This Week in Politics and Policy

December 28, 2006

Thank you Sacramento

Starting Monday, we have a variety of new laws in place. Thanks to AB 1850, not only is it illegal to ride in the trunk of a car (presumable moving), it is illegal to knowingly allow someone else to ride in the trunk. SB 1806 prevents us from leaving pets in the car on hot days, SB 1349 and SB 1578 prevents us from leaving a dog tethered to a stationary object – though the danger of tethering a dog to a moving object seems even worse.

However, a law that could save many lives – making talking on a handheld phone while driving illegal – will not go into effect until July of 2008. Why the delay?

Posted by sharris at 03:45 PM

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December 26, 2006

Do-Nothing

1947-48 was known, infamously, as the “do-nothing” congress. It was a group focused on just about anything other than working for the people who elected them to office.

The 109th Congress, which ended their two-year run this month, has done their part to challenge the original do-nothing crowd. They met a total of 241 days in two-years, most sessions not bothering to include Mondays or Fridays, much less weekends.

The Democrats, as part of their package of promises, plan to demand a 5-day workweek. While the sentiment is admirable, it strikes me that with the damage Congress seems to do when in session (regardless of who is in power), maybe less really is more☺

Posted by sharris at 12:40 AM

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December 24, 2006

Merry Christmas!

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone who is kind enough to visit this site a very Merry Christmas. One of the things I am thankful for is the people who are kind enough to read my ramblings and take the time to end back their ideas and thoughts. Regardless of which holiday’s you choose to celebrate, or not, this is always an amazing time of year and I hope all is well with you and your family.

It somehow seems sacrilegious to tackle any of the issues we usually discuss in this blog, so for now, have a very Merry Christmas and I’ll be back on Tuesday!

Posted by sharris at 12:01 AM

December 23, 2006

This Week in Politics and Policy.

It’s time for our weekly tour around the great State of California, highlighting what’s new in Sacramento and what’s happening around the state that affects you, your family and your business. The week before Christmas is usually a quiet one, if not for last-minute shoppers, at least in politics. Not so this year.

The courts have been working overtime and a couple of significant decisions – sure to be challenged – were passed down this week.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s plan to take over significant parts of the Los Angeles Unified School District –scheduled to start January 1st – has been temporarily derailed as Superior Court Judge Dzintra Janavs has ruled that Assembly Bill 1381 violates multiple provisions of the Los Angeles City Charter and the state Constitution. School Board President Marlene Canter said. “I am gratified that the court struck down AB 1381 in its entirety.” The Mayor will almost certainly appeal this to the California Supreme Court.

In another surprising decision, the California Supreme Court has ruled that Indian tribes in California can be sued for violating the state’s campaign disclosure law. Under federal law, the tribes currently enjoy sovereign immunity from lawsuits, but in a 4-3 decision the Court determined that their growing influence warrants an exception to the law as the state must be protected from political corruption. Justice Ming W. Chin who write the majority position acknowledged that the decision was an “abrogation of the sovereign immunity doctrine” but that “a transparent election process with rules that apply equally to all parties who enter the political fray” trumped those rights.

The decision is almost certain to be challenged, and the final result’s significance will exceed the issue of buying political influence. Will the United States continue to allow “sovereign nations” to benefit from everything this country has to offer, but not be subject to the same laws as the rest of us?

It is worth noting that the Kern High School District in Bakersfield has voted to drop spring and winter break and bring back Easter and Christmas recess. This will almost certainly bring a lawsuit as another round of the ongoing church and state battle begins.

Governor Schwarzenegger has announced that a universal healthcare plan designed to cover the 6.5 million Californians without health insurance is his top priority for 2007. Details of his plan, along with his plans for redistricting and prison reform, will come in his January 9th State-of-the-State speech.

I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope that this holiday season is a great one for you and your family. That’s it for this week and remember, California is the Alpha State: the greatest state in the world’s greatest country.

Posted by sharris at 12:53 AM

Gotta love N’Orleans

Democrat William Jefferson, eight-term Congressman from New Orleans was reelected last week in a runoff. Jefferson is best known nationally for being videotaped while accepting $100,000 cash from an FBI informant and stashing $90,000 cash in his congressional office freezer.

Just goes to show that no amount of corruption will deter a good Louisiana politician – or it’s citizens - and how hard it is to get an incumbent, no matter how incompetent or corrupt, out of office.

Jefferson, who is black, beat State Representative Karen Carter, who is also black. Jefferson captured 79% of the black vote and Carter captured 76% of the white vote.

Posted by sharris at 12:05 AM

Plato

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

Plato, Greek Philosopher (427-347 BCE)

Posted by sharris at 12:04 AM

December 22, 2006

Even Castro doesn’t get 100%

My column this week is based on the fact that 7 Democratic state legislators were elected with 100% of the vote last month. It seems to me to be a travesty of democracy and proof positive that gerrymandered districts have become obscene.

I am flattered that 7 newspapers (Daily Breeze, Daily News, Pasadena Star News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Sonoma Tribune, Ventura County Star and the Whittier Daily News) carried the column and that I’ve received quite a bit of feedback from readers.

If you haven’t read it, click on extended entry....

California’s 100% Solution

Pull quote - Not even Fidel Castro wins 100% of the vote.

Scott Harris

What do the following individuals have in common?

State Senators Dean Florez in the 16th District, Gloria Negrete McLeod in the 32nd District, State Assembly people Noreen Evans in the 7th District, Juan Arambula in the 31st District, Richard Alarcon in the 39th District, Fabian Nunez in the 46th District and Mervyn Dymally in the 52nd District?

