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DEMOCRACY NOW !
Posted Jul 04, 2009 4:29pm
by tripwiredoc
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Elliott Petty's Blog
This blog is strictly for the American proletariat who's voice is unheard. This shall be a forum of ideas to rise up a political majority from an organized minority. Talkers, elitists, wonks and the reversely discriminated need not apply.
In the midst of all the attention focused on the presidential race and Prop 8, the statewide measure that would take away basic civil rights from certain classes of people, a county measure in Los Angeles is beginning to heat up. Measure R, put forth by transit officials proposes to raise $40 billion for light rail, buses and road work through a half-cent sales tax hike is beginning to garner the attention it deserves in the final moments of this election calendar.
Anyone living in Los Angeles will quickly tell you about the nightmare of living in a metropolis whose leaders long gone, decided against the foresight of developing a public transportation system that you would easily find in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco-Oakland Bay area and Washington, DC.
And unlike many of those urban centers, the population continues to grow thanks to its climate, immigration (legal and illegal) and Hollywood dreams. Housing and transportation needs are busting at the seems and the transit officials are asking residents to fund a broad range of improvements through a sales tax increase. Read More »
Anyone living in Los Angeles will quickly tell you about the nightmare of living in a metropolis whose leaders long gone, decided against the foresight of developing a public transportation system that you would easily find in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco-Oakland Bay area and Washington, DC.
And unlike many of those urban centers, the population continues to grow thanks to its climate, immigration (legal and illegal) and Hollywood dreams. Housing and transportation needs are busting at the seems and the transit officials are asking residents to fund a broad range of improvements through a sales tax increase. Read More »
The word is out, prominent leaders of the Mormon church are pushing financial and voter support for Prop 8, the ballot measure which asks California voters to discriminate against one group of people. Yes in 2008, that is what we are voting on. Thanks to Courage Campaign efforts, the mainstream media is starting to put a face on some of the culprits who believe discrimination is o.k. and some folks inside the church are beginning to become uncomfortable with it. Read More »
Meet Glen Fait, he served on the Folsom City Council from 1994 to 1998, serving as Mayor for one year. The Republican father of two purchased a full page ad in the Folsom Telegraph newspaper asking voters to vote NO on Proposition 8. In the ad, Fait publicly declares he is gay for the first time and believes that Prop 8 would take away his civil rights.
Fait is also convinced that if marriage equality had been law before this summer then his aunt, a well known community activist in Folsom could have been joined by her partner of 50 years during her last moments of life.
This heartwarming story should be front page in the Bee, Times and Chronicle.
Glen Fait's advertisement: Read More »
Fait is also convinced that if marriage equality had been law before this summer then his aunt, a well known community activist in Folsom could have been joined by her partner of 50 years during her last moments of life.
This heartwarming story should be front page in the Bee, Times and Chronicle.
Glen Fait's advertisement: Read More »
Only in California, home of America's Drive-Thru culture will you find a voting booth in the drive-thru lane of a popular fast food chain. To help people meet this year's voter registration deadline the Orange County Registrar of Voters set up a voter registration and voting booth in Santa Ana this weekend, allowing folks to both register and vote early.
"We want to do everything we can to take the stress off at the voting precincts on election day," Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said.
According to Neal Kelley, the O.C.'s county registrar, Neal Kelley, the electronic voting machines they are using were designed to meet disability requirements, making them a good fit for vehicles.
No word yet if the drive-thru was a good fit for the disabled.
With California election officials forecasting record voter turnout this year, the O.C. very well may have established a new standard for voter convenience. I wish they set this up at the Burger stand near my house.
Don't believe me, check out this, television news footage.
"We want to do everything we can to take the stress off at the voting precincts on election day," Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said.
According to Neal Kelley, the O.C.'s county registrar, Neal Kelley, the electronic voting machines they are using were designed to meet disability requirements, making them a good fit for vehicles.
No word yet if the drive-thru was a good fit for the disabled.
With California election officials forecasting record voter turnout this year, the O.C. very well may have established a new standard for voter convenience. I wish they set this up at the Burger stand near my house.
