Joe Mathews
Political Reform
Related Programs:
New America in California
New America in California
Joe Mathews, a fourth-generation Californian, writes about his home state and its politics, media, labor, and real estate. He is the author of The People's Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy (PublicAffairs, 2006), an account of Governor Schwarzenegger's first term and his use of ballot measures as governing tools. Before joining New America, he was a reporter for eight years at the Los Angeles Times, where he covered state and presidential politics, education, labor, and the city of Compton. Previously, he covered the Justice Department for The Wall Street Journal. He began his career in 1994 as a reporter on the city desk of the Baltimore Sun, where he wrote about urban issues and the environment. His coverage of a down-on-its-luck neighborhood of former slaughterhouses earned him the incomparable title, "Bard of Pigtown." His stories have appeared in The New Republic, The Washington Post, Politico, and Condé Nast Portfolio.
As a Los Angeles-based Irvine Senior Fellow, Mr. Mathews intends to examine California's governing system and issues of voting and political engagement. He also maintains a blog about direct democracy -- initiatives, referenda, and recalls -- at http://www.newamerica.net/blog/blockbuster_democracy.
Publications, Events and Press
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