There isn't really much to this. It doesn't expose some of Miller's extremism, but, well, outtakes are fun! So, enjoy Republican Rep. Gary Miller's outtakes as he was filming a campaign ad.
Probably the hottest race for Assembly this year is the race in Assembly District 50, where progressive legend Torie Osborn, who has the support of just about every single local Democratic club, as well as that of Julia Brownley and Sheila Kuehl, is going up against South Bay Assemblymember Betsy Butler, who currently represents about 1% of the new 50th Assembly District. The race has a classic "insider vs. outsider" dynamic: Osborn is well known for her nonprofit work for LGBT equality and against poverty, and has a ton of local grassroots support, including just about every single Democratic club that has endorsed in the race. Butler, meanwhile, is taking full advantage of the the money and endorsements that being a sitting legislator can provide. It's well known that I'm an avid Osborn supporter; for a full rundown of all the stories that have made this race a fun one to watch, just check out this summmary from Marta Evry.
So far, Butler's strategy in the race has been to attempt to convince voters that there's nothing particularly special about this election: that she's just your run-of-the-mill incumbent seeking re-election to her district. And even though it might be misleading to claim that when you've only represented 1% of the district, she's technically correct: both the California Elections Code and the rules of the California Democratic Party allow her to claim that (and would also allow her to claim that if she were running in Shasta, but that's a story for another day).
Today, however, changes the equation. I got a piece of mail today from the Butler campaign touting her credentials on women's issues. The piece was obviously designed to be mailed to women, given the introduction--"mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts"--but I received it anyway. It was your typical mailing, except for one part:
Our Assemblywoman, Betsy Butler
And with that, we've transcended from "misleading" to "flat out not true." I live in AD-50, and I don't live in just the 1% that Betsy Butler currently represents. I live in the part that's currently represented by Mike Feuer. The letter is signed by several people who are supporting Butler, and perhaps they could be trying to claim that the signatories are represented by "their Assemblywoman, Betsy Butler." Problem is, that's not true either, as the piece contains the signatures of activists in Beverly Hills (Mike Feuer) and Malibu (Julia Brownley), as well as some who don't live in the district at all.
I'm not sure whether Butler's claim that she already represents me is a sign of desperation given Torie Osborn's strong campaign, or simple disrespect for the intelligence of the voters of the 50th District. All I know is, I'm not a fan.
A few months ago I set a new personal goal: get into nature at least once a week. It really didn't matter what I ended up doing as long as it took me outdoors - hike, trail run, rock climb, wildlife watch, camp, picnic, paddle, soak, swim, sunbathe, backpack, photograph wildflowers... You get the idea.
And what a grand idea it was! Not only have I enjoyed doing all of those activities, but I've also gotten to explore Californian parks that I previously knew little about, if at all.
My guess is that you have a story similar to mine - a love for California's vast and varied open spaces and all that they have to offer. After all, it's hard to live in such a beautiful state and not get out and enjoy its natural features in one form or another.
And now, here's the bad news: many of these treasured open spaces may not be accessible much longer.
Last year Governor Brown called for the closure of 70 state parks. Included on the the hit list are parks that I've fallen in love with like Henry Coe State Park where you can hike amongst old oaks and madrones to a picturesque swimming hole, and Castle Rock State Park where I first began rock climbing.
This week park funding came back into the news with Governor Brown's release of the May budget revise. Not only are parks still on the table for closure, but the revised budget proposes more cuts to the funding of game wardens, rangers, and lifeguards. Those cuts come at a time where the State Park System is already understaffed and overburdened with deferred maintenance totaling to over $1 billion. Furthermore, these parks suffer from the pains of a tightened budget as access prices increase, hours of operation diminish, and select facilities, trails, or camping areas close.
What doesn't make sense is this: continued cuts to the State Park System will not save money, but will in fact cost the state more in the long run. Closing parks means:
-- a loss of revenue for local communities neighboring parks and for the state via taxes generated by tourism;
-- increases in deferred maintenance once the parks reopen their gates; and
-- costs associated with addressing crime, vandalism, and other illegal activities like marijuana cultivation.
