Editorial by Eli C. Owens | September 1, 2025 Tags: #Agriculture, #Economy, #WorkingFamilies, #TradePolicy I live on a farm now, and I see firsthand how decisions made in Washington affect families in rural communities. Tariffs are often sold as tough negotiation or strategic pressure. In reality, tariffs are taxes. They increase costs for families, strain small businesses, and hurt farmers long before they affect foreign governments. I have personally felt the financial we

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | September 10, 2025 Tags: #RuralIssues, #UrbanIssues, #CaliforniaPolicy California is often described as one place, but it is many different places with different realities. I lived in the heart of Los Angeles for ten years. I now live in the California desert in Blythe, one of the most rural parts of the state. I understand both realities because I have lived both lives. Urban communities deal with housing shortages, high costs, traffic, and comp

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | September 20, 2025 Tags: #Housing, #Homelessness, #Affordability, #CommunityPolicy Housing affordability is one of the most urgent challenges in California. I have walked and talked with people living on the streets in cities and in desert communities. I have listened to people dealing with addiction, untreated mental health challenges, and poverty. Many are not who people assume they are. Some work full time and still cannot afford a place to liv

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | November 5, 2025 Tags: #Elections, #Democracy, #Participation, #VotingRights The results of this year’s special elections sent a clear message. Voters across the country showed up and demonstrated that they want leaders who will stand up for them. In some states, turnout reached levels not seen in decades. People responded when candidates spoke with honesty and conviction. When I visited my local polling place, the voting team recognized me and we

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | August 15, 2025 Tags: #Immigration, #HumanRights, #Enforcement, #Families, #CommunitySafety A recent Supreme Court decision expanded federal enforcement authority in ways that will significantly affect families in Southern California. Supporters describe it as a law-and-order approach. Many families experience it as fear and uncertainty. I have met parents who leave for work unsure if they will return home. Children who arrive at school worried t

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | August 22, 2025 Tags: #Climate, #Utilities, #CleanEnergy, #Affordability, #CorporateOversight California passed new clean energy laws this year. Progress matters, but real leadership is measured by everyday results. Families need electric bills they can afford. Communities need protection from fires. Clean energy must be accessible to everyone instead of becoming a privilege for a few. For years, major utilities raised rates, resisted rooftop sola

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | August 29, 2025 Tags: #Healthcare, #PublicHealth, #Access, #Prevention, #Equity Budgets reflect priorities. When tax breaks for the wealthy remain untouched while health programs for families are cut, something is fundamentally out of balance. Cuts to Medi-Cal do not reduce waste. They reduce access to care. Rural clinics close. Vaccinations are delayed. Seniors go without dental treatment. Pregnant mothers wait longer for vital appointments. Le

I was in Las Vegas for a convention in early 2020, staying at the Wynn Encore. That evening, I happened to walk past a blackjack table. I’d never played before, but I struck up a conversation with the guy sitting there. He was friendly, quick with a smile, and offered to show me how the game worked. He looked familiar, but I still couldn’t quite place him. He explained the game and showed me how he usually played. Not long after I sat down, he won two very large hands back to

Political violence has no place in this country. I say that as someone who survived a violent attack years ago when I was stabbed three times by four young men who were trying to earn gang status. Doctors told me that two millimeters deeper, and I would not be alive today. I understand how quickly anger can turn into tragedy. The killing of Charlie Kirk was tragic and wrong. We should be able to disagree without losing our humanity. When outrage becomes a source of profit for