Category: Blog

The recent passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela provides us with an opportunity to reflect on powerful lessons about life, humanity, forgiveness and transcending the pettiness of politics. Nelson Mandela’s example is one that all Americans, particularly our elected leaders, should keep in mind during these difficult and exceptionally divisive times in our…

Two years ago, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB109, legislation which was titled “Public Safety Realignment” into law. The legislation was prompted by federal judges ordering a dramatic reduction in the number of state prison inmates. As the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation explained, “The law accomplished this by increasing the ‘good time’ credits for inmates participating…

So, does the deal “cut off Iran’s more likely path to a bomb” as President Obama claims, or does it “make the world a much more dangerous place” as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu claims? While the world hopes and prays the President is right, history is on Bibi’s side. According to Obama, the…

I’m deeply concerned about a potential “bad” deal with Iran on nuclear weapons development that could ultimately endanger both the United States and the safety of Israel. I believe we need even tougher economic sanctions against Iran in order to gain meaningful concessions from Tehran. I thought you might find the following column on this…

It is no surprise to those paying close attention that not everyone was going to be able to keep his or her health insurance once the Affordable Care Act kicked in. After all, one of the perceived benefits of Obama Care was setting a minimal level of benefits that all health insurance plans had to…

Last week I forwarded to you an unprecedented email from the United Way of Greater Los Angeles asking citizens to contact the L.A. Unified Board of Education and urge them to keep education reformer John Deasy on as the Superintendent. According to the LA Times, hundreds of parents, teachers and activists rallied outside of LAUSD offices…

The students of Los Angeles urgently need you to take immediate action. Please see the email below from Elise Buik, the CEO of the United Way of Greater LA. I hope you will join us in reaching out to the school board members listed to demand that they keep the proven education reformer John Deasy…

A default on our national debt was barely avoided and the partial shutdown of the government has ended – for now. Congress and the President reached a temporary deal which funds government through January 15th and raises the debt limit until February 7th. So all too soon, we may be back to dysfunction, gridlock and political brinkmanship by…

Last night, the United States Congress voted at the last minute to avert a default by the American government. Economists warned that failure to do so could have had a negative economic impact larger than the Great Recession of 2008. Who’s responsible for creating a situation where the government shut down for over two weeks…

The shutdown of the Federal government is now in its second week – with no end in sight. Even worse, the United States is in danger of defaulting on its debt as the deadline for Congress to raise the nation’s debt ceiling is fast approaching without any prospects for resolution. Instead of statesmanship and thoughtful…