While some of the parks on the closure list have found ways to stay open thanks to financial support from their communities or intervention from nonprofits (including Castle Rock and Henry Coe SPs), others have not been so lucky.
Fortunately, Assemblymember Jared Huffman is championing a bill that would provide diverse funding for the State Parks System. Assembly Bill 1589, the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012, addresses short- and long-term needs for California state parks, achieving budget savings without wide scale park closures.
Specifically, AB 1589 would:
-- Encourage formation of a state compact that guarantees an ongoing level of state funding for operations and maintenance of state parks.
-- Create a State Park Enterprise Fund to be used for installing modern revenue and fee collection equipment and technologies to increase park visitation and revenues.
-- Produce a California state park environmental license plate which vehicle owners could purchase and have the fees go towards support of state parks.
-- Provide the option for taxpayers to voluntarily purchase an annual state park access pass when they file their taxes.
-- Require the Department of Parks and Recreation to be more transparent about how it evaluates and selects specific parks for closure, and places a cap of 25 state park units on the number of park closures allowed from 2012 to 2016 without legislative approval.
In a ballot with few initiatives, these two get some statewide attention by Brian Leubitz
There are just two measures on the statewide ballot, and KQED's Forum took a look at both today. And while they are each controversial in their own way, they are both worthy efforts. Prop 28 is a measure that would change the way term limits work from a total of 14 years (6 and 8 in the Assembly and Senate, respectively) to a total of 12 years in either house. In the first radio program, former FPPC chair Dan Schnur argues that reforming term limits will allow legislators to grow into their jobs, rather than being thrust into leadership right away. And in a very civil discussion, a vice chairman of the CA Republican Party disagreed and argued for the continuation of the current (broken) system.
They then followed that up with a discussion of Prop 29, the cigarette tax measure that will go to cancer research. As you would expect, there is a heavily tobacco-funded No campaign on that one. It turns out the Yes side isn't entirely without resources. Mike Bloomberg tossed in $500,000 today bringing their fundraising to nearly ten million. While Lance Armstrong and Bloomberg won't match the over $30 million, there will be resources. The discussion on Forum, though, is worth a listen.
Increased budget deficit means big cuts with or without tax initiatives
by Brian Leubitz
With the recent announcement of a bigger than expected deficit, Gov. Brown has announced bigger than expected cuts are coming in his May revision of the budget.
The gap grew, the budget revision states, because Brown over-estimated tax revenues by $4.3 billion and the federal government and courts blocked $1.7 billion in cuts the state wanted to make. The remainder of the difference reflects an increase in the amount of money the state is mandated to spend on education under a complex voter-approved formula.
To close the wider gap, Brown has heightened the cuts he wants to make to Medi-Cal, to $1.2 billion, and maintained another $1.2 billion in welfare and child-care savings he proposed in January.
He also wants to slash payments to people who care for the disabled by 7% and reduce the state payroll through a shorter workweek or wage concessions. He proposed $500 million in cuts to the state's struggling court system, including a one-year freeze on all new construction projects.(LA Times)
That's just the best case scenario there. As horrendous as that may be, if the tax measure in November doesn't pass, Brown is set to do a triggered cut of $5.5 billion and $3b other cuts.
At this point, the waste is gone. We are cutting vital services that won't just magically reappear when times get better. We are fundamentally changing how we treat each other, and we are letting social darwinism run amok. It's a tragedy of immense proportions, and no saviors are riding in from the horizon.
Tenant advocacy and affordable housing proponents in the 50th Assembly District say Betsy Butler's endorsement by a powerful anti-rent control group sows "doubt and mistrust" for her candidacy, and raises serious concerns about her commitment to protecting tenant rights.
On April 25, Butler's campaign issued a press release touting an endorsement by the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA), a landlord and apartment owners lobbying group.
"In her first term in the state Legislature, Assemblymember Butler has demonstrated a genuine understanding of the challenges facing the owners and managers of rental housing in California and has always taken a balanced approach to dealing with legislation affecting the industry," said the association's Executive Director, James Clarke.
