Is Art Agnos plotting a comeback? According to the San Francisco Examiner, it’s not out of the question.

Politics is such a bruising sport, you have to wonder how many people would jump back into it 16 years after leaving office.

But that’s where former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos finds himself these days, with a chorus of people urging him to go into a battle against a man 30 years younger, if only for the reason that nobody else will.

Wow. My memory of Agnos is limited to the days of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which seemed to have been a sucess. But I also remember that he was faulted for his handling of the homeless issue. Regardless, this could be an exciting match. Stay tuned.

• Daly v Newsom everywhere. If you ask me, Daly crossed the line with his low blow.
• Elizabeth Edwards at Pride really is a big deal — props!
• New google-maps solar potential mashup site.
• This totally rocks, I love reading Juls' Uncle Jay Rosen and Zack and Amanda are great hires.
• DON'T FORGET, next Wednesday: SF and LA. If you know of somebody thinking of running, invite them. Help make these events successful, send some emails invites today!
• Added by Brian: DFA is doing a conference call with Calitics-fav Charlie Brown (CA-11) on Monday. RSVP here

(I added the video of the Perata/Nunez presser after the flip – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

So, as expected, the leadership in the state legislature has agreed to combine their bills on health care reform.  The significant number is that the bill would require businesses to spent a minimum of 7.5% of payroll on health care.  But this newest proposal doesn’t come close to being universal.

Most significantly, they agreed to drop the Senate plan to require that Californians with more than modest incomes get insurance. That was intended to be the middle ground between Schwarzenegger’s insistence on universal coverage and the Assembly’s rejection of any requirement that people have insurance.

Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) also agreed to apply the business requirement to every enterprise except the self-employed. The Assembly plan had carved out large exemptions for businesses with only one employee, those with payrolls of less than $100,000 and those that had been in operation for three or fewer years.

The Governor held a press conference today as well, and pretty much said that you need an individual mandate, and that nothing the Legislature passes matters, that he’ll work it all out in secret.  Now THAT’S transparency in government!

I do think that somewhere down the line, an individual mandate does make some sense because it spreads the risk pool.  And I think this new bill strengthens the tying of health care to employment, when that really should be severed.  But putting in an individual mandate without regulating the insurance companies to any major degree, or setting any ceiling on affordability or floor on coverage, seems like nothing more than shoveling billions of dollars to the for-profit healthcare industry.  So I’m not particularly jazzed by any of these proposals outside of SB 840, which of course will be vetoed.  The Perata/Nunez plan looks to me to be insufficient, though I’ll wait for the release of details.

Why is California, saddled with perhaps the worst prison system in the US, perhaps the ONLY state not to understand that adding more beds is simply not a solution to the crisis?  Many other states are understanding that rehabilitation and treatment, which addresses the root causes of crime and seeks to lower recidivism rates, is the only way to get a handle on the growth in the prison industry.  And I’m not talking about some crunchy-Granola blue state like Vermont.  I’m talking about Kansas and Texas.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) last month signed into law a prison plan that is winning accolades for its creativity. Among other measures, the $4.4 million package provides financial incentives to community correctional systems for reducing prisoner admissions and allows some low-risk inmates to reduce their sentences through education or counseling while behind bars.

Under the plan, the state offers grants to localities for preventing “conditions violations” such as parole or probation infractions – a leading cause of prison overcrowding in Kansas and nationwide. To qualify for the grants, communities must cut recidivism rates by at least 20 percent using a variety of support tactics […]

In Texas, which houses 153,000 prisoners, the Legislature recently approved a plan that lawmakers have characterized as one of the most significant changes in corrections in a decade. The package, part of the state budget awaiting Republican Gov. Rick Perry’s approval, would divert thousands of inmates from prison to rehabilitation facilities, where beds would free up twice a year as offenders get help and re-enter society. Notably, the focus on rehabilitation would put off construction of costly new prisons.

The plan includes a new 500-bed treatment facility for those incarcerated for driving while intoxicated (DWI) – offenders who often have substance-abuse problems but receive no rehabilitation and face stiff sentences without the possibility of parole, according to one state Senate aide.

