THE BUZZ — CODE BLUE: The California Legislature just reminded us why single-payer health care continues to elude the left. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better laboratory for progressive policy than California: Democrats wield two-thirds-plus margins in the Legislature and control every state office. The party’s hegemony here has allowed Sacramento to achieve a long series of liberal victories. But it’s been a different story for one health policy goal that has animated Democratic presidential campaigns and enthralled the progressive wings of both the California Democratic Party and its national counterpart. This was supposed to be the year California progressives got closer. Assemblymember Ash Kalra spent months working with Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon on crafting a viable bill and a companion funding measure that would have generated revenue with an array of tax increases. While finding the votes to pay for it looked untenable in an election year and the proposed tax hikes drew a barrage of Republican attacks, single-payer supporters felt confident that the policy vessel could at least clear the Assembly floor. Even with four Democratic seats vacant, Kalra could’ve lost 15 members and still have had enough to keep the bill moving. So much for that. In the end, Kalra didn’t evenput his measure up for a vote, citing “heavy opposition and substantial misinformation.” In an echo of the schisms that yawned open in 2017, recriminations soon followed: Rendon expressed frustration in Kalra not calling the vote, saying in a statement that he was “deeply disappointed that the author did not bring this bill up for a vote today.” The California Nurses Association, long single-payer’s most prominent institutional supporter, excoriated Kalra in a statement as having “providing cover for those who would have been forced to go on the record” — a possible reference to moderate Democrats’ fears that their vote could cost them party support . Kalra told seething progressives on a call afterwards that the bill would have failed by double digits, and argued a futile vote would only have “alienated” colleagues he hopes to sway in the next round. THE BIGGER PICTURE: The chance of single-payer becoming operative law this year was vanishingly tiny. Not only would legislators have needed to muster two-thirds votes to hike taxes, they would have had to put a constitutional amendment doing so before voters — a campaign that would surely have brought concentrated opposition from business and medical interests. Gov. Gavin Newsom pointedly sidestepped questions about the bill, saying he’d take the methodical approach of studying the issue and seeking federal permission. But you can still distill a larger lesson out of this episode. This was an opportunity for California Democrats to demonstrate an ability to make concrete progress on a central issue for their party’s base. That they could not speaks to the enormous political obstacles involved in overhauling our deeply entrenched private insurance-based health care system — in the Golden State and beyond. WHAT ELSE? Single-payer wasn’t the only bill to perish without an Assembly floor vote. The same applied for an effort to reduce Ellis Act evictions — underscoring again that California liberals don’t get all they ask for, particularly when the state’s powerful real estate lobby is involved. Conversely, legislation creating a fast food industry regulator, a labor priority, advanced with the absolute minimum margin. BUENOS DÍAS, good Tuesday morning. Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate! Jeremy is a rabbit who likes to think of himself as a big cat at heart — either way, he folds dumplings like a creature without opposable thumbs. State lawmakers will discuss potential changes in the Year of the Tiger today as Elections Committee chairs hold their final informational hearing on overhauling California’s recall process, featuring Secretary of State Shirley Weber. Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit jwhite@politico.com or follow me on Twitter @jeremybwhite. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Magic was kind enough and generous enough to ask me for a photograph and in my left hand is the mask and I took a photo. The rest of the time, I wore it, as we all should. Not when I had a glass of water … I was trying to be gracious and I made a mis– you know, I mean, I was trying to be gracious and I took the mask off for a brief second.” Gov. Gavin Newsom stops a syllable short of admitting error for a maskless photo with Magic Johnson at SoFi stadium, contravening L.A. health rules. BONUS QOTD: “He hasn’t shown up … An HHS secretary has so much authority and power to help. And we have no evidence that any of it is being exerted.” Scripps Research Translational Institute Director Eric Topol on Xavier Becerra’s woes, via WaPo. TWEET OF THE DAY: Reporter @awalkerinLA: “California legislators once again taking the super out of supermajority” WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.
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