California
updated
2:43 a.m.
Blackwater USA might be screwed under new SOFA.
My Right to be Left - 12:07 a.m.
CA 04 - McClintock's lead expands
Nite Swimming - Fri 11:32 p.m.
Geography of the Freedom To Marry
The Mad Professah Lectures - Fri 8:25 p.m.
Aftermath of Prop 8: Black Town Hall SATURDAY!
The Mad Professah Lectures - Fri 8:25 p.m. - 6 clicks 
CA 04 - Race tightens McClintock still ahead
Nite Swimming - Fri 8:25 p.m. - 3 clicks
Quotable - A brutal year for American women in politics
Nite Swimming - Fri 8:25 p.m. - 3 clicks
California's Sleeping Giant - The Enormous Organizing Opportunity
Calitics - Fri 7:31 p.m. - 5 clicks
BREAKING: California Lethal Injection Protocol Invalidated
DailyKos (California) - Fri 7:08 p.m. - 4 clicks
Friday Random Ten
D-Day - Fri 5:49 p.m. - 7 clicks
Rally Again for Ocean Beach Library and for All Libraries - Sat. Nov. 22nd Noon
OCEAN BEACH, CA. Ocean Beach residents who have organized recently to save the Ocean Beach Library from closure, have called for another rally in front of the OB branch. The rally has been called for Saturday, November 22nd at noon. This second rally in front of the OB library is part of a series of [...]...
OB Rag - Fri 4:25 p.m.
Kristina Lee of Fox News Is Interviewing Me Right At this Moment - Watch Ch.5 at 10pm Tonight
OCEAN BEACH, CA. Kristina Lee of Fox News is interviewing me at this very moment. Watch me at 10 PM at FOX 5 - CH. 5. Her report emphasizes the use of blogs and social websites in politics and activism. I hope she got my good side. ...
OB Rag - Fri 4:25 p.m.
McConnell Lets His Hair Down-- Admits Obstructionism and Homosexuality
Down With Tyranny - Fri 4:25 p.m. - 30 clicks
Baghdad Burns Bush In Effigy-- When Will Detroit Follow Suit?
Down With Tyranny - Fri 4:25 p.m. - 18 clicks
Charlie Brown Trails McClintock by Just 359 Votes and is Winning Provisional Ballots—Hope for Huber ...
By Frank D. Russo The latest word from the Charlie Brown for Congress campaign is that Tom McClintock’s lead continues to narrow in California’s 4th Congressional District and is down to just 359 votes. Provisional ballots, even in some of the counties that voted for McClintock are reportedly breaking......
California Progress Report - Fri 4:25 p.m. - 8 clicks
Today's Fresh Meat
This job didn't work as well as he might have hoped, so Governor Schwarzenegger is already looking ahead, reportedly having conversations with Barack Obama's team about a potential appointment down the road, according to the Los Angeles Times. Obama told Arnold he was going to buff up at the White House and needed some help; the Governor responded that he wanted the President-elect to coach him i...
California Majority Report - Fri 4:25 p.m. - 7 clicks
Science Friday: Tired of your cell-phone battery going dead? ... Go for a walk
Sacramento For Democracy - Fri 3:07 p.m. - 4 clicks
The California State Budget and Local Impacts
By David Dayen d-day If you want to know why Speaker Karen Bass is talking very loudly about a federal bailout for California, you just have to read the local papers. The Merced Sun-Star: “At Tuesday's board meeting Superintendent Terry Brace explained the district will lose $3.5 million under......
California Progress Report - Fri 1:28 p.m. - 12 clicks
California Budget Crisis: Sunday Floor Sessions Cancelled--Both Houses to Meet Tuesday
• Governor & Legislative Leaders Continue Meetings – But No Agreement On How To Bridge Huge Budget Shortfall • Major Changes At Dept of Health Care Services • Shewry & Rosenstein Retiring At End of December By Marty D. Omoto Director/Organizer California Disability Community Action Network The State Senate and......
