[Editor’s Note: One in an occasional series of columns based on interviews with major candidates for governor.] At 64 years old, the passion still comes through when Antonio Villaraigosa talks about California. “I haven’t stopped wanting to change the world,” he declares while explaining why he’s running for governor. “I want to restore the state’s luster.” Speaker of the state … Read More
Anything Could Happen
Mr. Elias
Bigger, California has learned through long experience, is not always better. It can be downright destructive, as when a city outgrows its water or freeway system. Whether bigger can be better, more responsive and cost-effective, arises again this spring, in two proposals that could fundamentally change politics both statewide and in California’s largest county. One, purveyed in a proposed 2018 … Read More
Joshua Trees, Beware
Joshua trees
Only four units of the entire 417-part system of national parks, monuments, seashores and historical sites carry the names of remarkable plants and trees. California hosts three of these – Redwood, Sequoia and Joshua Tree national parks. By the end of this century, there could be little reason for the Joshua Tree National Park just east of Palm Springs and … Read More
Can Democrats Capitalize?
Mr. Elias
For the last seven years, most of the 14 Republicans representing parts of California in Congress railed against Obamacare, high corporate taxes and illegal immigration. But that was mere chatter. So long as a Democrat was president, nothing new was going to happen. Even though Obamacare policy holders, illegal immigrants and poor people abound in many of their districts, their … Read More
Feinstein Running at 85?
Ms. Feinstein
Few California senators of the last 50 years have been more active than the Dianne Feinstein of early 2017. That’s important mostly because of Ms. Feinstein’s age – despite her dark hair, she will be 85 next November, when she may seek a fifth full term and sixth term overall. For sure, vultures are waiting in the wings for Ms. … Read More
What Is Brown Hiding?
Mr. Elias
More than one month after the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that text messages and emails sent by public officials on their personal devices are matters of public record if they deal with public business, Gov. Brown has still not moved on his own email issues. During that time, Mr. Brown flouted his own boasts of transparency by using a … Read More
Why Gas Tax Won’t Hurt Brown
Mr. Davis
There is no doubt that a 2003 car tax increase helped wreck Democrat Gray Davis’ career as governor of California. But a new batch of car taxes just passed by state legislators at the strong urging of Gov. Jerry Brown will not harm him or his legacy. One reason for this is the timing: Mr. Davis was ousted in … Read More
Issa No Longer Stays Isolated
Mr. Issa in trouble?
Think of Congressman Darrel Issa, the former car alarm magnate who made a fortune off the Viper system, and you picture the ultimate Republican loyalist: The former chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee bedeviled ex-President Obama over everything from his birth certificate to conduct of the Food and Drug Administration. These days, it is Mr. Issa who … Read More
It Was Time to Go Home
Mike Hennessey
Dateline Dayton – A final take on our Florida vacation: It was Friday and we were on our way home. Unlike past trips, we took two days instead of one to come home, and that doubled our enjoyment. Leaving Lake City, FL, our second stop was for food. With few choices, we picked a chain restaurant. Pauline and I … Read More
Traveling to Another Era
Dateline Kotor, Montenegro — Among the world’s millions of roads and highways, a very select few have themselves become destinations. There are western Canada’s magnificent Icefields Parkway, California’s own Highway 1 through Big Sur and Maui’s Hana Road, to name three. None has anything over the nameless road that winds its way through 13 miles and 27 hairpin turns up … Read More