In the mid 70s, when Howard Jarvis was our Executive Director and vaunted Tax Reform Campaigner, we passed Proposition 13. In the mid 90s, our Sacramento Lobbyist, Steve Carlson helped draft and pass the Costa-Hawkins Law that protects our members (allowing rent increases upon vacancies) and saving the businesses of countless owners in Santa Monica and West Hollywood and apartment owners across the state from the worst most unreasonable unfair rent control laws.
"This endorsement and your apparent enthusiasm for it will certainly sow doubt and mistrust for your candidacy among the renter voters of Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and West Los Angeles." SMRR co-chairs Patricia Hoffman and Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein wrote to Butler in reaction to the candidate's press release.
"AAGLA endorsements are based on the candidates they believe would be more supportive of landlord issues and will vote on bills of concern to them," said Larry Gross, executive director of CES. "They clearly believe that Betsy is a better candidate for landlords than (her opponents). This is a very important factor that tenants should keep in mind when they cast their ballots on election day in the 50th district Assembly race."
While Prop 8 Decision Remains pending, President Obama "Evolves"
by Brian Leubitz
It may have been the Amendment 1 vote in North Carolina, but for whatever reason, today the President of the United States announced that he supports marriage equality. From ABC News:
California politicians on the "evolution":
"This is a historic day and another step in our country's long march toward equal rights and justice for all. The President's statement is a milestone and so important for the millions of American families who deserve full equality. None of us can rest until marriage equality is a reality for all Americans." - Sen. Barbara Boxer
"I am proud and elated that the President of the United States today announced his support for same-sex couples across our nation who wish to recognize and validate their relationships through marriage," said Senator Leno. "This is an historic moment for our country, and I applaud President Obama for standing up for freedom, justice and equality for all people in a time when other elected officials are reluctant to do so. Denying committed same-sex couples the choice to marry has no benefit to our society and only divides communities and hurts loving couples and their families. I am confident the President's support will help build momentum for the international movement to achieve full equality for same-sex couples everywhere." - Sen. Mark Leno
"I applaud President Obama for endorsing same-sex marriage," said Congresswoman Sánchez. "If we truly believe in the Constitution, it's clear that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals deserve equal rights. They deserve the right to stand in front of family and friends and proclaim their love and devotion for each other in a ceremony recognized in the eyes of the law. We have a long way to go before we achieve full equality for the LGBT community, but today's announcement by the President puts us one step closer." - Rep. Linda Sanchez
"This is an inspirational, watershed day in an epic struggle. Every day, we are moving closer to living up to our founding ideals as a nation. Every day, we are moving further away from a past in which LGBT people were marginalized, delegitimized, and often completely ostracized, their relationships relegated to second-class status." - Rep. Lynn Woolsey
"Today, President Obama reaffirmed the hope and promise most Americans felt nearly four years ago when he was elected. After yesterday's disappointing defeats in North Carolina and Colorado, the President still had the political courage to do the right thing and publicly support marriage equality. I commend his leadership and commitment to all Americans, and I look forward to the day when such announcements cease to be viewed as momentous and start being viewed as common sense." - Sen. Leland Yee
"The American Dream will be stronger for all of us when marriage equality is achieved across our country, though we still have a long road ahead. I'm proud that President Obama is now leading the way as we continue on that journey." - Eric Bauman, Chair, LACDP
"President Obama's words today will be celebrated by generations to come. For the millions of young gay and lesbian Americans across this nation, their President's words provide genuine hope that they will be the first generation to grow up with the freedom to fully pursue the American dream. Marriage-the promise of love, companionship, and family-is basic to the pursuit of that dream." - Chad Griffin, Chair of AFER and incoming president of HRC
"I'm delighted that President Obama has publicly announced his support for marriage equality. The President's evolution on this important civil rights issue mirrors that of millions of Americans over the last several years, and I'm confident his leadership will help change the hearts and minds of millions more in the days ahead. With his announcement today, President Obama now stands with San Francisco on the right side of history." - Dennis Herrera, SF City Attorney and litigant in Prop 8 cases
"Today's announcement by President Barack Obama moves our country one step closer to marriage equality. With the President's personal support on the issue of same-sex marriage, we celebrate and recommit ourselves to the fight for all families. Here in San Francisco, we stand ready to begin marrying same sex couples, and we will take this hard fought fight all the way to the nation's highest court, if necessary. We remain as deeply committed to the fight for marriage equality today as we were nearly eight years ago when then Mayor Gavin Newsom led the charge on one of the most important civil rights issues of our generation to ensure equal protections and rights for all." - SF Mayor Ed Lee
Remember Jason Hodge, the corporate-backed Democrat running for California's 19th Senate District who "doesn't think you need higher taxes", running against progressive Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson?
