Links and stuff

• The Bee looks at the abstain tactic as a way to kill bills. It turns out that you need half of the total number of possible votes, so simply not voting is akin to voting no.

• CalBuzz looks at three questions about the governor’s race.

• The Democratic LG Candidates are raising cash today. Hahn is in Oakland, Florez is in LA.

• This is a great new tool from the Bee: The voting record of all legislators during the session. It’s about time that somebody came up with this. Good work, SacBee folks.

Some links for your weekend.

• Sen. Romero is working on legislation to block election losers from getting unemployment for their old elected offices.

• California progressives are leading the charge against the escalation in Afghanistan.

• The Sacramento Utilities Distrct got some federal grant money for n energy storage test.

• And finally, for you uber-nerds, check out the Capitol Notes podcast with John Myers and Anthony York. They’re taking a look at some of the musical chairs for 2010.

What’s up?

• The recall Anthony Adams recall proponents are thinking of suing their signature gathering firm. The firm got a 42% validity rate in San Bernardino County, and missed the goal.

• Given their responsibilites, the average salaries of legislative staff is right in line with private sector employees.

• W00t! I can finally have the genius that is Ronald Reagan on my iPhone. If you would like something a bit more useful, check the iPhone app store or the Android marketplace for the Calitics app.

• A city council member in Daly City, a SF suburb, has been indicted on workers comp fraud.

• SEIU Local 1000 carried out a strike of sorts in October, telling their members to stay home on Columbus day, despite the deletion of the Columbus day holiday. However, there’s no data on how many people stayed home from work and how much of an impact it really had.

Here are a few links. Anything else of note?

• Sen. Boxer opposes President Obama’s Afghanistan Plan.  Meanwhile in the Inland Empire, the House Representatives are split on it. Republicans Calvert and Lewis support it, but Democratic Rep. Baca is a bit uncertain http://www.pe.com/localnews/po… Probably not a good sign that the plan has more Republican support.

• The state got some money for energy efficiencies, but hasn’t spent it and might get it revoked.

• Steve Maviglio pens a story opposing the part-time legislature. I grew up in Texas, which had such a system, and he is exactly right. It transfers power from the elected legislature to the lobbyists and the staff. It would just continue the problematic process begun with term limits of neutering the legislature.

• The online buying spree, and the shift from traditional stores is dramatically hurting state revenues.

Here are a few links. What else is on your mind?

•  Arnold is blaming the tax liens on his property. Must be rough, having incompetent lackeys…

•  Looks like being a politician’s spouse just got a little less fun. Now they’ll have to buy their own tickets. stupit fppc…what a killjoy.

•  Looks like Sen. Huff avoided a recall, as the organizers didn’t even bother to turn in signatures.

•  Loretta Sanchez had a huuuge message to announce today! Ya, she stopped sending out her holiday cards in the mail and opted for e-cards. Yay!

• Hey, did you know Arnold isn’t even liked in Hollywood anymore? Well, Hollywood Park racetrack anyway. He got booed while he made an appearance in the Winner’s Circle there.

• Downey is looking to Tesla’s potential electric car plant for a chance at revitalization. Like many suburbs that boomed with aerospace and defense contracting in the 50s, Downey is struggling to adjust to a new economy. This could be an interesting example for other towns to follow into the green economy.

• UC-Irvine is creating a degree in game science starting next school year. The idea is to create future video game designers.

• John Fensterwald’s op-ed in the Mercury News calls for UC students to hold a teach-in for the public on the California budget mess vis a vis the UC system.

Thank you to all of our readers. Whether you agree or disagree with us, it is an honor to present our view of the California political world every day.

Now, for some links.

• Capitol Weekly has a profile of Chris Norby, the leading vote getter in the special election to replace Mike Duvall. He’s a right-wing ideologue. A thoughtful ideologue, but an ideologue just the same.

• Hey, look at that. It’s easy to start the initiative process, but expensive to carry it through. And shockingly, drug testing for legislators didn’t get all the necessary signatures.

• Garry South is a fan of new Meg Whitman hire Mike Murphy’s work, saying that he “brings a centrist perspective that befits the political climate in California pretty well.”

• Real estate market news: Home starts are up in the Sacramento area, and home prices increased in San Diego, but the rate decreased.

• The battle between SEIU and NUHW comes to the CDP. John Burton doesn’t normally take too well to threats.

• CalBuzz has it on good authority that Mike Murphy will be joining the Meg Whitman “gravy train“. Murphy has done work for Arnold, McCain, and many other conservatives that try to play both sides of the ideological field without actually having to do anything that pisses off the base.

• Rep. George Miller is undecided on the water bonds for now. If he does endorse the measure, he would certainly be the biggest Delta area elected leader to support the bonds.

• Arnold and our two senators sent a letter asking President Obama for more High-speed rail funding for the state.

• Tesla is moving closer to building its first big factory to build electric cars. The leading contender is Downey.

• One San Jacinto City Councilman was not indicted in the scandal that ensnared former Assembly candidate Jim Ayres. Steve DiMemmo gets a glowing portrait in the Riverside P-E for his troubles.

• The Chair of the Fresno County Republican central committee has resigned in the scandal now catching up with Asm. Joel Anderson.

• San Francisco Health Department officials don’t plan on shutting down HealthySF if/when a national  health care plan goes into effect.

• Medical marijuana is quite the topic these days. Even as national support grows, local ordinances around the state are trying to reel the dispensaries in. There’s been debate for 5 years over the LA ordinance, and the San Jose City Council is also trying to limit the number of clubs.

• The MLK, Jr. hospital that will reopen after being closed to all but outpatient care earlier this year.

Links for your weekend:

• Equality California got ad time donated during the Miss California pageant. This is the ad they will be airing. The closing line: “Give Now.” Sounds about right for EQCA.

• Yesterday Carly Fiorina got the endorsement of the very influential OK Sen. Jim Inhofe. Today, Meg Whitman gets the endorsement of former Lt. Gov. Ed Reinecke. Don’t recall that name? That’s because he resigned office 40 years ago in disgrace over some Watergate related corruption issues.

• San Jacinto City Councilman James Ayres lost an Assembly GOP primary, and now he’s about to lose more than that as he faces corruption charges. The P-E has an interesting story on the background on the story.

• An election date hasn’t been set yet, but propenents of a Santa Clara stadium for the 49ers sent out a mailer supporting the project.

• CalBuzz agrees with Calitics about Jerry Brown actually announcing for the Governor’s race.

• PG&E cut off 75% more customers than last year. Yay!