by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Anthony Wright
Executive Director of Health Access California

"Don't Blame Crowded ERs on the Uninsured" is the pitch-perfect headline of an article by Suzanne Bohan in the San Mateo County Times and other papers.

The articles reports on a UC-San Francisco study that reports that asks "Are the Uninsured Responsible for the Increase in Emergency Department Visits in the United States?" and answers "no." In fact, the "proportion of adult ED visits by persons without insurance was stable across the decade," roughly in the 14-15% range.

Despite the belief that the uninsured are the majority of those crowded in our emergency rooms, I note that this figure is a bit lower than the overall percentage of uninsured people in the country, which is around 16%.

This is consistent with other findings, such as a 2004 Urban Institute report by researchers Zuckerman and Shen on occasional and frequent ER users. That paper concludes, in part, "The uninsured and the privately insured adults have the same risk of being frequent users... It seems hard to blame the overcrowding of EDs on the uninsured."

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Speaker Nancy Pelosi presided over a nearly-perfect party line vote to reject President Bush's arrogance over the Columbian trade deal. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the House voted comfortablyyesterday to delay the pact for now, a blow for Bush, who almost wentso far as to say the world would fall into teeters if the SouthAmerican country didn't get lower tariffs.

Just days after dropping hundreds of Democratic National Committeecontenders, many of them young people, the Barack Obama campaign reinstated these candidates, allowing them to compete in caucuses this Saturday to be pledgeddelegates this August, the Sacramento Bee reports. It's encouraging tohear that these contenders who worked so hard for Obama won't be deniedthe chance to make their case.

New San Mateo County Congresswoman Jackie Speier is already making us proud. The Chronicle reports that she blasted President Bush and the war ofIraq in her first floor speech, drawing applause from Democrats andboos from the GOP caucus. Her contention: thousands more ought not todie due to the folly of one.

There's more... 

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Sarah Granger

Imagine a great person, a principled woman, a dedicated mom in Congress. Yes, there are already a few of those, but we're very close to electing one more. On April 8th, former California State Senator Jackie Speier may succeed to where she aimed nearly three decades ago, U.S. Congress. Speier, shown left with me and my daughter, a resident of Hillsborough, California, the youngest woman elected to the San Mateo County supervisors, reportedly the first mom to breast feed in the California State Assembly (as a new widow), and a well-respected two-term state senator first ran for congress after a terrifying experience where her boss, then U.S. Congressman, Leo Ryan, was killed in front of her eyes.

This is a woman who I've had the privilege of seeing in action firsthand and whom I have admired for many years. (Photo is from last year, taken on my phone of me, my daughter, and Senator Speier.) People like her are rare, and our nation would be incredibly lucky to have her legislating on our behalf. Due to a sad twist of fate, Senator Speier may become Congresswoman Speier in a special election next week.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

There are a few tasty morsels from the day that can’t wait for morning.

First of all, Governor Schwarzenegger is going to endorse a yes vote on Prop 93 on term limits. The LA Times broke the story earlier this afternoon and the Sacramento Bee has confirmed it, giving the added detail that the Gov will have an opinion piece in the Times tomorrow. (If only he wrote here, I could have broken that story.)

Secondly, the only person those of us in the politicosphere thought had a chance to be competitive with Jackie Speier for the Democratic nomination for the Congressional seat being vacated by Tom Lantos at the end of his term—State Senator Leland Yee—has announced he is not running. Just before 5 p.m., Yee released this statement:

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

After reading the electoral winds or the home fires, or what not, Sen Leland Yee has decided to stay out of the CA-12 race:

I am humbled by the outpouring of support from the people of San Francisco and San Mateo County who have encouraged me to run for Congress.  However, at this time, my family and I have decided it is best to continue the work started in the State Senate.  I am committed to addressing the critical issues currently before the State Legislature, including providing universal healthcare and protecting services for our working families.  In the years to come, I look forward to working with the next member of Congress in serving the residents of the Peninsula.

With Yee out, it's hard to imagine anybody else who can come close to challenging Jackie Speier.  But, all the same, I hear from Ms. Speier that she will be diligently beating the bushes for votes between now and June, and then November.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The "dirty tricks" initiative that would split California's electoralvotes by Congressional district—and hand an Ohio-sized prize to the GOPnominee—seems to have more lives and deaths than a cat. The Los Angeles Times reports today that the measure will not qualifyfor the June ballot, but could still make it by November, a majorsetback that would likely delay its impact even if if were tomiraculously pass.

Jackie Speier, the former State Senator who ran unsuccessfully forLieutenant Governor last year, has released a poll showing her 30-points ahead of San Mateo County incumbent Rep. Tom Lantos, according to Capitol Alert. Speier has a compelling life story, stellarlegislative record and immense popularity in the area—could she topplea long-time incumbent like Lantos?

A judge has asked Schwarzenegger officials to hand over documents that plaintiffs say could prove they knowingly sanctioned a failed prisons policy, the Sacramento Bee reports. We'll just have to see if anything comes ofthis. No one wants the crisis to continue, but we can only build,build, build for so long.

There's more...

Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.