Politics: Ancient and Now
Interesting Topics
I would not call myself a political person — in fact, even as I recently ran for public office here in California, I came to realize politics are lost on both sides of the aisle here. I have many friends in politics, ranging from Democrats to Republicans and everything in between, and the funny thing is, I like them all. Sure, some ideas are more far-out than others, but for me, the exploration of concepts of those ancient and new is fun to debate. Yet, debate, as I discovered, is a lost art form that has been reduced to mudslinging and tribalism. So moving forward, I will run for public office again, but not as a “liberal” or “conservative” — “restorativist”!
RESTORATIVISM ™️
A political-philosophical framework that argues a society can only endure through the restoration of three core values — truth, accountability, and civic stewardship — by exposing the hidden costs of power and reconnecting public authority to measurable public good.
Articles that seek to inform, not influence:
🐘 The Origins of the GOP Elephant
The Republican elephant, a symbol for the Grand Old Party (GOP), traces back to the turbulent political landscape of the post-Civil War era, a period marked by the unraveling of Reconstruction, economic upheaval, and anxieties over executive power. In the hands of Thomas Nast, the era’s preeminent political cartoonist fo…
Guide | Candidates for L.A. County Sheriff
Commentary — In the grand sweep of Los Angeles County’s history, few institutions embody the weight of public trust and the complexity of human endeavor as the Sheriff’s Department. I hope not to influence, but rather, inform voters, we turn our gaze to the 2026 Sheriff’s election, where three men, each shaped by distinct paths, vie to lead an office st…
GOP Governors Race: A Quiet Turning Point
On the evening of October 1, 2025, in a quiet corner of the Westside of Los Angeles, a meeting unfolded that could reshape California’s political future. At The Range LA, a small group of gubernatorial candidates convened, their gathering carrying the gravity of a state at a crossroads. As an observer that evening, I witnessed a moment that felt quietly…
Rick Caruso: A Sleeping Giant in the California Governor’s Race
Originally published on Aug. 10, 2025