California Crackup

“If you are interested in improving government—you should read the book . . . It reflects the spirit of innovation that was once part of the California story. This is what the campaign for governor should have been about.”

— Truthdig

“If you’ve grown weary of California's annual budget stalemates and furloughs, if you're frustrated by the Legislature, if you feel California is broken, then California Crackup should be required reading. . . . The book is a concise and lucid analysis of how the state arrived at its current mess, as well as offering strategies to address what's ailing it.”

— Oakland Tribune

“A terrific book. Cataloging the multiple, inter-locking political elements that caused the collapse of governance in California, the two veteran political writers draw these pieces together into a lucid framework that offers not only a clear diagnosis, but also a serious prescription for what ails the not-so-Golden State.”

— Calbuzz

“What California needs, and what might just save the UC system, which is being eroded before our eyes, is a structural overhaul of our state’s system of governance. Mark Paul and Joe Matthews present a set of concrete solutions in their book."

— Daily Californian

“A great book; everyone who wants to fix California needs to read it.”

— California Journal of Politics and Policy

“A welcome attempt to stand above the political fray . . . Much of what Mathews and Paul do propose at the level of policy is indeed sensible and well justified. Their arguments on behalf of the need to energize the legislature are particularly important.”

— Southern California Quarterly

“Objective and at times humorous (if that’s possible) analysis of how California grew dysfunctional and what will make it functional again.”

— Marin Magazine

“A compelling book.”

— Vanity Fair

“Are we doomed to a government unable to accomplish anything, much less heal itself? Sometimes it does look that way. But the authors of California Crack Up do have some ideas about how to fix things, and some are pretty good.”

— Monterey County-Herald