[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The results of a new Field Poll should beat the "McCain will makeCalifornia competitive" horse, or elephant we could say, for good, as Obama has opened up a 24-point lead over the presumptive Republican nominee in the state, theSan Francisco Chronicle reports. And in a further piece of encouragingnews, 80 percent of Hillary Clinton's backers in California are nowbehind Obama, which may account for some of the bump.

In the wake of the fall-out over the New Yorker's satirical cover onBarack Obama, another lesson in the foils of the first amendment hitseven closer to home, as Marcos Breton of the Sacramento Bee writesabout a former Placerville mayor who equated Obama's same with Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Ladin,with the disclaimer: "if it quakes like a duck." We're not expecting anObama victory in this conservative, gold country town, but more of afuss about the sign might be something.

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[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The county clerk offices are packed today as gay and lesbian couples tie the knot. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that "a general air of celebration filled the air."

The LA Times reports that most couples are trying to keep their ceremonies low-key."Images from gay weddings, said Lorri L. Jean, chief executive of theLos Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, could be used by opponents in acampaign designed to persuade California voters that gays and lesbiansshould not have the right to marry."

Marc Stern wrings his hands and wonders if gay rights will trod upon religious freedom to bash homosexuals. Goodness me!

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Image courtesy SFGate.com

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Governor Schwarzenegger said today that he would oppose a ballot measure aimed at overturning the California Supreme Court's decisionyesterday to allow gay marriage in the state, the Sacramento Beereports. This is not good news for those looking to turn back the clockon gay rights in California.

Gavin Newsom must have been smiling yesterday,as the movement he began in his city in 2004 just came to fruition withyesterday's important ruling, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.Newsom apparently was prepared for defeat, and even had a speechprepared to the effect, but he was delighted to prevail.

The issue of gay rights is sure to be a delicate dance for the presumed Democratic nominee, Barack Obama,who issued a carefully worded statement saying he "respects" thedecision while stopping short of endorsing it, the Chronicle reports.The more cynical among the political elite seem to think this will helpJohn McCain and the Republicans, but we think most voters are moreinterested in talking about the economy and health care.

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[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Today, thousands of Californians young and old are packing unionshalls, senior centers, churches and schools around the state to selectdelegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, and the number of candidates is unprecedented, theSan Francisco Chronicle reports. For instance, in Barbara Lee's EastBay Congressional district, 101 people are vying for four delegateslots for Barack Obama.

Balancing the budget is hard, as this Sacramento Bee article pointsout, and sometimes the kind of non-partisan solutions offered  byLegislative Analyst Liz Hill are ignored. The balance becomes harderwhen Republicans insist on calling every proposed tax increase "stifling."

For more on Republican budget hypocrisy, check out this Calitics piece, which breaks down what exactly the GOP means by "economic growth."

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Feeling the heat of national press coverage, empty-handed GOP threatsto cut off federal funds and non-stop phone calls—most from out of thearea—the Berkeley City Council voted last night to back off from its position that marine recruiters are "unwelcome intruders," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. After an emotionally-chargedmeeting flooded with activists from both sides and what seems like areasonable compromise, we the city and its critics can move on. 

The 100-day walkout from Writers Guild members ended this week with an overwhelming vote to go back to work, the Los Angeles Timesreports. The writers got some important concessions that will bode wellfor their future in the industry.

Fabian Nunez, headed into his final year as Speaker and perhaps his most difficult budget, said yesterday that he is open to raising taxes but opposed to an across the board tax hike that would hurt working families during a possible recession, theSacramento Bee reports. Nunez cited the half-spending cuts, halfrevenue approach as fair approach—and it was good enough for PeteWilson.

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Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Young Californians are expected to turn-out in record numbers on February 5, if the level of public discourse about the election isany indication, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. On the Democraticside, Barack Obama has an edge among this age group, while on theRepublican side, it is less clear.

One potential presidential candidate who should not feel encouragedamong the 18-24 year-old demographic, or any other, is New York CityMayor Michael Bloomberg, whom two-thirds of Californians say they would not support, according to the Field Poll. This means Californians don't see him as the panacea he thinks he is.

California conservatives, meanwhile, are not unifying around a GOP candidate, with some even talking openly about a brokered convention and a dark horse contender, according to Jon Fleischman in today's Flash Report. Wouldn't that be a sight!

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Photo courtesy of MSNBC.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Attention conservative bloggers and the single-payer "all-or-nothing" crowd: another court has thrown a wrench into your argument that the Nunez/Perata/Schwarzenegger health care plan may violate fedeal law.
 
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the powerful Ninth U.S. Circuit of Appeals has given a green light to the City of San Francisco's health care plan. (Read the decision here.)
 
Opponents of the Assembly-passed plan had been using this case as a reason the Legislature shouldn't move forward on what would be the largest expansion of health insurance coverage in the United States. So much for that.