Sacramento Region

Obama Becomes 44th President; Davis Celebrates

Obama Becomes 44th President; Davis Celebrates

By David GreenwaldJanuary 21, 200912 comments

The Speech

Those perhaps expecting Barack Obama to issue forth a speech on par with Lincoln’s Second Inaugural, Roosevelt, and Kennedy were likely disappointed. It was a good speech, it accomplished much of what he wanted to do, but it was not one of his great speeches. It was not on par with his speech after the New Hampshire Primary or even the Iowa Primary, it was not on par with his speech on race following Reverend Wright. Nor was it on par with his acceptance speech in Denver or his victory speech on November 4, 2008.

Obama’s Call to Action: Why We Cannot Wait

Obama’s Call to Action: Why We Cannot Wait

By David GreenwaldJanuary 20, 200927 comments

A generation ago in 1961, President John F. Kennedy exhorted the country to take out a new spirit of public service as a new generation took the helm of the United States. Inspired by his call to action, many young Americans would span out across the globe in the Peace Corps and at home came calls for social justice, racial equality, and eventually peace.

In just a few hours today, a new President will take office with as much excitement if not more than that day in 1961. There will be other days to reflect on the pitfalls ahead. There will be other times to reflect on how Camelot and the “Best and the Brightest” to coin the phrase of David Halberstam would end up in the 1960s.

Reflections on Martin Luther King Day as Barack Obama Becomes President

Reflections on Martin Luther King Day as Barack Obama Becomes President

By David GreenwaldJanuary 19, 200910 comments

Every year I have written a special essay on Martin Luther King Day. I usually pick a lesser known Martin Luther King speech to reflect on. At the MLK Dinner last Thursday, I heard an excerpt from the 1967 speech, “Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam.”

Dr. King has become so lionized in this country, that people often seem to forget that he was not non-threatening figure that he has now become. He was in his own day radical despite the fact that those on the more radical side felt he was too passive, those on the less confrontational side felt he was too radical.

Local Activists Urge Congressman Thompson to Support Green Jobs and Obama Stimulus

Local Activists Urge Congressman Thompson to Support Green Jobs and Obama Stimulus

By David GreenwaldJanuary 15, 20094 comments
Sac. Region

In an event sponsored by Moveon.org and organized in every Congressional District, a group of 25 local residents met with Ellie Fairclough from Congressman Mike Thompson’s office to urge him to vote for the Obama stimulus.

The local event was organized by Mary Zhu. She called on Congressman Thompson to support and help pass President-elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package. The group said it hops it will help to create new and green jobs for the country.

As Regional and State Growth Rates Fall, What Will Be the Impact on Davis?

As Regional and State Growth Rates Fall, What Will Be the Impact on Davis?

By David GreenwaldDecember 28, 200848 comments

The Sacramento Bee reported back on December 18, 2008 that the regional and state growth rates have fallen to its lowest levels in more than a decade.

In six counties surrounding Sacramento which include Yolo, Sutter, Yuba, Placer, El Dorado and Sacramento Counties, the growth rate from July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2008 was only 1.39%. Separately, Yolo County grew at 1.46 percent adding around 3,000 people. Placer was the fastest growing county in California at 2.6 percent. Sacramento grew at a rate below the statewide level at 1.11 percent.

Groups Line Up in Opposition To Mike Thompson for the Interior Position

Groups Line Up in Opposition To Mike Thompson for the Interior Position

By David GreenwaldDecember 9, 200833 comments

Most conventional wisdom has Congressman Mike Thompson as one of two finalists for Secretary of the Interior in President-elect Obama’s new cabinet along with Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva. Grijalva is the son of migrants and an outspoken critic of the Bush administration’s federal land policies.

The Oregonian argues that while hunting and fishing groups like Congressman Thompson environmentalists and other liberals are lining up against him.

“Thompson, whose district runs from the wine country of Napa Valley to the Oregon border, is favored by hunting and fishing groups that like the fact that he’s an avid sportsman. And the League of Conservation Voters gives him solid voting scores. In fact, Thompson won national publicity back in 2002 when he held a press conference in front of the Department of Interior with 500 pounds of fish killed by low waters in the Klamath River.”

Looking to Local, Regional, and National Transportation Goals

Looking to Local, Regional, and National Transportation Goals

By David GreenwaldNovember 25, 200868 comments

There was an interesting note in the Davis Enterprise yesterday about the rising Capitol Corridor ridership. Ridership jumped by nearly 20% over this time last year. Truth is, iti’s the 10th consecutive year that ridership has increased.

Gas prices are only one factor in this equation, congested roadways and stressful commutes have played a role as well according to the article.

One of the huge keys to our future will be solving our transportation puzzle. There are some who believe that Americans will never give up their cards. They might be right. The real question is whether you can get them to drive less in cars that are more energy efficient.

Change We Can Believe In

Change We Can Believe In

By David GreenwaldNovember 22, 2008172 comments

I am sure this will get me into a lot of hot water with those on the left. But so far so good with Barack Obama. I am not going to argue he’s not going to make a good deal of mistakes along the way. What I am going to say is I like his governing philosophy so far. He is bringing in high profile people, who he doesn’t necessarily agree with on everything, people with stature, experience, people who can challenge his assumptions. The biggest flaw of the Bush administration is that Bush never allowed his core assumptions to be challenged.

I will grant anyone that on paper his foreign policy team should have been able to do that–Powell, Rumsfeld, and Rice should have been formidable. However, Powell was marginalized from the beginning, and everyone fell into dangerous group-think. Under other conditions, Rice might have been more effective. So naming a strong team on paper is no guarantee. However, that’s where the mentality of the leader comes into play. Bush never had a day of intellectual curiosity or philosophical doubt in his life. Obama from all accounts likes to be challenged, likes to consider opposing viewpoints, and I think that mindset will serve him well as long as he remains true to it.

Former California Supreme Court Court Justice Cruz Reynoso Named to Obama Agency Review Team

Former California Supreme Court Court Justice Cruz Reynoso Named to Obama Agency Review Team

By David GreenwaldNovember 19, 200816 comments

According to a release from UC Davis, Cruz Reynoso, professor emeritus of law at the University of California, Davis, has been appointed to President-elect Barack Obama’s Justice and Civil Rights Agency Review Team. Reynoso will help lead a review of key federal departments, agencies and commissions, as well as the White House. The review will provide the Obama-Biden Transition Team with information needed to make policy, budgetary and personnel decisions prior to Obama’s Jan. 20 inauguration.

Reynoso is an internationally known civil rights leader, the first Latino to sit on the California Supreme Court, and a 2000 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. He has served as associate general counsel to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, as a member of the Select Commission on Immigration and Human Rights, and as vice chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He joined the faculty at UC Davis in 2001.

Ralph Nader Used to Be My Hero

Ralph Nader Used to Be My Hero

By David GreenwaldNovember 8, 200848 comments

I do not remember how old I as, but I remember as a child my mother mentioning to me with excitement that Raplh Nader was going to come to town. She described him as a consumer advocate who stood up to big business and who was incorruptible. They tried to discredit Nader, hiring all sorts of independent investigators and tried to corrupt him with prostitutes to trap him into uncompromising positions, but they could not.

Ralph Nader’s expose on automobile safety, “Unsafe At Any Speed” is still a classic work of investigative journalism. His advocacy lead to many of the safety features that have made modern automobiles a good deal safer.