Well, I just got a nice big glossy mailer from an organization called the California Senior Advocates League, saying that Jason Hodge would be the Democrat most capable of defeating the Republicans and calling Hannah-Beth Jackson the derogatory nickname "Taxin' Jackson." What is the California Senior Advocates League? Well, it's a group that only seems to exist come election time. It runs a now-defunct blog called the Silver Dog Blog, whose latest post trashes the Affordable Care Act. And its funders? Mostly the San Diego and California Republican Parties, big oil and pharmaceutical interests. Most recently it received $20,000 from something called JobsPAC. And who funds JobsPAC? Mostly Philip Morris, Chevron, Anheuser-Busch, Anthem Blue Cross, PG&E and a host of similar companies and institutions.
For what it's worth, the "California Senior Advocates League" doesn't appear to have made the necessary legal filing disclosures to the state, but they have made sure that flashy campaign mailers supporting their favorite "Democrat" Jason Hodge make it to left-leaning voters' mailboxes right before vote-by-mail ballots get there in a few days. There has been no condemnation or mention of the mailer from the Hodge campaign. Keep in mind that this big-money front group didn't just send out a piece to attack Hannah-Beth Jackson. They sent out a piece to promote Jason Hodge. Since the registration numbers dictate that a Democrat will almost certainly win the seat regardless, the big money boys know where their bread is buttered, and it's with Mr. Hodge. After all, why fight an uphill battle to elect a Republican when you can elect a Republican in sheep's clothing instead?
"I'm not surprised that the oil and tobacco companies are behind the mailers attacking me," Jackson said. "After all, I'm supported by the Sierra Club and the Consumer Federation of California. And look at my voting record - I always stood with consumers, working middle class families and the environment. I successfully banned oil tankers and barges from our coast, and have worked against oil company price gouging."
Today is also when Fortune Magazine reported its new Fortune 500 with three of the four biggest corporations in the nation being oil companies, including Chevron.
"These oil and tobacco corporations think they are above the law," noted Jackson. "It's not enough that they launder their money through fake organizations, claiming to represent the interests of seniors. They have failed to report their expenditures against me, even though they were required by law to report the tens of thousands of dollars in postage that they paid last week for the mailers delivered to households today. I'm sure we'll be seeing their reports now that we've exposed them as lawbreakers," Jackson concluded.
This is why it's so crucial to be involved in making the Democratic Party more progressive. No matter how one feels about what is going on in the White House, there are innumerable battles just like this one happening all across America. Battles where progressive Democrats are up against corporate-backed "Democrats" seeking to make the Party just that much more conservative and friendly to big business interests. These are fights we cannot afford to lose.
by Lorena Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer and CEO, San Diego Labor Council
I have grown extremely frustrated by the lies and distortions being peddled by out of area groups about Scott Peters in his run for Congress. The San Diego Labor Council has endorsed Scott because of his outstanding record for workers, and his commitment to getting things done. But, on a personal level, as an extremely progressive, pro-worker advocate, I am proud to unconditionally support Scott Peters in his bid for Congress and this is why:
Starting this week one million Californians will pay hundreds of millions of dollars more for their health insurance. It's a plot right out of Groundhog Day, only it happens every Spring, Winter, Summer and Fall.
Health insurance rates in California are like a runaway train and there's no police force or firefighting squad with the power to stop them. Thirty five states require health insurance companies to get permission before raising rates, but not California.
