[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Peter Schrag

As California approaches the "year of education" that won't be, what education consultant John Mockler calls the "schools suck" industry continues to churn out information falling somewhere between distorted and flat wrong.

Although California's fiscal problems are likely to limit "reform" next year to a lot of low-cost stuff, it might still be nice to get the picture right.

The most recent flagrantly false factoid appeared in a news story late last month asserting that California's is a "system in which fewer than half of all ninth-graders end up with a high school diploma."

In 2002-3 there were 520,000 ninth-graders in California schools. In 2006, the most recent year for which data are available, 349,000 (67 percent) got diplomas. But since ninth-grade enrollment is famously bloated by the thousands of students who are held back, the better base is probably eighth grade. Using that number (for 2001-2) 75 percent got diplomas.

That's still not great – especially considering the many black and Latino students who don't make it – but a long way from "fewer than half." And if you count those who get general education diplomas outside the regular school system, the count is still higher.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Thomas Gangale

A few years ago, I remarked to a friend. "Blogs are the graffiti on the underpasses of the information superhighway." Today, I publicly repent my error. I was wrong. The past week has taught me the power of the blogforce. I hope this story illustrates that it is imperative that all of the resources of the Internet remain equally accessible to all.

A funny thing happened to me on the way to considering how to improve the California Democratic Party. I had just read a discussion on the Yahoo group of the party's Progressive Caucus in the aftermath of the Feinstein censure resolution having been blocked from being considered at the party's recent Executive Board meeting in Anaheim. Some participants in the discussion questioned whether is was desirable to have the party chair appoint all members to the standing committees, and one person mentioned that the bylaws of the Oregon Democratic Party provide for some standing committee members to be elected by the body.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

It seems not a day goes by without Bee columnist Dan Walters doing the bidding for the anti-term limits reform campaign. Since February, Walters has written 19 columns that are either mostly or exclusively focused on the effort to reform term limits. He’s written another 19 columns that generally mention in one form or another the effort to reform term limits.

That’s 38 columns ... so far.
 
Bill Cavala takes a shot at the latest Walters column over at the California Progress Report.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

From Frank D. Russo
Publisher and Founder
The California Progress Report

This is a day to spend with family and friends and a time to give thanks for many things, some of them very simple and mundane that we take for granted, and some that are quite profound.

It is also a time to think of those less fortunate and those in need, including those without family or friends to enjoy this day with. And a day to thank the many Californians who volunteer to help at the soup kitchens and in other ways to feed the hungry and help those stay warm when it is cold outside.

As our state heads into difficult times with a slowing economy, let's reflect on how in the past we have taken care of each other. History and observation tell us we are not perfect, and lord knows there are many areas we can point to where we have failed as a state and as a nation. Tough times bring out increases in bigotry and blame amongst some who are frightened. But it is also true, as I have been told many times by my parents about their formative years in the Great Depression, that difficult times have brought out the best in many in acts of civility and sharing.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

In his column today, Dan Walters puts on his “pop” history hat. In a review of Bill Boyarsky’s book on Jesse Unruh, Walters is critical. Walters writes, “Unruh’s historic overhaul of the legislative process…led to the Legislature’s later dysfunction”.

Now that’s a startling statement. A sweeping generalization. What evidence does “pop” historian Walters have for asserting a degeneration in the Legislature after Unruh? And, if true, what evidence links that “later dysfunction” to Unruh’s reforms?

The “reform” was a full-time Legislature which proponents argued would produce a better, more responsive institution. “Initially the promises appeared to be coming through”, Walters concedes, but the moment was short lived BECAUSE:

1. The legislature saw a huge turnover of membership thanks to a court ordered redistricting plan that ignored incumbent’s preferences;

2. A Democratic wave – a response to Vietnam and Watergate

3. These new (Democratic) legislators were careerists drawn from Legislative staff;

by Matt Ortega [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

(Note: I am an online organizer with It's OUR Healthcare!, a coalition of over 100 member organizations that includes the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.)

Art Pulaski, the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the California Labor Federation, posted a statement featured on the California Progress Report outlining the labor organization's "support if amended" stance on ABx1 1, the recently released healthcare proposal from Democratic leadership in the State Legislature.

In the statement, Pulaski voiced strong support for creating a baseline on employer contributions towards healthcare for all employees and the creation of a statewide purchasing pool which he says "allows millions of Californians to pool their risk and resources in order to negotiate for more affordable healthcare." Pulaski also noted support for the expansion of public programs and accompanying tax credits under ABx1 1.

However, Pulaski writes that "[d]espite these important advances, ABx1 1 still falls short." Find out where and his recommendations on how to fix it below the fold.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

The press corps in California deserves condemnation for the manner in which they are covering the effort to change term limits by initiative.

The initiative would allow individuals to seek election and reelection to the same branch of the legislature for a period of 12 years. Currently they may seek election and reelection to different branches of the legislature for a total of 14 years. So the initiative limits the current lifetime ban on reelection to two fewer years.

That means the issue for voters is whether a trade of 12 possible years in one house of the legislature versus 14 years in two Houses (current law) is a good trade – and why?

No news story or editorial has focused on this fact.

The title and summary of the ballot measure adopted by Attorney General Brown makes it clear that this is the issue.

But the press corps reported only the allegations that the title and summary was drawn up with partisan concern. Or to favor specific individuals. That continued to be the story even after the Republican Supreme Court threw out those allegations.