Three More Foul Phrases

Slippery Slope — The condition arising from the level playing field being tilted to a 45-degree angle. A legislator used the phrse twice in tow consecutive sentences the other day. Two times too many.

Roll Up My Sleeves — Suggested by a reader who adds that vast amounts of time could be saved if short-sleeved shirts were mandated at the Capitol.    Read more »

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Shasta Dam Politics

The battle over the future of Shasta Dam surfaced this afternoon in the Assembly Governmental Organization committee in the form of joint resolution urging the federal government to reaffirm recognition of an Indian tribe along the McCloud River. 

The Winnemem Wintu tribe, a dozen of whose members attended the hearing in native garb, opposes raising the dam on Lake Shasta which would inundate more of their holy places along the middle fork of the McCloud River, many of which were lost when the dam was completed in 1945.     Read more »

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Testy About Testimony

Among the most disturbing trends in the state Legislature is the muzzling of persons who wish to testify.

There is something fundamentally undemocratic about witnesses being limited to two persons at two minutes a throw with the remaining would-be testifiers permitted merely to say their name and that they support or oppose the measure.    Read more »

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Perfect Timing

This is a great moment that requires a somewhat windy preamble.

When I started at the Chronicle in August 1988, two things happened that made me go, “Whoa, I’m somebody.”

The first was on the Assembly floor when I was asked what was going on by Ruth Ashton Taylor of KCBS, an idol of mine from my youth in Southern California.    Read more »

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Ten That Should Be Banned

Vet or Vetting — If I hear this one more time I’m going to vet myself. I vet, therefore I am.

Work in Progress — As though one of these pieces of legislative sausage were the Sistine Chapel or something.  Californians would benefit if more works in progress were owrked out before they progress.    Read more »

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What You’ll Find Here

First and foremost — fun.

Second, some news. And potentially, on rare occasions when the planets are perfectly aligned, a speck of insight. (Not a word commonly used in conjunction with my alleged writing)

Mainly what you’ll find at California’s Capitol is snippets about what is going on in the White Sepulcher:  Committee hearings, floor sessions, press conferences, super secret caucus stuff.    Read more »

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A Few Good Ones

Willie Brown:

“It’s Better to Be Misquoted than not quoted at all.”  

John Mockler:

“There are more village idiots than villages.”

Kurt Vonnegut: 

“Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and no one wants to do maintenance.”

Katie Lucas

“One frown gets everybody down.” 

     Read more »

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