Why Not a Green Pencil? Perhaps Something in Mauve?

”Blue pencil,” the political verb that describes line-item vetoing, started as a noun.

Before Spellcheck and computers, editors used a blue pencil on manuscripts to instruct printers where to indent, which sections to delete and so forth.

A red pencil was used to correct grammatical errors.

Special pencils were once available that had red lead at one end and blue at the other.    Read more »

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Skirling

Verb: “To create a high, shrill, wailing tone like a bagpipe.” (An apt description for the vocal stylings of a number of lawmakers.)

Used in a Sentence: “Elimination of this important program would inevitably lead to widespread hardship and painful skirling.”

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From the “Stuff-Arnold-Schwarzenegger-Wouldn’t-Say” File

All the quotes in Latin and references to ancient Greek and Roman literature and philosophy would obviously be found in this file.

Other than the last sentence of the following quote, it’s  hard to imagine Gov. Jerry Brown’s GOP predecessor waxing poetic or otherwise about the ultimate “challenge” faced by American adn California:

“The challenge is we’re an aging society.    Read more »

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By Greg Lucas

Sacramento News & Review, January 10, 2013 –Perception depends on the perceiver. But also on the perceived.

Loath to buck the fact-based belief of America’s citizenry that they’re a tawdry nest of slack-jawed, self-promoting wastrels, the members of Congress piddled around for months before hurriedly cobbling together a rinky-dink hodgepodge of major tax-law changes, whose principal benefit, albeit temporary, is hastening the removal of “fiscal cliff” from what is generously called a “national dialogue.”    Read more »

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New Spotlight: Politics on Tap

A Fun Conversation, Particularly About Young Voters with Dustin Corcoran, the California Medical Association’s CEO;  Mindy Romero, Project Director of the California Civic Engagement Project at the UC Davis Center for Regional Change and  The Sacramento Bee‘s Dan Morain.     Read more »

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Seeking Equity in Public School Funding From the Ancients

No press conference by Gov. Jerry Brown seems to be compelte without some reference to ancient Greek or Roman philosophy and literature – often declaimed in the original Latin.

The Democratic governor’s unveiling of his proposed $139 billion spending blueprint for the fiscal year rbeginning July 1 was no execption.

Generating the most media attention is Brown’s desire to change the distribution of state money to public schools.    Read more »

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Reaction to Gov. Jerry Brown’s Budget

A scrupulously arbitrary review of 16 statements by lawmakers and statewide elected officials finds Gov. Jerry Brown’s latest budget plan to be generally praiseworthy.

“It’s not time to roll out a ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner yet, but today’s news gives Californians a reason to hold our heads high and put dunce caps on our state’s critics,” says Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, a Van Nuys Democrat who chairs the lower house’s budget committee.    Read more »

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Gov. Jerry Brown Presents His Budget for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1

Watch it here.

 Read this at Capitol Weekly.

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What to Expect — And Not Expect — In Gov. Jerry Brown’s New Budget

 The $130 billion budget Gov. Jerry Brown will unveil January 10 will largely be a yawner.

Relatively speaking anyway.

There’ll be no deluge of doom-and-gloom denunciations over the draconian measures the Democratic governor proposes as there were two years ago when the state faced an estimated $26.6 billion gap between revenues and spending commitments.    Read more »

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Good Budget News: December Cash Collections Up More Than $100 Million

SACRAMENTO – After accounting for timing issues related to sales tax deposits, December’s tax receipts were $103.4 million above estimates contained in the budget for the current fiscal year ending June 30, according to  Controller John Chiang’s monthly cash balance report released January 9.

“While December’s figures were distorted by timing issues, the month’s revenues closely match budget projections and offer further evidence that California’s economy is slowly mending,” said Chiang.    Read more »

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