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Presented by Our Health California: Jeremy B. White’s must-read briefing on politics and government in the Golden State | | | | | |  | | By Jeremy B. White, Graph Massara and Isabella Bloom | Presented by Our Health California | THE BUZZ — BACK AT YOU: Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to give Texas a taste of its own medicine. Newsom will work with the Legislature to enact in California a version of Texas’ restrictive new abortion law, which private citizens can enforce via lawsuit. The key difference: Rather than targeting abortion providers, Newsom wants to empower Californians to go after “anyone who manufactures, distributes or sells” assault weapons or untraceable ‘ghost gun’ kits. “If the most efficient way to keep these devastating weapons off our streets is to add the threat of private lawsuits,” Newsom said in a statement, “we should do just that." The Democratic governor situated his decision squarely in the context of Texas’ ‘abortion bounty’ law. Newsom said he was “outraged” by the high court deciding to let Texas’ law stand pending an ongoing legal challenge, and he vowed that California would respond in kind: “If states can now shield their laws from review by the federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army knives,” he said, “then California will use that authority to protect people’s lives, where Texas used it to put women in harm’s way.” We’ll see about the proposed bill’s political prospects — it’s always tougher to pass ambitious legislation in an election year when vulnerable lawmakers are sweating campaigns, a dynamic that could be exacerbated in 2022 by the churn of redistricting — and about its constitutional viability, should it become law. But as a political provocation and a statement of what Newsom has long held up as California’s values, the governor’s message is clear. California voters’ broad embrace of abortion rights and gun control are well-established. Newsom’s reference to Swiss Army Knives is a clear swipe at a federal judge who likened assault weapons to these popular tools in striking down California’s assault weapons ban, leading Newsom to denounce the judge as a “wholly-owned subsidiary of the gun lobby and the National Rifle Association.” Newsom has been happy to leap into battle with the N.R.A. and allies throughout his political career — the type of stance that still resonates with most of California’s electorate but contrasts with Texas’ famously lax gun laws. And with abortion rights likely to animate the midterms, Newsom is working to elevate that contrast. The Legislature is already set to pursue laws to help California welcome abortion patients from outside the state, particularly following recommendations to that end from Newsom’s Future of Abortion Council. Newsom himself has vowed to make California “ a sanctuary” — a choice of words that, naturally, echoes another long-running source of border-state conflict. Democratic House candidates are running on the issue by denouncing Republican incumbents as would-be destroyers of Roe v. Wade. And Vice President Kamala Harris is warning “women will die” if the high court guts Roe. Newsom loves to compare California favorably to Texas (and Florida), and he’s spoiling for a fight with blue California’s longstanding red rival. We’ll see if it pays political dividends. BUENOS DÍAS, good Monday morning. The Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee is holding an oversight hearing today on regulating California’s substance abuse treatment industry. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit jwhite@politico.com or follow me on Twitter @jeremybwhite. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The fact that I have to prove I don’t have tattoos on my upper body, disrobe, quite frankly is a little humiliating.” L.A. sheriff candidate Cecil Rhambo on an already-messy campaign, via the LA Times. TWEET OF THE DAY: Political data guru @paulmitche11 defends the messy work of independent redistricting: “I’m praying for some fixes, often cringe and see shortcomings, but there’s no rational basis to suggest that having elected officials draw their own lines is better than @WeDrawTheLines and other independent commission process. I will debate anyone on that!” WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. | | A message from Our Health California: Every person deserves access to high-quality, affordable health care when they need it.
Our Health California, a grassroots advocacy community with more than 1 million supporters, is dedicated to advancing access to health care in every corner of our state. We speak out to build healthier communities and ensure equitable care for all.
