california history

Congratulations Karen Bass

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Karen Bass is making history as we speak.  She is currently being sworn in as the first Democratic female speaker in California history. Furthemore, she is the first African-American female to be Speaker in any of the 50 states and the federal government.

Good Luck Speaker Bass. And if you are really prepared to take on reforming our tax structure, we'll be in good hands for the next two years.

With so much worth protecting and so much that threatens our economic well-being, it is far past time to move beyond simply patching over budget problems to finding a real, creative -- and bipartisan -- way off the budget roller coaster we seem to be stuck on year after year after year.(LAT 5/13/08)

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Schwarzenegger adds another trophy to his collection - “Most prolific campaign fundraiser in California history”

by Kim Stevens [courtesy of Party Line]


From Brian Brokaw:

While most Californians were busy this week stuffing their Thanksgiving turkeys, the Associated Press reported that the special interests who’ve been stuffing Governor Schwarzenegger’s campaign accounts since 2003 have earned Schwarzenegger a new and troubling title: “most prolific campaign fundraiser in California history.”

Associated Press: “Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the most prolific campaign fundraiser in California history, taking in more than $125 million for his various political committees, according to an Associated Press review of fundraising records. In doing so, he has surpassed Gray Davis, the governor he ousted four years ago in a recall election that focused in large part on Davis' seemingly incessant fundraising. Schwarzenegger's political committees have taken in $125.8 million since he jumped into the gubernatorial recall campaign in August 2003. Davis took longer -- seven years -- to raise $120 million for two gubernatorial campaigns and to fight the recall effort against him.”

Of course, we all know that the Governor only makes policy decisions based on what he thinks is good for the people, the state, yada yada. But $125 million – that’s a serious chunk of change.

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Schwarzenegger Adds Another Trophy to his Collection -- "Most Prolific Campaign Fundraiser in California History"

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

While most Californians were busy this week stuffing their Thanksgiving turkeys, the Associated Press reported that the special interests who’ve been stuffing Governor Schwarzenegger’s campaign accounts since 2003 have earned Schwarzenegger a new and troubling title: "most prolific campaign fundraiser in California history."
 
Associated Press: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the most prolific campaign fundraiser in California history, taking in more than $125 million for his various political committees, according to an Associated Press review of fundraising records. In doing so, he has surpassed Gray Davis, the governor he ousted four years ago in a recall election that focused in large part on Davis' seemingly incessant fundraising. Schwarzenegger's political committees have taken in $125.8 million since he jumped into the gubernatorial recall campaign in August 2003. Davis took longer -- seven years -- to raise $120 million for two gubernatorial campaigns and to fight the recall effort against him."
 
Of course, we all know that the Governor only makes policy decisions based on what he thinks is good for the people, the state, yada yada. But $125 million -- that’s a serious chunk of change.

There's more...

Biggest Increase in Gambling in U.S. History Quickly Passed by California Senate With Little Debate

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

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By Frank D. Russo

The California State Senate, yesterday, with scant debate, and without the bills having received a proper hearing before a committee, passed six bills ratifying 5 compacts that would allow the largest (22,500 slot machine) expansion in California's history if not that of the nation at tribal casinos.

This is not a small matter. Two days ago, we featured an article by one of the opponents to these compacts, with the possible exception of the 99 slot machines granted to the Yurok Tribe, one of California's poorest. In that article, Cheryl Smith of Stand Up for California called this "the largest expansion of gambling in U.S. history." She said that: "Despite the fact that it’s a $60 billion package locked-in for 23 years, most Californians still know nothing about it."

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