longtime writer on California politics
Columnist for the California Progress Report; former Editorial Page editor and columnist for the Sacramento Bee; author of Final Test: The Struggle for Adequacy in America's Schools, Paradise Lost: California's Experience, America's Future and, most recently, California: America’s High Stakes Experiment
What's at Stake in Tomorrow's Election? Despite record spending by candidates, their supporters and special interest groups, experts predict a low turnout tomorrow — less than a third of registered voters. But, in case you're fed up with politics, one initiative measure could mean it won't be conducted the same way any more. We hear more about Proposition 14 , which would establish what's called an "open primary," and several other issues on tomorrow's ballot .
The State Budget and the End of the California Dream Governor Schwarzenegger today signed last week's budget compromise into law, minus $656 million in cuts he said were necessary to balance the measure. He called it "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."
Top Five Homeowner Names Are Latino The five most common surnames of homebuyers in California are García, Hernandez, Rodriguez, Lopez and Martinez--all Latino. Nationwide, four of the 10 most common homebuyers' names are Latino. That's from a column by Peter Schrag, who writes for the Sacramento Bee .
Arnold Schwarzenegger on the State of the State In his State of the State address, Governor Schwarzenegger said tonight that California has the ideas of ancient Athens and the power of Sparta. He said this state can lead the nation and the world into the future, and he called for massive new borrowing to equal the $43 billion in bonds passed by voters last year. He reminded reminded the legislature of last year's bipartisan agreements on the minimum wage, prescription drug costs and reducing greenhouse gases, and proposed that California move away from fossil fuels and foreign oil. We hear what he said and how he said it, and talk with several commentators, including historian Kevin Starr, who helped shape the Governor's vision.
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.