One of my good friends is a palliative care specialist, the kind of physician who might work at San Diego Hospice. When he rushes off the phone, I typically say, “What’s the hurry? Afraid someone will live?” I thought I was joking. If their investigation into San Diego Hospice is any indication, the federal government…
By delaying their decision on allowing gay Scouts, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) gave the anti-equality forces time to pull together their arguments for the May meeting. While I’m curious to hear what the downsides of inclusive Scouting are, I suggest they stay away from the bathroom argument, because they’re already losing it. The…
Last February, I opined on the impact of the San Diego Democratic Club’s decision to become the San Diego Democrats for Equality, particularly as it related to endorsements. A year later, that impact may be manifesting itself in a different way. In 2012, the question was whether the newly named Democrats for Equality should endorse…
“Proposition 8 does not ‘dishonor’ gays and lesbians.” So says the brief filed with the Supreme Court by the advocates of Prop. 8, because same-sex couples are not “similarly situated” with opposite sex couples. Glad they cleared that up. And while I’m frankly feeling even more dishonored having read the brief (and the brief in…
Members of the House of Representatives have offices in three buildings, each of which is named after a former speaker: Sam Rayburn, Nicholas Longworth and Joseph Gurney Cannon. When a fourth building is needed, I have little doubt it will be the “Nancy Pelosi House Office Building.” Not just because she was the first woman…
In a 2012 interview with CBS, President Obama said that the biggest mistake of his first term was that he didn’t translate his policies into a story that would give the American people a sense of unity and purpose. He was right. The tragedy at Sandy Hook has handed him the perfect narrative for his…
Politician of the Year: The first Democrat elected mayor in 20 years. The first Democrat elected to the County Board of Supervisors in almost as long. A challenger who knocks off an incumbent Congressman. In most years, any of the three could have walked away with this award. 2012 was not most years. It was…
When Washington politicians give something a catchy name, it usually means one of two things: they want to confuse you, or they want to distract you. The now ubiquitous “Fiscal Cliff” does some of both. Cliffs are extant geographic features, left by God or erosion, beyond which is a fall to near certain death. Neither…
Politically Aware BY JOEL TRAMBLEY Court predictions hew closely to the axiom “Those who know don’t talk, those who talk don’t know.” Having nothing but an MD to back my legal analysis, I fall firmly in the latter camp. But here we go. Of the various cases about the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on…
While the 2012 election was surprisingly kind to Democrats, they still control only 53 seats with two independents who will caucus with them. That means that they will need five Republican votes to get things done, on a good day. Below are 10 Republican senators that might help break a filibuster, and the issues on…