“We have changed the course of the ship substantially in the state of Texas,” said state Rep. Jerry Madden (R), chairman of the House Corrections Committee and an engineer of the prison plan.

22 other states (warning, PDF) have undertaken sentencing reforms between 2004 and 2006 which will reduce incarceration rates.  In Nevada, they have recently reinstated a sentencing review commission that can recommend changes in sentencing laws (a similar measure passed the CA state Senate, but it’s unclear whether or not the Governor will sign it).  There is a growing feeling that the goal of reducing the prison population must be attacked at the level of rehabilitation and reducing sentences for nonviolent offenders.

Meanwhile, in California, we’re wedded to the same old failed solutions that have given us a broken system and the highest recidivism rate in the land.  I guess that’s post-partisan.

also in blue

“The Dean of the Washington press corps”, David Broder, took a minute from his babysitting and escort services, to take a look at the muscled governor from California.  You see, Arnold’s been all over the paper, so Broder figures he better weigh in. You know, now that there are 850,000 web hits for “Californai redistricting” there might be something there.

So, Broder decides that there is a war going on between Arnold Schwarzenegger, Speaker Nunez and Speaker Pelosi. The Battle of the Speakers, plus a bodybuilder…duh, duh, duh. I’d take Nunez. He might not be so big, but he’s scrappy.  But here are the “points” from Broder’s article:

It’s not that the article is particularly inaccurate. I mean, it’s no more inaccurate than standard Broder fare at least, but the thing is that any one of us could have written this a year ago. Well, except we would have been more accurate in the description of Sacramento and would not be so naive as to really think that we live in post-partisan land.  But, if you just look at the Redistricting tag you’ll find many such articles.  But, now that Broder has said it, well, then it must be important. Look, I’m not saying that the blogosphere is the be-all, end-all. I mean,our relationship with the mainstream media, while occasionally shaky, is vital.  But, at some point, it is more than a little patronizing to be lectured at by national columnists trying to tell us what’s going on.

Hey, Washington Post, you want a real column on California redistricting, why don’t you come talk to me, or Frank Russo, Bill Cavala or the LA Times’ George Skelton. Until then, can we just keep the “Dean” to what he knows “best”, Washington insiders?

Ever notice this? I recently discovered this fantastic blog that’s covering Creepy Ken Calvert. Eye on Calvert is doing a great job covering everything from the infamous 1993 prostitute incident to all the creepy lobbyist connections to all the global warming denying. You just have to see it all to believe it all!

So why is this blog up and running? Here’s a good explanaton:

Ken is corrupt and it is our responsiblity to make sure everyone knows and force the hand of the GOP to get this man out of any position of power. I will post what we find and repost what others have contributed — all in an effort to show more and more what Kennie boy is all about.

Oh, and mistersmith is already doing a great job at this! If we really want to get rid of Creepy Ken next year, we need to get the message out on just how creepy he really is. And what better way to get the message out than to blog it, and let the message spread out through the internets. And hopefully, voters in Orange and Riverside Counties will find it, and they’ll then know what to do.

So what are you waiting for? If you’re in or near the 44th District in Southern California, and you want to learn more about one of the CREEPIEST REEPS in our area, go see Eye on Calvert. It will really open up your eyes!

(I think tickets are still available, but put your name on the list if you’d like to see the courageous Ms. Edwards. Calitics Event listing here. You can go to the Alice website for more info and tickets. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

I just found out this afternoon that Elizabeth Edwards is coming to town as the featured speaker at the annual Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club breakfast fundraiser.

Pride Breakfast

Please Join
San Francisco’s Elected Family
And
The Alice Board of Directors
for the

Annual Alice B. Toklas Pride Breakfast
Sunday, June 24
8-10 a.m.
Sir Francis Drake Hotel in Union Square
450 Powell Street, San Francisco

[Availability only through Wednesday!
Click here to buy your ticket now!http://www.alicebtok…]

After Wednesday, email [email protected] to be placed on the waiting list.

I got my ticket tonight right under the wire. Hopefully anyone else who wants to go can get a ticket, join the Club for breakfast, then head down to Market Street with me for the parade!