In Studio City, CA a self-employed, single mom watched her health insurance premium triple over the last decade. On May 1st the price will climb by 16%. She asks," If I have to get pre-approval from my insurance company every time I want my health care paid for, shouldn't they have to get approval when they want me to pay more?"
For a decade the legislature has answered no, following the health insurance industries' line that the market and federal health care reform can be trusted to moderate rates. Tell that to the million Californians hit with rate hikes on May 1st.
Over the last decade health insurance premiums have shot up 153% -- growing five times the rate of inflation (29%). Four companies, including Anthem Blue Cross, control 71% of the health insurance market - competition isn't in the cards. As a result Californians don't just move to cheaper plans, they also drop insurance. California has one of the nation's highest uninsured rates.
Since 2003, the California legislature has refused to pass a law requiring that health insurance companies get approval before raising rates in the same way that auto insurance and home insurance companies have to today. That's why consumer advocates like myself have joined with Senator Dianne Feinstein and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones to qualify the ballot measure that requires health insurance companies to live up to the same standards as other insurance companies.
More than 600,000 voters have signed our petition to make health insurance companies publicly justify their rates, as we rush toward the deadline to qualify for the November ballot. The preview of different future isn't just a Hollywood story. It's within our sights if 200,000 more Californians sign our ballot measure in the next two weeks.
Brown appears on Face the Nation, calls GOP "reactionary"
by Brian Leubitz
Jerry Brown is not quite on par with Arnold Schwarzenegger on the national pronouncement front. However, he does like to share a view or two with the nation. As Governor of the nation's most populous state, it seems appropriate that he say a few words about what is going on in DC. And, as anyone can see, it's a mess, and Jerry Brown is only saying what is obvious for all to see: (video here)
"I think the Republicans have to move out of that reactionary cul-de-sac that some of the more extreme members are pushing them," Brown told host Bob Schieffer.
"There's an enforcement of discipline that's ideological and, as was mentioned today in The Washington Post, takes on the quality of a cult," the California governor said.
Brown provided one example of Republican ideology, on immigration. The party largely opposes a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.
"They're so hostile to millions and millions of people in this country, and while they can't vote, they have millions and millions of people who they're related to or who identify with them. And you just can't ignore 12 million people, particularly when they're picking our food, they're working in the hotels and restaurants, and now they're increasingly in very important jobs," Brown said.
But Brown, who is 74 years old and has been in the political realm for more than 40 years, criticized the entire political system, which he calls "more polarized" than he's ever seen it.(Face The Nation)
On that note, Norm Ornstein and Thomas Mann have a new book, for which they were interviewed on Morning Edition today that essentially calls out the media for trying to play "balanced" over facts. Yes both parties have issues, but one is a more clear and present danger to the long-term stability of the nation.
"One of the two major parties, the Republican Party, has become an insurgent outlier - ideologically extreme; contemptuous of the inherited social and economic policy regime; scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition," they write in their new book, It's Even Worse Than It Looks.
The media rarely acknowledges this fact, but the radicals in almost every issue today, are the Republicans. On sexual freedom, it is the Republicans who want to limit access to birth control. On regulation of the banks, it is the Republicans who want to return to a reckless capitalism that has now been thoroughly discredited. And on our social safety net, the Republicans want to so decimate it that our homeless populations will continue to spike.
Good on Gov. Brown for calling them out, and as he did so, acknowledging that he isn't perfect, and that he can't simply overturn what the GOP has created with their superminority. In our system of democracy, repairing government takes time. In many ways, it is unfortunate, but you work with the government you've got, I suppose.
Over at CapAlert, find a 1979 interview with a much younger Gov. Jerry Brown. Also, Mayor Villaraigosa also appeared in the full episode video here discussing the national political environment.
It's only been in the last couple of years that Californians began hearing about fracking, and few of us thought that it was even happening in our state. Fracking - shorthand for hydraulic fracturing - is a method that is used to extract natural gas and oil deeply trapped below shale deposits. A process that has been in use for decades, fracking requires vast amounts of water laden with a concoction of chemicals to be pumped under high pressure to blast through shale and push up trapped gas.
