April 4, 2012 at 2:24pm 12 notes
politicscolumngeorge skelton
Source: Los Angeles Times
A telling GOP defection: Loss of Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher should be a wake-up call for party in California. This marker is only the latest along a trail to self-destruction for the California GOP. That said, Fletcher’s timing certainly was suspect. It came only 17 days after he had lost the San Diego County GOP endorsement for mayor in the June 5 primary. The party endorsed City Councilman Carl DeMaio, an orthodox conservative. Fletcher — a fiscal conservative but a moderate on the environment, gay rights and immigration — is running a distant third behind DeMaio and Democratic Rep. Bob Filner. The underdog assemblyman needed to shake things up and attract independent voters. Photo: Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher of San Diego last week changed his party affiliation from Republican to independent. Credit: Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

A telling GOP defection: Loss of Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher should be a wake-up call for party in California.

This marker is only the latest along a trail to self-destruction for the California GOP.

That said, Fletcher’s timing certainly was suspect. It came only 17 days after he had lost the San Diego County GOP endorsement for mayor in the June 5 primary.

The party endorsed City Councilman Carl DeMaio, an orthodox conservative. Fletcher — a fiscal conservative but a moderate on the environment, gay rights and immigration — is running a distant third behind DeMaio and Democratic Rep. Bob Filner. The underdog assemblyman needed to shake things up and attract independent voters.

Photo: Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher of San Diego last week changed his party affiliation from Republican to independent. Credit: Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

December 12, 2011 at 10:27am 242 notes
george skeltoneducationcolumn
Source: Los Angeles Times
George Skelton: Let’s make textbooks affordable. Making textbooks truly affordable, or even available free, is the least we can do for California’s beleaguered college and university students. And the state would ultimately benefit. State Senate leader Darrell Steinberg plans to introduce legislation aimed at slashing the price of textbooks to about $20. Photo: A student peruses a stack of used textbooks at the UC Irvine bookstore. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

George Skelton: Let’s make textbooks affordable. Making textbooks truly affordable, or even available free, is the least we can do for California’s beleaguered college and university students. And the state would ultimately benefit.

State Senate leader Darrell Steinberg plans to introduce legislation aimed at slashing the price of textbooks to about $20.

Photo: A student peruses a stack of used textbooks at the UC Irvine bookstore. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times