Our Health California is sponsored by hospitals, health systems, and the California Hospital Association. Learn more. | | | |  | TOP TALKERS | | — He was hired to fix California schools — while running a business in Philadelphia, by POLITICO’s Mackenzie Mays: Daniel Lee, a psychologist, life coach and self-help author, owns a Pennsylvania-based psychology firm and is the president of the New Jersey Psychological Association’s executive board. He has also been serving as a deputy superintendent for the California Department of Education since July 2020, a role dedicated to the success of children of color that was originally backed by a foundation grant but is now funded by state taxpayers. STICKING AROUND — “ Pelosi will stay around to lead House Democrats through the next election -- and perhaps beyond,” by CNN’s Edward-Isaac Dovere: “She is planning to file and run for reelection in her San Francisco district next year -- at least for now -- in keeping with her pattern of deciding about staying in Congress after the elections, when she likely will have won an 18th full term.” STAR SOLUTIONS — ‘Does Kamala Harris Have Some Challenges Right Now? You Bet She Does.’ Here’s the Fix, via POLITICO Magazine: Harris’ approval numbers have been in steady decline since Inauguration; she has a lower net favorability rating than any of the last four vice presidents. Reports have painted her office as dysfunctional, and several top staff members have left in recent weeks. MUSK’S MORAL OBLIGATION? — “ Elon Musk’s Latest Innovation: Troll Philanthropy,” by The NYT’s Nicholas Kulish: “Before this year, one estimate put his giving at $100 million, a lot by almost any standard, except for multibillionaires like Mr. Musk. Most wealthy people do the opposite. They use philanthropy to burnish their image or distract the public from the business practices that earned them their enormous wealth in the first place.” GET READY TO CRY — “ Century-old bungalow with a prime location in one of Silicon Valley's wealthiest enclaves: Guess the sale price,” by the SF Chronicle's Annie Vainshtein. | | | | JOIN TUESDAY FOR A WOMEN RULE 2021 REWIND AND A LOOK AHEAD AT 2022: Congress is sprinting to get through a lengthy and challenging legislative to-do list before the end of the year that has major implications for women’s rights. Join Women Rule editor Elizabeth Ralph and POLITICO journalists Laura Barrón-López, Eleanor Mueller, Elena Schneider and Elana Schor for a virtual roundtable that will explore the biggest legislative and policy shifts in 2021 affecting women and what lies ahead in 2022. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR | | ANOTHER ONE — Medina will not run for reelection, by POLITICO’s Jeremy B. White: Approaching term limits and a redistricting process that is nearing its conclusion have combined to spur an unprecedented exodus of incumbent state lawmakers. Medina joins a long list of assemblymembers who are running for another office, not running for reelection or who have secured appointments to other posts. — San Diego student asks SCOTUS to block school vaccine mandate , by POLITICO’s Susannah Luthi: An anonymous San Diego student and her parents are seeking an emergency freeze from the U.S. Supreme Court on San Diego Unified School District’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate, urging the need for a religious exemption. STATE SURPLUS — "Democrats want to spend California’s surplus on infrastructure. What about rebate checks? " by The Sac Bee's Sophia Bollag and Lara Korte: "The state expects to have so much money it risks exceeding a state spending threshold called the Gann Limit. If it does, it must send more money to schools and some money back to taxpayers through rebates. Top Democratic lawmakers who control the budget process in Sacramento said they intend to reduce the amount they exceed the limit in part by spending a big chunk of the projected surplus on infrastructure." GROWING BAKERSFIELD — In Bakersfield, Many Find a California They Can Afford, by The NYT’s Jill Cowan: “Known for both oil and agriculture, the “Texas of California” rises in population as city dwellers seek backyards and shorter commutes.” BACKING UP — “Southern California’s Container-Ship Backlog Moves Farther Out to Sea,” by The Wall Street Journal’s Paul Berger: “The ships are complying with a voluntary system set up last month by maritime officials because of fears the ports can’t safely accommodate the crush of waiting vessels as winter weather sweeps in with strong winds and rough seas.” — “That Big Office Building? It’s an E-Commerce Warehouse Now,” by The Wall Street Journal’s Chip Cutter and Konrad Putzier: “More companies are making remote work permanent, forcing developers to convert old office buildings into warehouses, apartments and other uses.” ‘PRICE GOUGING’ — “Column: Leaked SoCal hospital records reveal huge, automated markups for healthcare,” by the LA Times’ David Lazarus: “Ridiculous, seemingly arbitrary price markups are a defining characteristic of the $4-trillion U.S. healthcare system — and a key reason Americans pay more for treatment than anyone else in the world.” — “Who should pay to fix California’s sunken canals?” by High Country News’ Theo Whitcomb: “If the agencies in charge of the canals don’t fix them, water deliveries to thousands of farms and some cities across the valley’s $25 billion agricultural economy will continue to be affected, impacting everyone from farm owners to low-wage farmworkers. But repairs are complicated and expensive.” LUCRATIVE MARKETPLACE — “Where does stolen Bay Area merchandise go? The answer points to why retail crime is surging,” by the SF Chronicle’s Carolyn Said: “Once they might have peddled the stolen items out of the back of a van, at a flea market or to a pawnshop for a fraction of their retail prices. But nowadays they are more likely to go online. The internet provides a slew of digital marketplaces where anonymity is guaranteed and prices are up to 80% of retail.” FIREFIGHTER FORCE — "California would hire more than 1,000 more firefighters under state senator’s proposal," by The Sac Bee's