Don't believe me, check out this, television news footage.
Maybe the fundamentals of the economy are as strong as John McCain thinks. Major industries are still receiving heavy investment from institutional investors across the country. Warren Buffet invested $5 billion in General Electric and this week the California Corrections Peace Officers Association contributed $1 million to the campaign against sensible judicial reform of non-violent drug crimes.Courage Campaign's Progressive Voter Guide urges a YES vote on Prop. 5. Read More »
Its not everyday the LA Times writes a glowing article about the work of organized labor in Southern California, especially when you consider the membership of the L.A. County Federation of Labor led by Maria Elena Durazo. And while California is a virtual lock for their candidate, Barack Obama, they're not sitting on the sidelines either. For weeks now they have been busy phone-banking fellow union members in the battleground states of Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio.
The pact of hotel workers, construction workers, bus drivers, firefighters and teachers to name a few, represent the future of America. The members are racially diverse, young and fighting to establish and expand middle-class jobs. Union members in the battleground states will soon enough see their communities mirror Los Angeles in terms of its racial diversity and inclusiveness and the ultimate struggle to get a piece of the American pie.
L.A.'s union leaders hope to reach 200,000 battleground state voters by telephone before Election Day. Read More »
The pact of hotel workers, construction workers, bus drivers, firefighters and teachers to name a few, represent the future of America. The members are racially diverse, young and fighting to establish and expand middle-class jobs. Union members in the battleground states will soon enough see their communities mirror Los Angeles in terms of its racial diversity and inclusiveness and the ultimate struggle to get a piece of the American pie.
L.A.'s union leaders hope to reach 200,000 battleground state voters by telephone before Election Day. Read More »
Save a significant game-changer, California is doomed to repeat this year's budget fiasco which resulted in a budget that was 85 days late and at least $7 billion short in cash on hand. Our governor may very well be on his way to applying for a piece of the bailout money approved by Congress. But respected political practitioners are signaling likely gains for Democrats in the state legislature. If both an Obama tidal wave and state house races pan out, Speaker Bass and Senate Pro Tem Steinberg will have far more bargaining power at the negotiation table.
In a nutshell, PolitickerCA.com reports that respected political operatives including Steve Barkan and Mike Riley met with news reporters recently to announce that prospects were looking good for Democrats this November. Read More »
In a nutshell, PolitickerCA.com reports that respected political operatives including Steve Barkan and Mike Riley met with news reporters recently to announce that prospects were looking good for Democrats this November. Read More »
As Americans grow concerned about their ability to survive the credit crunched world economy, the presidential candidates are jockeying for position to win over voters, and the "mainstream media" if you ask John McCain. While the media obsesses over bank bailouts and the Dow rollercoaster, more than 100 people in Los Angeles are preparing to do without food in an effort to place "immigration rights" back into the debate of the presidential race. Their ultimate goal is to serve notice to the incoming administration (whosoever that may be) that the broken immigration system has lagged on, unresolved. Read More »
The name Dwayne McKinney means nothing to most people, but his remarkable story represents all that is wrong with the Death Penalty and lock'em up-throw away the key policies such as Prop. 6, A.K.A. the Runner Initiative. In 2000, McKinney was released from prison after serving 19 years for a wrongful robbery-murder conviction. The former gang-banger leveraged much of his legal settlement into a multi-million dollar ATM business in Hawaii. If State Senator George Runner has his way, how many ex-cons will be prevented from turning their lives around into success stories like McKinney.
Though McKinney spent much of his time after his release speaking at anti-death penalty events, he will not have the opportunity to speak against Prop. 6, the Runner Initiative which supposedly targets members of gangs through increased incarceration time and dedicating billions toward new prisons. Read More »
Though McKinney spent much of his time after his release speaking at anti-death penalty events, he will not have the opportunity to speak against Prop. 6, the Runner Initiative which supposedly targets members of gangs through increased incarceration time and dedicating billions toward new prisons. Read More »
What will California lawmakers want for Christmas? A budget compromise that actually balances the budget, unlike the deal made late last month. Last week, Schwarzenegger signaled the state was in bad shape when he sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson notifying him that we may be requesting as much as $7 billion in liquidity assistance in the very near future. This week the signals get worse. Despite the 85-days late budget deal, we may be $3 billion in deficit by the end of this fiscal year. He actually took credit for his veto and new deal two weeks ago. But he's not smiling now.
