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 […]
To Solve Governance Problems, Newsom Turns to Spin Doctors Dee Dee and DeBoo
Gov. Gavin Newsom has governance problems. He’s struggled with finding a consistent response that local officials will follow. He’s failed to fix the state department that handles unemployment. He hasn’t rallied sufficient support for the unemployed and distressed businesses. He’s failed to re-open schools. But Newsom seems to think his problems are primarily about politics […]
Padilla and elections are top California story
The 2020 election year has been a roll call of voting disasters. The Iowa caucus. The New York primary. High-visibility legal battles in Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia and many, many others. Missing from the list? California, which ran a secure and problem-free election, despite a record number of voters and a virtually […]
One “Dastardly Deed” Cements Gavin Newsom as my Black Bart Nominee
I thought I might nominate Donald J. Trump for this year’s Black Bart Award. But it’s time to retire our lame-duck President’s number. Instead, I nominate California’s Governor Gavin Newsom–for his often good, sometimes bad and, once-in-a-while really stupid impact on the Golden State. On the plus side, or the negative–depending on where you stand […]
Becerra: Another Bright Spot For California And The Rest of The Country
We look at the good news and the bad. The appointment of California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to head the Department of Health and Human Services brings an accomplished politician and health care champion to the challenging job. We dismantle the congressional stalemate on coronavirus aid. And we criticize California Gov. Gavin Newson, Los […]
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 […]
Black Bart Award for California Politics 2020
For the past eleven years frequent contributors to this page Joe Mathews, John Wildermuth and I have nominated candidates for Californian of the Year in the world of politics. This year, as last, we will be joined by Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, long time journalist for NBC in Los Angeles and former professor at USC’s Sol […]
Water Wars by Other Means
Clausewitz famously said war was “politics by other means.” In California, politics is water wars by other means. Although it isn’t always above the surface, below the surface everything in the state involves water one way or another. That’s because the more populous Southern California needs most of its water to flow down from Northern […]
The Road Ahead for the California GOP
California’s AG resisted any temptation to join those of 18 sister states led by the Texas AG seeking to have the Supreme Court overturn President-Elect Joe Biden’s irreversible victory. Not that the vast majority of California voters favored the idea which turned out to be a giant waste of time as the high court delivered […]