Wes Venteicher: "Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said Friday that the legislation would set new per-engine minimums at Cal Fire and would launch a staffing study to help prepare the department for fire conditions that are projected to keep getting worse in the years ahead. At a cost of $214 million, McGuire called the proposal a 'critical first investment.'" | | | | A message from Our Health California:   | | | | | BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL | | — “One year in, Kamala Harris says she won’t be distracted by ‘ridiculous’ headlines,” by the SF Chronicle’s Tal Kopan: “As Vice President Kamala Harris was about to convene the first White House Day of Action on Maternal Health last week, the internet was obsessing over her distrust of Bluetooth headphones. … For Harris and her team, it typified what they see as a media focus on the frivolous over the substantive during her first year in office.” — McCarthy’s proxy voting opposition could reshape the House , by POLITICO’s Olivia Beavers and Katherine Tully-McManus: “The Supreme Court will decide as soon as Friday whether to take up the lawsuit that Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans filed against a measure allowing proxy voting in the House.” HARRIS' MIGRATION PLAN — "Kamala Harris to announce new private investments aimed at slowing Central American migration ," by the LA Times' Noah Bierman: "President Biden asked Harris in March to help curb migration from the region by addressing the so-called root causes, which include poverty, corruption, crime and natural disasters. Since then, the number of people stopped by officials near the border has hit record highs." | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | — “Robberies. Drought. Tent Camps. Los Angeles’s Next Mayor Faces a Litany of Crises,” by The NYT’s Shawn Hubler and Jill Cowan: “As the nation’s second-most-populated city struggles to emerge from the wreckage of the pandemic, a pileup of crises is confronting Los Angeles — and those who hope to become its next mayor next year.” — “Arambula Eyeing Congressional Run Following Nunes Exit. Other Moves Afoot,” by GV Wire’s David Taub. | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | SILICON VALLEYLAND | | REGULATING TECH — “Congress, Far From ‘a Series of Tubes,’ Is Still Nowhere Near Reining In Tech,” by The NYT’s Cecilia Kang: “Without the distractions of bizarre questions, what’s left is the naked reality that the parties are deeply at odds over how to protect consumers and encourage businesses. Dozens of bills to strengthen privacy, encourage competition and quell misinformation have stalled because of a basic disagreement over the hand of government on businesses.” BLOCKED AND BANNED — “Uber blocks transgender drivers from signing up: ‘They didn’t believe me,’ ” by the LA Times’ Suhauna Hussain: "Uber at times has blocked transgender and nonbinary people from driver and delivery jobs by treating their documents as fraudulent, suspending their accounts and failing to rectify the situation, according to interviews with half a dozen drivers and documentation provided by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California." | | HOLLYWOODLAND | | DUAL WINS — “Ex-Los Angeles Laker Andre Ingram Wins Big In ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Appearance,” by Deadline’s Bruce Haring: “There were two big winners for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. While the NBA basketball team was pounding the Oklahoma City Thunder, beating them 116-95, former Lakers guard and current South Bay Lakers player Andre Ingram was a cash winner on the syndicated game show Wheel of Fortune.” | | MEDIA MATTERS | | — Mackenzie Mays is leaving us, heading from POLITICO to the LA Times’ Capitol bureau. We will miss her indefatigable education reporting. | | MIXTAPE | | — “See 11 major new housing projects that will redefine life in Sacramento’s central city,” by The Sac Bee’s Ryan Lillis. — “ Giant Forest to reopen months after fires threatened sequoias,” by the LA Times’ Hayley Smith. — “Pedestrian hit, killed by driver on I-5 freeway,” via City News Service. — “ SantaCon Returns to San Francisco,” via NBC Bay Area. | | IN MEMORIAM | | — “Rose King, mental health advocate and trailblazing California Democrat, dies at 83,” by The Sac Bee’s Gillian Brassil. — “ Don Asmussen, longtime Chronicle cartoonist, dies,” via the SF Chronicle. ALSO … “Cartoonist Don Asmussen’s obituary, in his own words,” published posthumously in the SF Chronicle. —“ Vicente Fernández, a Mexican musical icon for generations, dies at 81,” by the LA Times’ Jesse Katz. | | BIRTHDAYS | | Google’s Conor Chrisom and Riva Sciuto … Rep. Anna Eshoo … Todd S. Purdum … Alexandra Seymour SUNDAY: Google’s Jose Castaneda and Nick Pearson … Irving Azoff … Katy Bachman … Kartik Das SATURDAY: NYT’s Kara Swisher … WaPo’s Elizabeth Dwoskin … Peter True … Megan Capiak | | A message from Our Health California: Access to quality health care is a right and not a privilege for some – a service for all.
Our Health California, a grassroots advocacy community of more than 1 million people, is dedicated to building a healthier society. We champion equitable access to affordable, high-quality health care because every Californian deserves to get the care they need, when they need it.
Our Health California connects health care supporters and patients to their state and federal lawmakers. Working together, as one powerful voice, we advance care in every community – including health to behavioral health – because patients across the Golden State deserve access to greater control of their health and their future.
Our work is supported by our state's hospitals, health systems, and the California Hospital Association.
Visit ourhealthcalifornia.org to learn more about issues Our Health California supports. | | | CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this -only service offers, click here. Want to make an impact? POLITICO California has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Golden State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |  |
