Pacific Progressive

Think Again: "History" Isn't a Dirty Word

by Eric Alterman

This article is from the Center for American Progress.

Last week, Mike Allen and Jim Vandehei at Politico reported that the White House planned on making deficit reduction a centerpiece of the next State of the Union address. Allen and Vandehei called the decision “practical” saying that “Obama has spent more money on new programs in nine months than Bill Clinton did in eight years, pushing the annual deficit to $1.4 trillion. This leaves little room for big spending initiatives.” This fact is taken completely out of the context of the recession. The title of the article refers to the White House's “spending binge.” The deficits, tax cuts, and spending of the previous administration are ignored entirely.

It’s not exactly news that most members of MSM are almost purposely amnesiac. There is no greater insult to a reporter than to call his story “history.” And yet once upon a time, it was only yesterday that was old news. Nowadays, with the new neverending cable/talk-radio/blogosphere-driven news cycle, we are all supposed to have forgotten the past fifteen minutes. (There is actually a headline on the Drudge Report as I write this that the Associated Press went to the trouble of looking at the record and seeing whether any of the outrageous claims made in Sarah Palin’s memoir are true. The idea appears to be if it says so in a book, it’s wrong of a journalist to actually check the record. The (surprise, surprise)Fox News story contains no link to the AP story, further making the point that the record is really irrelevant to the story.)

So back to Obama’s “spending binge.” Even if the Politico editors are not interested in what may have happened in the past eight years to cause some of the deficits with which the Obama administration is forced to deal, we are. And here are just a couple of examples we found:

Farmers Aren't the Obstacle in the Global Warming Fight

by Jake Caldwell

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

No single part of the country is better positioned to both lead the country and reap the rewards of the new clean energy economy than rural America. But in a recent opinion piece,The Economist weekly newspaper proclaimed, “The Biggest Obstacle to a Climate-Change Bill is Rural America.”

The essay inaccurately portrayed rural America as universally opposed to clean-energy and climate change legislation, and America’s farmers as frozen in their tracks, incapable of action for fear of high energy prices.

The real story is less about Chicken Little and speculative increases in energy prices, and more about rural America’s opportunities to lead the clean-energy transformation of our entire economy. In reality, rural America is uniquely situated with abundant land and natural resources, an educated workforce, and the leadership capacity and flexibility to drive the clean-energy transition for the nation. What’s more, the costs of legislation for farmers will not be as high as some claim, and these will be more than made up for by income farmers would see from a carbon offsets market and expanded renewable energy.

Are the costs of fighting global warming too high?

Opponents of action on global warming often claim any action will lead to higher input costs on fuel and fertilizer. But are the costs really that high? The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s preliminary economic analysis of clean-energy and climate change legislation concluded that in the short term, fuel prices will rise 0.3 percent, and fertilizer costs will show little effect due to the bill’s assistance to energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries. Additionally, USDA’s analysis does not include the potential benefits from the technological changes that are occurring right now on farms, along with improved fuel and fertilizer management and the higher commodity prices forecast for the future.

A Job Saved Is as Good as a Job Created

by Heather Boushey

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

The debate over how effective the Obama administration’s efforts have been at turning the economy around now seems to hinge on the question of whether saving a job is as good as creating one.

The answer is clearly yes. The worker who does not get laid off may or may not know that their job has been saved, but they do know that they’re still getting a paycheck and have not joined the unemployment queue.

But measuring jobs saved is not simple, especially because we cannot measure it directly. This has been pointed out by Harvard economics Professor Gregory Mankiw who has said, “there is no way to measure how many jobs are saved” and Allan Meltzer, professor of political economy at Carnegie Mellon University, who said that “One can search economic textbooks forever without finding a concept called ‘jobs saved.’ It doesn’t exist for good reason: how can anyone know that his or her job has been saved?”

But these economists overstate their case. We have the tools to show how policy has affected economic growth and job creation. We cannot perhaps say that a particular person’s job was saved or created, but we can show what would have happened had the government not devoted its resources to paving the way for job creation. To do this, we have to tease out whether the actual number of jobs we have is larger or smaller than what would have happened if there had been no such policy.

