Legislators pass a bill that could launch a national movement to elect the president by popular vote.

By Nancy Vogel, Times Staff Writer
August 31, 2006

SACRAMENTO — Lawmakers sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a bill Wednesday that would make California the first state to jump aboard a national movement to elect the president by popular vote.

Under the legislation, California would grant its electoral votes to the nominee who gets the most votes nationwide — not the most votes in California. Get enough other states to do the same, backers of the bill say, and soon presidential candidates will have to campaign across the nation, not just in a few key "battleground" states such as Ohio and Michigan that can sway the Electoral College vote.

"Frankly, the current system doesn't work," said Assemblyman Rick Keene (R-Chico), the only Republican to vote for the bill. "Presidential candidates don't bother to visit the largest state in the nation…. California is left out."

If Schwarzenegger signs the bill — AB 2948 by Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Anaheim) — California will be the first state to embrace the "national popular vote" movement, though legislation is pending in five other states: New York, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado and Louisiana.

The California legislation would not take effect until enough states passed such laws to make up a majority of the Electoral College votes — a minimum of 11 states, depending on population.

The governor's office said Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the bill.

I think moral questions are always interesting, so I'm curious as to what you as a juror would recommend in a case such as this.

CNN: Officials: Dad kills neighbor accused of molesting girl:

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut (AP) -- A lawyer climbed through a neighbor's bedroom window and stabbed him to death after being told by a family member that the man had molested his 2-year-old daughter, authorities say.

Barry James, 58, was stabbed in the chest nearly a dozen times Monday. The lawyer, Jonathon Edington, 29, was charged with murder and burglary and was released on $1 million bail Wednesday.

Edington, a graduate of Syracuse University and Fordham University Law School, has been practicing patent law, [Edington's attorney Michael] Sherman said.

Police had gone to the neighborhood before, when Edington called to complain that he could see James through a window, police said. "Either he was partly clothed or revealed parts of his anatomy that were inappropriate," [Police Capt. Gary] MacNamara said.

The most I would ever agree to is parole. Other than that, he should be rewarded with community service hours.

What cool local blog(s) is/are missing from our list of "Favorite Olympia Blogs"? I try to keep up, but I'm afraid some may have escaped my attention. Does anyone have a favorite that I haven't hit on yet?

By the way: new user rupski has a blog called East Bay Birders.