Investments connected to America's downtowns are nose-diving, explains Heather Gillers in the WSJ, due to post-pandemic remote work influxes keeping people away from offices. Is it time to ditch turgid inclusionary zoning regulations and start converting unused office space to homes?
Read MoreFor those on the Left, political conversations often involve one of two things: raging and shouting down their opponents, or passively accepting other viewpoints without asserting their own. The Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Fellowship—active at five colleges, including Stanford University—has diverse student groups discuss “important topics across political difference.” The Stanford Report analyzes one thing the university's doing right when it comes to diplomatically, but passionately, engaging with others' ideas.
Read MoreGood news for decarceration advocates (including County Supes who think jails are "tired systems that have failed us for generations"). This year's Crime in California report from the DOJ observes the logical conclusion of haphazard local set-them-free policies: Violent crime, property crime, and robbery rates are crescendoing in the Golden State, while overall arrest rates struggle to keep up.
Read MoreWhile many celebrate the recent SCOTUS ruling against race-based school admissions, Cornell Law prof William A. Jacobson cautions advocates to cool their jets—for now. In Legal Insurrection, Jacobson explains six ways local universities (like in the UC/Cal State system) will continue covertly screening applicants for racial diversity.
Read MoreUC Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) club representative Utkarsh Jain shines a light on a weak spot of the local Right: engaging young people. Really, says Jain, it all comes down to creating communities where unique individuals belong, and getting them impassioned, bold, and actionable about their politics. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreWho would've thought that councilmembers' brassy lopsided advocacy for unionized labor workers might be a major city liability? The LA Times analyzes a recent memo from the City of Los Angeles' attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, which implores CMs to stay out of union strikes. Perhaps concern over these legal entanglements explain SJ CMs Ortiz' and Torres' bizarre July 25 presser, in which they squawked at the idea that conflating their personal politics with the City's was false, misleading, and unethical.
Read MoreThis month, soon-incoming sophomore Theo Baker made history when Stanford University president Marc Tessier-Lavigne announced his resignation, largely thanks to Baker himself. Though Internet rumors had long circulated about the prez's research integrity (hello, Photoshop), it was Baker's persistent journalism that paved the way to a damning third-party investigation. An LA Times interview with Baker, below.
Read MorePR-wise, SCC lefties have been in seventh heaven since Ellenberg announced a guaranteed income trial run for homeless high schoolers. But pol science prof Alyssa Battistoni can't help but point out the obvious in Dissent, despite herself supporting universal basic income (UBI) laws: UBI is a compassionate ideology but a not-so-pragmatic idea. Obtaining the funding involves more wealth taxes and/or pulverizing arguably helpful welfare programs.
Read MoreOpp Now sat down with four law and First Amendment experts (from the Bay Area and beyond) to parse a burning question about AB 957: Does considering, in custody decisions, “affirmation of a child's gender identity” part of health and welfare mean that parents' speech is unjustly compelled? Nuanced insights below in this Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreThis May, fentanyl overdose deaths in the Santa Clara County were over 2x up; and anyone walking the streets of SF (or, who are we kidding, DTSJ near city hall) can observe the tragic fallout of unbridled substance abuse. CBS News parses through the data for us, and discusses the County's paltry reduction attempts of—hold your breath—giving free Narcan and anti-fentanyl PSAs.
Read MoreThe CalMatters team parses why, when Texas spends 172% less per unhoused person than California, the Lone Star State has us beat in homelessness rates—which continue to drop as CA's increase (see also SJ's largest-in-13-years homeless population findings). While Texas follows Housing First, they've also banned and regularly clear public encampments; and the lack of zoning codes makes it affordable, and easy, to build permanent shelters.
Read MoreThis April, award-winning athlete Riley Gaines was ambushed and physically assaulted by a San Francisco State mob for daring to voice non-Woke opinions about women's sports. Gaines, speaking at the Silicon Valley's Liberty Forum, unpacks just how far progressive media and power holders go to mask political disagreement—and keep nonconformists in line.
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