Republicans Eye the California Electoral Cookie Jar

Staff / Truthdig Aug 13, 2007 Newsweek's Jonathan Alter warns of a Republican plot to deliver some of California's electoral votes to the GOP nominee -- even if he loses the state. The scheme, which depends on California's much-abused and confusing proposition system, would award the Golden State's electoral votes by congressional district. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Wave of Shootings in Oakland

Staff / Truthdig Aug 7, 2007 A wave of shootings following the assassination of an Oakland, Calif., journalist has left seven dead since Friday. Seventy-nine people have been killed in Oakland so far this year. That's five fewer than at the same time last year, but still far too high. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Truthdigger of the Week: California Secretary of State Debra Bowen

Staff / Truthdig Aug 5, 2007 Truthdig tips its hat this week to California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who did her constituency proud by heading off potential voting disasters in her state by ruling out the use of Diebold and Sequoia direct recording electronic (DRE) voting systems in upcoming elections, with exceptions made for disabled voters. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Gore Vidal Sounds Off on Solar Power Caper

Staff / Truthdig Jul 6, 2007 Note to public utility companies: Do not cross Gore Vidal. What began as a personal nuisance -- the shutdown of his newly installed home solar power system by Los Angeles' water and power provider -- has become emblematic of a bigger issue (or two) for the venerable writer, who states his position in no uncertain terms in this interview. Dig deeper ( 11 Min. Read )

Not Your Father’s Heat Wave

Staff / Truthdig Jul 6, 2007 While it may be frowned upon to discuss the weather, in this age of global warming it's worth noting that the current heat wave is expected to break records throughout the western United States. Boise, Idaho, for instance, is about to be 6 degrees hotter than ever, while the town of Baker, Calif., which conveniently possesses a 134-foot-tall thermometer, recently topped off at 125 degrees. Can the ice caps be far behind? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A ‘Dignified End’

Mike Farrell / Truthdig Jun 27, 2007 California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's stance on the death penalty issue raises some serious questions, according to actor, author and activist Mike Farrell, who poses several of his own in this fiery piece. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Secret Execution Chamber

Staff / Truthdig May 9, 2007 Democratic legislators in California are upset over a new execution chamber to be built in San Quentin Prison. Some lawmakers have accused Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of trying to "bypass the Legislature" by concealing details of the project. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Los Angeles Battles Chicago for Olympic Glory

Staff / Truthdig Apr 13, 2007 Two of America's great cities are going head to head for the opportunity to host the 2016 Olympic Games. With radically different cultures, Chicago hopes its work ethic and business savvy will impress the U.S. Olympic Committee, while L.A. is banking on experience and Hollywood-caliber glitz. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Have Your Hummer and Hug It Too

Staff / Truthdig Apr 13, 2007 Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to make the environmental movement sexy Why get rid of Hummers, California's governor argued Wednesday, when you can make them run on biofuel and hydrogen, like his? Schwarzenegger has a warning for politicians who stand in the way of environmental progress: "Your political base will melt away as surely as the polar ice caps  ". Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

San Francisco to Ban Plastic Bags

Staff / Truthdig Mar 28, 2007 San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is expected to sign off on a citywide ban on petroleum-based plastic bags. The prohibition, the first of its kind in the nation, is meant to encourage the use of less harmful alternatives, including biodegradable plastic, cloth and paper bags. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Limbaugh Picks a Fight with Schwarzenegger

Staff / Truthdig Mar 21, 2007 Arnold Schwarzenegger has had enough of Rush Limbaugh, who refers to the California governor as a "closet liberal." On Tuesday's "Today Show," Arnold fired back, saying "Limbaugh is irrelevant." That was apparently too much for Rush, who responded on own show by saying Arnold has clearly "sold out." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Politician Breaks the God Barrier

Staff / Truthdig Mar 14, 2007 Rep. Pete Stark of Fremont, Calif., just became the first Congress member and the highest-ranking elected official to publicly acknowledge he does not believe in God. To give you some sense of how difficult a time nonreligious politicians typically have in the U.S., a recent Gallup poll showed that while 92 percent of Americans would support a Jewish presidential candidate, only 45 percent would vote for an atheist. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )