This Spill Hits Close to Home

This Spill Hits Close to Home

The recent oil spill in Santa Barbara, California hit home for me in a painful way. As a southern Californian for many years now, I take any excuse to head up the coast to Santa Barbara I can get. It’s a particularly beautiful stretch of pristine coastline,...
The High Cost of Low Taxes

The High Cost of Low Taxes

Earlier this month, I arrived in San Diego following five days of driving across the country from Wisconsin. I pulled into my friend’s driveway, brought my things inside, and went back to my car to park it on the street. Almost immediately, a cop’s siren...
Forging Our Future

Forging Our Future

Flush with their victory in the midterm elections, the Republicans in Congress promised fresh leadership. Instead, both the Senate and House GOP majorities made the speedy and symbolic approval of Keystone XL pipeline bills one of their first priorities. They did this...
The War on Hen-Pecking

The War on Hen-Pecking

Chickens had plenty to celebrate on New Year’s Day. Supposedly. After a long wait, California’s 2008 ballot measure to improve conditions for laying hens finally went into effect. Instead of living in cramped cages that give each bird less room than a sheet of paper,...
Port Strikes Mirror Organized Labor’s Roots

Port Strikes Mirror Organized Labor’s Roots

Port truckers in California walked off the job in November to protest their dismal working conditions. Required to lease trucks while paying insurance and maintenance costs, drivers often earn less than minimum wage. The strike came just days after big box retailers,...