Apparently, tax revenues collected recently are far below revenue projections the budget deal is based upon. Who is responsible for projecting budget revenues? The governor of California generally provides a budget provision each May before the constitutional deadline to pass a new budget. Read More »
Apparently, tax revenues collected recently are far below revenue projections the budget deal is based upon. Who is responsible for projecting budget revenues? The governor of California generally provides a budget provision each May before the constitutional deadline to pass a new budget. Read More »
Its done, the poor business decisions of Wall Street banks have been granted amnesty by way of a $700 billion bailout package. And it looks like the state of California may be first in line to request billions in funding from U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Just yesterday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a letter to Paulson requesting as much as $7 billion.
Sacramento Bee
has the goods:
Sacramento Bee
has the goods:
- According to the office of State Controller, John Chiang, California could be $1.5 in the red by Halloween.
- State Treasurer Bill Lockyer put a real face on the grave situation. "California potentially could be forced next month to stop or delay payments for teachers' salaries, nursing homes, law enforcement, cities, counties, school districts and every other state-funded service."
When a teachers union opposes a ballot measure that would increase teachers pay, you know their must be a poison pill included in the language of the initiative. As unlikely as it seems, that's just what's happening in Oakland where the local teachers union is actively opposing a ballot measure that would levy an additional property tax to the tune of $120 per parcel.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle:
According to the San Francisco Chronicle:
- Measure N was placed on the ballot by Vince Matthews, the state administrator who oversees the district's finances. (The board lost fiscal authority in 2003, when Oakland schools went bankrupt.)
Noel Gallo is the lone school board member who supports the parcel tax. He said Oakland students suffer because their low-paid teachers quit the district in droves each year. With a starting salary of $39,000 - compared with San Francisco's $52,000, for example - Oakland teachers are the lowest paid in the Bay Area, Gallo said.
Post-partisan fans should be proud. Today the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly voted down the $700 billion "Wall Street Bailout" package with both conservatives and liberals working together to pass and defeat the bill. The California delegation, the largest in Congress voted for the bailout including Democrat and Republican majorities.
According to the Sacramento Bee: Read More »
According to the Sacramento Bee: Read More »
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa graciously ordered the city to rescind an eviction notice sent to South L.A.'s leading grassroots organization, SCOPE. City Councilman Bernard Parks, who is also running for L.A. County Supervisor sought to have them evicted from a city-owned office because he believes the non-partisan organization worked against his candidacy. Parks is so wrong on so many levels! Read More »
Yes we have a budget, well sort of. After reaching a budget compromise early last week, a veto threat derailed that agreement, leading to a separate agreement late in the week. The governor got two changes he wanted in return for his signature. But this entire budget is balanced by leveraging borrowing from the state lottery, which must be approved by voters. If people vote no, California may be in budget shambles, again. Read More »
As the world turns, California's budget fiasco continues. Earlier this week, legislative Democrats gave significant ground in order to reach a compromise with the state GOP which can now be described as the California chapter of Club for Growth, a right-wing anti-government tax policy organization. But the drama moves on to the next act as Governor Schwarzenegger is promising to veto the 72 days late budget. In response, both republican and democratic leaders are eerily coalescing to override any veto.
