Summer in Redding
If you love California and haven’t figured out where to go for summer vacation, here’s a suggestion: Go north! You could, for example, go to
Joe Mathews
July 9, 2018
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)
What is a Democracy City?
What Is a Democracy City? I’d Love to Hear Your Views Nations have long been considered the first unit of democracy. To say you live
Joe Mathews
July 6, 2018
Arguing With Myself Over Janus
What should we think after the U.S Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees? That’s the question
Joe Mathews
July 5, 2018
Initiative Reform Is Working – To Aid Extortion
California’s governing and reform elite are far better at self-congratulation than actual reform. The pattern appears again in the orgy of self-congratulation after three initiatives
Joe Mathews
July 3, 2018
Colluding With California’s Russian
Take my guilty plea, Mr. Mueller. Because this Californian has been colluding with the Russians. To be sure, I didn’t subvert any elections. But one
Joe Mathews
July 2, 2018
The First Democratic Governor Since Pat Brown
Newsom Would Be The First Democratic Governor Since Pat Brown People are missing the real import of the June election results. California may be about
Joe Mathews
June 29, 2018
Why Justice Kennedy Shouldn’t Retire to California
Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy shouldn’t think of retiring to Sacramento or anywhere else in his native California. If he does, he should be
Joe Mathews
June 28, 2018
Neither Pelosi Nor McCarthy For Speaker
We could have a Californian as the next speaker of the House of Representatives. But let’s hope not. I’ve already written plenty about Kevin McCarthy,
Joe Mathews
June 27, 2018
Why Can’t California Have Its Own Secretary of Direct Democracy?
California sees itself as a champion of direct democracy. But in truth, it doesn’t take direct democracy as seriously as Italy. The new Italian government
Joe Mathews
June 26, 2018