Posts From James Poulos
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Advancing bill would upend CA religious schools
California legislators could soon wipe out the social and cultural exemptions afforded to state religious schools that they depend upon for their identity. Senate Bill 1146, now moving through committee in the Assembly, “aims to include all colleges and universities
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Middle class squeezed in Bay Area
Driven by shifting economics, demographics, and changing definitions of moderate prosperity, middle class Californians in areas once rife with new arrivals — and dominated by Democratic voters — have begun looking for the residential exits. Statewide struggle Both the Bay Area
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Last CA nuke plant to close
California regulators have made preparations to close Diablo Canyon, the state’s last remaining nuclear power plant, in a move quickly characterized as a turning point in the nation’s approach to energy production and use. “Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced
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Debate over gun-control laws grips CA
A wave of violence, legislation and litigation fueled the latest acrimonious phase of the debate about guns in California. While the issue had risen near the top of the political agenda following shootings that intensified the immigration debate, an apparently close call with
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Trump’s Mexico-baiting roils CA, GOP
Donald Trump’s primary victory in California came along with a big cost to his campaign, as the presumptive Republican nominee’s sustained attacks and insinuations against Mexicans and Mexican-Americans roiled the Golden State and slowed the party’s move to consolidate around him.
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CA opens Affordable Care Act door to unlawful immigrants
State Democrats forged ahead with legislation designed to fill out Covered California’s enrollment ranks with unlawful and undocumented immigrants. Following the state Senate, the Assembly has “passed a measure that would remove a critical barrier to Covered California and allow
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CA GOP shut out of U.S. Senate race
California Republicans emerged from a bruising primary election day without a candidate in the runoff race to replace outgoing Sen. Barbara Boxer — triggering an unprecedented new political calculus in which GOP voters will be courted by the underdog Democrat. “Democratic Orange
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UC system eyes big out-of-state tuition hike
A protracted dispute in California about education funding for the UC system has sharpened over a new bill in Sacramento that would require big new hikes in tuition for out-of-state students. Assembly Bill 1711, introduced by Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, sailed through
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Divided Democrats look to Brown for lessons
Waiting until nearly the last possible moment, Gov. Jerry Brown endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, highlighting both the limits of his room for political maneuver as California’s top Democrat and his quiet prominence as a leader strangely suggestive of the party’s
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Congress conflicts on CA drought
Despite substantial labors on both sides of the aisle, legislators in the House and the Senate alike have failed to agree on a drought relief package for California, deepening a dispute over where water should flow that seems to have
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