Well, it turns out that California has been getting fracked for years in areas including Los Angeles, Ventura, Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Kern Counties. What's even more shocking is that current law allows the fracking industry to operate largely unregulated in the state. This is despite the fact that all around the country numerous public health and environmental problems are bubbling up around fracking sites. One of the biggest problems linked to fracking is the contamination of groundwater. In fact some water contains such high levels of gases or chemicals that it can be lit on fire!
Last year CLCV began advocating in support of a bill to require disclosure of fracking locations, amounts of water used in fracking operations, and a list chemicals used in the process. While the bill's author negotiates amendments with industry, the environmental community is looking to another fracking bill introduced this year by environmental champion Fran Pavley to help get at least some sort of protections in place.
Senate Bill 1054 (Pavley) would require oil and gas well operators to provide advance notice to the nearby property owners and occupants, water suppliers, and local government before they frack. This isn't revolutionary. It's being a good neighbor. And it is the practice that is already required from any significant development project - fracking just somehow had slipped through the cracks.
Since wells may extend for literally miles in a horizontal direction from the vertical well-head, it's only fair that neighboring residents and owners be given advance notice that a well is to be drilled or fracked.
So here's my question for Betsy Butler. At what point did you decide you were running against me, Marta Evry, a part-time blogger, and not the three other candidates whose names will appear on the June 5th primary ballot for the 50th Assembly District race?
Does the author link to candidate Torie Osborn's website? Or to the LA Weekly article about the 8,000 plastic baby bottles you dumped on district voters, an article which quotes candidate Richard Bloom as saying your team "is 'milking' her BPA legislation for all its worth."?
No, instead she links to an articleI wrote about the environmental concerns raised by district voters regarding those 8,000 foreign-made plastic baby bottles.
Also, imagine my surprise when I heard my name mentioned in the KCAL-TV follow up to the same baby bottle story. Why? Because the "reporter" for the story never bothered to contact me. But he was more than happy to take your word for it that a part-time blogger was somehow able to bully (there's that word again) a sitting Assembly member with a war chest of half a million dollars.
Superior Court says Controller not arbiter of "balanced budget"
by Brian Leubitz
In what was a pretty watched decision, a Sacramento Superior Court Judge struck a victory (?) for the legislature:
In a bitter feud during last year's budget battle, Controller John Chiang determined that the budget passed by legislative Democrats was not balanced. Using new powers he believed he had under voter-approved Proposition 25, Chiang then blocked lawmakers' pay and expense money for 12 days until they cut a budget deal with Gov. Jerry Brown.
In a tentative ruling today, Judge David I. Brown said that the controller does not have discretion to determine whether the Legislature's budget is balanced. Proposition 25 said that lawmakers must approve a balanced budget by June 15 or else lose their pay.
Brown's ruling essentially says that the Legislature can determine for itself whether a budget is balanced.
"A contrary result could threaten to undermine the Legislature's essential function," Brown wrote today.(SacBee)
Here's the thing with this. If legislators are forced to vote on a budget simply to pay the rent, we are raising a number of troubling questions. Will they be forced to vote for something against their true beliefs, and perhaps against the beliefs of their constituents. It is essentially saying that we think those votes can be bought for a few thousand dollars. It is troubling in many ways.
But that is all an issue with the measure that brought us this. The issue here is smaller, about who controls the meaning of "balanced budget." This ruling says that if the Legislature says they passed a balanced budget, then they did. And perhaps that is prickly on the gridlock issue, but it is better on the freedom to vote their conscience front.
As a recent graduate of San Francisco State University, I am thrilled that there is finally momentum gaining in the movement to achieve real public higher education reform in California. In particular, the Middle Class Scholarship Act is an economically feasible way to make public higher education more affordable for all Californians.
While I was a student at SFSU my tuition increased every semester. To make matters worse, I never qualified for financial assistance to help fund my education because the State determined that my parents could afford to pay not only my tuition but also those of both of my sisters.
California's public college students are continuing to struggle. The CSU Board of Trustees' recent decision to close Spring 2013 enrollment is just one of the devastating blows that our public higher education students have been forced to endure, with no end in sight.
