Fox&Hounds - California Politics and Business

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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.

Joe Mathews January 22, 2026

Fox and Hounds Daily Says Goodbye

With this article, we end publication of Fox and Hounds Daily. It has been a satisfying 12½ year run. When we opened in May 2008,

Joel Fox December 18, 2020

Farewell to a California Treasure

I’ll miss Joel Fox, who died Jan. 10 after a long battle with cancer. But California and its nearly 40

John Wildermuth January 26, 2026

Romney coattails? In California? Maybe

Crossposted CalWatchDog After Barack Obama’s 61% to 37% wipeout of John McCain in California in 2008, we were spared the quadrennial tradition of some senior

Chris Reed October 24, 2012

11 Awesome Props part 4: Prop 33

Intro to series: I used to be such a sourpuss about ballot measures, and especially those on this year’s ballot. Once, I even wrote a

Joe Mathews October 23, 2012

Giants Win! – Will the World Series Strikeout the Election?

Last night, 15 people in a Sacramento area office, all political junkies deeply involved in election campaigns, did not watch the presidential debates. Instead, they

Joel Fox October 23, 2012

The Day after the Election

With the 2012 election in full swing, everyone’s focus seems to be on the candidates and ballot initiatives. We are inundated with ludicrous, often irrelevant

Katy Grimes October 23, 2012

L.A.’s Integrity toward Business will be Tested Today

I am often asked what the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce means when we say that the City of Los Angeles needs to be

Gary Toebben October 23, 2012

Donor Rule Challenge is all about Politics

On Friday, Common Cause filed a complaint about the Arizona organization that donated $11 million to our PAC, which is primarily formed to oppose the

Joel Fox October 22, 2012

The $11 Million Gift to Jerry Brown

The mysterious $11 million dropped into the No on Proposition 30 and Yes on Proposition 32 campaign last week is proving a godsend for Gov.

Tony Quinn October 22, 2012

Dumbest Donation Ever?

If I were one of the people behind that $11 million anonymous donation from an Arizona-based nonprofit to the No on 30/Yes on 32 campaign,

Joe Mathews October 22, 2012

California Voters Declaring their Independence

Crossposted on Healthy Cal It’s conventional wisdom in political circles that California, like the rest of the country, has become more polarized in recent years.

Daniel Weintraub October 22, 2012