California Progress Report - Fri 1:28 p.m. - 8 clicks
New "Star Trek" Trailer
The Mad Professah Lectures - Fri 11:52 a.m.
Conservation Groups Hope for Fish Restoration Under Obama
Sacramento For Democracy - Fri 11:52 a.m. - 7 clicks
Thousands Gather at Ft. Benning, Georgia to Say No to the SOA!
Sacramento For Democracy - Fri 11:52 a.m. - 2 clicks
"Dear Community" Letter from LGBT Leaders
The Mad Professah Lectures - Fri 11:07 a.m. - 10 clicks
Missing Molly Ivins
My Right to be Left - Fri 11:06 a.m.
Thousands of Iraqi's protest against US agreement
My Right to be Left - Fri 11:06 a.m.
BushCo's Midnight Moves to circumvent the system.
My Right to be Left - Fri 11:06 a.m. - 9 clicks
Declaring bankruptcy means hacking, slashing, burning, and selling
Swiftspeech - Fri 10:31 a.m. - 5 clicks
An Economic Backdrop for Fiscal Reform in California
• California will need a multiyear strategy for responding • Policymakers will need to focus on the priorities • California will need to rethink the role of the state and its local partners By Leon E. Panetta and Thomas V. McKernan Co-Chairs California Forward As the economic crisis worsens, the......
California Progress Report - Fri 9:20 a.m. - 10 clicks
Waxman Ousts Dingell, Big Win For the Environment In The House
Environmental champion, Representative Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) ousted Rep. John Dingell (D-General Motors) from his longtime post as Chairman to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. (The New York Times article is worth a read). This is a huge win for the environment and opens the doors for rapid action on dealing with climate change [...]...
California League of Conservation Voters - Fri 9:20 a.m. - 9 clicks
Why California Cannot Afford to Delay in Global Warming Reduction Actions—Naysayers Are Just Plain W...
Dr. James Fine Economist and Policy Scientist Environmental Defense Fund [Editor’s note: This is the testimony given by Dr. Fine at the California Air Resources Board hearing on implementing the landmark AB32 passed in 2006 to reduce greenhouse gases in California and reduce global warming.] In two short years since......
California Progress Report - Fri 8:48 a.m. - 9 clicks
Congressman Mike Thompson for Secretary of Interior?
People's Vanguard of Davis - Fri 8:26 a.m. - 10 clicks
Hillary Clinton Should Be Senate Majority Leader And Make The Job Worth Something
Down With Tyranny - Fri 8:26 a.m. - 28 clicks
The Heller Gun Decision Week 20 and Beyond--Who Will Be Secretary of State and US Attorney General?
By Irwin Nowick Given that this might well be final writings for Californiaprogressreport given that Mr. Russo is coming back to “The Building”. I therefore wanted to do a general wrap up. In terms of the legal front very little happened this week other than that the California Supreme Court......
California Progress Report - Fri 8:26 a.m. - 8 clicks
The Undoing of the Vehicles License Fee: The Virginia Story as Applied to California
By Brian Leubitz Founder and Publisher Calitics For years upon years, most states had consistent vehicle license fees. They didn't vary all that much from state to state, averaging around 2% of stated value. You paid your couple hundred bucks per year and for that you got to use a......
California Progress Report - Fri 8:26 a.m. - 7 clicks
Last Essay From Senator Sheila Kuehl in the Capitol
Sacramento For Democracy - Fri 12:25 a.m. - 11 clicks
Can Anyone Prove Me Wrong? HBJ Odds of Winning Slim to None with Too Much Ground to Cover
BlogaBarbara - Fri 12:24 a.m. - 12 clicks
Health Insurance Plans Should Cover Smoking Cessation Programs
By Mitchell H. Katz, M.D. Today is the Great American Smokeout and while San Franciscans are doing their part to help people battle nicotine addiction, recently, I became aware that not all the health insurance plans for our county workers in San Francisco -- nor in many other counties......
