Here’s how Californians in Congress voted on a resolution to denounce socialism
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HOUSE DENOUNCES SOCIALISM; SOME DEMS SAY DISCUSSION IS AN EMBARRASSMENT
Via David Lightman...
In its last voting session before a 10-day Thanksgiving break, the U.S. House used the time to debate whether to denounce socialism.
They agreed to do so, 285-98.
One of the measure’s most passionate advocates was Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove.
“It’s often said that capitalism is selfishness and socialism is sharing, but that’s exactly backwards,” he told House colleagues during last week’s debate.
“The only way to succeed in a capitalist society is to figure out what somebody else needs and how to get it for them better than they can get it for themselves,” he said.
Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim, had similar thoughts. “As a member of Congress, I will always fight for the American dream, and for our free-market system that keeps it within reach for everyday Americans.”
The debate and vote came hours before President Donald Trump met with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist.
Many Democrats pushed back hard during the socialism debate, saying it was a waste of time for a House that until last week had not held a voting session since Sept. 19.
“House Republicans just returned from a seven-week taxpayer-funded recess, and instead of doing anything to lower costs, they are wasting time and money on this pointless resolution,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo.
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, said the measure was “an embarrassing distraction from the complete and total failure of the Trump administration to deliver actual results for the American people.”
The resolution, she said, “is a huge waste of time and does absolutely nothing to lower costs or solve any of the problems that our country faces.”
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, voted against the socialism measure. Her office has not responded to a request for comment. She was one of 98 Democrats voting no. Eighty-six Democrats joined all 199 Republicans voting to approve the measure.
Reps. Ami Bera, D-Sacramento, Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, Doug LaMalfa, R-Chico, Adam Gray, D-Merced, David Valadao, R-Hanford and Jim Costa, D-Fresno, all voted yes.
SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION SNUBS CANDIDATE AT FORUM
Via William Melhado…
When state superintendent candidate Gus Mattammal saw that the California School Boards Association was hosting a candidate forum at its annual conference in early December, he waited to receive an invitation. After all, the conference’s website read, “All candidates have been invited.”
When no invitation came, Mattammal reached out to the association. Perhaps there had been some misunderstanding. Mattammal, a Republican who works as the director of a tutoring company and recently wrote a book outlining his educational policy goals, asked why the CSBA had snubbed him on the invite.
He was told that he didn’t qualify for the forum because he isn’t an elected official, Mattammal said, but the superintendent candidate is an elected member of the Midcoast Community Council. He said that a CSBA representative told him that he appears unable to self-fund his campaign and that he couldn’t viably mount a statewide campaign. Mattammal said he only recently entered the race, and he noted that those metrics are subjective.
While the race is nonpartisan, Mattammal said, as a Republican he has a shot of securing one of two spots in the primary. “If we want to get some meaningful change, we’ve got to break through the politics,” he said.
When asked about its decision to exclude the candidate from the forum, CSBA spokesperson Troy Flint said that Mattammal did not meet the criteria necessary to receive an invitation. Flint said the association did its best to accommodate candidates from across the political spectrum.
“The nature of the event requires that some criteria be put in place to limit participants to a manageable number and ensure each candidate has a meaningful opportunity to share their perspective and engage with our membership,” Flint said in a statement.
The school association did have to put some restraints on the forum. Both the race to replace State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, and CSBA’s candidate forum, are crowded.
The Dec. 4 forum will feature seven candidates: Former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, San Diego Unified School District Trustee Richard Barrera, Los Angeles Community College District Trustees Nichelle Henderson and Andra Hoffman, former state Senator Josh Newman and Chino Valley Unified School District Trustee Sonja Shaw.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The better he does, the happier I am.”
— President Donald Trump, speaking with reporters after his meeting with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday
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This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 4:55 AM.
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