News
In February, Texas experienced a freak weather event, a deep freeze that shut down its electrical system, damaged its infrastructure and cost dozens of lives. The storm revealed the lack of preparation and investment by the Texas state government, the flaws of its system of deregulated privately-owned utilities, and the failures of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT. The latter is responsible for maintaining the state’s energy infrastructure.
News
Driving the 25-mile, winding pass known as California Highway 20, you could be excused for missing the weather-worn, wooden sign welcoming you into — and through — Jackson State Demonstration Forest. After all, the towering redwood trees dappling the sunlight over the road and the misty fog that clings to every curve is what most drivers are there for, as they head toward the craggy cliffs of the Mendocino coastline.
Podcast
Political Data Inc., for 30 years the state’s largest provider of voter information to political campaigns, consultants and pollsters, announced last week that they would no longer work with Republican clients. PDI data guru Paul Mitchell joins us to talk about the decision, and what that will mean for the company – and also reacts to the announcement that census data will be coming in later than expected.
News
The first time, she had just one co-author; the second time, a dozen. And now, on her third attempt, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez has convinced nearly half of the California Assembly to co-author her bill to grant collective bargaining rights to rank-and-file Capitol staffers.
Analysis
ANALYSIS: New research released by the nonpartisan California Policy Lab finds that contrary to suggestions about a mass exodus from California, most moves in 2020 happened within the state. Exits from California in 2020 largely mirrored historical patterns, while the biggest statewide change was a decrease in people moving into California.
Podcast
Today’s episode features Delaine Eastin, former Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, two term Superintendent of Public Instruction and now, candidate for California Democratic Party Chair. Eastin joins us to make the case for her campaign, and weighs in on the debate over reopening schools, arguing that it not only needs to happen, it needs to happen as fast as possible.
News
In 2020, the SPLC recorded a total of 72 California-based hate groups, which they cited as promoting anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT, ant-Muslim, White Nationalist, and Neo-Nazi ideology, among others. In the past year, the SPLC has found, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered their traditional organizational strategies, prompting them to make increased outreach efforts through the use of social media platforms.
News
It’s a time-honored habit around the Capitol: Fevered speculation about who may be appointed to fill an empty and important statewide office. Sometimes, the speculation even extends to who is going to be appointed to fill the vacancy left by the first appointment. This time around, it’s all about whom Gov. Gavin Newsom will name as California’s attorney general to fill the vacancy to be left by presumably departing Xavier Becerra.
Podcast
Longtime GOP political strategist Rob Stutzman joins us to talk about the scandal, the fundraising, the effectiveness of The Lincoln Project’s campaigns, and his frustrations with the group.
News
Amid growing calls for women on corporate boards, and headlines about corporate wrongdoing like the sexual harassment scandals at Google, California’s 662 publicly traded companies have added 669 women to their boards in the past two years. This sea change is driven by California Senate Bill 826, which took effect in 2019.
Headquarters of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, (Photo: Cassionhabib, via Shutterstock)
