Because of COVID-19, Fewer Laws
Back in April, I wondered on this page if the pandemic’s effect on the legislature shutting down the capitol during an extended break would result in fewer bills passed and signed into law. Apparently, that will be the case. On top of the extraordinary month-long lockdown in March, the legislature was forced to extend its […]
How California helped inspire “Union”
Before we left on the cross-country drives that led to our new book, Union: A Democrat, a Republican, and a Search for Common Ground, the two of us knew little about one another. On first meeting, we learned that each of us stood on opposite ends of the political spectrum — Jordan is a Republican, […]
The hubris of the teachers’ unions could backfire
The definition of “hubris” is foolish excessive pride, arrogant overconfidence. In a related story, California teachers’ unions won a victory when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget trailer bill that bases school funding levels for the new school year on the attendance in the previous school year. This cheats growing charter schools, often non-union, of […]
Is the California Dream Finished?
For all the persistent rhetoric from California’s leaders about this state being on the cutting edge of social and racial justice, the reality on the ground is far grimmer. Our new report on the state of California’s middle class shows a lurch toward a society in which power and money are increasingly concentrated and where upward mobility is constrained, amid shocking levels […]