California Needs a Family Recovery Budget
By Nancy BerlinOn April 27th, California Partnership will kicked-off the first of a series of advocacy days in the Capitol. The delegation will include community members throughout the state demanding state legislators pass a Family Recovery Budget for California; one that creates and maintains jobs, provides a vital safety net for where there are no jobs, pursues targeted revenues to help our economy and families, and brings home Federal funds for the relief of California’s struggling families.
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Investment Banks Betting Against California Bonds They Helped Sell?,
By Robert CruickshankGoldman Sachs hearings in the US Senate have properly made headlines across the country as Senators attack the investment bank for betting against investments they thought would fail. That was just one of the many ways Goldman Sachs and other investment banks have been accused of unethical, and possibly illegal, behavior - others have pointed out the common practice of using Credit Default Swaps to profit off of failed investments. As Matt Taibbi put it:
Even if he stands to make a buck at it, even your average used-car salesman won't sell some working father a car with wobbly brakes, then buy life insurance policies on that customer and his kids. But this is done almost as a matter of routine in the financial services industry, where the attitude after the inevitable pileup would be that that family was dumb for getting into the car in the first place. Caveat emptor, dude!
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California Democrats Get Serious About Arizona Boycott
By David DayenThe state whose lawmakers have been most vocal about the Arizona immigration law to date has been California. Given the history of Prop 187 in this state, it’s not surprising. But I am surprised to see more cautious Democrats get full-throated about the prospect of boycotting Arizona until it rescinds its restrictions.
Darrell Steinberg, the President Pro Tem of the State Senate, pushed for the boycott today.
California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said today he has asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to work with him to review all state contracts with Arizona and possibly break them because of Arizona’s new immigration police law.
“That bill is a gross civil-rights violation. We hope it will be overturned by the courts quickly,” said the Sacramento Democrat, who sent a letter to Schwarzenegger today [...]
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