This is a huge, muted victory for biomedical ethics, a victory that was won in the free market (an added bonus, though not essential in these cases).

An exerpt:

"Genetic Savings and Clone, a biotechnology company that sold cloned pets, sent letters to its customers last month informing them it will close at the end of the year because of little demand for costly cloned cats. The company had recently reduced the price from $50,000 to $32,000. The company also failed in its attempts to clone pet dogs.

"The letters said the Sausalito company was not accepting new orders for clones because it was ‘unable to develop the technology to the point that cloning pets is commercially viable.’"

This is where I part from a generally libertarian ethos. The inevitabilities of GS&C‘s work were horrifying to contemplate. I’m glad it’s done, for it provides government more time to weigh the issue. And government must weigh this issue. Medical… Read More

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Rev. Amos Brown, a major liberal voice in San Francisco and former SF supervisor, is a huge supporter of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger…today. In 2004, he called Schwarzenegger “dishonest” and “disingenuous” for allowing himself to be part of the “national axis of evil.” Today, after receiving $15,000 in campaign payments plus travel expense reimbursements, Brown is starring in a Schwarzenegger campaign ad in which he calls Schwarzenegger an “exceptional governor.” For their part, the Schwarzenegger campaign says they are proud to have Brown’s “wise counsel and support.”

It’s great that Schwarzenegger, like many Republican gubernatorial candidates before him, is reaching out to the African American community around the state. It’s unfortunate, though, that Brown was put on the payroll. It may be that he would have agreed to be in a Schwarzenegger commercial without the payoff but once money is involved with such a key (and surprising) endorsement, it can’t help to raise questions about the sincerity of the endorsement.… Read More

FR friend Joel Fox, the President of the Small Business Action Committee, guest writes today’s FR Commentary, with a critical eye on Phil Angelides tax ‘cut’ plan…

Let’s accept that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides really wants to cut taxes as he recently pronounced; that the proposal is not a cynical attempt to buy votes after years and years of promoting tax increases. The obvious question: Is the tax cut proposal offered by Angelides a plus for the taxpayers and businesses of California? The answer must be viewed from a wide angle considering not only the tax cut proposals but what other policies Angelides offers and supports that will affect the economy and the state budget.

The Democratic nominee’s new tax plan offers tax credits for some individuals and tax exemptions for smaller businesses. At the same time he continues to call for raising taxes on upper income taxpayers, those making $250,000 or… Read More

FR friend Joel Fox, the President of the Small Business Action Committee, guest writes today’s FR Commentary, with a critical eye on Phil Angelides tax ‘cut’ plan…

Let’s accept that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides really wants to cut taxes as he recently pronounced; that the proposal is not a cynical attempt to buy votes after years and years of promoting tax increases. The obvious question: Is the tax cut proposal offered by Angelides a plus for the taxpayers and businesses of California? The answer must be viewed from a wide angle considering not only the tax cut proposals but what other policies Angelides offers and supports that will affect the economy and the state budget.

The Democratic nominee’s new tax plan offers tax credits for some individuals and tax exemptions for smaller businesses. At the same time he continues to call for raising taxes on upper income taxpayers, those making $250,000 or… Read More

Judges! Who knows anything about the judges on the ballot? I get asked this more than any other question. So the next few days I will be adding my two cents to some of these. First Los Angeles County has several judges up for election to Superior Court. The Los Angeles County Lincoln Club has a Judicial Improvement Committee headed by the able Richard Reinjohn. They make recommendations to the Governor for appointments. (He should listen more) and they make election recommendations. Their Nov 2006 endorsements are below. Pretty good stuff for people in LA County that need help.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Office 8 – Deborah L. Sanchez Office 18 – Daviann L. Mitchell Office 102 – Hayden Zacky Office 144 – David W. Stuart… Read More

Nationally syndicated columnist Bob Novak, most recognizable from his many years as a co-host of CNN’s Crossfire program, follows politics pretty closely. As a matter of fact, his Evans & Novak Political Report is a great e-mail to receive if you don’t get it already. It’s free, so you can check it out if you want (if you aren’t wary of feeding your e-mail to him, and whomever he sells it to). Anyways, Novak has officially placed Arnold Schwarzenegger in the "Likely Republican Retention Column" in his latest e-mail. Here’s his chart:

Republican-Held Governorships In Play… Read More

My friend Nathan Barankin who works for Attorney General Bill Lockyer has to be having a good chuckle after reading the latest post on the Los Angeles Times Political Muscle Blog, penned by veteran political reporter Bob Salladay.

From the Tales of the Bizarre comes this story about some long-ago history on Claude Parrish, the GOP nominee for State Treasurer. Apparently once upon a time back in the ’80s, when Parrish owned an ice-cream company, he bought a pricey sports car, and according to records unearthed by the Times, he proceeded to not make his payments. The story of what happens from their is, like I said, bizarre. I would try to summarize it here, but I have to say that Bob Salladay does a delightful job of sharing the story. But with players like Claude Parrish, the "Cheap Detective Agency." and a Mercedes-Benz SL380 Roadster — we know it will be interesting.

I will make two observations, and then send you on to read the sordid details…

… Read More

Today’s lead Editorial from the Orange County Register Are we borrowing trouble again? Audit finds millions misspent from parks, water and wildlife bonds passed in 2000 and 2002. An examination of annual state audits of four bonds passed in 2000 and 2002 shows "questionable spending on public relations, lobbying and even yoga classes."

The San Jose Mercury News, in stories published on Tuesday, outlined that some groups receiving bond money "failed to properly document expenses, claimed unallowable costs and went over budget because of inconsistent monitoring by state agencies."

California voters should keep such audits in mind as they consider five bond measures on the November ballot: Propositions 1B (transportation), 1C (housing), 1D (schools), 1E (levees) and 84 (water quality and parks).

The Mercury News studied audits from the California Department… Read More