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‘Fixing’ Assembly Bill 5: Better If It Never Existed At All

California’s Assembly Bill 5 has not been broken, but given a couple of recent developments, it might soon be showing some cracks. On May 20, Assembly Bill 1850, which would exempt some professions from AB5, a law that virtually outlaws independent contract work, was passed 7-0 by the Assembly Labor ...
Blog

Assembly’s Festivus-Style ‘Airing of Grievances’ Does Not Disappoint

In my last blog post, I previewed the Assembly’s unusual “Committee of the Whole” hearing on the state budget, comparing it to Seinfeld’s Festivus “Airing of Grievances.” Little did I know how clairvoyant I really was. Last Tuesday’s five hour session could charitably be called a “gripe fest” as lawmakers ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – May 29

Kerry Jackson – California:  The Exodus from the Golden State Anyone who still doesn’t think California’s future is questionable at best, bleak at worst, needs to spend 10 minutes watching this video. Ben Smithwick – Protecting Your Right to Run a Business from Home In this video from the Goldwater Institute, ...
Blog

Racial Preferences Returning to California?

It’s said that timing is everything — it’s especially true in politics. And it’s why those who want to bring back racial preferences in California’s public education, government employment and contracting, chose the here and now to try and repeal Prop. 209, the 1996 California ballot measure that ended these ...
Blog

Newsom’s Executive Orders Are Too Much for State Lawmakers

California, like the rest of country, is slowly opening cities and counties after more than two months of shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders. California Governor Gavin Newsom has been the unequivocal face of the pandemic response. As the state legislature prepares to vote on a trimmed-down budget in June, the governor’s ...
Blog

Budget Update: A Capitol ‘Airing of Grievances’ and No More Blank Checks for Newsom

Last week, the center of the budget universe moved upstairs at the State Capitol as budget subcommittees in the Senate and Assembly held hearings to explore all aspects of Gov. Newsom’s plan to close the budget deficit he pegs at $54 billion. A few interesting developments foreshadow what may be ...
Blog

Remembering Those We Honor on Memorial Day

While America is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting havoc and deaths, it is easy to forget about the significance of Memorial Day.  Yet, of all the nation’s patriotic holidays, none carries deeper emotion and impacts the lives of ordinary Americans more than Memorial Day. In his 2020 ...
Agriculture

What We’re Watching – May 22

Rowena Itchon – A Memorial Day Tribute 2020 Kerry Jackson – This Doctor Won’t Take Health Insurance – and Charges Just $35 a Visit Meet the Pittsburgh doctor who doesn’t take health care insurance and charges only $35 for most office visits. That makes him a doctor from a different era. But ...
Blog

Coronavirus Chronicles: A Small Business Recession Could Turn into a Depression

Year to date, the Dow Index of the U.S.’s 30 largest companies is down 14 percent; the S&P 500, which tracks 500 large-cap companies, is down 8 percent; and the NASDAQ, an electronic system that trades many of the world’s fastest growing companies, is up more than 4 percent.  Clearly, ...
Blog

The 6GHz Push Could Expand Innovation in California

Given that California has more than 33 million internet users, it is clear that the state loves its broadband access.  And recent action from Washington, DC has the potential to make California’s online experience even better and inspire more innovation. According to Broadband Now, California ranks 13th in the country ...
Blog

‘Fixing’ Assembly Bill 5: Better If It Never Existed At All

California’s Assembly Bill 5 has not been broken, but given a couple of recent developments, it might soon be showing some cracks. On May 20, Assembly Bill 1850, which would exempt some professions from AB5, a law that virtually outlaws independent contract work, was passed 7-0 by the Assembly Labor ...
Blog

Assembly’s Festivus-Style ‘Airing of Grievances’ Does Not Disappoint

In my last blog post, I previewed the Assembly’s unusual “Committee of the Whole” hearing on the state budget, comparing it to Seinfeld’s Festivus “Airing of Grievances.” Little did I know how clairvoyant I really was. Last Tuesday’s five hour session could charitably be called a “gripe fest” as lawmakers ...
Blog

What We’re Watching – May 29

Kerry Jackson – California:  The Exodus from the Golden State Anyone who still doesn’t think California’s future is questionable at best, bleak at worst, needs to spend 10 minutes watching this video. Ben Smithwick – Protecting Your Right to Run a Business from Home In this video from the Goldwater Institute, ...
Blog

Racial Preferences Returning to California?

It’s said that timing is everything — it’s especially true in politics. And it’s why those who want to bring back racial preferences in California’s public education, government employment and contracting, chose the here and now to try and repeal Prop. 209, the 1996 California ballot measure that ended these ...
Blog

Newsom’s Executive Orders Are Too Much for State Lawmakers

California, like the rest of country, is slowly opening cities and counties after more than two months of shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders. California Governor Gavin Newsom has been the unequivocal face of the pandemic response. As the state legislature prepares to vote on a trimmed-down budget in June, the governor’s ...
Blog

Budget Update: A Capitol ‘Airing of Grievances’ and No More Blank Checks for Newsom

Last week, the center of the budget universe moved upstairs at the State Capitol as budget subcommittees in the Senate and Assembly held hearings to explore all aspects of Gov. Newsom’s plan to close the budget deficit he pegs at $54 billion. A few interesting developments foreshadow what may be ...
Blog

Remembering Those We Honor on Memorial Day

While America is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting havoc and deaths, it is easy to forget about the significance of Memorial Day.  Yet, of all the nation’s patriotic holidays, none carries deeper emotion and impacts the lives of ordinary Americans more than Memorial Day. In his 2020 ...
Agriculture

What We’re Watching – May 22

Rowena Itchon – A Memorial Day Tribute 2020 Kerry Jackson – This Doctor Won’t Take Health Insurance – and Charges Just $35 a Visit Meet the Pittsburgh doctor who doesn’t take health care insurance and charges only $35 for most office visits. That makes him a doctor from a different era. But ...
Blog

Coronavirus Chronicles: A Small Business Recession Could Turn into a Depression

Year to date, the Dow Index of the U.S.’s 30 largest companies is down 14 percent; the S&P 500, which tracks 500 large-cap companies, is down 8 percent; and the NASDAQ, an electronic system that trades many of the world’s fastest growing companies, is up more than 4 percent.  Clearly, ...
Blog

The 6GHz Push Could Expand Innovation in California

Given that California has more than 33 million internet users, it is clear that the state loves its broadband access.  And recent action from Washington, DC has the potential to make California’s online experience even better and inspire more innovation. According to Broadband Now, California ranks 13th in the country ...
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