What Could $700 Billion Buy?
With the recent passage of the banking industry bailout package, $700 billion is now a household figure. But what that amount of money could buy is no...
Budget
Friday Talking Points [49] -- Before And After The First Debate
Chris Weigant | Posted 09.26.2008 | Politics
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[UPDATED -- See part 2 in the Talking Points section.] This week's column will be presented in a sort of semi-liveblogging fashion. What you're getti...
Pentagon Budget Hits New Record
AP | ANDREW TAYLOR | Posted 09.24.2008 | Politics
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WASHINGTON — The House passed a $630 billion-plus spending bill Wednesday that wraps together a record Pentagon budget with aid for automakers a...
California's Conservatives Want To Get What They DON'T Pay For
Dave Johnson | Posted 09.12.2008 | Politics
California's elected Republicans continue to block any and all efforts to pass a budget, because any honest budget must ask the wealthy and big corpor...
Recession Rhinoplasties and Low-Cash Flow Lipo
Leslie Goldman | Posted 08.19.2008 | Living
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A single gallon of gas in Chicago currently costs most than a sandwich, chips and a Coke. A ticket to fly -- coach! -- to my brother in LA is over $40...
Textbook Downloads -- Green or Not?
Josie Garthwaite | Posted 07.31.2008 | Green
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Four years' worth of college textbooks use the paper equivalent of yields from at least six 40-foot trees.
Schwarzenegger's Reform Means Minimum Wage
Paul Peete | Posted 07.23.2008 | Home
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Will the same pay rates apply to the Governor and members of the California State Legislature? Their monthly postage allowance is more than federal minimum wage earners make.
How to Balance the Federal Budget
Hale "Bonddad" Stewart | Posted 07.10.2008 | Business
Let's overlay the current economic environment -- we're in a recession and we're not getting out of it anytime soon. That means that tactically, this is a terrible time to increase taxes.
Republicans: California Dreamin'
William Bradley | Posted 05.23.2008 | Politics
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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger told me early this year that he would make sure that California was "in play" for the Republican presidential candidate. Schwarzenegger's belief is looking quite ragged.
Job Killers -- Or Just More Fear?
Dave Johnson | Posted 05.20.2008 | Business
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The California Chamber of Commerce has released its annual list of what it calls "job-killer bills." Why is it that the hit-list seems to only target Democrats?
The Middle Class Squeeze Is A Result Of LOW Taxes
Dave Johnson | Posted 04.25.2008 | Politics
It is a popular misconception that taxes add to the squeeze on the middle class. But it isn't tax increases that have squeezed the middle class, it's...
Tax Cuts Make Us Poor
Dave Johnson | Posted 04.17.2008 | Politics
Some years ago the corporate-funded anti-tax, anti-government advocates paid their way to become the dominant voice in our civil discourse. They said...
The Budget Debate for Grownups
Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson | Posted 04.16.2008 | Business
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If we continue doing nothing, in about 35 years, the government will have no money for anything other than Medicare, Social Security and interest on the money we've already borrowed.
We Can't Afford This War Anymore
Hale "Bonddad" Stewart | Posted 04.12.2008 | Politics
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I have been against the Iraq war from the very beginning. However, my arguments didn't rest on the lofty perches of ethics or morals; they rested on the far cruder cost benefit analysis of war.
Oil Tax Defeated, School Budget To Be Cut -- What You Can Do
Dave Johnson | Posted 03.13.2008 | Politics
The people of California need to understand that a choice was made yesterday to continue to be the only state that allows oil companies to pump our oil and not pay anything for it.
Choices on Taking and Giving Back
Dave Johnson | Posted 03.11.2008 | Politics
Today in California we are facing a budget shortfall. And instead of asking oil companies and others to give back a bit we are on the verge of deciding instead to cut our school budget.
Defense Spending Soars, While President Continues to Aim at Domestic Programs
Bob Greenstein | Posted 03.10.2008 | Business
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There has been a spending explosion, but it's come in defense-related programs, which have grown 27 times faster than domestic discretionary programs over the past seven years.
Where Are the Children in President Bush's Budget?
Marian Wright Edelman | Posted 03.10.2008 | Politics
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Even a cursory analysis of Bush's spending proposal reveals a failure in many areas to construct a budget that protects the well-being of children in low- to middle-income families.
Changing Our National Priorities
Sen. Bernie Sanders | Posted 03.07.2008 | Politics
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During the Senate's consideration of the budget resolution, I will offer an amendment to restore the top income tax bracket to 39.6 percent for households earning more than $1 million a year.
A Line In The Sand -- Stop Cutting School Budgets
Dave Johnson | Posted 03.05.2008 | Politics
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Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a "fiscal emergency" and is asking the legislature to solve the problem entirely with budget cuts.
How Well Do Your Members of Congress Protect Children?
Marian Wright Edelman | Posted 03.03.2008 | Politics
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Not well enough: 231 members scored 60 percent or lower on our scorecard -- a failing grade from our school days.
Tax And Budget Priorities: Schools No, Yachts Yes
Dave Johnson | Posted 02.19.2008 | Politics
Do you know about the California yacht tax loophole? Here is how it works: Regular people like you and me have to pay sales taxes on the things we bu...
Political Suicide
Dave Johnson | Posted 02.12.2008 | Politics
The reality is that the budget cannot be fixed with budget cuts or more borrowing. We need to increase taxes.
Bush's 2009 Budget Calls For Slashing Public TV Funding
Los Angeles Times | Matea Gold | Posted 02.05.2008 | Media
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Public broadcasting officials vowed Monday to fight drastic cuts President Bush is seeking to make to federal financing for public television and radi...
Friday Talking Points [17]
Chris Weigant | Posted 02.01.2008 | Politics
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2008,
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This column is dedicated to the idea that Democrats can learn to use talking points as effectively as Republicans often do. This idea annoys many who...
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