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<p>The rift within the Democratic Party was on full display at the California Democratic Party Convention on May 19 in Sacramento, California. Progressives joined members of National Nurses United, protesting the Democratic Party establishment’s refusal to support single payer healthcare system. Rather than follow through with Democratic rhetoric that healthcare is a human right, establishment Democrats have responded to voters by scolding and attacking them.</p>

Well, the Democratic National Convention has gotten off to the kind of start one might expect after four years of Barack Obama. First, Democratic campaign surrogates kept fumbling the hardly-unexpected "are you better off" question every incumbent since Jimmy Carter has had to answer. Now the leader of the largest state party has suddenly departed from Charlotte after comparing Paul Ryan to Josef Goebbels and then attempting to deny he'd made a Nazi comparison at all. John Burton, the chair of California's Democratic Party, said that Ryan had adopted Goebbels' "Big Lie" technique in his convention speech last week:CLICK ABOVE...

UPDATE: In response to the uproar over his (below) comments Monday, California Democratic Party Chair John Burton issued this statement: “To correct press reports of my recent comments about Republican lies, I did not call Republicans Nazis nor would I ever. In fact, I didn’t even use the word. “If Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, or the Republicans are insulted by my describing their campaign tactic as the big lie – I most humbly apologize to them or anyone who might have been offended by that comment.”Charlotte – Greetings from the California delegation breakfast at the DNC where before he had...

California Democratic party chair John Burton compared Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan to Nazi Joseph Goebbels this morning in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here's video: Via the San Francisco Chronicle: Greetings from the California delegation breakfast at the DNC where before he had a cup of coffee Democratic Party Chair John Burton – much like his ol’ palGuv Jerry Brown once did – just compared the Republicans to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, for “telling the big lie,” a reference to several falsehoods GOP VP nominee Paul Ryan recently told.

New tone alert... According to a just released report from the San Francisco Chronicle, California Democratic Party Chair John Burton compared Paul Ryan and the GOP to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. Let's see how - or if - the media reports this outrageous comment. Had this been a Republican, you would have already heard about it, as opposed to having to read it here. From the Chronicle (who will be posting audio shortly): Greetings from the California delegation breakfast at the DNC where before he had a cup of coffee Democratic Party Chair John Burton – much like his ol’...

Its hard to believe but John Burton - the State Democratic Party Chairman said Governor Jerry Brown should "try shooting" a Republican to convince them to vote for taxes. In an interview with Bay Area News Group, Burton said Brown "can try shooting somebody and tell the next guy, You don't want that to happen to you, you better step up and vote. ... What's Jerry going to do unless he took out a gun?" He reportedly made the comment on the eve of the state party's convention kickoff.

President Barack Obama likened Republicans to "hostage takers" for refusing to give up tax cuts for the wealthy when he wanted to only preserve tax cuts for the middle class. California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton goes even further, accusing Republicans of "political terrorism" in a message to the party faithful.In the missive today, Burton urges grassroots Democrats to contact House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to implore them to vote against the bargain between Obama and congressional Republicans. At a cost of about $900 billion over two years, the package would extend all the Bush-era tax cuts for...

In an age of Obama and Internet-savvy politics, former California Senate president pro tem John Burton doesn't own a computer. He can recall fundraising "when you knocked on people's doors and asked them for a dollar for the Democrats." But at 76, Burton, a passionate liberal, defender of the poor and disabled, and a famously profane and prickly political sage, is about to become the new face of the California Democratic Party. After two other top contenders dropped election bids for state party chair, the post was all but ceded to Burton, a University of San Francisco law school graduate...

With the withdrawal of his last remaining major opponent, former Senate leader John Burton is the overwhelming favorite to become the next chairman of the California Democratic Party. Burton, a San Francisco Democrat and long-time political fixture, entered the race late last year. His entrance has nudged out the two other main contenders, Alex Rooker, a vice-chair of the party who withdrew today, and Eric Bauman, who is the chair of the Los Angeles Democratic Party. Rooker has opted to run for re-election as a vice-chair and Bauman is running for the second vice-chair slot. Rooker said in an e-mail...

