow students “had to content ourselves with the analysis of a beloved Claremont McKenna political science professor, Jack Pitney.” Continue Reading
First Round of 93’s Loss & Redistricting Mentions
A Sacramento Bee editorial says: Whether Proposition 93 ends up a winner or loser, it will mark a missed opportunity. Had legislative leaders coupled this measure with redistricting reform, they might have convinced many more voters to support a change in term limits. Instead, they backpedaled on promises and became obsessed with a measure that… Continue Reading
Minority Redistricting Battles
Richard E. Cohen’s article in the National Journal mentions some demographic tensions that are on the increase nationwide, but especially in the greater Los Angeles area: A usually unspoken aspect of the Democratic campaign’s dynamic, especially in urban areas, is the tension between African-American and Hispanic voters. So-called black-versus-brown conflicts have been especially pronounced in… Continue Reading
Dr. Pitney's California Super Tuesday Primer
See Pitney’s article in National Review. A summary of his six points to consider: First, for many Californians, the election has already ended. Second, while vote totals are psychologically important, presidential nominations hinge on delegate counts. Third, independents can vote in the Democratic primary, but not in the Republican one. Fourth, in spite of all… Continue Reading
Who's Gonna Show Up? UPDATED
Dan Walters wonders how many people will turn out tomorrow: It’s been decades since California played a real role in choosing presidential nominees, at least back to 1972 and perhaps 1968, depending on how one judges such things. And turnouts were much higher then, 72.2 percent in 1968 and 71 percent in 1972. But even… Continue Reading
Dr. Pitney on the Democratic Primary
From The Charlotte Observer‘s campaign analysis: “For Republicans, Super Tuesday may be the beginning of the end. For Democrats, it may only be the end of the beginning,” said John Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College in California. From Bennett Roth’s Continue Reading
Dr. Pitney on Proposition 93
From Tom Chorneau’s San Francisco Chronicle article on the recent Field Poll revealing that Prop. 93 is losing support: Political experts said that as voters became more aware of the measure and its implications, the less they liked it.”They smelled a rat,” said Jack Pitney, a professor of government and politics at Claremont McKenna College.… Continue Reading