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New enrollment data was released last week by the University of California showing that admissions of white and California resident students declined among freshmen who plan to attend a UC school this fall.  Of the projected 37,151 freshmen who will attend a UC school, white students fell from 29.8 percent in 2009 to 26.3 in 2010, while students from out-of-state or overseas ticked up to 8 percent this year as compared to just 6 percent for 2009. Despite a number of racially-charged incidents l

On July 1, the federal government and dozens of states set up temporary “high-risk” health insurance pools for people denied health insurance due to so-called pre-existing conditions. These pools were one of the major provisions included in federal health care reform signed into law early this year. However, this is only a temporary fix intended to provide health insurance to individuals without coverage until the law goes fully into effect in 2014, when insurance companies will no longer be ab

The two-party duopoly is a threat to the free exchange of ideas.  The establishment parties, in conjunction with a complicit corporate media, often exclude third party and independent voices and perspectives.  But, opportunities to challenge this deeply entrenched political system are beginning to increase, especially this year as anti-incumbent sentiment reaches historic levels. Jake Towne, an independent candidate for Congress in Pennslyvania's CD-15, announced late last week that he has been

Voters headed to the polls this November will be confronted with the option of legalizing the cultivation and recreational use of marijuana. Before deciding, Californians might want to take a cue from the federal government, well the business arm of it anyway, and take a serious look at the dramatic health benefits of the oft stigmatized plant. Marijuana is classified as a schedule I substance by the feds. This classification designates that the drug has “no current use for medical treatment

The most heated debate in Sacramento during the past two years hasn’t been budget cuts depriving poor children of health care or awarding billion-dollar tax breaks to corporations.  It hasn’t even been California’s massive multi-billion dollar budget shortfalls. Generating far more public outcry is the mandatory spaying and neutering of cats and dogs. In 2008, unsuccessful spay/neuter legislation logged some 32,000 letters and e-mails either in support or opposition -- many thousands more th

A significant – and often overlooked -- result of what’s been dubbed the Great Recession is that in just over half of the 50 states, the programs that pay unemployment insurance to workers who’ve lost their jobs are insolvent, leading states to borrow more than $39 billion from the federal government to keep writing checks. California, which has the largest unemployment program in the country, has the dubious distinction of leading 34 other states and the Virgin Islands in borrowing:  $8.5 bil

“Reform” is in the eye of the beholder. One policymaker’s idea of improvement is another’s disaster.  Those differences in viewpoint have become apparent as California’s Legislature begins debating a package of procedural changes that would dramatically affect how the state creates its annual budget and ease the ability of local governments to raise taxes. “Things are badly broken here in California. The root cause is a flawed budget system,” former Secretary of State Bruce McPherson, a Santa

Did someone really just accuse the Dems of offending God by holding a vote on Sunday?  Oh, the silliness that has become our political dialog.  Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) on the Glenn Beck radio program:  "They intend to vote on the Sabbath, during Lent, to take away the liberty that we have right from God..." And now, a word from the real world:     RICHMOND -- The Virginia General Assembly adjourned its annual legislative session Sunday evening after adopting a two-year, $82 billion budget t

The 550,000 students enrolled at the University of California and the California State University system have been served a steady diet of tuition and fee increases over the past few years.  In part to cope with a $350 million net cut in state support to both systems this year, a 32 percent increase for UC students -- $1,929 -- is scheduled to take effect in September – on the heels of a 9.3 percent increase in 2009. CSU increased tuition 30 percent in 2009. In September, tuition climbs another

Our current healthcare system costs about twice per capita compared to other industrialized countries, with drug prices two to three times as high.  Prices have risen exponentially, much faster than the rate of inflation.  Not to mention that 40 – 50 million Americans have no healthcare insurance coverage whatsoever, many of whom are children.  For decades, this issue has been a major concern for many American citizens. At a time when our country is engaged in a war on two fronts and legislati