iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿 As the old State Capitol Annex was being demolished, workers discovered a piece of long-lost legislator humor wedged behind a cabinet in the Assemblymembers’ Lounge, just off the Assembly Floor. The paper, apparently lost for decades, contained...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀 Nelson Dilworth served in the State Assembly from 1937 to 1944 and then the Senate until 1960, years before the Legislature became a full-time operation and back when legislators had their own staff.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 The last night of session is a marathon. What makes it particularly exhausting is that it comes at the end of two increasingly busy weeks of committee hearings, negotiations, and floor sessions...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 It’s so hard to find good metrics to quantify public service. There are shortcuts, like the number of years served or the number of bills passed, but ultimately, it’s best gauged by the lasting impression a public servant leaves...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗮𝗻: 𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗘𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 I recently met up with Assemblymember Leona Egeland at the Women in California Politics Museum in downtown Sacramento. Egeland, was the 15th woman to serve in the #CALeg

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 It all comes down to this. The last weeks of session.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 ‘𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹’ 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 I ran into something fascinating recently: there is an unexpected parallel between a decades-old challenge in metallurgy and one of the newest frontiers in artificial intelligence (AI).

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 Did you know that one of the easiest ways to tell whether someone learned government in Sacramento or Washington, D.C. is by the words they use?

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗔 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 Often, when trying to frame their grand ideas and proposals, legislators will explain that they're doing this “for the kids.” But they, and we, rarely think about the generation after that: the grandchildren.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 Do you want to hang out today? I do! Let’s read the Declaration of Independence together!

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 It's been 23 years since California had a Governor who has served as state legislator and known the joys of having a bill signed into law and the pain of a veto. There will undoubtedly be detailed combing of Democratic gubernatorial candidate @xavierbecerra.bsky.social

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Hot dogs to celebrate @asmgailpellerin.bsky.social's birthday. Here's a fun fact for you. @gailp831.bsky.social has a remarkably rare birthday for #CALeg legislators. There has only been one CA state lawmaker born on June 24th in the past century: Assemblyman Harvey Hastain who served in 1941-1944.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 Diving into history can be challenging because there is so much to look at. One good way to manage is to use current events as a springboard to explore related chapters.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘀, 𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗔 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁 Former Assemblymember Mike Gatto recently reminded me of something that we are likely to see this November. Gatto said that there “are some members of the Legislature who needed 180,000 votes to win, and some needed about 5,000.” It's true.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

180 years ago today, forces including future State Assemblyman Henry L. Ford carried out the Bear Flag Revolt, arresting future State Senator Mariano Vallejo and detaining him at the home of future gubernatorial candidate John Sutter. California politics has always been wild.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆? It is often said that two of the strongest metrics to predict who will win an election are: 1) incumbency, already holding the office and 2) cash, having the most campaign funding.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

𝗔 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 As we pass through the election cycle, I regularly check the candidate lists, trying to figure out who will be arriving in Sacramento on the first Monday in December.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 Today is the 40th anniversary of the passing of Assembly Speaker Gordon Hickman Garland. Although not well remembered today, Garland did more to fight for the independence of the Legislature than just about any other legislator.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗱𝗮’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Timothy N. Machin was a political powerhouse in his era, serving as both California's 10th Lieutenant Governor and 14th Speaker of the State Assembly...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

𝗔 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Assemblymember Bruce Sumner died eight years ago today. When I first began reaching out to former legislators for Capitol Weekly, Sumner was high on the list of those I most hoped to interview.

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Reposted by Alex Vassar 📚

Betty Yee for Governor @bettyyeeforca.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Betty Yee is THE TOP VOTE GETTER in California history, either man or woman. No governor has even earned more votes. www.joincalifornia.com/page/12 @alexvassar.bsky.social

joincalifornia.com

JoinCalifornia - Highest Vote Counts

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

ASM Alvarez is someone who everyone could learn something from.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘀 Today would have been the 86th birthday of Assemblymember Margaret E. Snyder. It has been 32 years since Snyder finished her first and only term in the Legislature...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 In late January, I had the opportunity to join some of my co-workers at a legislative research fair co-hosted by the UC Student and Policy Center and the California State Library’s California Research Bureau (CRB)...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

A notable tidbit about Senator Choi's SB1040... by my count, that was the 120,000th regular session Senate Bill in California history.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 History is fascinating because it operates on two deeply engaging levels at once: the personal and the universal. On one hand, it is filled with vivid human stories, ambition, courage, personal failings....