39th Annual Candy Caneland and Craft Faire - Dec 5

Bring the whole family to the 39th annual Candy Caneland and Craft Faire on Saturday, December 5 at Ehlers Community Center, located at 8150 Knott Avenue. The event runs from 10am-4pm. See the community center transform into a winter wonderland with spectacular decorations and activities!

Free activities include a children's snow hill with a small slide for the little ones, and two big slides for the bigger kids and parents. There will also be a petting zoo, moonbounces, stage entertainment, and a visit from Santa Claus.

There will be over 100 craft venders selling homemade gifts, ornaments, jewelry, ceramics and more at reasonable prices. This huge event will also have non-profit groups selling delicious food and running game booths.

Event parking will be very limited at Ehlers Community Center. The public is encouraged to use the free shuttle bus which will be continuously running to and from Peak Park, 7225 El Dorado Dr., from 7am-5:00 p.m.

For more information please call the Recreation Office at (714) 236-3860 or visit www.buenapark.com.

March 2010 OCTA Service Cuts Save Jobs and Service While Looking for More Money

The OCTA Board unanimously supported cutting 150,000 hours of service in March 2010, only one-half of the originally  proposed 300,000 hour cut at their November 23, 2009  meeting. The Board also supported cleaning up and closing out unused Measure M1 money.  The service changes include eliminating some routes, creating new shorter routes in some areas, restructuring service in north Orange County, and changing timetables. Night OWL service was kept until 1 AM, which is a significant compromise from the original proposed elimination of the service.

There is a significant advantage to the Orange County economy to a reduced bus service cut - more people stay fully employed longer.  Many times, when there is a bus service cut, the emphasis is on the impact on the riders.  Drivers, mechanics, cleaning staff, and administrative jobs are also cut when service hours are cut.  The 150,000 hour service reduction means jobs will be cut, but not as many as with a 300,000 hour cut.  More people working means more dollars circulating in the economy, which will help speed the recovery.

150,000 hours of service cuts is still a very significant cut, but the Board is buying time to find money to use for bus operations to prevent more cuts.  One possible source is the suit against the State which was recently rejected by the California Supreme Court. The suit was filed over the taking of transit funds by the State for use on non-transit projects. Officials are now working with to get the money brought back to the transit systems of California.

Economic Snapshot for November 2009

by Christian E. Weller

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

Download the snapshot with full graphs (pdf)

Lingering weakness in the labor market is threatening the fledgling economic recovery. Millions of jobs have been lost and unemployment has risen to the highest level in almost three decades. The labor market weakness will make it harder for families to repay their high levels of debt and thus will likely contribute to high foreclosures, credit card defaults, and bankruptcies.

Policy has shown what it can do to revive a depressed financial market and turn the corner for a shrinking economy. Policy attention should now lie squarely on job creation to ensure that the recent improvements are not short lived. Strong labor market gains are necessary to boost the American middle class’ economic security and help those who are economically most vulnerable. Extended unemployment benefits, increased health insurance coverage, and support for state and local government programs will all help achieve those goals.

1. The U.S. economy has turned the corner. Gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 3.5% in the third quarter of 2009, the first increase since the second quarter of 2008 and the largest gain since the third quarter of 2007. The economic stimulus legislation helped to increase consumer spending, home purchases, and federal government spending in the summer of 2009, which all contributed to faster growth.

Time to Stop the Lies: Countering Bishop Harry Jackson's Gay Marriage Distortions

by Jeff Krehely

This article was published by the Center for American Progress.

Download this memo (pdf)

Same-sex couples in Washington, D.C. could soon have the same full marriage rights and responsibilities that their straight counterparts currently enjoy. The Washington, D.C. city council is considering a bill that would expand its marriage law to be inclusive of same-sex couples. This bill also calls for all sections of the district’s code related to marriage and family benefits to be updated with gender-neutral language. This change would ensure that married same-sex couples receive the same treatment under the district’s laws as opposite-sex married couples.

An inclusive marriage law would help the 3,500 same-sex couples living in the district by giving them easier access to the many benefits that come with marriage, including hospital visitation rights, medical decision making authority for their partners, and property and inheritance rights. It would also boost the district’s economy and tax revenues from new business generated by these marriages.

