This just in: Francisco Franco is still dead. And so, apparently, is a health care deal.
The Bee's Kevin Yamamura
looks at the prospects of a health care deal coming together. "Consider this: Even if lawmakers and Schwarzenegger agree to a health care deal – a waning prospect after Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez canceled a floor vote that he promised would take place today – most Capitol insiders believe the heavy political lifting hasn't even begun.
"Multiple hurdles would loom next year, including a legal challenge over a federal law violation, a potential referendum to overturn the plan in June when Democrats are least likely to vote and an opposition campaign financed by well-heeled business interests.
"Because Republicans are not part of health care negotiations, Democrats and Schwarzenegger need voter approval for a $14 billion financing plan. But proponents would have to navigate a challenging political environment in which the state is facing a $10 billion budget shortfall. They also would have to persuade voters, the vast majority of whom have health insurance, to approve a plan predicated on extending coverage to 6.7 million uninsured Californians."
Or perhaps it's not really dead after all...
The Chron's Tom Chorneau says "
agreement on a landmark health care bill for California draws closer," but, he warns "
public health officials who provide most of the care for millions of uninsured residents are increasingly concerned that the proposed system could leave big financial holes in the state's safety net.Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature's Democratic majority are expected to reach a final agreement in the next week on a health care overhaul that could go to a vote as soon as Dec. 5.
The proposal, which would also need voter approval, intends to expand coverage to all 6.8 million uninsured Californians who get most of their care at hospital emergency rooms, the most expensive part of the system.
"California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
stopped by Massachusetts General Hospital yesterday to visit his ailing mother-in-law,
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and popped into a local Starbucks before capping off a family trip to the Bay State," reports Jessica Fargen in the Boston Herald.
"The governor and his wife,
Maria Shriver, were seen yesterday morning leaving MGH, where Shriver’s mother has been for the past week.
"Kennedy Shriver, 86, the sister of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and assassinated President John F. Kennedy, is in fair condition, according to MGH."
Just how slow a news week is it? We're left picking over the carcas of governor's races that haven't even happened yet. Case and point: the LAT's Duke Helfand
checks in on Antonio Villaraigosa's gubernatorial prospects.
"The collapse of Villaraigosa's effort to gain substantial control of Los Angeles public schools, followed by revelations of an extramarital affair, have opened the door to others -- most notably Atty. Gen.
Jerry Brown."
Um, no offense, but wasn't that Brown door open from the beginning?
"Beyond those setbacks and self-inflicted wounds, Villaraigosa faces timing problems that could severely complicate any attempt to become California's first Latino governor in more than a century.
"Because the 2010 governor's race follows closely behind the 2009 mayoral election, Villaraigosa would have to wage simultaneous campaigns, raising questions about whether his primary allegiance is to the city or the state.
"That could alienate voters and scare away financial backers who would be courted by other potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates, including Lt. Gov.
John Garamendi, state Treasurer
Bill Lockyer, San Francisco Mayor
Gavin Newsom, former Controller
Steve Westly and Supt. of Public Instruction
Jack O'Connell.
"'
His political capital is a lot like the California housing market. It has taken a hit lately,' said
Jack Pitney, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. '
Politically he still has an impressive house, but the house isn't what it was a year ago.'"
Meanwhile,
Antonio and Mirthala are no more.
The Merc News's Steve Geissinger reports on the
lottery's promotional tie-in with a Hollywood release.
"The tie with "Mad Money" - starring
Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes - gives the movie unique advertising, while the lottery saves cash because the studio will supply a host of secondary gifts, including two trips to Overture premieres in Los Angeles, a visit to a set, "Mad Money" DVDs, autographed "Mad Money" posters and subscriptions to the Starz cable movie network."
And a lifetime membership to the Church of Scientology!
"The scratchers will still cost $1 but offer better odds than other games for winning smaller prizes.
"Overall odds of winning something are 1 in about 5. Chances of winning money climb to 1 in about 12.
"Political analysts said the strategy seems clever on the surface and involves the kind of public-private partnerships favored by Schwarzenegger. But it might not be successful and it also raises a concern.
"'This is a disturbing move by the state to tie the state lottery to the movie industry,' said
Melissa Michelson, a political science professor at California State University-East Bay.
"'What's next, renaming the state Capitol, maybe, the Google Government Building?'"
Maybe we should put it on eBay and see what it's worth.
While the origins of the Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" may be a mystery, one thing is certain: It's getting more costly to buy your true love all the items mentioned.
And from our
Twelve Days of Christmas Files, AP reports "
it would cost $78,100 to buy the 364 items, from a single partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, repeatedly on each day as the song suggests, according to the annual PNC Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management. The cost is up 4 percent from $75,122 last year.
"Buying each item in the song just once would cost $19,507, up 3.1 percent from last year's $18,921. And shopping online would be costlier, with the total for the 364 items costing $128,886, up 2.5 percent from last year's $125,767. You would spend $31,249 online for each item just once this year.
"
Helping push the cost up this year is the minimum wage hike, which bumped the cost of eight maids a-milking from about $41 to nearly $47."
"Higher food costs pushed the six geese a-laying from $300 to $360. And reflecting higher gold prices, those five gold rings will cost $395, up 21.5 percent from last year's $325."
