Unemployment
Blog
Groundhog Day for Minimum Wage
At first, we were relieved to find that Pres. Biden’s proposal to include a $15 minimum wage hike in the COVID-19 relief package was just a bad nightmare. But when Californians woke up the other day, the idea was back on track. Unlike Bill Murray, who thanks to the magic ...
Rowena Itchon
February 18, 2021
Blog
President Biden’s Stimulus Will Harm The Economy Long-term With No Short-term Benefits
The argument for an economic stimulus seems persuasive. The economy contracted 3.5 percent in 2020, which is the largest annual decline in the national economy since 1946. The latest employment numbers, which were a disappointment to many, seem to further confirm the urgent need for Congress to immediately pass a ...
Wayne Winegarden
February 10, 2021
Blog
California’s Winter of Discontent
It comes as no surprise that a recent Gallup poll showed that Americans now believe that the biggest problem in the country are its politicians (29 percent), not the pandemic (22 percent). While tens of millions are frustratingly looking for a COVID-19 vaccine, the Biden Administration is busy fighting climate ...
Rowena Itchon
February 9, 2021
Blog
Should California Legislative Staff Be Unionized?
California is struggling with its Covid-19 recovery efforts. More than 941,000 people are still waiting for their Covid unemployment benefit claims to be processed. A recent San Francisco Chronicle headline proclaimed, “Newsom’s $2 billion plan to reopen California schools fizzles.” California now ranks dead last in vaccine distribution according to ...
Tim Anaya
February 4, 2021
Blog
Poor Communications Are Hurting the Governor on Covid
Last week, California should have celebrated an important step to help small business owners and Californians reclaim some sense in of normal. Instead, Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement to lift stay-at-home restrictions across the state was met with surprise, confusion, and more questions. Late Sunday night on Jan. 24, 2021, Sacramento ...
Evan Harris
February 1, 2021
Blog
CAPITAL IDEAS: Is California’s Economy on the Brink Due to Climate Change?
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”36222″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text]The economic outlook for California inspires as much optimism as a weather report of dark clouds and heavy thunderstorms. Rather than entertain the possibility that the hard times are the result of poor public policy, blame has been assigned to ...
Kerry Jackson
January 28, 2021
Blog
New Senate Majority Means Blue State Bailout on Horizon
While Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden, and Democrats across America were cheering their party’s victories in the Georgia senate runoffs, no one was probably cheering louder than Gov. Gavin Newsom and his fellow blue state governors (plus scores of Democratic mayors). Once the two new senators are sworn in and Californian ...
Tim Anaya
January 18, 2021
California
PRI’s Kerry Jackson weighs in on Newsom budget plan in OC Register: California’s spend-a-thon begins
Gov. Gavin Newsom submitted his budget Friday, outlining how he wants the state to spend a record $227.2 billion in the 2021-2022 fiscal year. And spend California will, as usual on items in no way connected to government’s limited role in our lives. In addition to the usual largess customarily ...
Kerry Jackson
January 10, 2021
Blog
How 2020 Was Good and Bad for California Governor Gavin Newsom
In the wild year that was 2020, many political stars rose and fell. None may have gone on quite the roller coaster ride than California Governor Newsom. Since each month of last year felt like a lifetime, I thought I’d review some of the good and bad moments from Newsom’s ...
Evan Harris
January 7, 2021
Blog
At The Intersection Of Lockdown Business Destruction And A Minimum-Wage Hike
Way back in August, in what seems like an entirely different historical era, when California was open relative to the restrictions we’re under today, 44% of small business owners said they were at risk of permanent closure in the next six months, unless they received additional stimulus funding. Six percent ...
Kerry Jackson
January 6, 2021
Groundhog Day for Minimum Wage
At first, we were relieved to find that Pres. Biden’s proposal to include a $15 minimum wage hike in the COVID-19 relief package was just a bad nightmare. But when Californians woke up the other day, the idea was back on track. Unlike Bill Murray, who thanks to the magic ...
President Biden’s Stimulus Will Harm The Economy Long-term With No Short-term Benefits
The argument for an economic stimulus seems persuasive. The economy contracted 3.5 percent in 2020, which is the largest annual decline in the national economy since 1946. The latest employment numbers, which were a disappointment to many, seem to further confirm the urgent need for Congress to immediately pass a ...
California’s Winter of Discontent
It comes as no surprise that a recent Gallup poll showed that Americans now believe that the biggest problem in the country are its politicians (29 percent), not the pandemic (22 percent). While tens of millions are frustratingly looking for a COVID-19 vaccine, the Biden Administration is busy fighting climate ...
Should California Legislative Staff Be Unionized?
California is struggling with its Covid-19 recovery efforts. More than 941,000 people are still waiting for their Covid unemployment benefit claims to be processed. A recent San Francisco Chronicle headline proclaimed, “Newsom’s $2 billion plan to reopen California schools fizzles.” California now ranks dead last in vaccine distribution according to ...
Poor Communications Are Hurting the Governor on Covid
Last week, California should have celebrated an important step to help small business owners and Californians reclaim some sense in of normal. Instead, Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement to lift stay-at-home restrictions across the state was met with surprise, confusion, and more questions. Late Sunday night on Jan. 24, 2021, Sacramento ...
CAPITAL IDEAS: Is California’s Economy on the Brink Due to Climate Change?
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”36222″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text]The economic outlook for California inspires as much optimism as a weather report of dark clouds and heavy thunderstorms. Rather than entertain the possibility that the hard times are the result of poor public policy, blame has been assigned to ...
New Senate Majority Means Blue State Bailout on Horizon
While Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden, and Democrats across America were cheering their party’s victories in the Georgia senate runoffs, no one was probably cheering louder than Gov. Gavin Newsom and his fellow blue state governors (plus scores of Democratic mayors). Once the two new senators are sworn in and Californian ...
PRI’s Kerry Jackson weighs in on Newsom budget plan in OC Register: California’s spend-a-thon begins
Gov. Gavin Newsom submitted his budget Friday, outlining how he wants the state to spend a record $227.2 billion in the 2021-2022 fiscal year. And spend California will, as usual on items in no way connected to government’s limited role in our lives. In addition to the usual largess customarily ...
How 2020 Was Good and Bad for California Governor Gavin Newsom
In the wild year that was 2020, many political stars rose and fell. None may have gone on quite the roller coaster ride than California Governor Newsom. Since each month of last year felt like a lifetime, I thought I’d review some of the good and bad moments from Newsom’s ...
At The Intersection Of Lockdown Business Destruction And A Minimum-Wage Hike
Way back in August, in what seems like an entirely different historical era, when California was open relative to the restrictions we’re under today, 44% of small business owners said they were at risk of permanent closure in the next six months, unless they received additional stimulus funding. Six percent ...