Archive for October 2025

In Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Grey, the author explores the rot that can lurk beneath the handsome facade of people who have lost their moral compass. Image by Ivan Albright, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Prof Deann Gayman of the University of Nebraska examines data which daylights a bracing fact: blood sport American politics makes…

Image by Wikimedia Commons Under the leadership of William M. Tweed (known affectionately as “Boss Tweed”), Tammany Hall was a formidable political machine that dominated and controlled the Democratic Party in much of New York City throughout the late 19th century. Under his direction, Tweed and his cronies were able to embezzle millions of dollars…

Photo by By Vilhelm Pedersen (1820 – 1859) – English Wikipedia (Wikimedia), Public Domain, Link The Emperor’s New Clothes dramatizes how easy it is to stay silent about–and remain complicit in–corruption. This is what the slope looks like. The admonition to “beware slippery slopes” provides a useful reminder: A compromise here, a cut corner there,…

John,  We are Charlie Kirk.  That’s the rally cry of millions of Americans — and the message they carry with their “We are Charlie Kirk” wristbands. 

Photo by ccPixs.com The County of Santa Clara bought two hospitals and has created a budget issue by overspending, says Saratoga Vice Mayor Chuck Page. To make up for their indiscretions, the county is again turning to the taxpayer for a bailout: problem is, he says, the regressive Measure A sales tax will only hurt…

New Update: We have pictures and videos from the rally now! The Equal Rights for All PAC, with co-hosting organizations held a huge non-partisan “No on Measure A” Rally at Cupertino Library Oct 19th 2025! And the rally was a massive success! Respected elected officials such as Kansen Chu (Former Assemblymember D), Liang Fang Chao (Independent), Rishi…

Editorial: Santa Clara County already has top rate in California for county government spending. Now it wants a sales tax hike. Editorial: Santa Clara County already has top rate in California for county government spending. Now it wants a sales tax hike. George Sakkestad/Staff Photographer, File photo Measure A, the five-year sales tax increase on…

“Tax Return – 1040” by 401(K) 2012, CC BY-SA 2.0 There’s no guarantee Measure A will “save the hospitals” says South County Biz Alliance board member Matt Wendt. He says the general sales tax could be siphoned off to overspending in other areas, like Santa Clara County’s new fire department contract which is vastly more…

Will Sherman here, contributing editor at Opportunity Now. I wanted to let you know about some of the major pieces we’ve published on Measure A, this year’s special election tax hike in Santa Clara County.  Please feel free to forward any of these articles, individually or as a set, to your network if it makes…

“Money With Wallet” by Chris Potter, CC BY 2.0 Steven Scharf, past mayor of Cupertino and a Democrat of 51 years, notes that Supe Ellenberg’s arguments in favor of the county’s sales tax hike are full of inaccuracies. On September 8th, 2005, I heard Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg speak at a meeting of…