Politics

Passage of the President’s five-year deficit-reduction legislation raises the possibility that we will do what we last did in the early 1930s. We will enact policies that will depress an economy that if anything could use a boost. Fiscal policy is about to tighten significantly in the name of deficit reduction, while monetary policy may … Read more

In a failed political career, Peter Navarro went through many incarnations before ending up a lackey for President Trump. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) Peter Navarro wasn’t always a sad, whiny insurrectionist. There was a time the former White House trade advisor and Trump henchman was all bright, shiny promise. In the early 1990s, running as … Read more

The daughter and son-in-law of Assemblywoman Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) were killed over the weekend in a car crash near Los Angeles International Airport, officials said Monday. Emilia and Michael Wright, both 23, were married this year. They met while students at Loyola Marymount University, where Emilia was due to graduate in December. According to … Read more

President Trump announces Thursday that the United States is withdrawing from the Paris climate accord. (Shawn Thew / EPA) In deciding to pull out of the global climate change accord, President Trump seems to be calculating that he can win the White House the same way twice. His lengthy — and disputed — economic and … Read more

More than a few people in Sacramento call Assemblywoman Diane Martinez (D-Monterey Park) “Miss Congeniality”–a joke about her combative approach, her feuds with legislators of both parties and her take-no-prisoners approach to her job. And, in spite of her incumbency and support of the Democratic leadership, some are predicting that she is going to need … Read more

Sakshi Nanda, a foreign worker in Connecticut, was laid off by a health technology company last month. “I haven’t processed the information yet. I am still in a state of shock,” she said. (Christopher Capozziello / For The Times) Sakshi Nanda has 28 days to find a new job. Nanda is a foreign worker on … Read more

Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris complained Thursday that they did not sign off on three White House nominees for open California seats on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and said they would oppose their confirmation in the Senate. President Trump announced Wednesday evening he had nominated Assistant U.S. Atty. for the Southern District … Read more

Rep. Young Kim onstage during the Concordia annual summit on Sept. 18 in New York City. (John Lamparski / Getty Images) He built his brand on being a roaring archconservative unafraid to take on liberals. He was a pioneer of this new right-wing faction that has become the face of the Republican Party. He was … Read more

Nearly four decades ago, after erecting his eponymous skyscraper on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, Donald Trump would sit behind his rosewood desk and muse about working in an even more powerful office. “These politicians don’t know anything,” he said. “Maybe I should run for president. Wouldn’t that be something?” Barbara Res, a longtime executive in … Read more

A flamboyant former Texas savings and loan owner was charged Wednesday with using the thrift’s money to contribute illegally to powerful politicians and to pay prostitutes. The federal indictment accuses Don R. Dixon of 38 criminal counts in the collapse of Vernon Savings & Loan in tiny Vernon, Tex.–a debacle that could cost taxpayers as … Read more