CMC In The News

In an op-ed, Prof. Manfred Keil examined whether or not the Inland Empire will experience a hard or soft landing in the looming economic downturn. 

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in a piece surrounding the recent layoffs at Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research, run by scholar, activist and author Ibram X. Kendi. Conservatives were hailing this as a culture war victory. Prof. Pitney commented, “…conservatives will celebrate anything that looks like a setback for Kendi.” 

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in a piece about former Los Angeles County Sheriff, Alex Villanueva, who announced his candidacy against two-term L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I think he would start as an underdog. The district has a substantial number of Hispanic voters. He may be hoping that will be a base of support. But in the sheriff race, the district voted for Luna. A lot of the increase in crime in Los Angeles happened on his watch. He doesn’t have a strong rhetorical basis,” said Pitney.

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article on the Republican effort to impeach President Biden. He shared in reference to the Republican’s strategy to move forward with the impeachment, “It will hurt the GOP. Voters in swing districts are not enthusiastic about Biden, but they are leery of impeaching him. McCarthy’s deal with the Republican Right left him with no good choices. His plight reminds me of the Kobayashi Maru—the Star Trek training simulation that Starfleet cadets could not possibly win. In his youth, Captain Kirk beat the system by hacking the software. That option is not available to the speaker.”

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in a piece questioning whether or not Gov. Gavin Newsom would make a run for the presidency in 2024. He stated, “…conservatives want to build him [Gov. Newsom] up because they figure that he would be easy to beat in a general election. On that point they are not wrong.”

Prof. Jessamyn Schaller was mentioned in an article as a third co-author on a recent study from University of Texas at Austin on child maltreatment increasing when temperatures are hotter.

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in a piece about three ballot initiatives that would add restrictions for transgender children. He said, in reference to the legislation, “…if there is serious financial support for the effort, they will probably get the necessary signatures. In November 2024, there will be a large turnout for the Democratic presidential candidate, probably President Joe Biden. A big Democratic turnout would tend to favor the ‘no’ side. But public opinion on these issues is complicated, and progressives should not assume that such measures are doomed.”

Prof. Ron Riggio was interviewed on the topic of best practices for becoming a better leader. Key points from the interview included that emotional and social intelligence are building blocks of communication and successful leadership; best leaders have a parental relationship with their followers; and it is also important to focus on becoming a better person in general.

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article about Rep. Jim Jordan’s legislative reforms that could help the defendants named in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ RICO indictment from being prosecuted. “There is no chance that both houses of Congress will pass legislation affecting the Georgia investigation. The mention of ‘legislative reform’ is just a rationalization for investigating the district attorney. This move contradicts the Republican Party’s devotion to federalism and the Tenth Amendment. It’s all about Trump protection, not serious legislation.”

A new report by CMC’s Rose Institute of State and Local Government that highlights reforms to improve San Francisco’s effectiveness and responsiveness of city government was covered by numerous media outlets, including the San Francisco Chronicle. Published with TogetherSF, the report analyzes and provides potential reforms. “People in city government are unable to reach decisions with any dispatch with things like hiring, permitting or many basic functions of city and municipal administration,” said Ken Miller, director of Claremont McKenna’s Rose Institute. The report was also featured in The San Francisco Standard, KCBS Radio (local Bay Area news), and New York Post. It was mentioned in a news roundup in POLITICO and The New York Times.

Prof. Manfred Keil was mentioned in a story about how the Hollywood strikes have revealed weaknesses in the economic engine of Los Angeles. Keil compared the competition between states and cities to a decathlon, which California neglected to train for because it was so far ahead.

In an op-ed piece, Prof. Terril Yue Jones discussed the rapid downfall of Chinese diplomat Qin Gang, attributing his fall from grace to missteps in handling diplomatic relations and failing to navigate international politics effectively, leading to diminished influence and strained foreign relations between China and the United States.

Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article on President Biden’s Grand Canyon event and how Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D) attended, while Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) did not attend. Rep. Gallego is running to fill Sen. Sinema’s seat. “If you’re running a tough campaign against an incumbent, embracing a not very popular president isn’t the smartest tactic.”

Prof. John Roth was interviewed on the topic of Trump’s dangerous Nazi-style rhetoric and how this resurgence of antisemitism impacts America’s larger democracy crisis. 

Prof. Lars Schmitz was quoted in an article about a recent discovery of an ancient whale that might have been the heaviest animal that ever lived at 340 tons. “What a remarkable find! Estimating body mass in fossils is always super difficult, but I don’t think there is any doubt that this whale was very large.”