politics

A ‘Peculiar Mix of Ego and Insecurity’ Drives the Race for L.A. Mayor

To Lead a City of Imported Stars, You’ve Got to Make It in Sacramento or Washington First

A ‘Peculiar Mix of Ego and Insecurity’ Drives the Race for L.A. Mayor | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Why does Los Angeles trust Sacramento and Washington more than it trusts itself?

Angelenos may complain about state and national government like other Californians, but we also have a practice of using Sacramento and D.C. as training grounds for our local politicians. Only after they’ve proven themselves in the state legislature or Congress (or really, anywhere but here) do we feel comfortable elevating them to higher office.

The habit is holding this year, as Los Angeles chooses a new mayor and fills other top elected jobs amidst a continuing pandemic emergency and …

by Joe Mathews |

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The California Post That Might Need a Republican

A Controller From the Minority Party Could Provide a Crucial Check on a State Government Suffering from Political Monoculture

by Joe Mathews |

Question: In the exclusively Democratic constellation of California statewide officials, how many places are there where a Republican star might fit?

Answer:  One.

Maybe.

That singular spot is the State Controller’s Office. If …

What If Everyday People Ran Los Angeles?

The Solution to America’s Representation Crisis Should Start in the County with the Nation’s Biggest Democratic Deficit

by Joe Mathews |

If the crisis in American democracy had a capital, it would be Los Angeles.

And if American democracy is going to be saved, that rescue needs to start in Southern California.

This …

Why Social Distance Can Be Good for Democracy | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Why Social Distance Can Be Good for Democracy

Making Space to Reflect on Others’ Beliefs and Our Own Makes Us Better Citizens

by ROBERT B. TALISSE |

I wrote my new book in lockdown from a socially distanced corner of my home. That might seem an odd perch from which to write about citizenship, but it taught …

The Secret to Making Democracy More Civil and Less Polarized | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

The Secret to Making Democracy More Civil and Less Polarized

When Citizens Get to Decide Big Questions for Themselves, They Act More Responsibly Than Their Politicians

by Matt Qvortrup |

“When you take responsibility away from people you make them irresponsible,” proclaimed English politician Sir Keith Joseph almost half a century ago.

Sir Keith might not be a household name outside …

This Period of Crisis Can Help Lead Us ‘Closer to the Good’ | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

This Period of Crisis Can Help Lead Us ‘Closer to the Good’

From Studying Ancient Wisdom to Learning From Modern Emergencies, We Have the Tools to Be Better 

by Jackie Mansky |

The final Zócalo/University of Toronto The World We Want event, “Can We Still Find the Good in the World?,” delved into a wide-ranging discussion of what finding the good in …


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