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Neel Kashkari, GOP candidate for California governor against incumbent Jerry Brown, faces an uphill climb with the media. His day-to-day comments and speeches are not reported, so that when important state issues come up, like the ruling in Vergara V. State of California concerning teacher tenure and seniority, the vast majority of the electorate does not know where Kashkari stands. He should pay particular attention to being heard when arguing teacher tenure and seniority because Brown is beholden to the teachers unions on these subjects and is not in a position to sound convincing.

Vergara was brought by a group called Students Matter (which plans campaigns in a number of states against teacher tenure and seniority rules) on behalf of nine students from five school districts, charging that five statutes in the California Education Code regarding tenure, seniority and dismissal procedures violate the equal protection clause of the state’s Constitution, resulting in grossly ineffective teachers obtaining and retaining employment. Moreover the suit claims that these ineffective teachers are disproportionately assigned to schools serving predominately low-income and… Read More

When the feds ran their “cash-for-clunkers” program in the last decade, the pathetic results and attendant ridicule should have put an end to this madness. I wrote a column on this federal folly in 2012. Here’s the link — and I’ve included the column at the bottom of this post.

http://open.salon.com/blog/richard_rider/2012/02/24/lets_recall_obamas_cash_for_clunkers_brain_fart

The federal madness ended with the Obama administration lamely claiming “mission accomplished,” and the results have largely been forgotten. But in Left Coast California, no lesson was learned. Our state-grown version of this boondoggle lurches on. Not surprisingly, the results arefarworse than the disastrous federal program!

BOTTOM LINE: The rough cost of carbon dioxide “pollution” (CO2 is NOT a pollutant, but let’s move on) is about $40 a ton (or less).… Read More

If you haven’t read my two lengthy columns earlier this week about the recent Senate committee hearing about how to spend the Air Resource Board’s cap and trade auction revenues, take the time to do so – Part l is HERE, and Part ll is HERE.

They exemplify what takes place inside the State Capitol every day, and show how policy is made.

I transcribed exactly what was said at the four-hour hearing on climate change policies, with Senators deciding how to spend the anticipated $3 to $5 billion a year taxed on California businesses who have been deemed polluters by the California Air Resources Board.

The billions of dollars expected from the CaliforniaAir Resources Board’scap and trade auctions areexpected to pay for the anticipated transition from a market economy to a centrally planned one. Yetnothing in… Read More

Nearly 100 municipalities in California have banned the distribution of lightweight plastic shopping bags and imposed mandatory fees on the distribution of recycled paper bags. A bill before the legislature, Senate Bill 270, would impose similar restrictions statewide and could cost California’s consumers over $2 billion per year without providing any environmental benefits.

Proponents of SB 270 and other bag bans claim they will reduce litter and protect the marine environment, diminish our consumption of resources and emissions of greenhouse gases, reduce waste and save taxpayers’ money. As we show in a new Reason Foundation study, all of these claims are false.

Plastic bag litter is not an environmental menace. According to the most authoritative study, it constitutes only 0.6 percent of visible litter across the United States. So, even banning all plastic bags would have little impact on overall litter. And, contrary to claims made by ban proponents, it… Read More

JUNE 19, 2014 http://riderrants.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-san-diego-police-department-is.html The San Diego Police Department IS corrupt. No if’s, and’s or but’s. by Richard Rider By that I mean the SDPD TOLERATES police corruption — criminal actions by police officers, and ACTIVELY covers up for misdemeanors and felonies committed by its favored officers. As far as can be found, only a relative handful of officers have (until recently) been getting away with felonies against civilians — though some are serial offenders — using their badge and authority to coerce (primarily) sexual favors from others. But normally there’s the “iceberg” effect — we see only the 10% “above water.”It’s not just the bad apples committing felonies that bother … Read More

Over 40 readers submitted guesses in another competitive contest to guess the June 3 election results.

Before I get to the winners, first the questions, the correct answers, and a little analysis. But, even before that, just a mention of what San Diego City Council candidate Chris Cate had to say when submitting his contest entry:

“First off, my life is complete now that I’m included in a Rostra election quiz!”

That pretty much sums up the entire meaning of life. Thanks, Chris.

The Results:

1. County Board of Supervisors, District 5 — Bill Horn or Jim Wood?

A softball to start? Apparently, as all but one respondent correctly guessed Bill Horn would win.

2. San Diego County District Attorney — Candidates Bob Brewer, Bonnie Dumanis, Terri Wyatt. There WILL be a November runoff election, True or False?

False. Dumanis wrapped up re-election in the primary. Yet, just over 50 percent of you thought this race would go to a runoff.

3. Mayor, City of Chula Vista —… Read More

In the last year, the “Super-Majority” of radical Democrats in Sacramento have: removed the few existing abortion regulations in California; authorized non-physicians to do abortions; and now the financial coffers of the state have been thrown wide open to the abortion industry via California’s most exorbitant budget in history. Abortionists will specifically receive a 40% rate increase.

President Pro Tem Steinberg has declared that the California State Budget is an ‘example of how negotiation can work.’

But given the inescapable fact that Californians are living under a single-party, ‘lock step’ regime, a party (California Democrat Party) almost entirely propped up by those who receive direct government subsidy and emoluments, this cannot properly be called ‘negotiation’ as much as it should be called ‘dividing the… Read More

By Tom Tanton and Katy Grimes

Many in America have grown convinced the world would become Utopia if it wasn’t for evil, dirty oil.Ironically, these oil critics are alwayssuccessful beneficiaries of the U.S. free enterprise system. When theydemonize oil profits,they show just how misinformed they are.

The relationship between oil and gas, and humans, is inextricably linked. As a nation’s economy grows, its oil consumption naturally follows suit.

Would America be a better place without the “Big Oil” and gas industry? Or is the vehemence behind demonizing oil and gas just a ploy for extracting exorbitant and punitive taxes? The… Read More