California politics commentary for Politico.
David Siders on KCRW
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What could CA’s impact be at Democratic National Convention?
Election 2024California sent the largest delegation of any state to the Democratic National Convention, where local officials aim to build support for CA native Kamala Harris.
How deep does the 'Deep State' go?
PoliticsIn the midst of election season, conversations revolving around the levers of power become more frequent, and in the case of a U.S.
The CIA: The world’s first secret empire
PoliticsThe CIA’s destructive role in world politics since the end of World War II as a secret rogue spy agency controlled by unelected intelligence officers has become so ubiquitous that it…
New AI laws, San Francisco politics, ‘Entitlement’ novel
InternationalThe U.S. says Israel was behind this week’s remote detonations of Hezbollah’s communication devices. How was the operation pulled off?
Prop 4: Here’s what’s in California’s $10B climate bond measure
Climate changeTen billion dollars doesn’t go far when it comes to adapting to climate change, but the state has a lot of projects planned, should this bond measure pass.
Criminal justice reform hits a backlash this election season
Election 2024Four years after protesters called to defund the police, voters worried about crime are poised to toss out a reformer D.A. and pass a tough-on-crime bill.
Dying harms the planet. So CA legalized human composting
ScienceBody disposition can have a major environmental impact. That’s partly why 12 states and counting have legalized human composting in the past five years.
Zyndemic! How SoCal is handling the nicotine tin shortage
CaliforniaThe tobacco-free nicotine pouch Zyn has been in short supply all summer. How did flavored pouches become the hottest nic fix?
Will lowest-paid CA workers get a raise? Voters to decide
Business & EconomyVoters will have the chance to raise the state minimum wage to $18 with Prop 32. Wages are usually a hot topic in the state, but campaign spending is low.