Letter: Support Proportional Representation for the California State Legislature (tags)
Letter to California State Legislature, asking to change our electoral system for the state legislature to elections by proportional representation.
State Legislature is where it's at (tags)
I got this bit of self-promoting spam in my mailbox, and it's a good example of a few things I want to tell my Greens.
Jewish Voice for Peace supports hate speech (tags)
At the "Jewish Voice for Peace" anti-Israel site, they urge their fans to lobby to defeat Proposition 76:
Economic Leadership and direction (tags)
economic plan
Five Minutes of Geography ? (tags)
The late Lenny Bruce once joked that the radical Right's fears about ? shock! ? sex education in the public schools were unfounded because schoolkids weren't going to come home and tell their parents, "Today at school we learned five minutes of geography and ten minutes of cocksucking." The modern-day radical Right's campaign to get rid of SB 48, a bill recently passed by the California legislature to require middle and high schools to teach the role and contributions of Queer Americans (along with Pacific Islanders and people with disabilities), is driven by a similar paranoia and a disbelief that there even are such things as Queer people ? and so far the Queer community's response to the attack on SB 48 is all too faithfully copied from the losing campaign against Proposition 8: a "coalition" made up mostly of straight people and a whiny argument about how we supposedly need "role models" to keep from drinking, drugging or suiciding.
Assemblymember Atkins Warns Queer Democrats on State Budget Cuts (tags)
California State Assemblymember Toni Atkins spoke to the predominantly Queer San Diego Democratic Club February 24 and warned of two approaching deadlines coming up in the state legislature's budget deliberations: March 6, the ending of the special budget session called by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; and March 10, the last day the legislature can vote to call a special election to extend the current state sales tax rates and vehicle licensing fees so that current Governor Jerry Brown's budget, which calls for $12.5 billion in spending cuts, can be enacted. Without that — and so far the Republican minority in the legislature has held firm to block any vote on the tax issue, which requires support from 2/3 of both houses of the legislature even to make it to the ballot — Brown and the Democratic majority will have to make $12.5 billion more in spending cuts, which will virtually end California state spending on health and welfare and eviscerate the state's already underfunded education system.
Queer Democrats Celebrate Women’s Equality Day (tags)
The predominantly Queer San Diego Democratic Club celebrated Women’s Equality Day August 27 with a program featuring the club’s women’s caucus chair Kate Lyon, California NOW president Patty Bellasalma, Congressional candidate Francine Busby and Assemblymember Lori Saldaña discussing the history of feminist activism in the U.S. and the continuing difficulty of electing women to public office. The club members also considered an initiative to impose term limits on the members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, but decided to delay taking a position on that for a month.
Does California Need a Constitutional Convention? (tags)
Does California need a constitutional convention? The question is being raised by a number of organizations, including the Bay Area Council — a group of business leaders based in the San Francisco Bay Area — and the California chapters of the League of Women Voters, Common Cause and the Mexican-American Political Association, all of whom sent representatives to an August 1 meeting that attracted an overflow crowd to the Mission Valley library. The push for a convention is driven largely by the state's inability to govern itself effectively, hamstrung by the current constitution's 2/3 vote requirement to pass a budget or raise taxes, Proposition 13, legislative term limits, legislative "safe seats" and initiatives that have put all but 7 percent of the budget outside the control of the political process.
CALIFORNIA BUDGET : DEEP CUTS FOR THE POOR, NO TAXES FOR THE RICH (tags)
The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) strongly condemns the California Legislature ( the two parties )and the Governor for the its latest assaults on all CAlifornians. The EPCC denounces the so-called compromise on the budget that added untold hardships on the people of California.
People Reject Sacramento "Solutions" -- Real Solutions Needed (tags)
On Tuesday, May 19, 2009, the people of the State of California sent a strong rebuke to the Governor and State Legislature. Propositions 1A through 1E were defeated.
The California Budget and Class War (tags)
On February 19, the California legislature, after weeks of wrangling, passed a special budget to address the historically high $42 billion deficit. It represents an unadulterated washout for working people who are attacked on almost every front by the Democratic Party, which controls a broad majority in the legislature.
Utah is Not for Sale! No Nuclear Waste Imports! (tags)
Utah has experienced a legacy of being targeted for nuclear waste dumping. Now, EnergySolutions, the largest commercial nuclear waste dump in the country, is offering a large cash sum to the state of Utah. In exchange they want lawmakers to open the door to importing nuclear waste from foreign countries...and our Legislators are considering this indecent proposal! Fight back and join us for the "Utah is NOT for Sale!" Rally on 2/25!!
California Becomes First State to Condemn Use of Torture in 'War on Terror' (tags)
Resolution to prevent California health professionals from engaging in torture is adopted by the California State Legislature.
