Commentary

A group of five people, dressed in professional attire, sit on chairs on a stage in front of a crowd, with a banner behind them reading “Governor Candidate Forum.” Four of the five people sitting on stage have their hands up to answer the question while a crowd of people watches in the dark.

No clear frontrunner for governor, but new poll names five with the best shot

A poll shows three Democrats and two Republicans have voter support percentages in the teens. The top two vote-getters in June will face off in November.

Dan Walters

A person in medical protective clothing, wearing a face mask and a hair net, pushes a hospital gurney through a hallway inside a hospital, viewed from an open door.

She spent six of her last years in arbitration with her HMO. Her husband’s still fighting the system

Arbitrators in medical disputes are supposed to be unbiased, but this couple suspected there is an incentive to favor HMO’s in arbitration.

By Stephen Martinez

Two people face each other as they speak: the person on the left has a happy expression and her arm to her chest, while the person on the right wears a grey suit jacket and glasses. Both people are standing in a park area on a sunny day. In the background is a fence to a baseball field.

A former political ally tests LA liberals’ allegiance to Mayor Karen Bass

Mayor Karen Bass isn't vulnerable on her right, but she may be on her left, as City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a Democratic Socialist and ex-supporter, runs against her.

Jim Newton

A close-up view of a person's hand holding a sign that reads "We wants answers! No more deaths!" and they stand at the front steps of a building surrounded by other people holding signs.

California promised accountability for inmate deaths in jails. A year later, no results.

Lawmakers passed a law creating a state department to review inmate deaths, but it hasn’t completed a single death review in its first year.

By David Myers

Commentary

A plea to the right and left: tone down the rhetoric

James Gallagher, Republican from Yuba City: Wordsmithing has become anathema. It has been replaced by raw and incendiary language; the stronger the better. Nowhere is this more apparent than the debate over immigration.

Guest Commentary

• August 22, 2019

Commentary

Do ‘red flag’ laws actually save lives?

A new study suggests that California's "red flag" law, allowing weapons to be seized from someone deemed to dangerous, is saving lives, but reaches no firm conclusion.

Dan Walters

• August 22, 2019

Commentary

With a little help from the Legislature, family forest landowners can help reduce wildfire

Tom Martin, American Forest Foundation: California cannot win its fight against wildfires if we do not empower family forest owners with the resources needed to take action. We look forward to the day when our forest conditions let us return prescribed fire safely across the region to increase our forest vitality.

Guest Commentary

• August 21, 2019

Commentary

Deadly force law finally changed

Legislature finally changes long-standing law governing the use of deadly force by police, driven by two egregious cases in Sacramento.

Dan Walters

• August 21, 2019

Commentary

Proposed constitutional amendment would put public health and safety at risk

Dr. J. Douglas Kirk and Mel Levine, University of California: ACA 14 would be disastrous not only for hospitals, but for the entire UC. It would prohibit UC from using contracted workers for a wide range of functions, from increased security for commencement and other special events to occasional landscapers who have specialized skills and equipment.

Guest Commentary

• August 20, 2019

photo illustration of a young person smoking.

Commentary

Every teenager knows vaping is an epidemic. Here’s what the Legislature can do about it

Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, San Luis Obispo Republican: The epidemic of teenage vaping, like those of the past, deserves a robust and comprehensive public policy response. Bipartisan legislation developed in concert with recommendations by health experts is the response our children need and deserve.

Guest Commentary

• August 19, 2019

Commentary

A slow-motion disaster

Rising costs for public employee pensions threaten city services and will require higher taxes.

Dan Walters

• August 19, 2019

Color image of some people voting in some polling booths at a voting station.

Commentary

An election reform: Let voters make clear which candidates they truly dislike

William L. Rukeyser, political commentator: Recognizing the powerful effects of negative feelings, and recognizing that some elections are between two widely unpopular candidates, what can we do to harness those emotions and translate them into more public participation? The answer may be simpler than you think.

Guest Commentary

• August 18, 2019

The California State Capitol on December 3, 2018 in Sacramento, California.

Commentary

Is recession on our horizon?

The factors affecting California's economic future are very volatile, making it difficult to forecast the next recession.

Dan Walters

• August 18, 2019

The RifleGear store in Fountain Valley, CA IMAGE BY Mitch Barrie, Creative Commons

Commentary

To prevent mass shootings, California should rely on science, not rhetoric

Vern Pierson, El Dorado County District Attorney: The media and many politicians appear to see each mass shooter as unique. They are not. Instead, these actors and their narrative should be viewed as pieces of a larger puzzle. Rather than staring at the individual piece trying to understand it, we need to examine its broader context for commonality with other attackers.

Guest Commentary

• August 15, 2019

California Voices

Viewpoints from across California