I've never been a fan of pretense or procrastination. After all, our state is defined by its independent, outspoken spirit.

It's nature-nurture, right? I've been nurtured by Californians.

Californians are blessed with the remarkable leadership of Gov. Jerry Brown, who... has led our state to firm fiscal footing and brought us to the enviable position of dreaming - and achieving - big dreams again.

Livable neighborhoods with a vibrant street life will stimulate our economic life as well.

California is a bellwether state. California was the first state in the United States to overturn the laws against interracial marriage. It took 19 years for the rest of the country to come around to that point of view.

Since Sandy Hook, I have sat back as a father and been mesmerized by the inability of the federal government to do anything substantively on gun safety.