Blog
Blog
California and a Global Standard for Innovation
Even though the state has slipped in the rankings over the past several years, California is still an innovation hub with an economy that is firmly grounded in innovative industries from videogames to internet, and technology hardware to movies. There are nearly 43 technology jobs per 1000 people in California. ...
Blog
CalPERS & CalSTRS Report Lower Than Expected Returns – Is ESG One Reason Why?
CalPERS and CalSTRS – the two largest public employee pension funds in both California and the nation –just announced their annual investment returns for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Once again, it’s not good news for California taxpayers. Both funds reported that their respective net return of investments came in under ...
Blog
What We’re Watching – August 9
Rowena Itchon – Yes, I Really Did Work for Ronald Reagan When people learn that I worked at the Reagan Speechwriting office, people ask me if I ever met the President. My brother recently came across this old video in 1986 when the staff did the annual photo op. You’ll ...
Blog
Big Government Plays Favorites with Renewable Energy, We All Pay the Difference
Renewable portfolio standards (RPS) can be considered the flagship environmental policy for state government in the US. The RPS programs have been adopted by 29 states and apply to half of the national electricity market. The staple of any RPS program is mandating the use of one energy source over ...
Blog
The latest dumb idea from San Francisco – banning plastic water bottles at the airport
San Francisco has most recently been known more for its quality of life problems and lack of affordability than the home of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. You would think that city officials would be doing everything they can to lure both tourists and business travelers back to the ...
Blog
Teacher Unions Veer Far Left
Recently, The Washington Times published an op-ed that I authored where I describe how the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, to use the newspaper’s headline, “Careen Left.” But the reality is that the political landscape and momentum of teacher unions across the country is actually trending ...
Blog
Starving from The Road Diet, Gorging on Mass Transit
Caltrain, a commuter rail in the San Francisco Peninsula, has announced a grandiose plan that would remake, says The Mercury News, “a once-sleepy suburban line into a truly urban transit system.” “Caltrain’s vision contemplates BART-like ‘show-up and go’ service, whisking passengers from San Francisco to Gilroy on trains that run ...
Blog
What We’re Watching – How Private Charities Can Help Address California’s Homeless Crisis
Ben Smithwick – How Private Charities Can Help Address California’s Homeless Crisis This is a must-watch short documentary profiling three programs of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles. The film demonstrates the importance of creating a policy environment that allows private charities to become more deeply involved in addressing the homelessness ...
Blog
What Will Brexit Mean for the US?
Every other year, I always take a big trip somewhere around the world. This fall, I’m excited to be traveling to England, Ireland, and Scotland for the first time. As I prepare for my trip, the UK is in the midst of great political turmoil – perhaps more than the ...
Blog
Will California Have to Be Destroyed in Order to Save It?
A new poll found nearly half of Californians don’t believe they can afford to live in the state. It’s not necessarily big news, but it does confirm why so many wish to flee. The Quinnipiac University poll, taken July 10-15, tells us that 45% of Californians said “no” when asked ...
California and a Global Standard for Innovation
Even though the state has slipped in the rankings over the past several years, California is still an innovation hub with an economy that is firmly grounded in innovative industries from videogames to internet, and technology hardware to movies. There are nearly 43 technology jobs per 1000 people in California. ...
CalPERS & CalSTRS Report Lower Than Expected Returns – Is ESG One Reason Why?
CalPERS and CalSTRS – the two largest public employee pension funds in both California and the nation –just announced their annual investment returns for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Once again, it’s not good news for California taxpayers. Both funds reported that their respective net return of investments came in under ...
What We’re Watching – August 9
Rowena Itchon – Yes, I Really Did Work for Ronald Reagan When people learn that I worked at the Reagan Speechwriting office, people ask me if I ever met the President. My brother recently came across this old video in 1986 when the staff did the annual photo op. You’ll ...
Big Government Plays Favorites with Renewable Energy, We All Pay the Difference
Renewable portfolio standards (RPS) can be considered the flagship environmental policy for state government in the US. The RPS programs have been adopted by 29 states and apply to half of the national electricity market. The staple of any RPS program is mandating the use of one energy source over ...
The latest dumb idea from San Francisco – banning plastic water bottles at the airport
San Francisco has most recently been known more for its quality of life problems and lack of affordability than the home of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. You would think that city officials would be doing everything they can to lure both tourists and business travelers back to the ...
Teacher Unions Veer Far Left
Recently, The Washington Times published an op-ed that I authored where I describe how the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, to use the newspaper’s headline, “Careen Left.” But the reality is that the political landscape and momentum of teacher unions across the country is actually trending ...
Starving from The Road Diet, Gorging on Mass Transit
Caltrain, a commuter rail in the San Francisco Peninsula, has announced a grandiose plan that would remake, says The Mercury News, “a once-sleepy suburban line into a truly urban transit system.” “Caltrain’s vision contemplates BART-like ‘show-up and go’ service, whisking passengers from San Francisco to Gilroy on trains that run ...
What We’re Watching – How Private Charities Can Help Address California’s Homeless Crisis
Ben Smithwick – How Private Charities Can Help Address California’s Homeless Crisis This is a must-watch short documentary profiling three programs of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles. The film demonstrates the importance of creating a policy environment that allows private charities to become more deeply involved in addressing the homelessness ...
What Will Brexit Mean for the US?
Every other year, I always take a big trip somewhere around the world. This fall, I’m excited to be traveling to England, Ireland, and Scotland for the first time. As I prepare for my trip, the UK is in the midst of great political turmoil – perhaps more than the ...
Will California Have to Be Destroyed in Order to Save It?
A new poll found nearly half of Californians don’t believe they can afford to live in the state. It’s not necessarily big news, but it does confirm why so many wish to flee. The Quinnipiac University poll, taken July 10-15, tells us that 45% of Californians said “no” when asked ...
