An oft-repeated cliche of political discourse — whose exact origin is unclear — goes something like this: “They didn’t see the light until we turned up the heat.” Like many cliches, it has a valid core, and the California version is that the Legislature has tended to ignore a difficult issue until someone threatens to take it to the voters via an initiative ballot measure. Read More

Finally, Congress is doing something smart. Well, almost. Two subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee met recently to discuss proposed “voluntary” guidelines that would restrict the marketing of food to children and adolescents.The original proposal called for a cease-and-desist on certain marketing techniques that many consider cross-generational cultural icons, such as Tony the Tiger and the Trix rabbit. Read More

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?That ancient philosophical — or would it be biological? — question has a political counterpart in California. Read More

If there was any doubt about the economic success of state-mandated green programs, it was erased this week after a state Senate hearing about the future of alternate fuels. By the end of the four-hour session, it was clear that environmental special interests are thriving in California. At the hearing, Jane Williams of California Communities Against Toxics threw out statistics and emotional testimony about the increase in asthma in California children caused by vehicle emissions. Read More