January 26, 2011

Topical Discussion Group Agenda for January 26. 2011

1. Governor Brown is proposing a State Budget of 84.6 Billion dollars; some of the proposals will be handed out for your information and discussion at our meeting
2. Is the Lame Duck Session (of the Federal Government) an outdated concern. Ref: WSJ, 11/18/10 Page A23-“This Lame Duck Session Should be the Last”.
3. Should the State pass legislation limiting the number of appeals granted in death penalty cases?   Ref: LA Times 12/29/10
4. Should hand gun magazines with more than 8 cartridges be banned?

January 12, 2011

From the Agenda Committee:

1. If you were President, where would you propose to reduce the current National Deficit?
2. Gasoline is going up towards $5.00 per gallon, what can be done to minimize this trend?
3. What are your thoughts on changes being proposed to link teacher tenure to student test results?  Ref: WSJ, 1/2/11, Page A3 “Attempts to Link Teacher Tenure to Results.”

At the meeting, we spoke at some length about the tragic shootings in Arizona and President Obama's memorial address earlier in Tuscon.  Many at the meeting objected to the fixing of blame on the right.  No one brought up the defense from Sarah Palin, using the term blood libel, with its connotations.

Regarding item #2, see my peak oil blog, The Spare Can.
See Richard Heinberg's Museletter and chapter 3 of his book-in-progress The End of Growth: Earth's Limits: Why Growth won't Return

We ran out of time to discuss item #4.