California Progress Report - Thu 10:08 p.m. - 9 clicks
A Taste Of Things To Come: Far Right Senators Filibuster Extending Unemployment Insurance
Down With Tyranny - Thu 9:21 p.m. - 17 clicks
If You're Wondering When The Republican Party Will Get Back To Normal... This Is As Normal As It's G...
Down With Tyranny - Thu 9:21 p.m. - 54 clicks
3% of World, 97% to Go; Equal Marriage Rights and Prospects
DailyKos (California) - Thu 6:24 p.m. - 20 clicks
Letter to City Council: Beware the Trojan Horse of Reduced Library Hours
Our good friend and fellow librarian activist Anna Daniels has sent a letter to the San Diego City Council and we post it in its entirety below. Anna also sent a special note to the residents of Ocean Beach. Here’s the note: Ocean Beach Library Supporters: I know that it is a palatable solution at the [...]...
OB Rag - Thu 6:07 p.m. - 12 clicks
A Tribute to Rick Nadeau, Our Friend
A tribute to Rick ...
OB Rag - Thu 5:44 p.m.
So Much To Fix
D-Day - Thu 5:44 p.m. - 14 clicks
Chairman Waxman
Calitics - Thu 5:44 p.m. - 10 clicks
Did AIG Confuse Me With Paris Hilton? More for the Yacht Class
By Judy Dugan Research Director Consumer Watchdog Do you wonder what the insurance giant AIG is doing with its $150 billion-with-a-b in taxpayer bailout money? Well, this is what showed up in my mailbox today. Thick cardboard stock, high-gloss finish, about 8x10 and cut out in pretty, ocean-y shapes.......
California Progress Report - Thu 4:50 p.m.
Auto Bailout Question
Why do the Republicans want the United States to get rid of the remaining manufacturing that we do here? ...
Seeing the Forest - Thu 2:31 p.m. - 2 clicks
Rick Nadeau Has Passed
Rick Nadeau 1944-2008We just heard the very sad news. Rick Nadeau, best of friends, writer for the OB Rag, intellectual par excellence, just passed today, at 12:45pm PST. Rick had been fighting cancer for the past two years, and today took his last breath while in the arms of his love and wife, Diana, at [...]...
OB Rag - Thu 1:47 p.m. - 14 clicks
A Real Question: How To Get A Better Idea To Washington?
The Democratic Daily - Thu 1:26 p.m. - 2 clicks
VIDEO: MadProfessah's appearance on NPR's News& Notes
The Mad Professah Lectures - Thu 1:26 p.m. - 17 clicks
They
See a revised (better) version of this post at Speak Out California I want to caution about the use of the word "they" in current policy debates. How we understand a problem has huge implications... ...
Seeing the Forest - Thu 1:26 p.m. - 2 clicks
California Congressional Caucus Showing Leadership—It Will Be Needed on Health Care
By Anthony Wright Executive Director of Health Access California As the various caucuses at the U.S. House of Representatives make their decisions, California is showing a lot of leadership, and is poised to show more leadership on health care California Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey maintains her position as co-chair of the......
California Progress Report - Thu 1:25 p.m. - 15 clicks
Waxman Wins Key Test Vote for Chair of House Energy Committee—If You Like Clean Air, Call Your Membe...
By David Dayen d-day This is a very big deal. Henry Waxman has been nominated by the House's Steering Committee to be the head of the House panel on Energy and Commerce, ahead of longtime chair John Dingell. The implications for such a change would be huge, but it's......
California Progress Report - Thu 1:25 p.m. - 13 clicks
Beyond Prop 8: Where Do We Go From Here?
By Paul Hogarth Yesterday, the California Supreme Court announced it would take up the legal challenges to Proposition 8. But while lawyers debate the future of marriage equality, activists are planning next steps regardless of the outcome. There’s a lot of grass-roots energy emanating from the recent protests, and......
California Progress Report - Thu 1:25 p.m. - 7 clicks
Mythbusting the African American Vote and Prop 8
By Robert Cruickshank In the days after Proposition 8's passage, much was made of a CNN Exit Poll showing 70% of African Americans voted for Prop 8. That poll had a number of problems including a small sample size. But the damage had been done, and it soon became conventional......
