In summary
Highlighting all of CALmatters’ work over the past week
Recent Articles
A disrupter from day one: How Kevin de León became the Democrat trying to topple Dianne Feinstein
By Laurel Rosenhall
Perhaps nothing Kevin de León has done is more polarizing than his challenge to 26-year incumbent Dianne Feinstein in the 2018 California Senate race.
Dianne Feinstein seeks sixth term: How her Washington virtues became California vulnerabilities
By Marc Sandalow
The very qualities that lead some in California to eye Feinstein as vulnerable—her political moderation, her non-confrontational temperament and her age—are viewed by many in Washington as assets.
California’s test scores are so stagnant, it could take a generation to close the achievement gap
By Ricardo Cano
California public school test scores are improving, but so slowly that it could take decades to close the achievement gap.
Gimme Shelter podcast: The crossover with “L.A. Podcast”
By Matt Levin
A first of its kind for Gimme Shelter: A crossover episode! Matt and Liam join comedy writer and all around smart guy Hayes Davenport, Curbed editor Alissa Walker, and housing guru Scott Frazier of L.A. Podcast to talk about the intersection of state and local housing policy in L.A.
Jerry Brown paddles left, paddles right on #MeToo laws
By Laurel Rosenhall
He sided with victims’ advocates in some cases, signing bills that put California at the forefront of clamping down on harassment. In other cases he sided with employers, vetoing bills they said were too onerous.
CALQUIZ: An angry mailer, a lost endorsement and bad math scores
By Trevor Eischen
On this week’s CALQuiz, a Republican retaliates against his local newspaper, a Democratic candidate for Congress loses a labor endorsement, and California students struggle with arithmetic.
Commentary
My turn: What I’ll tell Congress about CA’s new privacy law
Guest Commentary
California new consumer privacy act should be the baseline for any federal law. The rights of California consumers not only must be protected but expanded to other consumers in our country and around the globe. That’s what I will tell the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation when I testify on Wednesday.
Changing election rules to change election results
By Dan Walters
Once again, Legislature fiddles with election laws to affect the outcome of contests.
How Dianne Feinstein handled Christine Blasey Ford’s letter
Guest Commentary
James W. Rushford: Dianne Feinstein’s handling of the letter from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford alleging that Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were in high school was such that Republicans cannot allow her to retain her seat. I will vote for Kevin de León for U.S. Senate, and I hope other California Republicans will agree. Laura Friedman: If we really want to encourage victims to come forward, we must create processes that reduce their trauma and place them in a position of control. Shouldn’t it be up to victims to decide if and when to tell their story?
Brown paddles his canoe on left, then right
By Dan Walters
Jerry Brown once espoused a “canoe theory” about politics, paddling left and then right, and practiced in decreeing the fate of more than 1,000 bills during the 16th and final year of his two-part governorship.
My turn: Federal proposal threatens CA’s progress reducing teen pregnancy
Guest Commentary
A federal proposal threatens California’s gains in reducing teen pregnancy. Our elected leaders must step up and keep pushing forward to ensure that all Californians, no matter their age, race, income, their immigration status or their insurance status, will have an equal opportunity to plan their families, achieve their dreams and build a better future for all.
Misleading title hamstrings gas-tax repeal measure
By Dan Walters
Although most California voters appear to oppose new gas taxes and car fees, a misleading title on a ballot measure to repeal them could doom its passage.
My turn: CA’s transportation is broken. The next governor can fix it
Guest Commentary
California has the potential to create radically different—and vastly better—transportation that will be less expensive for travelers, less costly to taxpayers, less polluting, and less energy- and land-intensive while providing far greater mobility. The next governor will be key to that future.
California schools face bleak financial future
By Dan Walters
A new report says California schools face a number of negative economic factors.
Resistance State
Judge rules Huntington Beach doesn’t need to obey ‘sanctuary law’
By David Gorn
An Orange County Superior Court judge has ruled that California’s “sanctuary law” conflicts with Huntington Beach’s rights as a charter city, throwing some protections for undocumented immigrants into question in 120 cities throughout the state.
CALmatters Blogs
Majority Report: Milk, Marijuana, and Kool-Aid Edition
By Ben Christopher
In California congressional campaign news: fresh polls, a sexual harassment allegation is chalked up to a misunderstanding, and Devin Nunes buzzes the Fresno Bee. Here’s a quick recap of what happened this week across California’s 53 congressional districts.
Proposition 12: What to know about the animal cage measure, in under a minute
By Byrhonda Lyons
On the November ballot, Californians will vote on Proposition 12, a measure to give farm chickens, pigs, and calves a little bit more space. We take you through it in less than 60 seconds via this video.
Proposition 10: What to know about the rent control measure, in under a minute
By Byrhonda Lyons
Also on the ballot—Proposition 10, a measure to bring back rent control. Learn about it in our one-minute explainer video.
Democrat Katie Porter’s opposition to gas tax costs her labor endorsement
By Dan Morain
Orange County Democrat Katie Porter, challenging GOP Rep. Mimi Walters in a hotly contested races, lost the laborers’ union endorsement over her opposition to California’s gas tax hike.
Also on the November ballot? Lots and lots of school bonds
By Ricardo Cano
One of the biggest items on the November ballot will be mostly invisible to most voters—100 or more local proposals to sell bonds for school construction projects that, if passed, could total more than $12 billion in local borrowing in coming years.