They are all Democrats and they all won election, or reelection, to the California State legislature last month with 100% of the votes cast in their district. This is not a misprint – 100%.

Everyone from the old political machines must be turning over in their graves with the California returns. Even the late mayor Richard J. Daley, who personified the infamous Chicago-ism “Vote early and often” never grabbed 100% of the vote. Responding to accusations that his father bought the 1960 presidential election, John F. Kennedy often joked that he received a telegram from Joseph Kennedy saying, “Don’t buy another vote, I won’t pay for a landslide.” Not even Fidel Castro gets 100% of the vote. What waste, what largesse – what a joke.

This over-the-top show of Democratic muscle and unfair districts also extended to the United States Congress where three more Democrat incumbents were elected with 100% of the vote: Jim Costa in the 20th, Xavier Becerra in the 31st, and Diane Watson in the 33rd. Congress is also where the Republicans had their single 100% victory, returning Gary Miller of the 42nd to Capitol Hill and proving that both parties can abuse the system. Democrats, however, are just better at it.

This means that in 11 California state senate, state assembly and congressional districts, the minority party (or parties) did not even bother to run a candidate. How is possible in a state where only 43% of registered voters are Democrats that seven Democratic state legislators are sent to Sacramento with 100% of the vote? Why didn’t Republicans or one of the minor parties even bother to put a candidate up against these Democrats?

How is possible in the 20 State Senate races last month, that in addition to the two unanimous decisions, seven won with at least 60% of the vote and nine won with 70% or greater? All 20 districts stayed with the same party and no incumbents were turned out.

The 80 State Assembly races were no different. Along with five unanimous “races,” all districts stayed with the same party and again, no incumbents were defeated. 41 won with at least 60% of the vote, 12 with 70% or more and six with 80%..

What is the answer behind such lopsided election results? Gerrymandered districts.

Regular readers of this column know that I believe the biggest obstacle to representative democracy – which is what we are supposed to have - is the gerrymandering of state senate, state assembly and congressional districts.

Not only does gerrymandering virtually guarantee results (in the last three statewide elections, no California state legislator incumbent has lost and no district has switched parties), it eliminates democracy.

There is no forum for debate, no discussion of issues, and no new ideas. We stifle the desire of future generations to get involved, and we fail to teach our children the value of a representative democracy and the importance of civic participation. How do parents and teachers in these warped districts respond when asked by future voters of California: “Why should I bother voting when my vote so obviously doesn’t count?” Rarely has a tired cliché proven so true.

Democracy is about ideas, choices and the voice of the people. Sacramento has effectively excluded the citizens of California from the election process. Unless we stand up and demand to have our votes count and counted, to have fair districts, great debates and campaigns worthy of our attention – we will continue to have our representatives chosen for us through a rigged system, rather than electing them ourselves.

As former State Controller Steve Westley said – it was easier to get voted out of the old U.S.S.R. Politburo than the California State Legislature. Let’s make the necessary changes – fair districts and honest politicians– to end this travesty.

Posted by sharris at 12:49 AM

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December 21, 2006

Hotel fires 12

On the 14th of last month, I wrote about the City of Los Angles imposing a living wage requirement on Century Corridor hotels. This was the first time in California that a living wage was not directly related to a government contract.

It should come as no surprise that with the ordinance coming into effect on the 30th of this month, the first round of firings have begun. The Four Points Sheraton let 12 workers go, some of who have been employed for 20 years.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn who apparently never saw an econ class worth taking said, “I was just outraged that they would do this to these workers”.

The outrage is that the hotels didn’t do this, the City did. The City was warned that the hotels still had to compete with hotels only a block away that weren’t subjected to this ordinance and that to stay competitive, they would have to make changes. They did.

This is what happens when socialism meets capitalism – it’s the workers that are hurt, never the politicians. They can force the hotels to pay workers a certain rate (which is wrong), but they can’t force (at least not yet) the hotels to employ the workers.

Until the City butted in, the workers had jobs, at legal minimum wage – or more. Now they have no job (and those who remain will have to work harder to pick up the slack) and will be lucky to land an equivalent job at the same pay they had before the City got involved. I’m not sure Janice should expect Christmas cards from the now unemployed workers.

Posted by sharris at 12:28 AM

Nicotine free

Scotts Co., a Massachusetts based lawn-care company, has fired an employee for testing positive for nicotine. 30-year old Scott Rodrigues was fired after a urine test showed positive for nicotine.

While there is almost certainly a lawsuit (Rodrigues has hired an attorney) forthcoming, I hope Rodrigues loses. We frequently hear about the extraordinary cost of healthcare, and one of the factors rarely, if ever, mentioned is the expense incurred on? all of us for people who choose to live unhealthy lifestyles.

If Scotts Co. is trying to reduce healthcare expenses by having only non-smokers on their staff, then as a private company, that is their right. Rodrigues took the job knowing the rules, broke them and was fired. Scotts Co. can replace him with a healthier employee, one less likely to negatively impact their health insurance rates.

If it is as simple as the owner(s) of Scotts Co. not wanting smokers on their staff, well then God bless them.

I sure hope that all those people across this country supporting non-smoking laws in restaurants, bars, cities, (Calabasas, CA) and even in some condos and apartments get behind this 100%. If not, please explain to me why. Thank you.