California Progress Report - Thu 1:25 p.m.
Oil Severance Fee Would Ease California Budget Pain
By Richard Holober Executive Director Consumer Federation of California Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum combined reported record profits of $36 billion for the third quarter of 2008. That’s $400 million in profits every day, seven days a week. Those four oil giants extract over 70% of the......
California Progress Report - Thu 1:25 p.m. - 16 clicks
Not Content With Total Failure, Bush Turns To Sabotage
The only thing Still President Bush has succeeded at is assuring his place as the worst American President ever. Not content with destroying the economy (even if you still have a job, take a look at your 401K), starting and failing to finish two wars (Iraq and Afghanistan), leading a thoroughly corrupt administration (Alberto Gonzalez [...]...
California League of Conservation Voters - Thu 1:25 p.m. - 2 clicks
Suck. On. This.
Agitprop - Thu 1:25 p.m. - 2 clicks
ANALYSIS: The CA Supreme Court Proposition 8 Decision
The Mad Professah Lectures - Thu 10:52 a.m. - 17 clicks
The National Book Award winners are...
Nite Swimming - Thu 10:09 a.m.
Maybe Dick Pombo Wouldn't Be The Best Suicide Prevention Counsellor For Marilyn Musgrave
Down With Tyranny - Thu 9:11 a.m. - 16 clicks
Hoyer Singing Republican Party Talking Points, But Waxman Kicks Dingell's Ass Anyway... As Blue Dogs...
Down With Tyranny - Thu 9:11 a.m. - 49 clicks
Waxman beats Dingell in secret vote for Energy and Commerce
My Right to be Left - Thu 8:23 a.m. - 13 clicks
State Budget, Local Impact
D-Day - Thu 8:22 a.m. - 15 clicks
Chairman Waxman
D-Day - Thu 8:22 a.m. - 13 clicks
Cabinet Report
D-Day - Thu 8:01 a.m. - 10 clicks
Last Essay from Senator Sheila Kuehl From the Capitol
By State Senator Sheila Kuehl Regarding SB 840.... Senator Mark Leno will be introducing SB 840 (or whatever number may be assigned) in the next legislative session (January 2009). If you received updates regarding SB 840 from me, you will, in the future, receive the updates from Senator Leno.......
California Progress Report - Thu 5:44 a.m. - 13 clicks
The Race for Governor 2010: Who is California's Barack Obama?
California Progress Report - Thu 5:28 a.m. - 19 clicks
Prop 11, Prop 93, the California Democratic Council and the California Democratic Party
California Progress Report - Thu 5:28 a.m. - 12 clicks
Cutting Off Kids for Christmas: California Considers Wait Listing Children for Healthy Families Cove...
California Progress Report - Thu 5:28 a.m. - 6 clicks
Lovable Loser
D-Day - Thu 4:00 a.m. - 5 clicks
How We Blew It: California's Prop 8 Defeat
The Mad Professah Lectures - Thu 3:31 a.m. - 13 clicks
Heavenly Day-- Waxman Defeats Dingell: Blue Dogs Go Down To Disastrous Defeat
Down With Tyranny - Wed 10:09 p.m. - 41 clicks
A chorus of Senate Dems cries out, "Welcome Back, Joe!" (And thanks, President-elect Obama!)
Down With Tyranny - Wed 9:20 p.m. - 52 clicks
Who does this Obama fellow think he's trying to impress with his fancy-pants way of talking -- in, y...
Down With Tyranny - Wed 9:20 p.m. - 6 clicks
Bush's Silent Coup d'etat of the Obama Administration
Sacramento For Democracy - Wed 7:02 p.m. - 7 clicks
no cuts to libraries! no cuts to park and rec!
by Anna Daniels / Wednesday, November 19, 2008 8:40 AM Here is the email I sent to all the City Councilmembers and the Mayor today: I know you all want to find a way to support libraries and park & rec. This requires the following: Time for review and discussion The mayor threw out [...]...
