Free Republic

From 1999 through 2002, I was the Vice Chair of the Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee. During that time, a number of bills presented to the committee increased pension and retirement benefits for state and local government employees. Every single one of these bills were passed and signed by Governor Davis. At the hearing on each of these bills, the lobbyists for the government employee unions showed up and begged the committee members to vote for the bill. In addition, the representative for the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS) told the committee that the retirement system could afford...

When queried by reporters concerning his views on the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963, Malcolm X famously -- and quite charitably, all things considered -- replied that it was merely a case of "chickens coming home to roost." On the morning of September 11, 2001, a few more chickens -- along with some half-million dead Iraqi children -- came home to roost in a very big way at the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center. Well, actually, a few of them seem to have nestled in at the Pentagon as well. The Iraqi youngsters, all...

Category: Metro & State Democrats betting on race card By W. Gardner Selby Express-News Austin Bureau Web Posted : 08/17/2003 12:00 AM ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Eleven Texas Democrats roosting here to stop Republican legislators from redrawing congressional districts describe themselves as stalwarts for minorities. Republicans call it "baloney," but starting in April, when GOP lawmakers in Austin announced they'd return to the drawing board to tinker with congressional districts settled by the courts in 2001, many Democrats have said the issue is all about race. The Democrats say they are fighting for 1.4 million Hispanic and African American residents now...