Joe Mathews

Donald Trump Is Living in My Closet

My Trump Hasn't Made Any Racist Statements or Told Any Lies—But I Still Don't Know What to Do With Him

I have a confession to make: Donald Trump is imprisoned in my closet.

He’s been in there for months, and I haven’t dared to let him out, for fear that his presence might be discovered. What’s worse, now that he’s president I’ve come to realize that my treatment of Trump does not conform with the Geneva Convention. He’s spent all this time in a tiny, dark space, without proper ventilation. I haven’t even bothered to provide him with food or water.

I’m not a kidnapper or a hostage-taker or a …

By Joe Mathews |

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The Slaves of La La Land—and South Los Angeles

What the Lilting Musical and an Acclaimed Satire Reveal About California’s Dark Heart

By Joe Mathews |

The brilliant new film musical La La Land is being celebrated as a love letter to Los Angeles. But the darker heart of the movie lies in a brief and …

My Hometown’s Rush to Honor Obama Says More About Us Than Him

We're Fawning Over the Outgoing President—But the Feeling Isn't Mutual

By Joe Mathews |

I recently learned that, in the second grade, I was part of presidential history.

Every morning during the 1980-1981 school year, I walked the five blocks between my family’s home in …

Is California Losing Its Ability to Hablar Español?

Our State’s Original Language Is in Decline and It’s Up to California Save It

By Joe Mathews |

How are Californians going to save Spanish?

Yes, I know that a call to preserve the Spanish language might seem ludicrous in a state whose very name comes from a Spanish …

If California Won’t Build Housing on Land, Why Not “Seasteading”?

The Life Aquatic Isn't Just a Fantasy in the Golden State

By Joe Mathews |

The devastating housing shortage in California keeps getting worse. Housing prices won’t stop rising. Why can’t we solve the problem?

Perhaps it’s because all of the proposed solutions—more construction, sprawling construction, …

How Much Can California Ask of Its Rivers?

From Parks to Housing to Economic Renewal, the Golden State’s Former Backwaters Face a Flood of Expectations

By Joe Mathews |

California is finally embracing its rivers. But it may be a choking embrace.

We Californians have long celebrated our coastal splendor and toasted the height and beauty of our mountains. …


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