Politics

After decades on the political sidelines, liberalism is making a comeback. Polls show plunging support for Republicans and their brand of conservatism among young, independent voters and Latinos. But what kind of liberalism is emerging as the dominant voice in the Democratic Party? Well, it isn’t your father’s liberalism, the ideology that defended the interests … Read more

“Will that be turkey on rye? You want lettuce and tomato?” Patricia Ireland, head of the nation’s best-known women’s organization, laughs as she takes a visitor’s lunch order. “Can you tell I’ve waited on a lot of tables in my time?” She’s also been a flight attendant–back when they were called stewardesses and they “really … Read more

It appeared to be a classic example of indirect politics–giving to a minor party candidate to drain votes away from a major contender. A group of more than 40 contributors, many of them members of orthodox Jewish congregations in Los Angeles, gave $120,000 in the last two weeks of the campaign to an American Independent … Read more

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), a leading advocate of campaign finance reform and a potential presidential contender, received $10,000 in donations through controversial Democratic backer Johnny Chien Chuen Chung last year after his Senate office helped the entrepreneur arrange a high-level meeting at the Securities and Exchange Commission, The Times has learned. Kerry campaign aides … Read more

In William Velasquez’s mind, America’s future is one in which senators and presidents cannot afford to ignore Latino voters. Instead of token appeals on the campaign trail, candidates will have to address issues of importance to one of the fastest-growing minority groups or face defeat at the polls. For now, Velasquez concedes, the Latino vote … Read more

Donald Trump addresses a rally in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday. (Logan Cyrus / AFP/Getty Images) As he fell further behind in polls and battled allegations of sexual misconduct in recent days, Donald Trump moved to darker corners. He sketched out conspiracies involving global bankers, casually threatened to jail his political opponent, and warned in increasingly … Read more

The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) President Trump’s plan to exclude millions of immigrants in the country illegally from the 2020 census count appeared to fizzle at the Supreme Court on Monday. California officials feared that Trump’s policy, if put into effect in the last weeks of his presidency, … Read more

The Thomas fire rages near Ojai this month. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Congress is set to consider an $81-billion disaster aid package that includes wildfire recovery money for California and other Western states as well as hurricane relief with a price tag reflecting a year of record-setting natural calamities. The legislation, the text … Read more

Orange County Republican Reps. Young Kim, left, of Anaheim Hills and Michelle Steel of Seal Beach are seen on the House floor before a vote last year. Both represent districts that will be hotly contested in the 2024 election. (Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call Inc./Getty Images) Robert Baca’s political compass has always pointed toward the … Read more

President Obama pauses as he listens to a question during a town-hall meeting at Benedict College on Friday in Columbia, S.C. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press) President Obama said Friday that he stood by the Justice Department’s decision not to file charges against the white policeman who shot to death an unarmed young black man … Read more