President Obama has taken the fight for bi-partisanship directly to GOP lawmakers, and by most accounts, he won. In fact, it was so good for him that Fox News decided to stop covering it ‘live’ and returned to commentary.
See video or read the transcript from the White House website.
See MSNBC coverage from the Rachel [...]

Despite a veto threat from Governor Schwarzenegger, the State Senate has approved single-payer health care for California. The vote was 22 to 14.
Read coverage in the Los Angeles Times.
Read coverage in the New York Times.
Read covereage from the Fire Dog Lake blog.

The State of the Union address gave President Obama an opportunity to reach out to the American people and try to restart the change agenda that swept him into office. Much of the speech focused on economic and financial issues, with a decidedly populist tone. He continued an emphasis on trying to remake Washington.
Many progressives [...]

Escondido city council members reportedly want to use reserves rather than make further cuts to library and recreation services or public safety. In their first discussion of cuts proposed to balance the current fiscal year budget, the council also considered (but apparently rejected) a “parcel tax” to produce additional income.
See the council discuss the budget [...]

by Olga Diaz, Escondido City Councilmember
Like most cities, Escondido has experienced continued loss of revenues resulting from a hurting economy.  General Fund revenues have declined from nearly $84 million to $66 million in less than five years.  Valued City services have been reduced or eliminated, leaving many residents disappointed and worried about additional cuts.  It [...]

The news is getting worse and worse. Dick Daniels and Olga Diaz, the two city council members who comprise the budget subcommittee, have released a new set of proposed cuts they say could balance the budget. They include closing the branch library, the arts center, city pools, and several parks. Layoffs would cost 44 full-time [...]

Responding to the threat of a lawsuit from the ACLU, Escondido Police say they will change the way they conduct traffic checkpoints, but they will not stop having them. According to an article in The San Diego Union-Tribune, police will ask not only for the driver’s license, but also for the vehicle registration and proof [...]

by Rick Moore, VP for Communications
As time permits more reflection on the meaning of the Massachusetts election in which Republican Scott  Brown upset Democrat Martha Coakley in a race most observers thought was safe for the Democrats, we begin to see calmer heads prevail. All is not lost for Democrats and Republicans are not necessarily [...]