Cuba: Freedom, Dignity and Solidarity (tags)
Cuba: Freedom, Dignity and Solidarity
S.F. Assemblymember Leno Speaks on Same-Sex Marriage (tags)
San Francisco Assemblymember Mark Leno was the keynote speaker at the predominantly Queer San Diego Democratic Club's Freedom Banquet fundraiser October 6. He talked about the bill for marriage equality for same-sex couples he's pushed through the California legislature twice, the likelihood that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will veto it (as he did in 2005) and the various radical-Right initiative proposals to ban marriage for same-sex couples in California forever.
N.J. lawmakers approve bill to legalize civil unions (tags)
The Legislature voted Thursday to make New Jersey the third state to allow civil unions. Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine said he would sign the measure.
Need a drivers licese and don't have the required "papers"? go to Oregon (tags)
If you don't have a drivers license because you don't have a birth certificate or other papers you should go to Oregon and get one while you still can. They may change the law next year. Currently Oregon is one of a handful of states that does not require proof of citizenship or legal residency for a license.
Flag law forces colleges to pay (tags)
When they make us worship their flag it's time to get out the guns, and burn a few flags and burn a few government tyrannts.
Photo ID to vote is unconstitutional (tags)
For the second time, a judge has blocked a Republican-sponsored effort to require Georgia voters to present government-issued photo identification cards before they can cast a ballot.
Paparian Asks State Legislature to Pass Bill That Would Impeach Bush (tags)
Legislators, Candidates and Voters Asked to Support Impeachment "Referndum" to Remove Imperial President From Office
Don't wait for your legislature to Impeach Bush, WE CAN DO IT! (tags)
Impeach Bush Yourself! That's right, this is not a powerless petition. There's a little known clause of the "Jefferson Manual (part of the House rules)" which sets forth the various ways in which a president can be impeached.
THREE STATES to vote on forwarding REAL impeachment bills that require US House votes (tags)
author: Constitutionalist ....your own state's legislators can introduce Impeachment Proceedings against Bush immediately as a State Legislature Joint Resolution, that then goes on to be a preferred bill, meaning that it automatically takes precedence over all other bills then in Congress!
Hey, General Assembly of MD: ”Reverse Deregulation!” (tags)
Most Marylanders can expect their electric bills to go up by $743 a year-a 74 % increase! In 1999, the legislature deregulated the industry. In a sweetheart deal, BGE was absorbed by Constellation Energy and required to begin buying its electricity on the open market. Meanwhile, BGE’s electric-generating assets, originally paid for by the people, were turned over to Constellation in “a cash-free shuffle.” The ratepayers are now being asked to pay again!
On the Judicial Branch, continued
Deficiencies of Our Current Federal System, continued
Supporters of Immigrant Legislator Head for Texas Capitol (tags)
Hubert Vo has been elected to represent the rising aspirations of Houston voters, but will Texas Republicans throw him out?
Here is a great article about the true nature of government interference in our lives.
Labor leads coalition to victory over corporate ‘drug lords’ (tags)
CLEVELAND – Back in the year 2000, few people in Ohio believed a prescription drug bill with real benefits could be passed, not with a right-wing controlled State Legislature.
100,000 Iraqis march for elections (tags)
Iraqis block traffic on a Baghdad street while carrying an Iraqi flag and portraits of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani and other Shiite clerics this Monday, Jan. 19, 2004. Up to 100,000 marched peacefully to demand an elected government and an end to U.S. occupation. The second photo shows an Iraqi Christian... also in the march, holding a carpet with an image of Jesus Christ. So... where is the democracy promised to Iraq by bu$hco? (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
SEIU is Getting even with a Senator (tags)
The state should investigate Tony Corcoran's claim that his union employer SEIU punished him for pension reforms 10/10/03
Broke and bitterly split, California is on skid row (tags)
The state of California, as of midnight last night, was officially broke. The richest, most populous state in the union - by some measures the world's fifth biggest economy - is facing a budget deficit of $38bn (£23bn).
Sometimes standing out isn't good (tags)
"When it comes to individual rights and freedoms, I think some people misinterpret what freedom is all about. You can't have freedom if you're dead."
Colorado to implement School Vouchers (tags)
DENVER – Colorado will soon become the first state to initiate public-school vouchers since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling declared such programs constitutional.
Davis Vetoes "Just Dissent" bill! (tags)
Governor Davis vetoed the Just Dissent legislation.
Constitutional Limits of the Supreme Court (tags)
As a Constitutional scholar I became curious to see what role the Supreme Court would play in this election. I was stunned by the Court's activism in its recent decision to halt the manual recount of votes in Florida, so I decided to check up on the legitimacy of the Supreme Court to rule on political disputes. What I found was an obscure decision from 1849, in the case of Luther v. Borden.