New America in California: Recent and Upcoming Events

The New America Foundation and the Asset Policy Initiative of California, in association with Assemblymembers Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Ted Gaines (R-Roseville), recently launched the Bipartisan Asset Policy Forum, including a luncheon speaker series designed to educate policymakers, legislative staff and advocates on asset-building issues affecting Californians.

The next installment of this luncheon series will feature Jennifer Brooks, Policy Director at the Corporation For Enterprise Development (CFED). Ms. Brooks will discuss the state of asset building policy in California and its… more

As California searches for market-based incentives for energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions, white certificates -- tradable certificates representing one megawatt of verified electrical savings --are emerging as a promising policy option.

In this one-day seminar, nationally known experts will discuss the benefits and complications of white certificates as well as the ways in which white certificate programs affect incentives for energy efficiency. Following the presentations, Bill Prindle of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy… more

In association with Assemblymembers Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Ted Gaines (R-Roseville), New America in California hosted this dynamic policy discussion on how public policy can encourage saving and wealth building for all Californians.

Heather McCulloch, a leader on asset-building policy issues, provided an overview on the history and evolution of policy ideas, in the United States and aboard, for expanding saving by families and individuals. Ms. McCulloch is the founder of Asset Building Strategies, a nationally recognized consulting group that provides… more

The Legislature, Governor Schwarzenegger and key health care stakeholders are deep in discussions on how to reform California’s broken health care system, including how to reduce the number of uninsured Californians. At this event, New America Foundation Health Policy Program Director Len Nichols and Peter Harbage discussed how to use the principles of seamless coverage and shared responsibility to create a process to ensure all Californians have health coverage, including what we can learn from recent successful experiments in… more

There is a widening breach between most of the 35 million people residing in California and the fewer than 9 million who actually vote. Seven million Californians are eligible to vote but for one reason or another don’t bother. A small group of frequent voters, who are richer, whiter, older and hold different opinions on education, social spending, Prop.13, and more compared to their nonvoting neighbors -- form the majority that decides which candidates win and which ballot measures pass.… more

The Alternative Voting Systems forum will look at a range of voting system methods, including the current numbered seat system used by Pasadena Unified School District as well as the geographic districts used by Pasadena City Council. Speakers will present information about alternatives such as instant runoff voting and choice voting, systems which allow voters to rank their candidates in order of preference (1,2,3). Attendees are encouraged to fill out and bring a copy of The Pasadena Weekly's more

Americans consume 10,000 gallons of gasoline a second: three gallons per person per day. New America Irvine Fellow Lisa Margonelli spent three years tracing the path that petroleum takes from oil fields far away to the gas tanks of California drivers. In her book Oil On the Brain she examines the history, chemistry, economics, politics and culture of oil to look at where our relationship to petroleum is taking us.

At this Sacramento event, Margonelli described her travels and discuss… more

California, the most diverse and entrepreneurial state in America, is poised for a big step onto the national stage this year. Its presidential primary is moving to the front end of the 2008 campaign season. Its native daughter, Nancy Pelosi, is serving her historic first year as Speaker of the House. And the nation is taking notice as a series of major bipartisan policy agreements take place in Sacramento.

Within this… more

The conference, which was co-sponsored by  the New America Foundation and CommonSense California, explored the emerging field of deliberative democracy, which uses tools such as citizen dialogues, deliberative polling and citizen's assemblies to engage regular citizens in policy issues. Deliberative democracy methods seek to break through partisan gridlock, overcome special interest domination, and rekindle a sense of civic ownership in the conduct of government.

The conference brought together leading policy makers and opinion leaders, provided a space to meet with… more

From the days of the 1970s OPEC oil embargo to the recent spikes in gas prices, and the constantly evolving and volatile situation in the Middle East, it seems everyone has “oil on the brain.” Yet, despite the fact that our daily lives are inextricable from oil -- the U.S. alone burns through 10,000 gallons of gasoline a second, or three gallons per person per day -- many of us have only limited knowledge of the substance often referred to… more

Governor Schwarzenegger has said that the top goal he will announce next year is to expand health insurance coverage to all Californians. This half-day conference was designed to provide him and others with fresh answers to the hard questions of how coverage expansion can be financed and how responsibility could be shared among families, employers, and government.

Presenters ranged from state officials, private employers, health policy advocates, as well as experts from academia, think tanks, and international consulting firms. California's… more

At this California event, Barry Lynn, a New America Foundation senior fellow, discussed his ground-breaking book, End of the Line: The Rise and Coming Fall of the Global Corporation.

We are used to thinking about the effects of globalization and outsourcing in terms of winners and losers: how these trends harm certain classes of American workers or benefit consumers. Lynn goes beyond the stereotypical debate about whether this economic revolution is good or bad to expose the dangerous underside… more

Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders want voters to approve more than $37 billion in bonds to shore up the state’s aging transportation system, provide more affordable housing, finance school improvements, and address flood concerns.

This Nov. 1 event, co-hosted in Sacramento by the New America Foundation and the Public Policy Institute of California, provided a provocative discussion to help California voters understand the stakes and issues involved in the bond referenda on the November 7th ballot.

Health care is a top priority for California, but solutions to its critical problems are still challenged by the complex politics of powerful, competing stakeholders and fear of change. New America Foundation presented an insider’s view about how Massachusetts was recently able to overcome similar obstacles and reach bipartisan consensus on a landmark plan for achieving universal health care.

John McDonough, director of Health Care for All in Massachusetts and a former Democratic legislator, is a veteran health care… more

This event is co-sponsored with the California Research Bureau.

Voters want change, despite the failure of last November's reform ballot measures. Political analysts have recommended a number of reforms, from redistricting, revised term limits, and open primaries to alternative election systems and the public financing of campaigns. But how do we change a system when powerful interests defend the status quo?

A model solution lies across the border in Canada. Called a Citizens Assembly, its strength lies in restoring power to… more

This event is co-sponsored with The Commonwealth Club of California.

Voters want change, despite the failure of last November's reform ballot measures. Political analysts have recommended a number of reforms, from redistricting, revised term limits, and open primaries to alternative election systems and the public financing of campaigns. But how do we change a system when powerful interests defend the status quo?

A model solution lies across the border in Canada. Called a Citizens' Assembly, its strength lies in restoring… more

This event is co-sponsored with University of Southern California Bedrosian Center on Governance

Voters want change, despite the failure of last November's reform ballot measures. Political analysts have recommended a number of reforms, from redistricting, revised term limits, and open primaries to alternative election systems and the public financing of campaigns. But how do we change a system when powerful interests defend the status quo?

A model solution lies across the border in Canada. Called a Citizens Assembly, its strength lies… more

California's increasing use of the initiative process raises new questions about policymaking and the role of representative government. This important discussion about California's Initiative Process and Our Future was cosponsored by the Public Policy Institute of California, the New America Foundation, and the James Irvine Foundation.

This event explored various approaches toward health coverage in California. The first panel outlined the major policy proposals, including universal coverage for children, individual mandate, employer mandate, shared responsibility, and single payer plans. The following panel featured state officials, doctors, hospitals, and small business representatives, discussing the expected impact of each policy proposal.

New America released a series of papers at the event, outlining their proposal to cover the state's children as the first step toward universal coverage. PDF… more

This event is sponsored by Zocalo and The Music Center in conjunction with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation

At a time when basic public promises like an education, health care and home ownership are in decline, angry voters have weakened government with initiatives that limit terms in office, require super-majority budget votes and set minimum spending levels.

Four past governors of California will join us to discuss the future of governance in the nation's most populous state. Drawing on their own… more