California Voices

Joel Bellman, writer: In a blue state, in a blue city, on the Bruin blue campus of a public university system that once gave rise to the Free Speech Movement, why were the UCLA administration and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, a liberal Democrat, bent on charging and jailing four young protesters for briefly interrupting a 2018 campus speaking appearance by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin?

Legislation this year ranged from the semi-ridiculous to the obviously justified. Gov. Newsom is a conventional liberal who did show a bit of political fortitude.

Mark A. Lemley and David McGowan, Stanford and University of San Diego law schools: The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating car manufacturers that agreed with California to establish a framework setting parameters for compliance with California’s greenhouse gas emissions standards. Antitrust law has never been wielded so explicitly as a tool to make businesses kowtow to the whims of a president. The Justice Department’s investigation is meritless from every angle.

Re: “Elbows fly in the Capitol over Steve Ballmer’s plan for a Clippers arena in Inglewood,” WhatMatters, Oct. 17.  The item positions valid environmental and other concerns about the proposed arena as being born from out of concerns surrounding competition. We’d like to clarify our position. The Forum is acting on behalf of thousands of […]

Carmelita Miller and Matthew Tisdale, Greenlining Institute: New residential and commercial construction in the state needs to be all-electric, to avoid expanding the gas system. Importantly, we must develop a comprehensive strategy to empower low-income communities to access electrification options while supporting a just transition for workers.

Tom Dresslar, former Deputy Commissioner at the California Department of Business Oversight: The people of California, through their legislature and governor, just decided to end a decades-long, unbridled fleecing of millions of the state’s borrowers. Some predatory lenders, however, may launch a scheme that could, for their companies, effectively overturn that sovereign decision.

Mike Guerra, California Life Sciences Association: California is a biomedical juggernaut, and the precision medicine research being funded today will impact patients around the world. This leadership should be a great source of pride for every Californian.

Kerry Jackson, Pacific Research Institute: Howard Jarvis’ Proposition 13 swept the country and made headlines around the world. Sounds a lot like Assembly Bill 5. The difference is Prop 13 is a force for good. AB 5 is a destroyer. Worse, other states are determined to duplicate California’s mistake.

Stacy Torres, assistant professor of sociology at UC San Francisco: We’ve failed as a society when police are the primary responders to mental health crises. Urban police departments have begun increased training for handling interactions with emotionally disturbed people. But the efforts are uneven and inadequate.

Gavin Newsom's first year as governor has produced some successes but his big goals remain elusive.