Posted by sharris at 12:02 AM

December 20, 2006

Reader involvement

Regular readers of this site know that I believe gerrymandered districts are the greatest impediment to returning to an actual representative democracy.

Thank you to visitors to this site who send me information or weblinks related to this. Here is one that was sent in that you might enjoy. Thank you Gene!

Posted by sharris at 08:58 AM

My son the murderer

Felicia Reynolds is suing Hoover High School in Alabama for $5 million dollars because Sean Joyner was murdered. If you’re wondering what her relationship is with the murdered high school student, she is the mother of the boy who was convicted of murdering him.

She is suing the school district because she claims Mr. Joyner was harassing her son, that she notified the school about this and as a result, they are responsible for the death of this young man and the 20-year sentence for manslaughter her son received.

Bill Veitch, school board president, said he finds it “bizarre that someone expects the city to prevent their son from murdering someone between classes.”

Unfortunately, I find it bizarre that he’s surprised. In this day and age where many Americans feel that being held responsible for their actions in completely unfair, this woman’s suit should not be a surprise.

Last month I wrote about two young men who snuck on top of a train (ignoring the sign, common sense and personal responsibility) were electrocuted when they fell and sued the train company for negligence because the warning sign did not detail all possible outcomes of their stupidity.

I actually had a number of readers who responded to me that they agreed with the families that it was the responsibility of the train operators and not the young men. I wonder how they feel about Mr. Joyner’s death?

Posted by sharris at 12:50 AM

Anita vs. Wal-Mart

Anita is a small town (1,100 residents) in Iowa that was down to one last grocery store – the Main Street Market which originally opened in 1900.

Last year, 12 miles away, a new Wal-Mart opened up and not surprisingly, it was having a negative impact on the Main Street Market and the owners feared they would have to close their doors.

However, local residents decided they wanted the market to stay, formed a cooperative, sold shares for $200 each and raised $40,000 (which along with a bank loan) allowed the town to keep the market open.

Main Street market’s general manager, Linda Harms, said, “This is a community store now. It’s heartwarming to see how people really pull together.”

It’s great that the market stays open, Wal-Mart continues to operate, the community is closer together and the government did not have to get involved. Again, the power of community is amazing and to be applauded. Their community, their values – their market☺

BTW – I am frequently asked where I learn about some of the stories that I write about in this blog. The magazine The Week has a variety of little blurbs every week that I find interesting and look forward to passing on to you.

Posted by sharris at 12:02 AM

December 19, 2006

Cost of illegal immigrants

AP DALLAS — Former employees are suing Swift & Co. for $23 million, alleging the meatpacking company conspired to keep wages down by hiring illegal immigrants.
The 18 former employees are legal residents who worked at a plant in Cactus, Texas, north of Amarillo. The plant was one of six facilities raided in a multistate federal sweep that led to the arrests of nearly 1,300 employees and temporarily halted Swift's operations.
"These plaintiffs are ... victims in a long-standing scheme by Swift to depress and artificially lower the wages of its workers by knowingly hiring illegal workers," said their attorney, Angel Reyes. "By lessening its labor costs and increasing its profits, Swift has severely damaged the potential earnings and livelihood of these hardworking men and women."

What Reyes should have added is that is “severely damaged the potential earnings and livelihood of these hardworking AMERICAN CITIZEN men and women." This kind of blows a hole in the “they only take the jobs that American citizens don’t want” theory. Simple economics. If you bring in cheap labor, it pulls wages down for most, if not all.

Posted by sharris at 12:54 AM

Regan fired

HarperCollins has fired Judith Regan. While the publishing company gave no explanation in their 2-line press release, most observers believe it was directly related to her being the force, the "brains", behind the recent OJ Simpson book / interview fiasco.

I think it’s great that she was fired, great that Fox bailed on the interview and great that HarperCollins bailed on the book – all as a result of pressure from the American public.

I hope the embarrassment was great, the financial losses were huge and that others who mine the very depths of the human condition in an effort to entertain are deterred by what happened here.

Posted by sharris at 12:08 AM

December 18, 2006

Party of Diversity

The Los Angeles Times did a poll last week and the throw away question was…

Supposing a presidential candidate agrees with you on most issues; for which candidate could you NOT (emphasis added) vote for because he or she is a/an….?

In party A, 4% would have trouble voting for a woman, compared to 6% in party B. However, in party A, 4% wouldn’t vote for a black candidate, compared to 3% in party B, 17% wouldn’t vote for a Mormon, compared to 13% in party B, 19% wouldn’t vote for someone 72 years old, compared to 12% in party B and 63% of party A could vote for all of the above, compared to 71% in party B.

While less willing to accept a women candidate, party B was much more willing to accept differences in race, religion and age.

It might surprise some readers to find that the party shown as more diverse and more willing to accept differences is the Republican Party. This was buried on page 22 of the Times (12/14), but something tells me if the numbers had been reversed, it would have bumped up a bit.

Posted by sharris at 12:11 AM

Time for a change

Time magazine hands out an annul award – Person of the Year (appropriately changed from the previous Man of the Year) – and they look for guidance from past winners.

Last week (before announcing they were giving the award to all of us), they asked for input from 4 past winners; Steven Spielberg, Melissa Etheridge, Dr. Andrew Weil and Carla Hills. Their recommendations were for Michael J. Fox (for…”exposing right-wing meanness and helped the Democrats take the Senate”), Al Gore, the American Voter (for…”punishing Republicans for their adherence to an ideologically inflexible leadership and setting the country on a saner course.”) and the Iraq insurgency (… “one of the main reasons the Democrats won the House and Senate.”).

