Matt Mahan

We've gotten to the point where Mississippi and Louisiana are doing a better job of helping

low-income kids get on grade level for reading than we are in the very well-resourced, very progressive state of California, that is a function of a system that is more responsive to the highly organized interests than the people we're elected to serve.

Right.

That's the fundamental dysfunction.

Some see it as corruption.

And I don't think that's too strong of a word.

I don't mean it in the narrow sense of anyone breaking the law or or, you know, stealing money.

But but the system has become again back to the core point here that the incentives.

are all wrong.

The incentive for an elected official is to cater to highly organized interests who disproportionately spend money in elections, follow what's happening up in the legislature, draft the bill language, draft the friendly amendments, get legislators to do their bidding.

And I just, I'm running against the system because it doesn't matter if you're a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent, we need a high functioning government that delivers

lower housing costs, lower energy costs, better schools, safer neighborhoods, and end the street homelessness.

We have the resources to do it.

What we haven't had is the political will and accountability to do it.

And I don't think that's a partisan point.

And frankly, if the Democratic Party doesn't start to wake up and be more responsive to the needs of our constituents and deliver with the resources we've got, we're going to see the pendulum swing all the way the other way.

And you're going to see a MAGA-like movement happen here in California.

Well, I think my grandmother used to always say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

And I do think generally speaking, people have had good intentions, but have been unwilling to look at data and react when the things that they're championing aren't working.

On homelessness,