Jerry Brown

Jerry Brown and His Canoe? WTF?

October 5, 2011 by Calitics

Gov. Brown vetoes bill that would allow childcare workers to organize and a local VLF

by Brian Leubitz

For over thirty years, Jerry Brown has professed fealty to the canoe theory of politics, that is paddle a little to the left, a little to the right.  Well, there was that We the People period, but we'll leave that out of the story for now.

Jerry can do some really amazing things, stand up and fight for struggling Californians.  And then he does something like vetoing farmworker card check.  Well, he had another one of those moments:

In a major blow to organized labor, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed legislation today that would have let unions organize child-care providers who work out of the home.

"Today California, like the nation itself, is facing huge budget challenges," Brown wrote in a veto message. "Given that reality, I am reluctant to embark on a program of this magnitude and potential cost."(SacBee)

It was a banner day for that right oar, as he also vetoed legislation that would have changed automobile restrictions for a welfare recipients.

Must We Do This Already?

October 3, 2011 by Calitics

Three years before the election, Governor already faces scrutiny about his plans.

by Brian Leubitz

While Jerry Brown was busy over the weekend signing bills to ban synthetic marijuana and bar a San Francisco measure to ban circumcision, apparently people are pretty excited about replacing him.  Or perhaps more accurately, people are excited to talk about people who could replace him.

"I've extremely enjoyed my first year," Brown said. "I find it -- I don't know if I'd call it exhilarating -- but I find it quite engaging and interesting and fully worthy of my total involvement."

There had been speculation when the now 73-year-old Brown was first elected to what actually amounted to a third term that he would not run again.

If he does decide to seek another term it would cause serious damage to any number of folks who want to be governor. (LA DN)

Of course, this came up in the context of an interview with CalBuzz a while back, though from their article, the question seemed to be directed more at how Brown was handling his first year back in the Horseshoe.  But, Sacramento being what it is, there are always people eyeing the top spot, and tons more willing to talk about people eyeing it.

Switch it Over

September 30, 2011 by Calitics

Shift to local jails means big changes in some counties

by Brian Leubitz

With the realignment shift towards counties, all of a sudden the once sleepy 58 sheriff positions become a whole lot more meaningful.  Sheriffs will be in charge of far more prisoners, and the one who gets the lion's share of that is Lee Baca in LA County.

The so-called "prison realignment" beginning Saturday will transfer the state's responsibility for lower-level drug offenders, thieves and other convicts to county jurisdictions.

An estimated 9,000 parolees will be added to the caseloads of the Probation Department, whose workers already oversee inmates released from county jails.

The Sheriff's Department will have to find room in its jails for an additional 7,000 inmates convicted of non-serious, non-violent and non-sexual felonies.

Gov. Jerry Brown said Thursday this sweeping overhaul of the correctional system would help the state save money, reduce the 70 percent recidivism rate, and bring the state into compliance with a U.S. Supreme Court order to ease prison overcrowding. (LA Daily News)

To be honest, you can't get a whole lot worse than the current system.  We still aren't dealing with some of the underlying problems in sentencing, but baby steps I suppose.

Amazon Reopens Affilliate Program After Brown Signs Deal

September 26, 2011 by Calitics

Internet retailer ends long stalemate with California

by Brian Leubitz

You may have noticed that in the article below, I have an Amazon.com link to a book about a horse.  Which, mostly I just found kind of cute,  but tangentially related to the story.  But, why Amazon, you ask?  Well, remember that deal I mentioned a few weeks back, well, it's official and Amazon has reopened their affiliate program to Californians.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Friday that postpones new sales taxes rules that would have affected online purchases in California, granting more time for traditional and online retailers to lobby Congress for a national standard on the high-stakes issue.
The bill, crafted as a compromise among Amazon.com, traditional retailers and California lawmakers searching for ways to raise revenue, delays until at least September 2012 online tax rules that were implemented as part of this year's state budget package.
*** **** ***

Brown's Approval Stable

September 20, 2011 by Calitics

Governor somehow maintains strong plurality of support

by Brian Leubitz

In the latest Field poll (PDF), somehow Gov. Jerry Brown has managed to maintain a plurality of support.  His September numbers are actually slightly better, from 46 to 49 % approval from June.  Despite lying down in the stink that is Sacramento politics right now, it seems the putrid stench seems to linger on the Legislature rather than in the Horseshoe.

To some extant, he is getting an "independence" streak.  Although, I'm not sure this is the quote that he would like to describe that:

Bower, a Democrat, said he found Brown a "little flaky" last time he was governor, but he thinks Brown is more focused now that he is 73 and in his third term.

"He's one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel," Bower said. "He doesn't have a thing to lose. ... I think he just kind of tells it like it is."

Brown likely is benefiting from that image and, among other things, from the popularity of a series of symbolic measures he used early this year to demonstrate his frugality in the state's budget crisis, including recalling thousands of state-issued cellphones and cars.