June 2, 2019

California's Democratic convention delegates cheered presidential contenders who said there was no middle group on climate change, single-payer health care and other progressive goals, and jeered at two moderates who disagreed—booing one for saying "socialism is not the answer." But as the party elected a new chairman and turned its attention to the 2020 election, they made what many considered a "safe choice."

We Californians grabbed nothing less than the edge of a continent, 1,000 miles in length. Highest mountain, lowest desert, longest coast, most epic valley, riparian forest, redwood forest, wetland, grassland and inland sea. The rain fell 125 inches a year in one place and seven inches a year in the other place. A land this crazy makes people crazy.

Limiting interest rates on loans to the poor is a sincere effort, but it does nothing about the state's high poverty level.