California Comeback: How a "Failed State" Became a Model for the Nation

California Comeback examines the state's turnaround in the 21st century, with particular attention to the role of state government under Governor Jerry Brown. As the most economically important state in the U.S. and the world's seventh-largest economy, California has undergone a significant political shift that has received limited media coverage. Once a red state, California has evolved into a solid blue state and reinvigorated the idea that government can be an instrument for uniting people and improving their lives. Under Brown's leadership, the state has implemented progressive policies including raising taxes on those earning over $250,000 annually, directing funds toward schools in low-income communities, pursuing environmental alliances to address climate change, and rejecting militaristic approaches to illegal immigration. Zacchino, an award-winning journalist who has covered California politics for over three decades, traces the state's political history from its early progressive experiments under Brown, through its rightward shift under Reagan, near financial collapse under Schwarzenegger, and its recent return to stability through progressive policies under Brown's second tenure as governor.