Articles by Raul Carranza

Credit: Gordon Swanson / Shutterstock.com Two weeks ago, Rep. Tom Ammiano responded to my article on Assembly Bill 241. I would like to thank him for taking the time to respond. This is exactly what our country needs, meaningful dialogue between representatives and everyday citizens. Below is my response. My opposition to Ammiano's bill is a matter practicality rather than philosophical. I do not dispute that there's a very real problem with the current working conditions of domestic workers. ...

Credit: scdd.ca.gov Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) has introduced and passed AB-241, which writes a “Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights” into law. This is Ammiano's second try at such a bill, which attempts to solve the problem of low wages and unfavorable working conditions. According to the bill: “Domestic workers usually work alone, behind closed doors, and out of the public eye, leaving them isolated, vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by some employers, and unable to advocate ...

Credit: sfam_photo / Shutterstock.com California State Senator Ed Hernandez has introduced Senate Bill 491. The bill expands the scope of practice for a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in order to allow them to set up their own practices. Under current California law, NPs are allowed to treat patients under doctor supervision. While doctors do have more training than NPs, NPs can act as physicians and have been referred to as “physician extenders." Hernandez introduced the bill as a response to the cu...

California State Senator Ed Hernandez has introduced Senate Bill 491. The bill expands the scope of practice for a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in order to allow them to set up their own practices. Under current California law, NPs are allowed to treat patients under doctor supervision. While doctors do have more training than NPs, NPs can act as physicians and have been referred to as “physician extenders." Hernandez introduced the bill as a response to the current and coming doctor shortage under...

The first filing period for campaign finance has passed and the prospective candidates for California Governor in 2014 have reported. between January 1 st and June 30th of this year. In comparison, his prospective opponents, former Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado and Assemblymember Tim Donnelly, raised a little over $400,000 combined in the same time period.The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) has Brown with a 54 percent approval rating among likely voters. Brown' approval rating...

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller discussed how the work of the CFPB and the consumer complaints we receive help his office serve consumers in Iowa. // Credit: CFPB flickr In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, legislators scrambled to pass comprehensive financial reform. With the economy in shambles, Congress was under tremendous pressure to not only fix the situation, but make sure it didn't happen again. Efforts culminated in the 2010 Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protecti...

Credit: roarofthefour via flickr.com In 2012, 'dark money' accounted for over $300 million spent out of the total $6 billion according to Open Secrets. 'Dark money' refers to spending in an election where the donors behind the money are anonymous often with the aid of 501(c)(4) and (c)(6)'s. From $5.2 million in 2006, spending from these types of organizations more than doubled following the Supreme Court's decision in FEC v. Citizens United. Dark money has already played a role in California,...

The White House has received wide praise for nominating Ann Ravel to the FEC. As the chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), Ravel has been a fierce watchdog; especially, when it comes to 'dark money' organizations that violated state campaign finance rules. "Ann Ravel will be an excellent FEC commissioner if she is confirmed.” said Rick Hasen, professor of law at the University of California Irvine and former editor of the Election Law Journal. “She has shown tremen...

Sign at a healthcare rally in Maine 2009 // Credit: Blip.tv A recent Gallup poll says only 26% of independents are satisfied with the work the government is doing on healthcare along with 53% of democrats and 7% of republicans. The dearth of cross-partisan enthusiasm for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or still further health care reform, dead in the water. It's no secret that the ACA was heavily lobbied. As the Center for Responsive Politics notes, “During the course of 2009, the number of corp...