Posts Tagged: politics

News

‘Indivisible’ makes political presence felt

Members of Indivisible at the Women's March in January 2017. (Photo: Melissa Bender)

It began with a married pair of Democratic staffers in Congress, outraged at the success of the hard-right Tea Party. That vocal GOP off-shoot showed that a disciplined minority could leverage policy, woo voters and bend the party leadership. So Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, stunned by Donald Trump’s electoral victory, founded a group called Indivisible, which 17 months later has developed into a loose-knit national movement.

Analysis

CA120: Political intrigue: BOE’s redistricting and the gas tax

Board of Equalization Chair Jerome Horton chats with colleague Diane Harkey in the Capitol. (Photo: AP/Rich Pedroncelli)

Whether you liked it or not, the state Board of Equalization successfully blocked a gas tax increase.  This saved Californians 4-cents-a-gallon at the pump, but handed Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers a $617 million hole in the state budget. What caused this rather dramatic policy move?  I keep being drawn to the extraordinary events surrounding the 2011 redistricting of the BOE, which has four directly elected members.

Opinion

A case for charitable health care

A hospital patient is monitored during a dialysis session. (Photo: PicsFive, via Shutterstock)

If it becomes law, SB 1156 will harm some of California’s most at-risk residents—low-income, disproportionately minority dialysis and transplant patients who depend on charitable assistance to afford their health care.  More than 67,000 Californians depend on dialysis to stay alive, and many face serious financial hardship as a result of their medical condition.

Podcast

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Alexei Koseff

Alexei Koseff, photo by Tim Foster, Capitol Weekly

Sacramento Bee reporter Alexei Koseff covers California politics and higher education for the Bee’s capitol bureau — and handles the state Assembly, too.  Alexei joined Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster to chat about the challenges facing UC — Alexei is a Stanford alumnus, by the way  — and the unique, constitutionally protected position the institution occupies in California’s educational structure.

News

Reagan, Schwarzenegger … Winfrey?

Oprah Winfrey at a campaign rally for Barack Obama. (Photo: Krista Kennell)

Will she?  Will she really? “She,” of course, is Oprah Winfrey.  And after her thunderous speech at the Golden Globes last week, she’s become the latest California-based celebrity to be touted for high political office.

News

Where are they now? Paul Horcher

Paul V. Horcher during his years as a member of the California Assembly. (Photo: Assembly)

That year, 1994, Assembly Republicans gained their first majority in a quarter century only to have one of their own  — Paul Horcher — break away and vote to keep Willie Brown, a Democrat, in power. It was one of the most amazing moments in the history of the Assembly.

Podcast

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Tom Chorneau

Author Tom Chorneau, left, and CW Editor John Howard in their formal wear. (Photo: Tim Foster, Capitol Weekly)

Longtime journalist Tom Chorneau joins us to talk about his debut novel, Enterprise Reporting, which follows one of the state’s top political reporters and his lobbyist uncle as they game the system during Arnold Schwarzenegger’s reign as California governor. Of course, it’s all fiction — wink, wink — but the characters are eerily familiar.

Podcast

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data, Inc. (Photo: Tim Foster

Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster take the Podcast over to their home away from home — Naked Coffee — for a chat with data whiz and CA120 columnist Paul Mitchell. Paul expands on the ideas in his latest column, breaks down California’s vote in 2016 (now that the final numbers are in) and offers his thoughts on what’s in store for 2018 and beyond.

News

Politico sets sights on Sacramento

A screen-capture image from Politico's Twitter feed.

Politico, a Washington, D.C.-based news outlet, plans to expand its California presence by adding 34 full-time employees by the end of next year and an additional seven by 2020, according to state business officials.

Podcast

Capitol Weekly podcast

Cardboard cutouts at the state Democratic Convention. (Photo: Capitol Weekly)

Capitol Weekly’s John Howard and Tim Foster chat about California politics, including the state Democratic Party’s convention, forgotten assets, the possible end of Daylight Savings Time and more.

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