OB Rag - Wed 7:02 p.m. - 2 clicks
City Council Puts Off Budget Cutting Decision Til Monday, Nov. 24th
Ocean Beach residents demonstrate in support of keeping the libraries open -- foot of Newport Ave. --------- Nov. 15, 2008 (photo: Patty Jones/OB Rag Friends of OB Library Present Petitions With 1200 Signatures Against Its Closure SAN DIEGO, CA. Late this afternoon, the San Diego City Council delayed any decision on Mayor Jerry Sander’s budget cutting proposals [...]...
OB Rag - Wed 7:02 p.m. - 12 clicks
Reader Rant: Our Global Financial Crisis and the Great Transfer of Wealth
by Dave I’ve seen more sides of this ‘mortgage meltdown’ than most - real estate agent, mortgage broker, property owner, investor, forclosee, community preservation panelist, credit union asset liquidation manager. Therefore, I feel like I’ve got a little bit to say about our current mess, so I’d like to provide a little enlightenment from a [...]...
OB Rag - Wed 7:02 p.m.
Attend the City Council Hearing Today - Over 1,000 Have Signed Petitions to Keep Ocean Beach Library...
OCEAN BEACH, CA. The organizers of the resistance to the proposed closure of the Ocean Beach Library have counted 1,000 signatures on their Petition to oppose its closure. OB residents and supporters of Libraries and Rec Centers everywhere are being asked to attend today’s City Council Hearing from 2 to 5 pm, on the 12th [...]...
OB Rag - Wed 7:02 p.m.
California Supreme Court to Hear Prop 8 Challenge (UPDATE 2)
DailyKos (California) - Wed 7:01 p.m. - 14 clicks
And the winner is…
Waxman! Today, the House Steering Committee voted 25-22 endorsing Los Angeles Congressman Henry Waxman to become the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has been chaired by Congressman John Dingell for 28 years. Dingell, who is from Michigan, has been a big defender of the Auto Industry and has time and again [...]...
California League of Conservation Voters - Wed 7:01 p.m. - 13 clicks
BREAKING NEWS: Californa High Court Agrees To Hear Prop 8
The Mad Professah Lectures - Wed 5:12 p.m. - 12 clicks
Today's Fresh Meat
Proposition 8 was a "vote of the people," but at issue before the California Supreme Court is the question of whether the people can amend the State Constitution to take away fundamental rights. According to the Los Angeles Times, justices are feeling pressure from all sides, with socially conservative groups threatening recalls. Governor Schwarzenegger, for his part, has weighed in on ...
California Majority Report - Wed 5:11 p.m. - 5 clicks
Rep. Waxman Bests Rep. Dingell in Round One of Fight to Control House Energy and Commerce Committee
By a close 25-22 vote, the House Democratic Steering and Policy panel voted today to oust Michigan Rep. John Dingell as chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and replace him with California Rep. Henry Waxman. Tomorrow, the entire House Democratic caucus votes to uphold or reject the recommendation. If this move stands, chalk it up as a win for California and a win for the environment...
California Majority Report - Wed 5:11 p.m. - 6 clicks
Nepal's Highest Court Issues Landmark Ruling Declaring LGBT Equality
The Mad Professah Lectures - Wed 4:26 p.m. - 12 clicks
Oilver Willis
Everyone should read Oliver Willis every day because I said so. ...
Seeing the Forest - Wed 4:26 p.m.
Our Health Insurance
We get health insurance through my wife's job. They pay hers, I have to pay for mine. MY share has been a little over $600 a month. It just jumped to $850, and she now has to pay $75. So we went... ...
Seeing the Forest - Wed 4:26 p.m.
Taylor Marsh
You should all read Taylor Marsh every day because I said so. ...
Seeing the Forest - Wed 4:26 p.m.
Cable News Shows
Cable news channels are filled with people with not enough information trying to fill up a whole lot of time. Basically they don't have much to say. Why does anyone watch this stuff? ...
Seeing the Forest - Wed 4:26 p.m.
