"Left for dead just weeks ago, the revived Republican-sponsored initiative to change the way California's presidential electoral votes are allocated
is racing against the clock to qualify for the June ballot," writes John Maurelius in the Union-Tribune.
"The initiative would award California's electoral votes by congressional district rather than the current winner-take-all system based on the statewide popular vote. Had this been in effect in 2004, President Bush would have picked up an additional 22 electoral votes, rendering moot the all-night vigil over Ohio's 20 electoral votes.
"Republicans are attempting to qualify for the June ballot an initiative that scraps California's system of giving the statewide presidential winner all of the state's Electoral College votes, and instead apportions the votes by who wins in each congressional district.
"Only Nebraska and Maine award electoral votes by congressional district, and they are such homogeneous states that the votes have never split.
"Democrats denounce the initiative as a 'right-wing power grab' and vow they will spare no expense to torpedo the measure if it qualifies. Early polls show its support to be under 50 percent.
"'Our approach is, anytime someone is trying to rig the system by changing the way California votes, you've got to take it seriously,' said Democratic political consultant Chris Lehane, who is directing the opposition effort.
"Rep.
Darrell Issa, R-Vista, has emerged as the initiative's most visible supporter.
"Issa, who made a fortune manufacturing and selling car alarms, bankrolled the 2003 recall drive against former Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, to the tune of $1.7 million. So far, he has contributed a little less than $60,000 to the electoral vote effort."
The state
prison guards union has opted to oppose Proposition 93, the proposed change in the state term limits law backed by Speaker
Fabian Núñez and Senate leader
Don Perata.
"
The union’s move is a reversal of its earlier decision to back the initiative," reports Capitol Weekly. "And it comes in the wake of an
11th-hour defeat of a pay raise for prison guards at the end of this year’s legislative session. Sources close to the union have privately placed the blame for that raise’s defeat at the hands of legislative leaders. The union also opposed a prison construction and reform package, AB 900, that cleared the Legislature earlier this year.
"
Now, it appears, payback is coming in the form of the measure that could lengthen Senate Leader Don Perata's and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez’s grip on power. The 28,000-member union, one of the most powerful political players in the Capitol, has long been known for aggressively bankrolling its causes.
"
An angry posting on the Paco Villa blog, which has ties to CCPOA, reads: “Bear in mind, Fabian Nunez and Don Perata, the self-serving weenies behind the proposition, are the same 2 friends of CCPOA who butt-shot us on the last-minute MOU bill...among other back-stabbings and screwings. If no other reasons existed to retain term limits, denying these slimy little worms a shot at extended political life would make opposing 93 worthwhile. SCREW them."
Tell us what you really feel, Paco...
And from our
Joe Nation Files, Matier and Ross report on
Jackie Speier's run against Tom Lantos. " Looks like former Peninsula state Sen. Jackie Speier is indeed gearing up for what promises to be a big-money and highly charged Democratic primary run next June against 13-term Rep.
Tom Lantos.
"'
It's Time!' declares an e-mail circulated by supporters to "friends" and "fans" this past week, announcing the first organizing meeting of the Jackie Speier for Congress Exploratory Committee on Tuesday at a home in Hillsborough.
"
Speier has been consulting with friends and supporters about a run since a poll conducted by allies in January showed her a 2-1 favorite among voters in the 12th Congressional District, which covers northern San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco."
The Bee's Kevin Yamamura
looks at how the governor can influence the 2008 presidential race. "Besides organizing a New Hampshire forum on global warming and energy with former Vice President
Al Gore in December, the Republican governor is exploring ways to influence the presidential primary and has not ruled out endorsing a GOP candidate.
"Political analysts say an endorsement alone is unlikely to play a major role in the outcome. But Schwarzenegger could help a candidate by making joint appearances that draw media attention and speaking at fundraisers. He also could steer campaign dialogue by holding more issue forums.
