California Democrats slammed President Donald Trump over the weekend following his decision to launch a military attack on Iran on Saturday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said that Trump’s explanations for the assault amounted to a “manufactured crisis,” and that while Iran’s leadership “must go,” Trump is waging an “illegal, dangerous war.”
Some Democrats looking to succeed Newsom also sounded off: U.S. Rep Eric Swalwell said Congress must answer “hell no” if asked for permission to go to war, and Tom Steyer wrote that Trump has “no respect” for human life.
The airstrikes, carried out in coordination with Israel, killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country since 1989. More than 40 Iranian political and military leaders were killed, Trump said Sunday. Iran state media reported that an airstrike killed more than 150 children at a girls’ school. Three American troops were killed in the conflict. Meanwhile, at least nine Israelis have been killed in retaliatory strikes from Iran.
Trump said more U.S. servicemember deaths are likely.
The president signaled the conflict could last four weeks to achieve “peace throughout the Middle East,” but also indicated that he’s again open to negotiations with the Iranian government.
On Sunday Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna said that “Khamenei was a brutal dictator, but Americans are not safer today.” It was a sentiment U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff of California echoed, adding that Iran “posed no imminent threat of attack.”
Congressional Democrats, as well as a few Republicans, are pushing for a vote early this week on whether to end the U.S. bombing of Iran. The president can veto Congress’ decision.
Trump has called for regime change in Iran, urging Iranians to “take over your government,” once the strikes end. But U.S.-led efforts to overthrow governments and encourage popular uprisings have a multi-decade history of bloodshed and frequent failure. Ten years ago, Trump said the U.S. should “abandon” regime-change efforts.
Californians, meanwhile, appear split about the military conflict. As hundreds of anti-war demonstrators rallied in San Francisco on Saturday, some Iranian-Americans supported the move, and in Los Angeles, celebrations broke out.
Schiff on Sunday said he supports Iranians following the killing of Khamenei, but that if they “rise up,” the U.S. “cannot fight this war for you.”
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The debate over CA’s gas tax study bill
Republican state lawmakers are railing against a bill that would establish a study about charging drivers based on miles driven as a possible alternative to California’s gas tax. But the proposal has the backing of a bipartisan coalition and some rural GOP officials who argue that their regions are in dire need of road repair funding, writes CalMatters’ Yue Stella Yu.
The bill would direct the California Transportation Commission to summarize research on how to charge drivers by how much they use the road instead of how much gas they use. The proposal follows a report last year by the commission, which concluded that the state could fall $216 billion short of what it needs to maintain roads over the next decade.
GOP legislators say the bill is a ploy by Democrats to hike taxes on drivers. But some local policymakers, such as Republican Madera County Supervisor Robert Poythress, say declining gas tax revenue has already led to delayed road projects and exploring alternatives is needed.
Combatting measles; enrolling for health coverage
Let’s dive into some health news:
- Measles outbreak: Seven California counties have reported a total of 21 measles cases this year so far, including outbreaks in Shasta and Riverside counties. Measles is the most contagious vaccine-preventable viral infection in the world and combatting it has been time-intensive and expensive for health departments. L.A. County, for example, estimated that its first three measles cases this year cost $231,000. The outbreaks are occurring during a time when the Trump administration has slashed public health funding, which has led to closed clinics, laid off workers and terminated programs in California. Read more from CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang.
- Covered California enrollment: Enrollment in the state’s private health insurance marketplace dropped by 2.7% compared to last year — a relatively steady rate despite the expiration of federal subsidies. But to afford staying insured, more enrollees have also opted for lower-tiered plans. These plans have lower monthly premium costs but higher deductibles and copays, which can discourage people from seeking care, experts say. Read more from CalMatters’ Ana B. Ibarra.
And lastly: Congress probes data brokers
A joint congressional committee on Friday reported that the mishandling of personal information by data brokers has cost American consumers more than $21 billion. The finding follows an August investigation by CalMatters and The Markup examining how data brokers make it harder for consumers to request that their data be deleted. Read more from CalMatters’ Colin Lecher.
California Voices
The parole process for California’s elderly prison population aims to reduce overcrowding, but automatically reopening cases based on age and time served retraumatizes victims’ families, writes Jenn Carson, violence prevention specialist.
Scenes from the country’s dark chapter of Japanese internment are back today, as immigrants who have deep roots in this country, including U.S. citizens, are imprisoned and deported without due process, writes Evelyn Iritani, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author.
Other things worth your time:
Feds kick off analysis of expanding offshore drilling in CA // The San Diego Union-Tribune
In CA, about the only way to get a house is to inherit one // The Wall Street Journal
The Colorado River is nearing collapse. It’s Trump’s problem now // Grist
An oil refinery defined life in this quaint CA city. What happens when it’s gone? // The Guardian
What to know about the clash between the Pentagon and Anthropic over military’s AI use // AP News
LAUSD Superintendent Carvalho on administrative leave after FBI raid // EdSource
Surveillance company Flock generates controversy — and a roster of LA clients // Los Angeles Times
CA legislators, on both sides of the aisle, call for federal wildfire disaster aid for Southern CA // The Orange County Register