California 2018 election overview

3-15-18 

   Silicon Valley, Peter Thiel said, “has become almost a one-party state.  If you have something that’s 85-15 as a split, that’s lopsided but understandable.  If you have something where the apparent split is 99-to-1, where you have that sort of near-unanimity, that’s not because the 99 percent have figured out the truth.  That’s where you’re dealing with something that’s almost totalitarian.”…

   “It’s very hard to get things to work in this country,” he said. “Obviously there are all sorts of things that are somewhat disappointing — and at the same time, I don’t know how much one can expect….He said he felt that too many free-traders are “too dogmatic and too doctrinaire.””   https://www.recode.net/2018/3/15/17125924/peter-thiel-los-angeles-gawker-silicon-valley-facebook-politics-trump-reelection

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5-21-18  Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a former San Francisco mayor, led those surveys and ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was in a three-person scrum of significantly publicized candidates competing for the second November ballot slot.   https://www.redding.com/story/opinion/columnists/cal-thomas/2018/05/21/top-two-test-gop-could-decide-all-demo-runoff/607429002/

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Viswanathan understands pensions killing our cities

5-20-18  Re: “Standout pick for California treasurer is just 31 years old” (May 16):

I applaud The Mercury News Editorial Board’s endorsement of Vivek Viswanathan due to his understanding of the state’s public employee pension funding crisis.

The state of California, Santa Clara County and our local cities are unable to fund critical services because they are spending too much of their budgets on employee pensions. Most voters don’t understand how money is spent on employee pensions, and they don’t realize that CalPERS is forcing government agencies to increase their payments every year....The website Transparent California reported that many cities in the Bay Area have 100-200 retired employees drawing pensions of over $100,000 per year.  This is killing our local government services. It must stop.  https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/20/letter-california-treasurer-candidate-viswanathan-understands-the-pensions-that-are-killing-our-cities/

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  5-22-18   The fight for second place in California's governor's race between Republican John Cox and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa remains unpredictable and volatile as the June 5 primary approaches, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll….

According to the survey, Newsom led the field with support from 21% of likely voters, with Villaraigosa and Cox effectively tied for second at 11% and 10%, respectively….Cox also has fully embraced efforts to repeal the 2017 statewide increase in gas taxes and vehicle license fees approved by Gov. Jerry Brown and the state Legislature….

The poll found that nearly half of voters would be more likely to vote for a gubernatorial candidate who supports a state-sponsored single-payer healthcare system in California, compared to almost 30% who would be less likely to back such a candidate. Single-payer has been one of the biggest flashpoints in the governor's race, with Newsom backing the idea and Villaraigosa warning that it would require a massive tax increase. Both Cox and Allen dismiss it as a government boondoggle. …

Four out of 10 of the likely voters said they were not following the governor's race closely and 84% did not watch any of the candidate debates.

"We know from this data that this is not a race that has grabbed the state," said GOP strategist Mike Murphy, an analyst for the poll. "This is kind of a sleep-walking zombie election.”

Feinstein was favored by 31% of likely voters while her top rival in the race, former state Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), was backed by 7%. That put De León — who has an enormous financial disadvantage in the race — in second place.  http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-usc-poll-governor-senate-20180522-story.html

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  Letters to editor, Santa Barbara News-Press: Solar panels forced upon us

5-22-18  “We cannot let Californians be in homes that are essentially the residential equivalent of gas guzzlers."  So says California Energy Commission Commissioner David Hochschild.  No, of course not.  We cannot allow a free people to make their own choices regarding the source of energy for their home.  Our political betters must impose their infinitely finer judgment on we, the unwashed populace. We rubes can't be trusted to make good choices. Don't we know that there is a global warming crisis (sorry, "climate change) that requires immediate action?  Thank you, commissioner, for adding yet another regulation…   http://www.newspress.com/Top/Section/OPINIONS-LETTERS

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