"'He is considering getting involved, and he is watching this race very closely,' said Schwarzenegger communications director
Adam Mendelsohn. 'He is paying attention to what the candidates are saying, and he is very concerned about the nation's energy issues.'
"Schwarzenegger's office announced last week that he has invited candidates from both parties to attend a forum in New Hampshire in mid-December, less than a month before the state's pivotal primary. That fulfills part of his promise earlier this year to travel outside California to force presidential candidates to address issues such as the environment and health care.
"'
He might be able to cause some mischief,' said
John J. Pitney, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. 'Asking Republicans to share a stage with Al Gore would put them into an uncomfortable position. On one hand, in the general election, they don't want to seem indifferent to global warming. But on the other hand, appearing with Al Gore is not a good way to get Republican votes.'"
From our
Guilt by Assoiciation Files, the Chron's Sabin Russell reports, " An Australian scientist who had worked closely with Alan Trounson, the newly named chief of California's $3 billion stem cell program, has been cited for "research misconduct" in an Australian university probe of a scuttled government-funded study."
"California air quality chief
Mary Nichols and state Energy Commissioner
James Boyd have joined environmental groups in touting
a new report that holds California up as a national leader in clean energy policy," reports the Bee's Ngoc Nguyen.
"They're calling on California's congressional delegation to follow the state's lead in pushing similar energy-saving initiatives as Congress is poised to vote on a federal energy bill.
"'The next step is for federal policy to match what states are doing,' said Nichols, the California Air Resources Board chairwoman appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"The report by clean energy advocacy group Environment America lauds the Golden State for mandating renewable electricity-, vehicle- and appliance-efficiency standards and energy-efficient building codes."
"California
has sentenced more juveniles to life in prison without possibility of parole than any state in the nation except Pennsylvania, according to a new study by the University of San Francisco's Center for Law and Global Justice. California
currently has 227 inmates serving such sentences for crimes committed before they turned 18; Pennsylvania has 433," writes Henry Weinstein in the Times.
"The study, titled 'Sentencing Children to Die in Prison,' also found that the United States has far more juveniles serving life terms than any other country -- 2,387 at present -- with Israel running a distant second at 7. Israel, the only other country that imprisons juveniles for life, according to the study, has not issued such a sentence since 2004.
"In the United States, life terms have fallen disproportionately on youths of color, with black juveniles 10 times more likely than white juveniles to be given a life without parole sentence, the report found. In California, black juveniles are 20 times more likely to receive such sentences."
"Several environmental groups
have sued the federal government over toxic pollution caused by a fleet of mothballed warships floating near San Francisco Bay," writes Marcus Wohlson for the Associated Press.
"The groups accuse the U.S. Maritime Administration of violating state and federal environmental regulations as dozens of decaying ships linger well past a congressional deadline ordering their removal.
"The suit was filed Oct. 29 in U.S. District Court in Sacramento.
"'These vessels have long since ceased being useful for transportation and are now just floating junkyards,' according to the complaint brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Arc Ecology and San Francisco Baykeeper.
"More than 70 ships comprise the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, some dating to World War II. The old ships were once kept afloat in case of war, but many have fallen into disrepair, overtaken by rust and rot."
The AP reports on
a new form of political fundraising -- political mutual funds.
"The new venture, being launched Monday, is the work of
Andy and Deborah Rappaport's New Progressive Coalition, a San Francisco-based organization they like to call
the Charles Schwab of politics.
"Through a rigorous vetting system, the coalition identified 37 Democratic-leaning organizations and distributed them among three funds. The idea is to guide potential contributors through the myriad liberal causes and groups that dot the political landscape.
For Andy Rappaport, the plan is simply a way of looking at political groups as startups and donors as the source of capital. It also is a way to expand a liberal donor base that Rappaport finds disturbingly small."
Is it
time to sue Santa for sexual harassment?
"Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women, it was reported Thursday.
"Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead, the Daily Telegraph reported. One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use "ho ho ho" because it could frighten children and was too close to "ho", a US slang term for prostitute."
