California’s Not Built to Become Its Own Nation
California may have the size and economy and independent spirit of a good-sized country. But California is not a nation. Which is precisely why it would be self-destructive to seek to become one. Of course, it’s understandable that, with the election of an evil white supremacist swindler as president of the United States, the idea […]
California’s Initiative ‘Brutality’
(Editor’s Note: Previously published in Treasurer John Chiang’s Intersections newsletter) California’s initiative process is, in a word, “brutal.” That was the official judgment six years ago when hundreds of experts in direct democracy from all over the world came to San Francisco for a five-day conference. (Full disclosure: I was one of the conveners of the event). […]
Does Political ‘Reform’ Keep California Women Out of Politics?
California sees itself as a progressive place, but it is anything but when it comes to women in elected office. Barely one quarter of the legislature—and 1/15 of the Los Angeles city council – are women. The trend persists despite many efforts to reverse it. And often, after elections like this past one, which was […]
Silicon Valley Keeps Us Stuck in the Political Past
As long as Silicon Valley and its futuristic technologies dominate our politics, we’re doomed to be stuck in the past. The big story of the poisonous 2016 elections was how new digital media tools ended up crowding out two big topics from our conversation: the present and the future. This phenomenon went way beyond the […]
U.S. Senate Race Should Be the Beginning of the End of Top Two
The U.S . Senate race, won by Attorney General Kamala Harris over Rep. Loretta Sanchez, ought to be the end of the top two system. The problems of the race weren’t unfamiliar; the contest followed a pattern Californians have now seen in our legislative elections for the last few cycles. The only difference this time […]
5 California Winners in Election Results
There are still many ballots to count, but here’s a preliminary list of the biggest California winners in the November elections. 1 — Gov. Jerry Brown. His Prop 57 won, and it appears he managed to defeat Prop 53. Kamala Harris’ victory means he’ll get to appoint a new attorney general. Plus, he’s now the […]
I Really Am Leaving The Country Post-Election
Now that the election is over, are you leaving the country? If not, you ought to reconsider. I’m not kidding. Yes, a handful of our fellow Californians—prominent citizens from Samuel L. Jackson and Bryan Cranston to Miley Cyrus and Barbra Streisand—proclaimed themselves so disgusted with the sorry state of democracy that they pledged to depart […]
Jerry Brown Is Our President
We’ll soon have two presidents, and one will live in Sacramento There’s the guy that a plurality of American voters elected Tuesday. He arrives in office as the most unpopular president elect in U.S. history. He’s reviled – and rightly so – by many for his bigotry and belief in all sorts of discredited nosense. […]
I’m Still Voting at My Local Polling Place, Dammit
I’m old-fashioned. I get four newspapers—the actual paper—delivered to my home every day. I occasionally send letters and pay bills with actual letters, with stamps. And today, I will vote in a polling place in my neighborhood on Election Day. We are told that I’m a dinosaur. But I’m glad to be one. We’re told […]
What Transparency? Prop 54 Exempts A Huge Part of the Legislative Process
Prop 54 has been backed almost universally by media and good government groups. Only a few dead-end Democrats and brain-dead bloggers provide any opposition. It’s been called motherhood and apple pie. Apply transparency to the legislative process! Don’t let lawmakers make deals and debate without the lights and cameras on. Every bill must be published […]