A Fox, A Hound, and a Friendship
If political differences are destined to leave us divided and friendless, how do you explain the life of Joel Fox?
Fox died on January 10 after more than a decade of living with cancer. He was California’s most prominent taxpayer advocate since Howard Jarvis, for whom he worked, and whose anti-tax organization he led from 1986 to 1998. Fox, a Republican, advanced conservative ideas on TV and op-ed pages. He advised the campaigns of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor Richard Riordan, and U.S. Sen. John McCain.
That profile, in our polarized times, might make you think Fox was one of those political ideologues who are driving the country apart. But the opposite is true.
Fox, more than any person in California politics, built deep relationships with people across the political spectrum. And he did not do this through consensus or compromise. Instead, Fox built friendships on disagreement itself—a warm, open, and curious style of disagreement.
Black Bart Winners for 2020—The Crisis and the Chief Responder
Covid-19 pockmarked California’s political landscape like no politician or ballot measure ever could. It ended or damaged lives, put a dagger into the heart of a healthy economy, it disrupted well planned political agendas, it shrunk government budgets and shocked the day-to-day life of all Californians. It could not be ignored. Neither could the person […]
Black Bart Nominee Devastated the Year for All Californians
In attempting to decide what action or actor on the California political scene had the greatest effect on the state’s policy and politics, naturally, you first think of politicians. None stands out more than Governor Gavin Newsom. He has been in the center of the crisis management dealing with outside disasters with the pandemic and […]
Why isn’t Gov. Newsom Going Toe-to-Toe with Texas over Business Losses?
Granted, Gov. Gavin Newsom has a lot on his plate now, but hasn’t he noticed the flow of business leaving California is turning into a tidal wave? Many, especially big brand name companies, are headed to Texas. Newsom should fight against the loss. But unlike when Gov. Jerry Brown took on Texas governor Rick Perry […]
Becerra’s Problems with Senate Confirmation
Gov. Gavin Newsom best not plan to appoint a new attorney general too quickly because there is a very distinct possibility that current Attorney General Xavier Becerra, nominated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, will not be confirmed by the US Senate. Thus far Senate Republicans have been fairly restrained about President-elect Biden’s […]
Assembly Bill 5: California’s ‘Swiss Cheese’ Law
California voters pulled the teeth out of Assembly Bill 5, the labor classification legislation that outlawed gig work, when they approved Proposition 22 last month. The ballot measure didn’t strike AB5 from the books, but it is a statute in trouble, further weakened by a recent lawsuit. With every punch that lands on AB5, there’s […]
Poll Shows Support for Government Funded Economic Advancement Programs, But Not How to Pay for Them
Polling offers snapshots of voters’ thinking but is frequently frustrating because while certain information is revealed the pollsters don’t have the time to dig deeper into issues that might change the reflexive attitudes expressed in answering the initial question. Yet, polls are often used by politicians as foundations to suggest new programs and spending. This […]
Becerra Confirmation; An Old Issue for a New AG; Elimination of Cash Bail?
Xavier Becerra’s selection as Health and Human Services Secretary could face a bumpy ride in the senate confirmation process if the Republicans capture a majority of the senate. The California Attorney General has already been challenged by some Republican senators for his position over the years in both Congress and as California’s top attorney on […]
A Perspective on Police Reform
The way to achieve police reform is to have the rank-and-file officer core buy into reforms. That was the message during a panel discussion at Cal State LA’s Pat Brown Institute’s annual conference looking post-election, “Where do we go from here?” But it will take not only the police to accept reforms but for the […]