by BruinKid [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

So one of the arguments I've been seeing against gay marriage is that the 2000 ballot initiative Prop. 22 showed what the "will of the people" is.  Except... a closer look at what happened back then makes it more ambiguous as to what will actually happen this November.

First, yes, Prop. 22 passed, 61.4%-38.6%.  But it wasn't on the ballot in November 2000, but rather in March 2000, in the primary election.  Now, here's the thing.  By then, Al Gore had already clinched the nomination against Bill Bradley, so there wasn't really an impetus for Democrats to go vote (much like you're seeing the GOP say now for McCain).  Meanwhile, the race between Bush and McCain was still going on, though winding down.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

California Republican Assemblymember Chuck Devore and other proponents of a ballot measure to repeal California's 1976 nuclear safeguards act -- which prohibits new reactors until there is a permanent solution to the problem of disposal of high level radioactive waste -- yesterday quietly withdrew their proposed initiative from circulation. Apparently having trouble getting sufficient signatures to qualify, and enough financial backing and public support to pass, they pulled the plug on the effort.

Dan Hirsch, President of the Committee to Bridge the Gap, one of the initiative's opponents, hailed the withdrawal as being of "national significance," and as indicative that the national movement to build new nuclear plants may be running out of steam.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

From the AP:

An influential California Republican said Thursday he is attempting to raise millions of dollars to change the way the state awards its electoral votes — a bid to revive a campaign that stalled just days ago.

"I am making phone calls because I think this is a critically important issue in the presidential sweepstakes," said Lew Uhler, president of the Sacramento-based National Tax Limitation Committee. (AP 10/4/07)

No rest for the weary I suppose.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

A leader in the opposition to California term limits reform was indicted for campaign fraud in Oklahoma yesterday, reports Frank Russo of the California ProgressReport. Paul Jacob heads U.S. Term Limits, an out of state group thathas bankrolled efforts to alter term limits in California andelsewhere. The group, which is secretive about its membership andsloppy with money, doesn't have the best reputation.

With a state law placing strict limits on candidate contributions, many of California's wealthiest donors are giving directly to the parties, theSacramento Bee reports. This year, the top ten contributers in thecountry all gave money to the California Republican and DemocraticParties, respectively, though nine out of the ten were GOP giversprimarily from the energy, homebuilding and real estate industries.

Desperately trying to defend himself and the state GOP for engineeringthe ouster of a Republican Fish and Game Commissioner withenvironmentally-friendly views, Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth is claimingthe commission needed a Southern California appointee, the VenturaCounty Stars reports. But what about the commission chair who lives inSanta Barbara? Hollingsworth described his home as in the "north coast region." Right.