Wanted: a War President for UC
If I were interviewing candidates to replace Mark Yudof as president of the University of California, my first question would be: Have you ever hit
Joe Mathews
March 8, 2013
Author: Joe Mathews
Connecting California Columnist and Editor, Zócalo Public Square, Fellow at the Center for Social Cohesion at Arizona State University and co-author of California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It (UC Press, 2010)
LA Mayor’s Race as Example of California Dysfunction
LA is a city of 4 million people. In an election for the mayor of such a place, you would think that a wide variety
Joe Mathews
March 6, 2013
One Man, Two Votes—Why Not?
L.A. Asked Me To Vote In Its Mayoral Election. Sure, It’s Illegal, But It’s Also a Good Idea. When a politically minded friend recently told
Joe Mathews
March 4, 2013
Prop 8 as Example of Anti-Democratic Democracy
The brilliant Bob Stern, leading expert on California’s initiative process, likes to issue the following challenge to audiences: can you name an initiative that Californians
Joe Mathews
March 1, 2013
Another Education Debate That’s Not About Education
How can you tell when there’s a big debate in California about education? When nobody’s talking about actual education. California education debates are always about
Joe Mathews
February 27, 2013
Dorner Manhunt Puts a Different Spin on State vs. Local
It is an article of faith in California governance circles that local trumps state. It’s supposedly better to have decisions made and services delivered at
Joe Mathews
February 25, 2013
Who Should Get Those January Revenues?
California has a problem: more money than anticipated. What to do? Nearly $5 billion more than expected came into the state in January. That might
Joe Mathews
February 21, 2013
How Philosophy Explains High-Speed Rail
I didn’t understand Gov. Jerry Brown’s state of the state speech, but my fellow members of the press let me know it was brilliant. All
Joe Mathews
February 20, 2013
Kill Retiree Health Care. Now.
Do the Democrats care more about public employees with health insurance than poor children without it? The question is harsh, but fair. Gov. Brown and
Joe Mathews
February 15, 2013