Bob Morris

Progressive blogger at Politics in the Zeros since 2003. Former Green Party of Los Angeles County Council co-coordinator (2002-2004). Organized antiwar protests 2004-2007. Focuses on issues that transcend party lines. Silicon Valley.

Default rate for California college loans rises

The default rate for college loans has risen sharply in California and the rest of the country, from 7% in 2008 to 8.8% in 2009. For-profit colleges have

By Bob Morris

/ September 22, 2011

Kinde Durkee and the depleted Democratic campaign funds

Kinde Durkee, treasurer for well over one hundred Democratic politicians in California, was recently arrested on federal charges for misappropriating funds from state assembly member Jose Solorio. Other Democratic politicians,

By Bob Morris

/ September 20, 2011

Renewable Energy taking off in Arizona

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hosted a solar summit last Wednesday which discussed solar power policy goals for Arizona. Two fascinating points emerged from the discussions. First, many thought the early projections

By Bob Morris

/ September 19, 2011

The Nanny State is getting out of hand

After spending months squabbling about a budget that turned out to be a train wreck because of the usual wildly over-optimistic revenue estimates, the California legislature is focusing its

By Bob Morris

/ September 15, 2011

Gun walking, then grenade-gate: what's next?

The ATF and/or the US Attorney's office in Phoenix allowed at least 1,400 guns to be smuggled from the US to drug cartels in Mexico, ostensibly

By Bob Morris

/ September 13, 2011

Solyndra controversy escalates

Solar panel manufacturer Solyndra received upwards of $527 million in federal loan guarantees and was singled out by Obama as an example of American know-how and entrepreneurship. However, it

By Bob Morris

/ September 12, 2011

Renewable energy jobs not being created as hoped

Renewable energy projects, plus research and development, were supposed to be major powerhouses in creating a new economy. Many hoped this could propel states like California and Nevada out of

By Bob Morris

/ September 8, 2011

Gun walking: the history and aftermath of Operation Fast and Furious

Operation Fast and Furious almost seems like something out of the Keystone Cops, a massive bumbling government operation that even one of those involved described as "delusional." But

By Bob Morris

/ September 6, 2011

Is Governor Jerry Brown still a moonbeam?

In 1976, when Jerry Brown was California governor the first time, Chicago columnist Mike Royko famously dubbed him "Governor Moonbeam." The moniker stuck, even if Royko later apologized

By Bob Morris

/ September 6, 2011

California cities facing major revenue shortfalls, rising pension costs

Vallejo is the poster child for what's ailing California cities. It filed for bankruptcy in 2008, a victim of the real estate crash, losing a major employer in

By Bob Morris

/ August 30, 2011

Arizona looks to effectively manage its water supply in the Sun Corridor

Arizona possesses enough water in Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties to support 4.3 million people, says a report from the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at ASU. But to

By Bob Morris

/ August 29, 2011

New business creation in California drops off a cliff

For most of the last decade, California was first or second in new business creation. In 2009, it ranked first. In 2010, new business creation imploded. Actually, that's

By Bob Morris

/ August 29, 2011