Yet the marriage bill is not without controversy, as a small but vocal group of religious organizations and leaders has risen up to oppose the law. Bishop Harry Jackson is driving the charge to defeat the council’s current marriage bill. Jackson leads the Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland, as well as the High Impact Leadership Coalition, which is closely aligned with the most conservative elements of the Republican Party. For example, Jackson has lobbied to kill efforts to reform health care using odd logic to argue that health care reform will prevent wealthy people from being able to access coverage because low-income people will consume all of the nation’s health resources.

Bishop Harry Jackson’s bogus claims

Jackson frequently claims that D.C.’s lesbian and gay community is highly affluent, and therefore does not need full legal equality:

Cost of Delay Health Care Vigil - Dec 8

On Tuesday, December 8, 2009, the Irvine and More MoveOn Council will hold a "Cost of Delay" vigil to shine a spotlight on our fellow citizens of Orange County who can't afford to pay the costs of their medical bills and are being forced into bankruptcy.  We'll show the Senate that we can't afford to wait for change and that we need a healthcare bill with a strong public option in 2009, this year.

Join MoveOn at the corner of Culver Drive and Walnut Avenue in Irvine starting at 5:30 PM.  RSVP at http://pol.moveon.org/event/costofdelay/99733

Who is the Fair Foundation Hiding?

The Orange County Fair and Events Center Foundation formed to buy the Fairgrounds has never revealed who all of their 40 members are or who all of the 11 members of the board are.  To date, the only solid information we have about who is on the Foundation is from this letter addressed to the Costa Mesa City Council.  Download OCFEC Foundation - Mayor Mansoor Ltr (2)

We know Kristina Dodge is Chairwoman (and Chairwoman of the Fair Board), Gary Hayakawa is President, Dale Dykema is Chief Financial Officer, Mary Young is Secretary, and members at large are Joyce Tucker and David Ellis.  The letter says that there will be 11 board members out of a total of 40 members.  

There are 34 members unaccounted for, who could be anyone.  

But we do know 6 of the members are Fair Board members now and will be Fair Board members once the sale is stopped. We need to fix that.

The bylaws for the group have never been made available to any member of the public or the City of Costa Mesa.  Reliable sources have said that not even all of the 6 named members of the 40 member board have seen the bylaws.  The same reliable sources say the Foundation attorney won't release the bylaws to the other Foundation members.

Why won't the attorney release the bylaws?  I'm just asking the question, somebody has to.

The bylaws would say how the 40 member board would be run.  If we could see the bylaws and other legal documents for this Foundation, the public could see if there's one person making all money and contract decisions, or if something else is being done.   But we can't see that. And they still want to buy our Fairgrounds.  And remember, these are Fair Board members doing this to the public.  Is this the Fair Board we want to run our Fairgrounds?

Nov 23 - Critical OCTA Meeting - Bristol Street Flip and March 2010 Cuts

Monday's OCTA meeting at 9 AM starts and ends with changes to the bus system. First on the agenda, taking only 150,000 hours of cuts instead of the originally proposed 300,000 hour cuts in March 2010.   Transit Advocates of Orange County (TAOC) has worked hard and diligently with OCTA staff to find ways to keep from making the massive cut as long as possible. The OCTA Board will vote on this proposal first on the agenda.

The Bristol Street flip, which if pulled off will help prevent more cuts in March 2010, is moving money from the Bristol Street Widening project to the bus operations account.  The money moved from Bristol Street Widening would be backfilled with Measure M1 money.  This move is made possible by money for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was used for the Bristol Street Widening, but BRT is not out of the Bristol project.  The first part of the trick, moving M1 money to the Bristol project, needs to be done before the Bristol money can be moved to bus operations.

Nov 24 - OC Supervisors Asking Gov. to Stop Fairgrounds Sale

The Orange County Board of Supervisors will discuss asking the Governor to stop the sale of the Orange County Fair and Events Center (OCFEC) during a special 9 AM session before the regular Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, November 24, 2009.  

All residents of Orange County who want the Supervisors to help derail the sale should come to this very important meeting to show their support for what the Supervisors are doing to save the Fair.  Please wear red to make the strength of our group in the audience visible.

The resolution has been brought forward by Bill Campbell, a long time supporter of the Orange County Equestrian Center (ECOC) and John Moorlach who represents Costa Mesa.  In the resolution, the Supervisors encourage all 34 cities in Orange County to pass similar resolutions to send a strong message to Governor Schwarzenegger to save the fair by derailing the sale. 