Boehner Beats Lungren As Minority Leader-- But Is Forced To Take On Two Far Right Extremists
Down With Tyranny - Wed 2:47 p.m. - 39 clicks
A Worldwide Contraction Featuring Concerts In Romania And A Republican Drive To Sell GM To China
Down With Tyranny - Wed 2:28 p.m. - 46 clicks
An Experienced Hand
D-Day - Wed 2:28 p.m. - 2 clicks
Even Rahm Gets It?
D-Day - Wed 2:28 p.m. - 2 clicks
A Vote Without A Plan
D-Day - Wed 2:28 p.m. - 14 clicks
A Vote Without A Plan
Calitics - Wed 1:07 p.m. - 12 clicks
Go Away
Agitprop - Wed 12:07 p.m. - 4 clicks
One More View Of The Big Three From Campbell Brown (Video)
The Democratic Daily - Wed 11:32 a.m. - 29 clicks
Quotable - Dowd's descent into crackpotdom
Nite Swimming - Wed 11:31 a.m. - 14 clicks
CA-04: another day, another vote tally
Nite Swimming - Wed 11:31 a.m. - 3 clicks
Hey Hank! Where did all that money go dude?
My Right to be Left - Wed 11:31 a.m. - 2 clicks
Gas Outage in the Neighborhood
DCist reports that my house has no gas: In case you missed this morning’s Alert DC notice, Washington Gas reported that gas service has been interrupted to some 400 homes in the Shaw neighborhood as of just after 8 a.m. Not great timing, considering the recent cold snap. The outage was reportedly caused by a Washington Gas [...]...
Matt Ortega - Wed 11:31 a.m. - 2 clicks
Well now that Sarah's hibernating for the winter, Alan Keyes has stepped in for the latest comedy
DailyKos (California) - Wed 11:31 a.m. - 14 clicks
Liveblog with anti-amendment leaders Kate Kendell, Nadine Smith and Barbara McCullough-Jones
DailyKos (California) - Wed 11:31 a.m. - 22 clicks
Obama-Biden Official Goals on LGBT Rights Published
The Mad Professah Lectures - Wed 9:47 a.m. - 3 clicks
A Clear and Present Danger: A Californian Finds Gaps in Consumer Communication from Financial Instit...
California Progress Report - Wed 9:26 a.m. - 16 clicks
California Wildfires and the Urgency of Combating Climate Change
California Progress Report - Wed 8:40 a.m. - 9 clicks
California Education Cuts in the Year After the "Year of Education"
California Progress Report - Wed 8:40 a.m. - 11 clicks
A Breeze of Fresh Air from Washington D.C. To California? Waxman and Dingell Battle Today--Reactions...
California Progress Report - Wed 8:40 a.m. - 12 clicks
Stronger Renewable Energy Goals For California: Schwarzenegger's Executive Order and Where We Go Fr...
California Progress Report - Wed 8:40 a.m. - 11 clicks
Former California Supreme Court Court Justice Cruz Reynoso Named to Obama Agency Review Team
People's Vanguard of Davis - Wed 6:25 a.m. - 16 clicks
School District Considers Shifting Elections to Even Years
People's Vanguard of Davis - Wed 6:25 a.m. - 9 clicks
Tuesday Open Thread
Calitics - Wed 3:47 a.m. - 3 clicks
A gay agenda
Happening-Here - Wed 12:44 a.m. - 15 clicks
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Can California Have $25 Billion?
California Progress Report - Wed 12:44 a.m. - 14 clicks
Prop 8 Supporters Blackmail Supreme Court With Recall Threat
DailyKos (California) - Tue 11:40 p.m. - 13 clicks
Jason Bentley To Become KCRW Music Director
The Mad Professah Lectures - Tue 10:24 p.m. - 12 clicks
Post-Election at the Election Protection Wiki
We are doing some post-election work at the Election Protection Wiki, which is online at http://epwiki.org The election is over but the election problems will return unless the system is reformed.... ...
Seeing the Forest - Tue 10:02 p.m.