Fortunately, Time magazine does not (as they are often accused of by conservatives and always deny) lean to the left. However, I would be curious as to who they would be nominating if they did?

Posted by sharris at 12:01 AM

December 17, 2006

Dymally a racist?

Democratic Assemblyman (Compton) and leader of the Legislative Black Caucus Mervyn Dymally has accused a fellow assemblyperson, Hector De La Torre, also a Democrat and from South Gate, of being a racist.

Dymally said about De La Torre, “the most racist legislator I have encountered in over 40 years.”

What prompted this startling (or what should have been startling) statement? De La Torre (a minority and a Democrat) was asked by Assembly Speaker (also a minority and a Democrat) to look into charges that Dymally illegally distributed Assembly badges to supporters and contributors. One of these badges was used by a supporter to impersonate a state official in an effort to void being arrested.

Dymally quickly dove for the gutter in an effort to divert attention and began screaming “racist”. How often does this have to happen before blacks stand up and say ‘enough”.

It has to be embarrassing for the legislative Black Caucus, the Assembly is general and for most, if not all of his constituents to have a community leader use such a pitiful and transparent tactic to divert attention away from his own crimes. Why is there no outcry from anyone – beginning with the Assembly Leader Nunez who surprised no one when he refused comment? When did we start and how long do we allow blacks to have a free pass with accusations, like Dymally’s – unsupported and probably unfounded - of racism?

Posted by sharris at 12:55 AM

President Carter afraid to debate

BOSTON — Former President Jimmy Carter turned down a request to debate Alan Dershowitz about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the outspoken Harvard law professor "knows nothing about the situation."

It is unfortunate that President Carter is willing to write a controversial book, claim to have written it to start “an honest debate” in this country and refuse an opportunity that certainly would have generated quite a bit of media attention by dismissing the quality of the individual he would have debated.

It is hard not to see this as fear or hypocrisy. It would seem that a person who truly believed what he was saying and had written about would welcome an opportunity to shine as much light as possible on the discussion.

I hope that President Carter finds the courage to answer questions about his book and the positions and ideas he outlines.

Posted by sharris at 12:03 AM

December 16, 2006

Cruel and unusual?

OCALA, Fla. (AP) -- Gov. Jeb Bush suspended all executions in Florida after a medical examiner said Friday that prison officials botched the insertion of the needles when a convicted killer was put to death earlier this week.

Separately, a federal judge in California imposed a moratorium on executions in the nation's most populous state, declaring that the state's method of lethal injection runs the risk of violating the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

I have an alternative. Offer the criminal an option between our best effort at lethal injection, or to be killed in the exact same way they killed their victims.

Posted by sharris at 12:07 AM

Bob Larkin

A friend of mine, Bob Larkin, has written an excellent piece – State GOP Going Backwards. Bob is the Past Chairman of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee and a 25-year member of the CRP. With that kind of commitment and experience, it is worth reading what he has to say.

State GOP going strong but backwards?

In his recent opinion piece about the 2006 election, Duf Sundheim, California Republican Party Chairman quoted Daniel Patrick Moynihan in saying, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." The fact is that any way you look at it, this election was a drubbing for the California Republican Party.

In spite or raising and spending over $100 million in the last two election cycles, in the 306 partisan legislative seats up for election, only one office changed parties. Richard Pombo's Congressional seat went from Republican to Democrat.

Someone else once said, "The height of stupidity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result." Every two years California Republicans raise and spend millions of dollars running the same campaign, on the same platform and get their heads handed to them by the Democrats.

The first thing you have to consider when you look at a California election is that no Republican has ever won at the top of the ticket running on the current California Republican Party Platform. Ever! (President, Governor or U.S. Senate) Reagan and Duekmejian were elected before the current platform was written and Wilson and Schwarzenegger won in spite of it.

Sundheim was correct in pointing out that the margin between Republican registration and Democrat registration is the smallest it has been in decades, about 9%. But he ignored the fact that at 34%, Republican registration is as low as it has ever been as a percentage of registered voters and at the same time, Decline to State voters are now over 20% and they tend to vote Democrat.

The difference between Republican and Democrat registration is almost all women. There are upwards of a million more Democrat women than Republican women registered to vote and they have, along with many Republican women, won every major election in the past twenty years.

The Republican Party image is that of being anti-woman, anti-minority, pro-voucher and pro-gun. Democrats will continue to dominate politics in California until that perception is changed.

Will the California Republican Party Central Committee (CRP) make any changes when it meets in convention in February? Not likely! They will be about 98% white and the elected Republican legislators will be about 90% white-male and almost all right-wing.

In a state that is less than half white, this should be an embarrassment to those who control the party, but it is not. At least it is not embarrassing enough to make the party officers or the party leaders want to change.

If a minority Republican decides to visit the convention, he or she will be very lonesome. The CRP is probably the least diverse organization in the United States, with the possible exception of Ku Klux Klan.

Just ten years ago, Republicans held over half the partisan elected offices in the state, including a majority of forty-one in the Assembly, nineteen of forty seats in the Senate, the Governor's office and all but one of the statewide offices. Now Republicans hold less than a third of the seats.

The 1994 victories were achieved behind the landslide of Pete Wilson and the Newt Gingrich "Contract with America" wave that swept the country. The voters were fed up with taxes, crime, welfare and arrogant incumbents (the basic Republican platform) and they voted Republican. It appears they did the same in 2006 with the parties switching positions.

