California Policy and Politics Sunday

Trump wants to cut funding to 10 schools over antisemitism. UC Berkeley is one -- UC Berkeley is reportedly among 10 schools being targeted by President Donald Trump’s administration for withdrawal of federal funds, which could potentially sap the institution of millions of dollars. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/9/25

Barabak: The candidates for California governor are a mystery. What voters want is not -- Of nearly three dozen voters interviewed, fewer than a handful could name any of the announced candidates for governor. There was a broad consensus that whomever is seeking the job needs to be fully committed and not eyeing the White House. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/9/25

Rebuilding Los Angeles Is California’s Economic Moment of Truth -- Wildfires that destroyed two neighborhoods made the state’s housing shortage even worse. Now, opposition is growing to creating more. Konrad Putzier in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/9/25

‘The stress keeps you up at night’: Emotional devastation lingers in L.A. fire zones -- For weeks after the Eaton fire ravaged her Altadena home, Ivana Lin lived in a constant, overwhelming state of fight or flight. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/9/25

Building a home in the Bay Area is already expensive. Trump’s tariffs could make it worse -- President Donald Trump’s tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China will worsen housing affordability by making it more expensive to build and remodel homes, according to economists and housing experts. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/9/25

‘It’s like they are sending me to die’: Terminal California cancer patient fears deportation -- President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is scaring undocumented and documented people alike from hospitals, say providers. Neha Mukherjee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/9/25

Thousands attend women’s march in downtown Los Angeles -- Many young people attended the annual march for the first time, organizers said. The event protested Trump administration proposals and was held in solidarity with marches worldwide. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/9/25

Women’s March: Protests against Trump draw hundreds in S.F., thousands nationwide -- More than 500 protesters marched Saturday in San Francisco’s Union Square against President Donald Trump’s administration as part of a coordinated national action hosted by the national feminist nonprofit Women’s March. Ko Lyn Cheang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/9/25

Street

Mexican Mafia smuggled heroin with Pringles, secret code and L.A. jail deputy, records say -- Deputy Michael Meiser, assigned to a specialized sheriff’s department unit that monitored gang activity inside the jail system, has pleaded not guilty to charges he tried to smuggle more than a pound of heroin on behalf of “shot-callers” for the Mexican Mafia. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/9/25

POTUS 47

Trump declines to rule out recession amid tariffs’ effects on markets -- Trump’s acknowledgment of economic turbulence was a reversal from previous cheering of his policies, and it contrasted with reassurances from his own advisers Sunday. Michael Birnbaum, Mariana Alfaro and Yeganeh Torbati in the Washington Post$ -- 3/9/25

Climate coalition launches lawsuit against Trump freeze -- A coalition of organizations granted $7 billion in federal funds for climate and housing projects sued the Trump administration and Citibank on Saturday to restore its access to the money. Gloria Gonzalez Politico Claire Brown in the New York Times$ -- 3/9/25

Trump officials escalate fight to take back $20B in climate money -- The Justice Department is demanding documents from nonprofits that were awarded the money through the Inflation Reduction Act. Jean Chemnick Politico -- 3/9/25

FEMA cancels classes at national fire training academy amid federal funding cuts -- The country’s preeminent federal fire training academy canceled classes, effective immediately, on Saturday amid the ongoing flurry of funding freezes and staffing cuts by President Donald Trump’s administration. Christine Fernando Associated Press -- 3/9/25

A Presidency of Upheaval Emboldens Trump -- As opponents cry chaos and some in his own party grow anxious, President Trump appears not cowed by his critics but emboldened—determined to double down on the disruptions he’s set into motion. Molly Ball in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/9/25

Amid tariffs and inflation, Americans increasingly downbeat on Trump economic policies -- The White House says economic pain is a temporary side-effect of its overhauls. But Americans might not be willing to endure much more uncertainty. Abha Bhattarai in the Washington Post$ -- 3/9/25

Trump signs order to limit who gets public service student loan forgiveness -- The president says some nonprofit organizations that qualify for the program are engaging in illegal activity, without offering any proof. Danielle Douglas-Gabriel in the Washington Post$ -- 3/9/25

Democrats Are Busy Fighting Over What to Fight Over -- Progressives want confrontation while moderates fear that will turn off the centrist voters who can put them back in power. Aaron Zitner and Katy Stech Ferek in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/9/25

Store-Brand Supplier Feels the Pain as Shoppers Pull Back Even on Lower-Cost Groceries -- First, shoppers squeezed by inflation began ditching name-brand snacks and drinks in favor of lower-price store brands. But now, with costs for coffee, eggs and other basic grocery items surging, consumers are cutting out many cheaper items as well. Jennifer Williams in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/9/25