The resolution is available here  Download Supes_StopSale

Later in the meeting, in closed session, the Supervisors will discuss financing and other strategies surrounding a bid from Orange County for the Fairgrounds.  

Orange County Board of Supervisors meetings are held at the Hall of Administration, 333 W Santa Ana Blvd, Santa Ana, CA. They are located at the corner of Broadway and Santa Ana Blvd in Santa Ana.  There are several pay parking lots within walking distance.

Lawsuits Filed to Protect 2 Smelt Species in San Francisco Bay-Delta

Two lawsuits have been filed against the US Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to protect the longfin smelt and the delta smelt, both found in the San Francisco Bay-Delta.  The Center for Biological Diversity filed the suits.  Longfin smelt and delta smelt were once among the most abundant fish in the open waters of the San Francisco estuary and still are an integral part of the San Francisco Bay-Delta food web. In the past decade this important longfin smelt population has fallen to unprecedented low numbers, and the delta smelt, a species already listed as threatened under state and federal endangered species laws, has plummeted to the lowest population levels recorded in more than four decades of surveys.

“Formerly abundant fish at the base of the food chain in the San Francisco estuary are being driven to near extinction, and our once-healthy salmon runs have been crippled by record water diversions,” said Jeff Miller, conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Endangered Species Act protection will benefit not just longfin smelt and delta smelt, but also Central Valley salmon, sturgeon, and steelhead populations that are economically important to coastal and Central Valley communities. The public should reject the willful destruction of our fisheries and further mismanagement of the Delta proposed in the water bond and the peripheral canal legislation the governor signed this week.”

Desalination is Part of California's Water Plan

Like it or not, desalination is part of California's water plan. Environmental groups don't like desalination because of potential harm to the environment.  The building trades like desalination plants because the plants bring much needed jobs to the trade.  And, if California keeps increasing in population density, desalination will become much more common as population growth dwarfs growth in surface and groundwater.

The California Water Plan 2009, which includes desalination, is available online.  The plan also looks at ways to reduce water demand, improve operational efficiency and transfers, increase water supply, improve water quality, improve flood zone management, and provide better stewardship of resources.  Additionally, regional issues are addressed. The public is invited to make comments on the plan before it is finalized in February 2010.

Melissa Fox at Picayo in Laguna Beach - Dec 3

Melissa Fox is running in the 70th AD for the seat of termed out Chuck Devore.  Join Melissa and friends at Picayo Restaurant, 610 N Pacific Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA on Thursday, December 3, 2009. from 6-8 PM.  The event is being sponsored by the Laguna Beach Democratic Club.

Picayo is Laguna Beach's premiere French bistro, serving Zagat-rated "Cuisine of the Sun" for more than a decade.  Picayo's renowned Chef Hamid has prepared a special selection of French and Mediterranean appetizers just for this event.  Prices start at $35 per person.

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Orange County Marketplace "Hope for the Holidays" Food, Clothing and Toy Drive

The Orange County Market Place, the weekend swap meet at the O. C. Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, has teamed up with the Community Action Partnership of Orange County(CAPOC) to help bring new toys and clothing to those in need this holiday season. Those bringing a donation of a new and unwrapped toy or clothing item any Saturday or Sunday from Nov. 28 through Dec. 20 will receive free admission ($2 value) to the swap meet. In addition, coupons will be handed out for a free 4" x 6" photo with Santa valid the same dates ($10 value). 

According to CAPOC, a nonprofit organization which has been helping to eliminate and prevent the causes and effects of poverty for more than 44 years, the holidays bring an increased financial burden for those who are already struggling. The cost of living in Orange County is 58% above national average, and over 10% of Orange County's families are living in poverty.

Though donations will be accepted for children ages newborn to 18, the greatest need is gifts for ages 11 to 16 years. Many families request clothing items such as undergarments, jacket and shoes.

Earlier this year the Orange County Market Place coordinated a food drive with CAPOC for the Orange County Food Bank during a spring and fall concert series. More than 2 ½ tons of food was collected at 16 concerts events which offered free admission for the donation. "We are so grateful for the partnership with the O.C. Marketplace. We could not feed the hungry in Orange County without great partners like theMarket Place," said Kristin Kvesic, Donated Food Program Manager.