It’s the good news that California’s political establishment — Democratic politicians and their allies in public-employee labor unions — prefer not to acknowledge. The official line from the establishment is that California’s schools, local governments, and state programs are being financially starved. The drumbeat of impoverishment is clearly aimed at...
How to Beat Trump? Democrats Divided as He Rams Race Onto Ballot
LOS ANGELES — Joe Biden was at a soul food restaurant in Los Angeles on Thursday when he blasted President Donald Trump's "racist" taunts at a rally the night before. "This is about dividing the country," the early Democratic front-runner, who has been criticized for his own handling of race, told...
Costa 'Disappointed' By Soria's Challenge of His House Seat
Esmeralda Soria officially revealed a poorly kept secret — she is running for Congress against fellow Democrat Jim Costa. Soria made the announcement Thursday with a three-minute video on Facebook. “I am humbled by the overwhelming local support, as I stand up and step up for my family and community,"...
Teachers Face Tough Grades as California Rethinks Charter Schools
Heather Williams knew as a kid that she wanted to be a piano teacher. She earned her music degree with a piano emphasis from Brigham Young University and spent decades honing her craft. Today she not only runs her own academy near Sacramento, offering private lessons with a special certification...
Trump Campaign Says It Raised $105 Million in 2nd Quarter
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's reelection campaign says it raised $105 million during the second fundraising quarter. The campaign said Tuesday it has a whopping $100 million in cash on hand. Campaign manager Brad Parscale says the total is "a testament to the overwhelming support" for Trump, who formally announced...
Supreme Court Won't Block Political Districts Drawn for Partisan Gain
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court says federal courts have no role to play in policing political districts drawn for partisan gain. The decision could embolden political line-drawing for partisan gain when state lawmakers undertake the next round of redistricting following the 2020 census. The justices said by a 5-4 vote...
Breakouts, Burns, Zingers: What to Watch in Democrats' Debates
WASHINGTON — Sixty seconds for answers, a television audience of millions and, for some candidates, a first chance to introduce themselves to voters. The back-to-back Democratic presidential debates beginning Wednesday are exercises in competitive sound bites featuring 20 candidates hoping to oust President Donald Trump in 2020. The hopefuls range widely in age, sex...
Trump Says He'd 'Want to Hear' Foreign Dirt on His Rivals
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that if a foreign power offered dirt on his 2020 opponent, he'd be open to accepting it and would have no obligation to call in the FBI. "I think I'd want to hear it," Trump said in an interview with ABC News, adding,...
2020 Preview? Feud Erupts Between Biden, Trump
NEW YORK — Democrats won't pick their nominee for another year, but President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are acting like the 2020 presidential contest is already a two-man race. Almost completely ignoring his 23 Democratic competitors, Biden has been laser-focused on Trump — particularly his embrace of racist...
California Must Reform Charter Schools. Here’s How.
In education circles in California and nationally, the fundamental question is this: How do we ensure all public schools are high quality? In Sacramento, much of the debate focuses on charter schools, as the Legislature considers several related bills related to them. What’s too often lost in the discussion is...