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Issues

It’s no secret that there is a desperate need for policy reform. Whether it’s energy, economy, tax, education, or any other political arena, independent voters seek specific and effective political reform. Measures that increase transparency, enhance competition, inspire voter participation, and operate within the boundaries of strict, fiscal discipline are badly needed in a country that has become inefficient, ineffective, and paralyzed by partisan politics. This section discusses various political reform models that aim to encourage robust intellectual debate in the public forum.

SacramentoRiverLevee-1
By | 05/15/2013 | Energy and Water

Senator Barbara Boxer’s levee bill, titled the “Water Resources Development Act,” passed the Senate on Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill would authorize the Natomas Levee Improvement Program and several projects headed by the Army Corp. of Engineers nationwide….

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Assembly approves bill that expands rights to transgendered student athletes
By | 05/15/2013 | California, Civil Rights, Education, Issues, Legislation, Legislators, News, Privacy, Role of Government, States | 3 Comments

A recent piece of legislation in California would allow transgendered student athletes to use restrooms of their gender identity and not their biological sex. Assembly Bill 1266, authored by Assemblyman Tony Ammiano (D-San Francisco), passed the state Assembly, 45-24..

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prison realignment in may revised budget
By | 05/15/2013 | Budget, Headline, Safety

Governor Brown’s revised state budget — released on Tuesday — and its conservative approach to California’s economic future were well-received, even by Republicans. The May revise also addresses growing concerns over the undesirable consequences of California prison realignment.

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Zuckerberg's PAC
By | 05/15/2013 | Activism, Immigration, Movements, Organizations | 2 Comments

Mark Zuckerberg’s 501(c)(4) organization, FWD.us, took another political blow last week when two key donors publicly left the super PAC. Focused on the expansion of the H1-B visas, FWD.us recently launched a series of advertisements featuring lawmakers pushing for immigration reform.

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By | 05/14/2013 | Education

Over time, we dramatically increased college graduation rates, which has driven a 700 percent increase in our adjusted-for-inflation GDP. But, we are still not where we need to be. Only 25 percent of Americans over the age of 25 have a college degree…

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internet sales tax
By | 05/14/2013 | Economy, Legislation, News, Taxes | 4 Comments

Last week, the Senate overwhelmingly voted to pass the “Marketplace Fairness Act,” better known as the Internet sales tax, 69-27. Framed as a move toward “leveling the playing field,” the bill has sparked some debate among Republicans.

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surpreme-court2
By | 05/14/2013 | Safety

While Governor Brown and his administration have mostly been compliant with a federal court order to reduce California’s prison population, they also continue to fight the mandate when room for resistance presents itself. On Monday, California officials took the first step to appeal…

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