LOS ANGELES

CAL BUZZ-After the contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, Calbuzz — still committed to the United Front Against Trump (UFAT) — began to wonder if the Democrats might have to settle for the benevolent plutocrat to take out the malignant autocrat. 

ONE MAN’S OPINION-The rationale for Mayor Pete, Mother Klobuchar, and Tom (Slavery Reparations) Steyer to drop out of the race made sense, but that logic does not apply to Mayor Bloomberg.

WORLD WATCH--Sadly, we have become accustomed to Trump’s lies and misstatements about the presumed progress the US made under his watch.

GUEST COMMENTARY--The coronavirus threat is real and so is the potential for an outbreak here in Los Angeles County.

ALPERN AT LARGE--Make no bones about it--the Coronavirus from China, a.k.a. COVID-19, is serious.

DEEGAN ON LA-Developers may be gifted with yet another way of not being required to have an expensive EIR (environmental impact review) as part of their projects if state bill AB 1907 is passed.

GELFAND’S  WORLD--Tuesday night should be the moment to start feeling less depressed about the state of our country.

GUARDIAN INVESTIGATION--In February, California mailed 3.7 million primary ballots that, to the astonishment of many who received them, excluded the presidential candidates.

GUEST COMMENTARY--County Does. not Care about the City.

CITY BUDGET WATCH--I released the City’s revenue forecast today, highlighting projected growth in crucial revenue sources, but also warning of increased government spending and the impact of economic uncertainty on the City’s coffers.

PERSPECTIVE-I occasionally watch Shark Tank. Some of the concepts the contestants pitch are novel. The panel of experts dispense their advice with confidence, which is occasionally laced with a little arrogance. 

CLIMATE POLITICS-Throughout the history of Western Civilization there are times, but only on rare occasions, when people en masse feel compelled to run into the streets, similar to the storming of the Bastille in 1789, screaming at the top of their lungs: “Stop the Madness!” 

CLASS CONFLICT IN THE HOUSING ARENA-In an age of worsening income and wealth inequality, a supply of affordable shelter for workers and their families is low while demand for it is high, the conditions for price-gouging.

@THE GUSS REPORT-Wikipedia says “he was the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback, with a strong passing game, media fanfare, and widespread popularity. He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time.” 

NEW GEOGRAPHY-Politicians across the Western world like to speak fondly of the “middle class” as if it is one large constituency with common interests and aspirations.

ONE MAN’S OPINION-With a certified crazy man in the White House, one would think that the Dems’ taking over in 2020 would be a no-brainer. Not so fast there. Right now, Trump is more likely than not to be re-elected. 

WORLD WATCH--It is sad, appalling, and outrageous that much of what Bernie Sanders is advocating is denigratingly labeled as socialist, as if it were a stigma detached from the day-to-day realities of life that affect every American man, woman, and child.

PLANNING WATCH-We could easily balance our budgets if we were paid each time an official or municipal pundit called for updating LA’s 35 Community Plans, heirlooms from LA’s boom years.

OTHER WORDS--The Supreme Court is considering a case, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, that once again pits LGBTQ rights against so-called religious liberty.

ALPERN AT LARGE--The cost of health care can and should remain a high priority for this nation's upcoming election cycle, although those running for higher office too often don't appear to have a grip on how to lower health care costs (and I don't see enough doctors running for positions of power, probably because their calling is too honorable to stoop so low as to be a pandering politician).

EASTSIDER-It’s a sad truth. Every year I look at the races for LA County Superior Court and feel guilty, because I have no idea what I’m doing.