The fact is that the California Republican Party will remain irrelevant until it changes its platform and wins the vote of women and minorities. The party has an opportunity to begin a comeback in February if they have the backbone to make minor changes to the rules, by-laws and platform so the party looks friendly to women and minorities.

Unless Republicans do that, they will remain out in the cold for a long time except when a Wilson or Schwarzenegger comes along and wins in spite of the party.

Posted by sharris at 12:07 AM

December 15, 2006

This Week in Politics and Policy.

It’s time for our weekly tour around the great State of California, highlighting what’s new in Sacramento and what’s happening around the state that affects you, your family and your business. While it’s been quiet in California politics this week with many of us turning our attention to the holidays, it wasn’t that way 215 years ago.

It was this weekend in 1791 that the United States ratified the Bill of Rights. While President Franklin Roosevelt declared a Bill of Rights day in 1941 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing, it is a day that is largely overlooked. While all 10 amendments from the Bill of Rights are important, the First Amendment is the first among equals. The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights says the following…

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

These 45 words are as important as any written in the history of mankind. They state to the world and guarantee to every American:

We can worship as we fit, or not worship at all.

We can criticize our government in the press, on television, with our neighbors or gathering together in a group.

We have freedom of thought and expression.

We have a right as American citizens to make our beliefs known to the world under the protection of the United States’ government – even if those beliefs are in direct opposition to the government.

It is a freedom unimaginable by billions of people worldwide and taken for granted by millions of people in this country. In a recent poll, 36% of Americans could not name a single right guaranteed by the First Amendment. 20% think the First Amendment goes too far. 40% believe that the press has too much freedom and that public speech should not be allowed to offend religious or racial groups.

The greatest dangers to the First Amendment are ignorance and apathy. Don’t fall prey to either. Voltaire is usually credited with saying, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

During four centuries, one million American soldiers have given their lives to defend these rights. We honor their memory by exercising the rights they fought to secure.

I want to wish you a Happy Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas and hope that this holiday season is a great one for you and your family. That’s it for this week and remember, California is the Alpha State: the greatest state in the world’s greatest country.

Posted by sharris at 10:20 AM

French television

This week brings the advent of the new French 24-hour satellite station, broadcasting in French and English, and soon Arabic as well.

The station’s manager, Alain de Pouzilhac said the station will promote French values (which should leave about 23 hours and 55 minutes per day) and that while “BBC World and CNN are marvelously professional, they inevitably convey a British or American view.”

I imagine they are working now to figure out how their reporters will surrender.

Posted by sharris at 12:02 AM

December 14, 2006

Harvard & religion

CNN is running a story this morning about Harvard Universities proposed new curriculum, the first overhaul in three decades.

Originally included, but since pulled from the proposal was a “reason and faith” (religion) class. In explaining it’s withdrawal, committee co-chair and Harvard professor Louis Menand said; "It is an important subject, but nationalism is an important subject, and race is an important subject and markets is an important subject.”

The plan is to roll “religious issues” into other courses.

Harvard is no longer the training ground (an alternative to Oxford and Cambridge) for clergy as it was when it was established in 1636 and has become a secular university. However, no institution created by man has had a larger impact on man and mankind than religion. For Harvard to decide that it does not justify even a single required class is ridiculous and indicative of the education that our young people are receiving. This is equivalent to studying European history and not having a course on WWII, or American history and ignoring slavery. Just because you don’t like something, or don’t believe in it, does not mean it is unimportant and I hope at some point Harvard University – widely recognized as the nation’s premier university – remembers that.

Posted by sharris at 09:24 AM

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Dutch honor – oxymoron?

In 1995, as part of a United Nations “peacekeeping force” Dutch soldiers stood by and did nothing – except watch - as 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred by Bosnian-Serb military forces.

Henk Kemp, the Dutch Defense Minister (another oxymoron?) has defended their lack of action because the United Nations did not give the troops a broad enough mandate for them to step in and stop the slaughter. Some of the victim’s families take a slightly different point of view and have filed a lawsuit against the Dutch for failure to protect the people and the city of Srebrenica.

The Dutch government, rather than acting embarrassed, or offering an apology, have instead actually given medals to the soldiers who stood by and watched thousands of innocent people slaughtered.

This kind of perverted, twisted logic – honoring soldiers who watched innocent people being murdered – is the product of a Europe that has lost it’s soul, as well as it’s mind. The 1995 act – or “inact” – was horrendous enough, but to then reward the soldiers with medals borders on a level of heartlessness close to inhuman.

For those who wonder why many of us do not trust the United Nations, or most of Europe for that matter, this kind of insanity is a perfect example of behavior that is not only commonplace, but unacceptable.

Posted by sharris at 12:00 AM

December 13, 2006

Standards

For those who argue that a relaxation of expectations and standards does not negatively impact behavior, the following statistics will be very difficult to explain away.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 37% of all births in the United States last year (2005) were from unmarried mothers - a new national record.
Additionally, for women between the ages of 20 and 24 – more than half of all births were to unmarried mothers.

Politics aside, it’s tough enough being a kid, much less being a mom, and doing it without a husband and father just makes it that much tougher.

Posted by sharris at 12:05 AM

13,657

This is the number of miles that Americans drove on average (Cambridge Energy Research Associates) in 2005, DOWN from 13,711 the previous year. While a small drop, it is significant because it is the first drop in 25 years – since the last “oil crisis”.