Initially Schwarzenegger wanted to improve budget language concerning a spending limits and contributions to a rainy day fund. But now he appears to be growing more concerned about the potential of this budget compromise to create yet another deficit in 2009. He's right, but not 100 percent correct. Until we change our budget structure to reflect our modernized economy and eliminate tyranny of the minority through majority rule for budget and tax policy we're going to repeat 2008 again and again. Read More »
Initially Schwarzenegger wanted to improve budget language concerning a spending limits and contributions to a rainy day fund. But now he appears to be growing more concerned about the potential of this budget compromise to create yet another deficit in 2009. He's right, but not 100 percent correct. Until we change our budget structure to reflect our modernized economy and eliminate tyranny of the minority through majority rule for budget and tax policy we're going to repeat 2008 again and again. Read More »
As the state Legislature works quickly to complete its last minute budget add-ons including Governor Schwarzenegger's demands to beef up a restrictive rainy day fund, workers' representatives at SEIU are exploring ideas to ask state voters to improve this budget compromise during a special election that would be needed for the Lotto budget's final approval.
Despite SEIU's leadership gaps at the local levels, its specifically determining the legalities and campaign chances of asking state voters to increase state public education and health services funding in this budget alone. A special election could be held in January of 2009. Eliminating the supermajority needed to pass a budget or tax policy could appear on that ballot as well. All good things. Read More »
Despite SEIU's leadership gaps at the local levels, its specifically determining the legalities and campaign chances of asking state voters to increase state public education and health services funding in this budget alone. A special election could be held in January of 2009. Eliminating the supermajority needed to pass a budget or tax policy could appear on that ballot as well. All good things. Read More »
Finally, our state legislature has reached a compromise budget that should earn Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature. It's a no thrills blend of expected budget cuts and the closure of tax loopholes with no tax increases. But the $15 billion budget deficit only balances through accounting procedures and heavy borrowing against the state lottery, which means today's leaders are passing the buck to future leaders once again.
If you wanted tax increases, just wait a few years when the state will be forced to decide how they will increase revenues to maintain basic services as the percentage of general fund revenues spent on retiring debt continues to increase. No new taxes, no new revenues. A slumping economy, projects lower revenues in the years to come. Read More »
If you wanted tax increases, just wait a few years when the state will be forced to decide how they will increase revenues to maintain basic services as the percentage of general fund revenues spent on retiring debt continues to increase. No new taxes, no new revenues. A slumping economy, projects lower revenues in the years to come. Read More »
Yesterday's Courage Campaign blog described the significant judicial victory which clears the way for the nation's busiest trade hub, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to allow only trucking companies with clean-burning fuel trucks to serve their ports. Their program is partially paid for by a new fee on each container passing through the ports. Long Beach state Senator Alan Lowenthal passed a similar measure at the state level for a range of air pollution reduction initiatives including train engines and railway improvements. Gov. Sarah Palin has asked our governor to veto the state measure approved by the legislature earlier this year.
Why does Palin oppose clean trucks and trains, thus clean air in California? It could be that she represents entrenched special interests such as the American Trucking Association who opposed the local and state programs. It could also be that she represents entrenched special interests such as Wal-Mart which sources more than 80 percent of its products from China, and must ship most of it through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Read More »
Why does Palin oppose clean trucks and trains, thus clean air in California? It could be that she represents entrenched special interests such as the American Trucking Association who opposed the local and state programs. It could also be that she represents entrenched special interests such as Wal-Mart which sources more than 80 percent of its products from China, and must ship most of it through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Read More »
Southern Californians who live near the nation's busiest trade hubs, known as the Ports of Los Angeles-Long Beach moved one step closer to breathing cleaner air as a federal judge refused to halt the implementation of the nation's most sweeping environmental cleanups in recent memory known as the landmark Clean Air and Clean Trucks Program championed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The new program mandates that only clean-fuel powered cargo trucks be allowed to service the ports. The Los Angeles program (but no Long Beach) also shifts the responsibility for ownership and upkeep of the clean-burning vehicles to the trucking companies, while also requiring that drivers become employees of these companies rather than their current misleading status as independent contractors - a move that will lead to significant increases in job standards and ensure basic workplace protections. Read More »
The new program mandates that only clean-fuel powered cargo trucks be allowed to service the ports. The Los Angeles program (but no Long Beach) also shifts the responsibility for ownership and upkeep of the clean-burning vehicles to the trucking companies, while also requiring that drivers become employees of these companies rather than their current misleading status as independent contractors - a move that will lead to significant increases in job standards and ensure basic workplace protections. Read More »
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