Women make up a majority of Californians, and 56% of California Democrats are women – and yet, the number of female legislators – and candidates – has declined sharply over the past decade. What’s going on? Cathleen Decker looks for answers at the Los Angeles Times:
“California in 2003 was fifth among states ranked by the percentage of its Legislators who were women, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. But the state now finds itself mired in a surprising 20th place.
“All of the lost ground has come at the expense of Democratic women. At the high water mark a decade ago, 31 Democratic women served in the Legislature. Now, 19 do. At the same time, Republicans have doubled their strength from six women members a decade ago to 12 now.
"’It's obvious to me there's something not exactly right,’ said Mary Hughes, a veteran political strategist. ‘There are a lot of factors and they converged to create a backslide.’"
The number of elected Democratic women may be shrinking in the state, but Emily’s List is working to send the numbers in the other direction. Carla Marinucci covered the group’s “Ignite Change” function this past weekend for the Chronicle:
“’Yes, I want women in power, but I also want women who have the same beliefs as I do,’ said Arianna Vargas, 19, as she and her friend Jill Wu, 16, waited to join Democratic lawmakers including Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, donors and community activists at Friday’s Emily’s List “Ignite Change” luncheon, which drew 250 people to the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco.
“The organization — whose name stands for “Early Money Is Like Yeast” — has raised $13.5 million this year alone, a record for Emily’s List in an off-election year. And the organization, founded in 1985, says more than $1 million of that money was raised specifically for the group’s endorsed candidates, who include California Attorney General Kamala Harris, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.”
Dan Morain looks at the state of the battle over SB350: Oil companies, including California-based Chevron – see the bill as a direct assault on them; Senate leader Kevin de Leon says SB350 is essential to the fight against climate change. Dem moderates find themselves in the middle. From the Sacramento Bee:
“[De Leon ally Tom] Steyer, in campaign mode, is paying to send pro-SB 350 mailers into the districts of Assembly Democrats. He also attended a Mass at St. Anthony Mary Claret Catholic Church at the south end of Fresno, in Assemblyman Henry Perea’s district. Perea is a leader of the moderate Democrats, who, for now, are withholding support for SB 350.
“’None,’ Perea said of the impact of Steyer’s efforts. ‘As I walk my dogs around the neighborhood, no one is pulling me aside and asking me about 350.’
“Steyer spread $1.6 million to California state campaigns last year. That isn’t pocket change, except that Chevron spent $11.6 million on California campaigns in 2013 and 2014, and Tesoro, Valero and Occidental Petroleum spent another $5.5 million.”
Meanwhile, the Bee’s David Siders gives one anti-SB350 ad a rating of “Mostly misleading.”
“The ad exploits a lack of specificity in Senate Bill 350 about what measures the California Air Resources Board could take to reduce petroleum use. But it misleads by suggesting gas rationing, surcharges and citations based on driving habits are in store.
“First, the legislation is not called the California Gas Restriction Act of 2015. And while there is no law prohibiting the Air Resources Board from rationing fuel, Senate Bill 350 says nothing about the issue. The bill does not include new authority for the ARB to ration gas or to impose surcharges on older vehicles.
LAT columnist George Skelton weighs in on the Gov’s comments criticizing legislators for inserting a pending Right-to-Die bill into the current Special Session.
“But for Brown to criticize any legislative process seems a bit self-righteous and hypocritical. In the past, out of public view, he has orchestrated several midnight, backroom, corner-cutting deals.
“Just two examples: Shoving his 2012 tax increase initiative to the head of the ballots' proposition pack. Capping school district reserves last year to appease the teachers union and free up more money for collective bargaining.
“At least the "right to die" bill will need to undergo four more public committee hearings to pass. There already have been four. That's what I call, to answer the governor, ‘careful consideration."’
Jerry Brown’s Meet the Press comments about Joe Biden’s presidential options got most of the buzz, but the bigger news for Californians may be his response to managing groundwater and other agricultural regulations. David Siders, Sacramento Bee:
“Gov. Jerry Brown said in an interview aired Sunday that California is not aggressive enough policing use of the state’s groundwater, promising stepped-up oversight in future years.
“Brown’s remarks on NBC’s “Meet the Press” followed the release of a study tying climate change to the worsening effects of California’s drought.
“Asked he if was ‘about to police agriculture more,’ the Democratic governor said, ‘Well, I think that’s good advice, but of course I don’t rule by decree. I work through the Legislature. California now has groundwater management for the first time in its entire history, so we are much more aggressive. But as that scientist suggested, we’re not aggressive enough. And we will be stepping it up year by year.’”
Speaking of water, Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, (D-Los Angeles) is out of an office for a bit, victim of a broken water pipe in his Assembly office.
San Diego may not have as high a capitol profile as when Pete Wilson was gov, but Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) and Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) are keeping busy.
Are you keeping up with the presidential campaigns? Sure, you’ve heard of Donald Trump, but what about Buddy the Elf of North Pole, Alaska (of course); His Majesty Satan Lord of Underworld Prince of Darkness of College Station, Texas (of course); and Sydneys Voluptuous Buttocks of Buffalo, New York? Josh Richman notes that there are 673 official candidates files – so far:
“All of the unknowns might be feeling better about their chances now that one of their own has broken through into the headlines. Deez Nuts, of Wallingford, Iowa, managed to get his name included in some recent Public Policy Polling surveys -- and turned out to have 9 percent support in North Carolina, 8 percent in Minnesota and 7 percent in Iowa.
“Of course, Deez Nuts doesn't really exist -- he's actually 15-year-old Brady Olson. But Google reported Friday that search interest in "Deez Nuts" had surpassed interest in "Hillary Clinton." So, of course, Brady is now being interviewed by reporters from around the world.
“Although the U.S. Constitution deems him too young to serve, he'll have one heck of a "what I did this summer" story when he returns to high school as a sophomore this week. (Also, remember to watch for "Olson 2036.")”