San Francisco -- A sexual-harassment suit against former state Senate leader John Burton by the executive director of his charitable foundation for homeless children has been settled on confidential terms, the plaintiff's lawyer said today. Attorney Kelly Armstrong said she could not say anything about the nature or timing of the settlement or describe her client's reaction to it. Burton and his lawyer were unavailable for comment.In the suit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court in January, Kathleen Driscoll accused Burton of making lewd and suggestive comments to her on an almost daily basis after hiring her as executive director...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Former state Senate leader John Burton was sued Wednesday for $10 million by the executive director of his San Francisco charitable foundation, who claims he sexually harassed her by swearing at her and making lewd and suggestive comments on an almost daily basis. Burton's attorney called the lawsuit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, a "shakedown" and predicted that Burton's "character and reputation will win out at the end of the day." During a 35-year legislative career in which he rose to become California's second-most-powerful politician, Burton became well known for his mouth. A 2004 Chronicle article...

SAN FRANCISCO - Former state Democratic leader John Burton was accused of sexual harassment Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by the director of his non-profit organization dedicated to helping California's homeless children. Kathleen Driscoll, who is on medical leave as executive director of the San Francisco-based John Burton Foundation, filed the lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court. "Burton made inappropriate sexual advances on a regular and ongoing basis, used vulgar and profane language and publicly humiliated Driscoll with sexual comments and behavior," the lawsuit stated. "Burton has a long history of being abusive, crass and profane."

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Former state Senate leader John Burton has been appointed to the board of the California Tahoe Conservancy by the Senate committee he used to head. Burton, a San Francisco Democrat, spent 26 years in the Legislature, serving as Senate president pro tem from 1998 until last November, when he was forced from office by term limits. He was also a member of Congress for eight years. The conservancy, established in 1984, acquires property in the Lake Tahoe area to protect open space and wildlife habitat and to provide recreation. The appointment was announced Wednesday by the Senate...

SACRAMENTO (AP) - On his last day as the state Senate's leader, John Burton suggested that California's budget problems won't be solved without a tax increase and that efforts to require businesses to provide employee health insurance will continue. "At some point the Republicans and the governor will understand that to get out of this budget problem ... we can't just hope that the economy gets better," the San Francisco Democrat said Tuesday at his last press conference before leaving the Legislature. "There are going to be ways to consolidate and save some money in state programs, but also as...

Assemblyman Tom Harman, R-Huntington Beach, says he wants to professionalize and standardize the state's byzantine tax system, but the results of a bill he co-authored would be ominous to small business owners who are disputing the taxes levied on their firms. Introduced by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, D-Davis, and similar to legislation introduced by John Burton, D-San Francisco, in the Senate, AB 2472 claims to make the state's tax system fairer and, thereby give California taxpayers more confidence in the state's tax system. It is billed as a "good government" measure, but that's true only if one believes the best government...

<p>SACRAMENTO - The California Democratic Party Tuesday officially endorsed Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's March ballot initiatives, reinforcing the bipartisan packaging for the measures that are crucial to the governor's budget-balancing plan.</p> <p>Democrats overwhelmingly supported the $15 billion bond and balanced-budget amendment in the Legislature, but declined to endorse the measures -- Propositions 57 and 58, respectively -- at their convention last month.</p>

<p>A proposal by a powerful Bay Area lawmaker could make California the first state to ban the production and sale of foie gras -- a move that would wipe the controversial delicacy from menus throughout this food-savvy state.</p> <p>State Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, is expected to introduce a bill this week that would virtually prohibit foie gras by essentially putting the Western United States' sole producer out of business while denying chefs ready access to the hyper-fattened duck liver.</p>

SACRAMENTO (AP) - California could save as much as $30 million US by buying drugs for state prisons from Canada, a policy prohibited by U.S. law, under legislation to be introduced Thursday by a state senator. Senate President Pro Tempore John Burton said Wednesday that his legislation will allow the state Department of General Services to turn to Canada when seeking the best price on pharmaceuticals. The department buys drugs for the California prison system and youth authority. Prescription drugs in Canada cost less due to a combination of price controls and a favourable exchange rate. The U.S. Medicare Prescription...

'We have people making half a million a year after deductions, taxable income. If you have to come up with another two, three or four hundred dollars, you can afford it. Basically, what people would be paying for is a just society." That's the world according to Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco. He suggests wealthier Californians are contributing too little to the state treasury. He proposes that the Legislature slap them with higher taxes, rather than accept Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed spending cuts. But the notion advanced by Burton that the state's higher-income residents are not paying...

<p>SACRAMENTO - California campaign regulators Wednesday closed a loophole that had allowed politicians to avoid voter-approved contribution caps, but not before the state Senate's top Democrat took steps to ensure large contributions that he has taken won't have to be returned.</p>