Guest Commentary

Commentary

My turn: Jerry Brown must not grant mass clemency to death row inmates

Anti-death penalty activists are calling on Jerry Brown to commute all death sentences in California. Like all governors, Brownis vested with a broad power to grant clemency. With that broad power comes the responsibility to use it for its intended purpose and not to block laws where the governor merely disagrees with the people’s decision. The responsible choice, the respectful choice, the democratic choice is to just say no to blanket commutation.

By Guest Commentary • December 18, 2018

Commentary

My turn: What approval ratings say about Jerry Brown’s legacy

Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature took the drama out of the annual budget process, passed popular laws on education funding and climate change, responded to crises such as drought and wildfire, and maintained a united front against Trump’s unpopular policies. His tenure offers a successful model for governing the state in the future. Will Brown be a hard act to follow for Gavin Newsom? Maintaining fiscal stability and an effective partnership with the Legislature will be the key ingredients.

By Guest Commentary • December 17, 2018

Commentary

My turn: Recalling Jerry Brown’s first Supreme Court choice as his final pick faces confirmation

Rose Elizabeth Bird, the court’s first woman, remains Jerry Brown’s most consequential judicial appointment. It's possible to trace bare-knuckled fights over the judiciary to the ones over her confirmation and retention. Today’s court again is led by a woman, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, and its rulings rarely resonate beyond legal circles. But the war on the judiciary continues.

By Guest Commentary • December 16, 2018

Commentary

My turn: A third party can emerge in California. Here’s a path

A new centrist third party movement should look for allies among the Legislature’s moderate Democratic caucus and New Way Republicans to facilitate productive trans-partisan conversation. Political centrists believe a balanced approach is the best path forward for California, but would be foolish to ignore ideas from others who with different ideological perspectives.

By Guest Commentary • December 13, 2018

Commentary

My turn: Not to say I told them so, but I did tell CA Republicans so

Why are California Republicans so misaligned with voter sentiment? They delude themselves into believing there is a silent conservative majority out there somewhere, if only they can put up the right candidates.

By Guest Commentary • December 12, 2018

Commentary

My turn: What Oakland can teach California about gun violence prevention

Oakland, long synonymous with gun violence, is suddenly emerging as a national leader in the field of violence prevention. Since 2012, shootings are down more than 50 percent and are on pace to reach their lowest levels in decades. California leaders have much to learn from how people in Oakland came together to rewrite the violence reduction playbook.

By Guest Commentary • December 11, 2018

Commentary

My turn: We can prevent gun violence. Here’s one way

By Mara W. Elliott Mara W. Elliott is San Diego City Attorney, cityattorney@sandiego.gov. She wrote this commentary for CALmatters. Mass shootings and everyday gun violence have become so commonplace in America that many people are losing hope that we can stop the senseless loss of innocent lives. But in collaboration with the San Diego Police […]

By Guest Commentary • December 11, 2018

Commentary

My turn: Gavin Newsom should embrace a digital transformation of state government

Up to this point, information technology systems have been the province of system administrators.  Now, a digital transformation must be a focus of incoming Gov. Newsom. The choice is simple. California can continue its role as a lighthouse state or let others pass us by.

By Guest Commentary • December 10, 2018

Commentary

My turn: The last time two Democrats exchanged power

It has been 132 years since a Democrat governor of California last turned over the keys to the Capitol’s corner office to another Democrat. Social and technological changes of the past 132 years have been vast. But some political rhetoric is uncomfortably similar.

By Guest Commentary • December 9, 2018

Commentary

My turn: How Newsom could create a new golden era for higher education

By Dick Ackerman and Mel Levine Dick Ackerman, dickackerman33@gmail.com, and Mel Levine, mlevine@gibsondunn.com, co-chair the California Coalition for Public Higher Education. Ackerman is a former California legislator representing Orange County, Levine is a former member of Congress from Los Angeles. They wrote this commentary for CALmatters. Pat Brown was a true champion of higher education, […]

By Guest Commentary • December 7, 2018