[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Former State Senator Jackie Speier is Exhibit A for why California's term limits law needs to be reformed.

The popular Bay Area legislator was one of the most effective in the California legislature, writing laws to protect privacy, advance women's rights, and help consumers. Yet just as she was in her prime, she was forced out of office by term limits.

In 2006, she finished a strong second in a three-way battle for LG behind the eventual winner, John Garamendi. Impressive as she was on the stump, Speier came up short in both name ID and money against Garamendi. Her campaign hasn't ended: Speier wrote a book and has been active in Democratic politics, particularly in building a network of strong women supporters.

Now it appears that Speier will take a shot at long-time incumbent Congressman Tom Lantos and face the same obstacles as she did in the LG primary.

For starters, Lantos is extremely tight with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Speaker doesn't take kindly to primary challenges to incumbent Democrats. They drain campaign cash that would otherwise be used against Republicans. On top of that, Lantos is a key Pelosi ally, and is a powerful voice in the Democratic majority's foreign policy strategy and a recognized Bush critic.

There's more...

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Governor Schwarzenegger’s plan to privatize more of California’s publicworks projects is being bolstered by a recent trip to Canada, which hasapparently been shedding its image as a bastion of liberalism bycontracting out government construction projects to private companies.However, just in case there was any doubt, Assembly Speaker FabianNúñez was quick to assert that that’s not how Democrats roll. Efforts to import this practice from Canada definitely faces an uphill battle in the legislature.
 
Yet the Governor remains powerfully persuasive, at least according to anew study which attributes a shift in public opinion on the state ofCalifornia prisons to Schwarzenegger’s support for a newprison-spending program. Nine out of ten Californians believe that prisons have become a major problem,and two-thirds support the prison reform package backed by the governorthat was passed by the legislature in May. The debate over the role ofprisons in our society continues, although the new reform deal surelyenhances the ability of prisons to punish criminals at the expense ofrehabilitating them.

There's more... 

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

Last week in a hearing of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, several environmental organizations, including yours truly, experienced the amazing power that a diverse and unified coalition can have when we join together to protect California's environment.

That day, the committee pondered the fate of SB 670 (Correa), which sought to limit the use of real estate transfer fees. Recently, these fees have helped to ensure the preservation of valuable wild land in the face of sprawling development.

Correa and his supporters were facing quite an uphill battle with their bill, which initially sought to outlaw the use of transfer fees altogether. Even after significant amendments that would have allowed the fee to continue with numerous new restrictions, the bill's proponents still faced a unique and frankly surprising coalition opposed to his measure, including environmental organizations like PCL and the California Building Industry Association. What?!? The BIA? The "Builders?" Has global warming changed weather patterns in Hades?

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut started and ended strong. The middle, I must admit, I didn't really listen to. The speech was substantive, and we are clearly fortunate to have Dodd fighting the good Democratic fight in the Senate. Although, I think based on the way things are going for his campaign -- he will not be leaving the Senate any time soon. Senator Dodd faced an uphill battle today, with a speaking slot sandwiched between the mega stars Clinton and Obama. As you can imagine, most of the convention took his speech as an opportunity for a much needed bathroom break. It is notable that the first speaker all day to deliver part of his speech in Spanish at the California Democratic convention in San Diego was a Caucasian from Connecticut.