It proves again that Americans vote with their pocketbooks. Gas became too expensive for some people, so they drove less. It shouldn’t be a surprise, but it certainly seems to be. If you want to change the way Americans think about oil – and energy – bump gas prices a bit and watch how quickly we will embrace an alternative. I seem to remember a system that embraced this thought process, it’s coming back to me now - capitalism and supply and demand. Go figure!

Posted by sharris at 12:01 AM

December 12, 2006

Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times ran an excellent editorial today about the Supreme Court overtiring a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

While the 9th being overturned (which happens more often with the 9th than any other Court of Appeals) is not news, the Times response is to be applauded. The Times, which they point out themselves is strongly against capital punishment, nonetheless takes the 9th to school for overturning a death penalty conviction. The Supreme Court ruled that it was a fair trial and the conviction holds. I give the Times credit for acknowledging the Supreme Court did the right thing, while the result is in conflict with their stated beliefs.

This is the type of fair editorials the Times are beginning to run more of and which should be recognized and encouraged. Not because they sided with the Supreme Court, but because they did so in spite of their beliefs, showing a willingness to look at an issue fairly and with an open mind – something I hope we can come to expect. Thank you.

Posted by sharris at 12:38 PM

Victoria – a little more – Secret

The good people of Green Oak Township in Livingston County Michigan decided that six scantily dressed mannequins located in a store window in the Green Oak Village Place mall were not appropriate.

Letters, picketers, phone calls, etc. led to a toning down of the displays, to something more in line with the communities standards.

We have two ways of making a difference when as a community we see something we don’t like – votes and pocketbooks. It’s great to see a community take a stand and a company react. No violence, no lawsuits, simply a community willing to speak up and a company smart enough to listen. God Bless America!

Posted by sharris at 12:06 AM

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Winston Churchill

Churchill was well known for his wit and one of his favorite targets was Clement Attlee. Three of my favorites….

“A sheep in sheep’s clothing”

“He is a modest man who has a good deal to be modest about”

“An empty taxi arrived at 10 Downing Street and when the door was opened Attlee got out”

Posted by sharris at 12:01 AM

December 11, 2006

Rabbi Grinch

The Christmas trees have been removed from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the community has Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky to thank for it.

The airport had nine Christmas (or “holiday”) trees in the airport and the rabbi demanded that the airport add an 8-foot menorah or face a lawsuit.

Rabbi Bogomilsky’s attorney, Harvey Grad said, “they've darkened the hall instead of turning the lights up. There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch."

I think you can count on many people holding this view. It is not possible to have every single holiday display for every religion, tribe and cult. This is not an “establishment, or separation of church and state” issue; it is simply a display celebrating an American and Christian tradition.

If the good rabbi requested, rather than demanded, offered to discuss, rather than threatened to sue), it’s quite possible the outcome might have been different. However, in a litigious, me first, me only, mindset – the Rabbi has removed a bit of good cheer and goodwill from the airport, passed on an opportunity to build a relationship with the community, and done exactly what his attorney was afraid would happen – portray the Jewish community as a Grinch.

Posted by sharris at 12:05 AM

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December 10, 2006

Ghwando, Afghanistan

With all the fighting over Iraq (as differentiated from the fighting in Iraq), with both parties using this devastating war as a political tool, it is sometimes easy for the issue to become abstract.

While we can debate how best to fight the evils of the Middle East, here is a stark reminder of what we are fighting – and why.

Two female teachers, along with three family members were gunned down this week in Ghwando, Afghanistan. Their crime? Being teachers.

The Taliban, an organization many believe can be reasoned with, has now burned down 198 schools and killed 20 teachers (along with various family members). The Taliban opposes all education for and by girls / women and wants religious education only for men.

It does not seem humane to look the other way as these atrocities continue. While America is being blamed for “creating new terrorists”, how is possible to not recognize that the first step of a totalitarian regime is to control education. Where do we think this is leading? Does anyone really believe we can “talk to” members of the Taliban and accomplish anything meaningful?

This is not meant as blind support for the current efforts of the administration, but simply as a reminder that we are dealing with people who certainly test the definition of human and a way must be found to destroy their way of thinking and if that’s not possible, to destroy them.

Posted by sharris at 10:30 AM

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December 09, 2006

The pride of Georgia

Georgia Democratic Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney has been voted out of office (that collective sigh of relief is from the constituents in her district), but she is certainly not going quietly.

Never known for brains or class, she has built a nationwide reputation by physically attacking a Capitol police officer when he didn’t recognize her, publicly claims that Bush was not elected, has used her office to host 9/11 conspiracy theories, claims the president knew in advance about the impending attacks and attempted to have Tupac Shakur’s recording become part of the permanent collection at the National Archives.

No doubt Democrats are thrilled that she’s leaving, especially since she publicly blames the parties lack of support for her defeat.

Her final act was to introduce a bill to impeach the president. While it has no chance of passing, it will be an embarrassment to the Democrats and whether she embraces McKinney or not, it is in direct conflict with Nancy Pelosi’s promise that her party will not use their new majority to attempt and sanction Bush. Still stinging from the Foley scandal, which was used against all Republicans by the Democrats, Republicans must be privately thanking McKinney for doing this. Tis the season!

Posted by sharris at 12:09 AM

This Week in Politics and Policy

Each week I write a column and record a 2-minute radio spot summarizing the week in politics and policy.

Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Posted by sharris at 12:03 AM

December 08, 2006

The Grammys

Grammy nominations were announced yesterday and two things stood out.

