As President Donald Trump tries to radically reduce the presence of homeless people on the streets of the District of Columbia, Democrats are grappling with how to respond given their party’s rightward shift on the issue. One of the highest-profile Democrats who has pushed his party in this direction is Gov. Gavin Newsom, who earlier...
Silicon Valley lawmakers want to decriminalize homelessness
As cities across California ban homeless encampments and Gov. Gavin Newsom encourages more sweeps, San Jose lawmakers are standing up against criminalizing homelessness. State Sen. Sasha Perez along with Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, Alex Lee and Matt Haney have co-authored a bill that would make it illegal for cities to prohibit organizations or people from helping...
Apple’s new iOS update could damage polling industry
Despite getting closer than before in 2024, the public polling industry has consistently underestimated support for President Donald Trump, in part due to more people ignoring unwanted calls and texts from pollsters. And polling is unlikely to get a helping hand from Big Tech: A new feature in Apple’s incoming iPhone operating system could make...
Kamala Harris just kicked off the California governor’s race
California Democrats say the governor’s race next year is wide open after former Vice President Kamala Harris announced she will not run. For months, the outstanding question of whether Harris would jump in remained unknown for candidates, lawmakers and observers trying to understand the contours of the race. Now it’s anyone’s guess who’ll land the seat. “I...
Kamala Harris isn’t running for California governor
Former Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Wednesday that she will not run for governor in her home state of California. She hinted at continued involvement in national politics, including helping elect other candidates, and said that “for now” she would not seek elected office. By staying out of the race, she is opening the...
Swing state Democratic strategists aren’t sold on Gavin Newsom
California Gov. Gavin Newsom won over South Carolina’s political heavyweights on his buzzy tour of the state this month. But in swing states, his potential presidential candidacy could be more of a liability, Democratic strategists say. “The thing that the electorate wants right now is authenticity, not necessarily agreement, and that’s what Gavin Newsom is...
Democrats say masked ICE agents could create bigger safety issues
The Trump administration says hiding immigration agents’ identities, including by wearing masks, keeps them safe. But critics say it’s a recipe for confusion that escalates the risk of injury for officers and the public. Armed, plainclothes agents with covered faces are taking on a bigger role in the Trump administration’s efforts to meet a 3,000-a-day...
California lawmakers worry AI will hurt entry-level tech jobs
California lawmakers, whose state is home to the most advanced artificial intelligence developers, are concerned that Congress is not prepared to respond to a job market where AI takes over entry-level jobs in the technology sector. It’s not clear yet how often AI is replacing — or will replace — entry-level jobs, but there are...
New building reforms change pace of San Jose development
San Jose officials are celebrating the rollback of a long-standing environmental law, which has been a hurdle for housing production. Gov. Gavin Newsom on June 30 signed two bills, Senate Bill 131 and Assembly Bill 130, which bring significant reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) — allowing many developments to circumvent an environmental...
Federal government punishes San Jose university but keeps it secret
President Donald Trump had already cut hundreds of millions to Columbia University over antisemitism allegations and put 59 other colleges on notice when word came down to staff that he wanted to punish more campuses. “Can we get something going on Twitter in a short bit?” Senior Policy Strategist May Mailman asked several members of the White...