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Join the authors of the California Capitol Cocktail Trivia Book (@chrismicheli.bsky.social, @ca-parliamentarian.bsky.social, and yours truly) for a book-signing event at Café a Cote, 1201 K Street this Thursday (February 12th) at 5:30 pm.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Last week, @senatorashby.bsky.social (D-Sacramento) introduced Senate Resolution 74 to add two new standing committees to the State Senate. cc: @senatorcabaldon.bsky.social

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻 The story of the California Legislature is a long one, and as I've researched its history over the years, I have found it helpful to approach it in bite-size pieces of a decade at a time.

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Reposted by Alex Vassar 📚

Falselogic @falselogic.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

This might be the sort of thing @alexvassar.bsky.social would be interested in? I don't know I'm terrible at self-promotion.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝟭𝟳𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲! December 15 will be the State Legislature’s birthday and, in many ways, that’s the birthday for California state government, too.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

It has been a while since we had a #CALeg bill on "fandango houses"

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

The new California State Capitol Trivia Book (by Chris Micheli, Brian Ebbert, and Alex Vassar dives into the politics, procedure, and personalities that make California such an interesting place. Also... reasonably priced for the policy nerd on your Christmas list 🎁 www.amazon.com/dp/B0G38GRKSD

amazon.com

The California Capitol Cocktail Trivia Book

The California Capitol Cocktail Trivia Book [Ebbert, Brian, Micheli, Chris, Vassar, Alex] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The California Capitol Cocktail Trivia Book

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Fun Fact: California State Senator James C. Miller (who represented Mariposa in the 1851 #CALeg session) listed his occupation as "Gold Digger" 😆 No, not in the modern sense.

media.tenor.com

a woman is sitting on a couch and says maybe a gold digger bravo

ALT: a woman is sitting on a couch and says maybe a gold digger bravo

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 Several weeks ago, there was a spirited debate over the federal government's decision to fire artillery shells over a California highway during a demonstration...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

I have added a new symbol to the 2026 candidate list. I'm adding the 🅴 character to indicate a non-incumbent candidate who has been 🅴ndorsed by the current officeholder. That info doesn't tell you everything, but it also doesn't tell you nothing.. far from irrelevant. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

docs.google.com

2027-28 California State Legislature

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 While looking through the list of bills that were chaptered in 2025, I found one that brought back a lot of memories. Assemblyman Tom Lackey's AB 486 added the “Key programming device” and the “Signal extender” to the list of burglary tools found in Penal Code...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Way late in the day to post this, I know, but wanted to remind you all of George Stoneman who was a Union General in the Civil War, became the highest-ranking prisoner of war held by the Confederates, and then came west and served as Governor of California.

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Reposted by Alex Vassar 📚

California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

Log in to our law program! Register at libraryca.libcal.com/event/15008870 and the recording will be uploaded to our YouTube Channel afterwards. #libraries #law

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Fun Fact: Had she run for reelection and won, Nancy Pelosi would have become the longest serving Member of Congress in California history on June 3, 2027.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 In early October, I participated in the annual Sacramento Archives Crawl, where the California State Library, State Archives, Center for Sacramento History, and the Sacramento Room at the downtown library showcase their collections for the public to explore.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

For those keeping track at home, the new maps (once the election is certified) will officially be the 16th time CA has been divided into Congressional districts. The first time was in 1864, when we shifted away from at-large statewide representation in Congress.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

#CAPolitics #ProTip: The most interesting website in California politics changed at 9 pm. 11/4 - electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/ball... 11/5 - www.fec.gov/data/filings...

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

I mailed in my ballot weeks ago (the same day that it got me), but I definitely felt like everyone posting their #BallotSelfies made me feel like I was missing out.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

My favorite poem, by John Pierpont, is about how on election day, the power of the ballot is unmistakable.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 ‘𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗲!’ 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗹 If you visit the websites of more than a handful of Sacramento advocates, lobbyists, and public affairs professionals, you'll notice something interesting: many of the staff photos were taken in just a few locations.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Can you imagine the fallout these days if someone tried selling sewing machines by putting an ad in a newspaper with this headline? Friends, 1992 was some wild times.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟱: 𝗔 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 In politics, it’s common to hear the words “groundbreaking,” “unprecedented,” or “watershed moment” used to describe events that may not truly merit those distinctions. Yet one episode in California history fully deserves all three labels: the Vetoes of 1925.

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Alex Vassar 📚 @alexvassar.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Here's a thought for you: There are 28 days until Monique Limon becomes California's Senate President pro Tempore. The last pro Tem from Santa Barbara was Clarence C. Ward, who represented the Ellwood Oil Field when it was shelled by the Imperial Japanese Navy sub I-17 on February 23, 1942. #WWII

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