First, it appears good taste might finally be making its way back. Not a single rap artist, song or album was nominated in the “major” categories. For those of us who think rap is simply this generations disco with a lot more cursing, this is good news. Rap is to music what Jerry Springer is to television and frankly; the less of both is better for the country.

More interesting is that the Dixie Chicks gathered quite a few nominations. You’ll remember they jumped in hot water by attacking the president while doing an overseas concert. Not surprisingly, country music fans (as so then country music stations) were not thrilled by this and record sales plummeted. A comeback as country artists failed.

There were cries about their 1st Amendement rights being violated, but actually the opposite was true. No one had said that they couldn’t say what they did, but many simply thought they shouldn’t have. As a result, they exercised their own rights, not to listen to Dixie Chicks music or support them financially.

However, love them or hate them, the Dixie Chicks are a talented musical group and not surprisingly, they found an outlet. They came out with a new album, much closer to rock than country and have once again found critical and financial success. In part, it’s due to the passage of time (Americans have short memories), in part due to President Bush’s plummeting popularity and in part because rock fans do not judge their artists as harshly as country fans do and have a history of president and America bashing.

The Chicks spoke, America spoke back, the Chicks spoke again and we move forward. It’s an amazing country and thank God for it!

Posted by sharris at 09:06 AM

Gettysburg Address

At a time when the national scene (with the possible exception of Democratic Illinois Senator Barack Obama) is void of a leader who inspires with words, I am once again reminded of and thrilled by the eloquence, the beauty and the poetry that is the Gettysburg Address. U.S. News & World Report has a great article on the address in their December 4th edition.

In 272 words, President Abraham Lincoln captured the mood of a broken nation and started us back on the road to recovery, showing respect for the dead and the living, the North and the South, the free and the slaves.

As a nation we hunger for leaders who can inspire us to act, bring us together and show us a better way.

November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Posted by sharris at 08:50 AM

December 07, 2006

New York Times responsibility

Last week the New York Times published a classified memo, highly critical of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, written by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

Obviously the administration did not want the memo published and felt it was important enough to mark it “classified.” The NYT will defend their decision to publish the memo because it is their responsibility to serve as a watchdog on the government. Critics will argue that it damaged the American cause, derailed the president’s trip and may have hurt our troops. They will further argue that the memo was sonly published because it is a Republican administration.

It appears the NYT’s has a legal right to publish the memo, though I would argue that the individual who leaked it should be jailed for a long, long time.

I wonder how much thought went into “will this help the United States” before it was published. Is this a consideration for American media? Should it be? Does our media have a responsibility to their country first, or to break any / all news, regardless of potential damage? Does the long term benefit of the government knowing it is being aggressively watched and the American people feeling there are less secrets than say in pre-Watergate times make us a stronger country and a better place to live? Do the evils we root out make up for the decisions officials are afraid to have, the fear that ideas explored will someday be “outed” as programs supported?

Posted by sharris at 12:33 AM

December 06, 2006

7 years for bootlegging

Johnny Ray Gasca was recently sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for bootlegging (illegally copying and selling) movies. Mr. Gasca is the first person charged with (and convicted) for using a camcorder in a theater to illegally tape movies.

I applaud the decision. For those who think 7 years is too harsh of a penalty for copying movies, industry sources estimate this activity (not Mr. Gasca alone) costs up to $3.5 billion dollars a year.

Mr. Gasca, who publicized, bragged about and flaunted his activities, was known as the “Prince of Piracy” was the face of the industry, no less than Skilling was at Enron. A severe punishment will hopefully send a message to others that stealing is wrong, whether it’s from a CEO’s desk or a front row in a dark theater and those who partake, will pay.

Forgive my pettiness, but I hope they make him watch “Anger Management”, “8 Mile” and “The Core” 8 hours a day. These were the three movies he was convicted of pirating☺

Posted by sharris at 12:15 AM

December 05, 2006

Fools in Spain

It was only last Friday that I wrote about the problems I anticipate happening in Quebec, Canada now that the Canadian parliament foolishly and formally recognized them as a nation within a “united Canada”.

Now Spain, who is further down the “nation-within-a-nation” road, is beginning to show evidence of the very problems I predicted. People in Spain are being verbally and physically assaulted for – speaking Spanish.

As Tracy Wilkinson puts it in her LA Times article , “Critics warn ominously of a disintegration of the nation. Spain, the moan, is fast becoming a Tower of Babel. Loyalty to Madrid is weakened; diversity has gone too far.”

It is the obvious danger and the natural result of allowing any group; French speakers in Quebec, Catalonians in Spain or Indians in the United States, to believe they have rights beyond those granted to all other citizens in the nation as a whole.

As history as shown – every single time – this form of appeasement (as well as every other kind), is doomed to breed greed and failure. Let’s learn from history and current events. We are at our strongest when we are united as a nation, so let’s be sure we do so.

Posted by sharris at 12:09 AM

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Chess on steroids

The Asian Games are this week (a big deal if you’re a chess fan) and the World Chess Federation has announced that – for the 1st time ever – players will be drug tested.

Even the chess officials don’t know what they are testing for or what drugs would make you a better chess player. Perhaps physical intimidation is more prominent now than it was when I played in high school.

While no immediate advantage for taking steroids come to mind, I would love to see an interview with the first player (normally chess players are not known for being “buff”) caught.

Posted by sharris at 12:02 AM

December 04, 2006

Christmas in the White House

After taking a 1-year sabbatical from Christmas at the White House with a politically correct, non-religious “fresh flower” theme, Laura Bush is bringing Christmas back to the White House this year.

