Politics as Usual

Politics as Usual

The jig is up

The state puts San Francisco under the microscope
By John Zipperer

California officials have announced that San Francisco has the dishonor of being the first city in the state to be subject to a review of its housing policies and practices. The s... Read More
Politics as Usual

A NIMBY intervention: We’re really just beginning

By John Zipperer

Perhaps if you sell a bunch of those Google shares you’ve been sitting on, take out a loan against your 401K,  and put off that major dental surgery you promised your dentist y... Read More
Running this city requires constant physical and mental conditioning. Photo: SpartyZag
Politics as Usual

Centering oneself in spirit and politics

A little political coaching for the mayor
By John Zipperer

It’s 6 a.m. in the mayor’s office. The lights come on; the mayor enters, sits on her exercise bike, and turns on its screen. O.K., people! Let’s have a great workout toda... Read More
Politics as Usual

Giving up on free speech

They say ‘talk is cheap,’ but increasingly, it’ll cost you
By John Zipperer

Somewhere between Elon Musk bullying Twitter into submission, the Biden administration launching a “misinformation board,” and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis bullying Disney and ga... Read More
It’s a great market for job seekers. PHOTO: Clem Onojeghuo/Unsplash
Politics as Usual

Someone hire this man

Chesa Boudin’s career transition
By John Zipperer

Hi, Chesa, So great to hear from you after all these years. I know things have been a bit bumpy in your neck of the woods lately, so I totally understand your request for a let... Read More
Politics as Usual

The lieutenant, a panda, and the abominable snowman

Finding a hill to defend
By John Zipperer

In 1974, Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda finally ended World War II. It had lasted about 30 years for him, because he refused to believe that Japan had actually surrendered in 1945. ... Read More
Politics as Usual

What to expect in our brave new world

Your questions answered about the next stage of the pandemic
By John Zipperer

With the delta variant on the wane at last, our elected leaders and public health officials are finally starting to relax the restrictions we’ve lived under for the past two yea... Read More
Dianne Feinstein’s political career didn’t seem to be much hindered by a failed recall attempt in 1983. Photo: SFPL/Public Domain
Politics as Usual

A lesson plan for the school board recall

Pay attention when you vote
By John Zipperer

School board elections are important, but they’re usually of low interest to the general voter, who probably can’t remember whom they voted for one week later. But when the el... Read More
Governor Newson is already generating talk of his succeeding President Biden in the White House. Photo: The White House
Politics as Usual

Regaining their mojo

Newsom and Breed get early starts on their New Year’s resolutions
By John Zipperer

Several months ago, I received a press release from one of the candidates in the gubernatorial recall, in which she bragged about her performance. Most politicians brag; what made... Read More
Gov. Gavin Newsom moved quickly to help local governments respond to the looting spree. Photo: Office of the Governor of California
Politics as Usual

The No Sympathy for the Devil tour

Or, The Grinch Who Looted Christmas
By John Zipperer

“We just installed our expensive new home security system. I thought the vats of hot oil & the machine gun turrets were excessive, but after the raids on the Nordstroms in W... Read More
The fast food insurrection began at Fisherman's Wharf’s In-n-Out Burger. Photo: Allenlai7/Wikipedia
Politics as Usual

Over and out for In-n-Out

By John Zipperer

In mid-October, General Colin Powell passed away at the age of 84. A man who defined leadership and who worked across the broad middle of American politics died at a time when lea... Read More
Politics as Usual

Sale of the century

A modest proposal for dealing with retail theft
By John Zipperer

This was not what the city intended when it banned single-use plastic bags and told people to bring their own reusable shopping bags. The video earlier this year of a man filling ... Read More
Former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom with former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008. Photo: Jay Walsh
Politics as Usual

Everyone’s a winner

What if Newsom loses the recall vote?
By John Zipperer

Doing even some light research into recent California gubernatorial politics dredges up a wealth of famous names. Take Gray Davis, for example. He was succeeded in the governor’... Read More
A 1910 photo of vagabond author Harry A. Franck. Photo: unknown
Politics as Usual

Vagabonding through a changing America

The modern flirtation with authoritarianism isn’t new; Americans have long felt an attraction to the dark side
By John Zipperer

One can easily imagine Harry A. Franck in San Francisco. I expect he’d have felt right at home hanging out in a North Beach bar, swapping tales — many of them true — with lo... Read More
In the early nineties, weary of crime and homelessness, frustrated New Yorkers elected a law and order mayor. Photo: Dietmar Rabich/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Politics as Usual

A Rudy awakening

San Francisco is not becoming Berkeley; it is becoming Manhattan, circa 1993
By John Zipperer

He was a homeless veteran, suffering from mental health and drug problems. And he was a danger to his neighborhood. Arrested time after time for assault and public nuisance, he he... Read More


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