Jerry Brown’s second governorship unmasked the irreverent iconoclast’s inner traditionalist – LA Times
Sept. 9 , 2018 – By Miriam Pawel. In keeping with tradition, the Sacramento legislative session opened in 1976 with the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast, which proved anything but traditional.
British anthropologist Gregory Bateson delivered the sermon, a parable about a Native American church and its peyote sacrament. A Sufi choir sang. Guests were served yogurt, pineapple and cheese…read more
My turn: Jerry Brown’s judges – CALmatters
Sept. 2,2018 – By Miriam Pawel. Jerry Brown’s first exposure to the complexity of judicial appointments came when the 27-year-old lived in the Governor’s Mansion and studied for the bar in 1965.
Late at night, after Governor Pat Brown went to bed, Jerry would peruse his father’s files. What stood out in the evaluations of prospective judges were the stark discrepancies. A judicial candidate who earned an A rating from Warren Christopher might be a C or D in the eyes of another rater more concerned with political realities than judicial temperament...read more
What Makes California Politics So Special – The New York Times
Aug 18, 2018 – By Miriam Pawel. Democrats and Republicans have held to a bipartisan legacy that offers a starting point to govern a vast, diverse nation-state.
One day last summer, California’s most powerful Democrat stood beside the state’s most famous Republican — a fourth-generation Californian and an Austrian immigrant silhouetted against the San Francisco skyline. They had come together to celebrate a 10-year extension of the state’s signature program to curb greenhouse gas emissions…. read more
The California Primary as Gold Rush Politics – The New York Times
Jun 5, 2018 – By Miriam Pawel. Whatever the outcome of Tuesday’s crowded congressional and statewide contests in California, the results are unlikely to heal a longstanding national schism: Political parties in the Golden State have never played the same role as their counterparts in the East… read more
50 years ago, Cesar Chavez led a crusade to unite and empower farmworkers- LA Times
By Miriam Pawel. On a Thursday night 50 years ago, at the height of the table grape harvest in California’s Central Valley, hundreds of Mexican American farmworkers crowded expectantly into a Delano church hall. Most had worked their usual shifts in the vineyards, and many had stopped off after work at celebrations to mark Mexican Independence Day. The overflow crowd spilled into the church yard, excited and scared, angry and brave…read more
Not just to praise Cesar – LA Times
March 31, 2010 – By Miriam Pawel. Cesar Chavez has been elevated to iconic status without his legacy having been critically examined
Two years ago, a presidential contender touting his roots as a community organizer endorsed the idea of a national holiday to honor a legendary organizer…read more
Farming’s sweet lessons – LA Times
August 12, 2012 –By Miriam Pawel. Deadlines in the orchard are set by nature, not man. A farmer must adapt, not fight. The spark came from a cranky email. Your peaches are lousy, an unhappy eater in Brooklyn wrote, and you should be ashamed of yourself! …read more