Merry Christmas!

Posted by sharris at 12:17 AM

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December 03, 2006

Millions of trees, no common sense

I have tremendous respect for Great Britain, its government and its people. However, it appears that they have as much capacity for stupidity in the legal system as we do.

An 8-year-old boy was killed in a park when a tree fell on him. Heavy winds blew the tree over and young boy was unfortunately in the way. This is as close to an “Act of God” as you can get.

However, in a decision that would make the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals proud, Britain’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is attempting to hold the National Trust (equivalent to our National Park Service) liable for the accident.

The odds of the accident happening again are 2.5 million to 1 and the National Trust is responsible for over 6 million trees. This is one of those situations that you expect to happen in America – where seemingly no one has personal responsibility and every accident requires a lawsuit – and hate to see happen at all. As cliché as it sounds, if it wasn’t so sad, it would be hilarious. But it’s not.

Posted by sharris at 12:07 AM

Nigga is wrong

Michael Richards’s rant, whether motivated by racism, drugs, anger or misplaced humor has brought attention to a problem long ignored by the press and most of society.

If we grant that our goal is to develop a colorblind country and society, than it needs to be exactly that – color blind. It doesn’t matter if you are black, white or brown, if you are a comic, an actor or a singer, whether you pronounce it nigger or nigga – use of the word is wrong.

It is no less a form of racism for black comics to claim that only blacks can use the word. Racism is defined as - Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

This one is simple. If we are all the same and are to eventually be colorblind, the rules have to be the same for all of us. If it’s wrong to use the word nigger, it is wrong for all races, all colors – period.

For those who are trying to “get real” and prove street cred by use of a word that most agree is offensive, lead by example and quit using the word. Ending racism is tough and it’s going to take time. Agreeing that all of us – regardless of color – should quit using this word should be an easy step. Take it.

Posted by sharris at 12:07 AM

December 02, 2006

Villaraigosa's socialist goals

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed a measure this week that extends living wage to Century City hotels that have no direct ties to city contracts. This betrays the promises made when living wages were enacted, that they would be voluntary for those firms that choose to work with municipalities that have living-wage ordinances.

By forcing businesses – especially hotels that can’t possible move – to pay more than neighboring businesses, Villaraigosa has betrayed their true motivations. Adding to the hypocrisy is his statement….

“What we have said is that in those jobs where there is a nexus between the city and contractors or a clear benefit like LAX, we will look at this. But no one is talking about extending this beyond the Century Boulevard corridor.”

The first part of this statement is the truth and the danger. Clearly, any time the city can make a link – no matter how tenuous - between business and government, they will force their socialist goals down the throats of private business. What possible credibility does the Mayor have, or what possible reason do we have to believe him, when he has clearly set the stage for and empowered those who believe in transferring as much money as possible in any way possible from those who earn it to those they would rather see have it.

Posted by sharris at 12:03 AM

Millions of millionaires

Money magazine reports that 39% of high school students believe they will be millionaires by the time they turn 40.

This compares with 1.2% of Americans who are actually millionaires.

This leads me to three possible conclusions….

1. These students are outstanding economic students and understand that by the time they are 40 years old, a million will not be worth very much.

2. They are wildly and unreasonably optimistic and should probably be brought back down to earth.

3. They have the natural optimism of youth; the teenage equivalent of a belief in Santa Clause and it should be encouraged.

Odds are it’s a mixture of 2 & 3, but let’s let them carry this belief as long as it’s motivating and not self-delusional.

Posted by sharris at 12:01 AM

December 01, 2006

Rick Cole - tomorrow's guest

Governing Magazine recently recognized the nine top public officials from around the country as “2006 Public Officials of the Year”. The only city manager to earn this distinction is Ventura City Manager Rick Cole.

Rick is tomorrow's week’s guest on my radio show, California: The Alpha State and will be joining me tomorrow on NewsTalk 1520 KVTA. For those of you who don’t get Ventura County radio, the show can be found on my website at AlphaState.org
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Governing Magazines editor said about Rick - “It’s pretty hard to find someone who has accomplished as much as he has. He’s done remarkable things in two cities already, first from an elected position and then as an appointed body. You don’t find too many making that transition”.

We talked to Rick about his time as a city councilman and mayor of Pasadena, City Manager of Azusa and now City Manager of Ventura. We also touched on his days as a student activist at Columbia University, find out what ABCS means, what New Urbanism is and discuss his philosophies on the best way to build a successful city – through smart growth, civic engagement and accountable government.

Please listen and find out more about the future of California cities and our role as citizens in making them better.

Posted by sharris at 12:05 AM

Quebec throws a tantrum

Earlier this week, Canadian parliament capitulated to Quebec and formally recognized them as a nation within a “united Canada”.

Like teenagers everywhere and Indian sovereign nations in the United States, they stomp their feet, demand their independence and all of they benefits they think they deserve, while accepting NONE of the responsibilities.

Like thousands of parents before them, Canada should tell Quebec and the United States should tell Indian nations – while you are living under my roof, or in my country, you will play by our rules. You want the fun, you have the responsibility. Build your own infrastructure, provide your own security – internal and external – tax yourselves, educate yourselves and grow up. Like most teenagers who are given what they ask, they will come back with their tails between their legs, begging to be allowed “back into the country”.

Posted by sharris at 12:03 AM

92%

The Washington Post reported this week that 92% of all airline frequent flier miles go unredeemed.

Posted by sharris at 12:00 AM