In this podcast interview with David Remnick, published by The New Yorker, California Governor Gavin Newsom discusses recent executive orders related to housing, taxes, and healthcare, as well as his approach to working with the legislature and addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. Newsom highlights the innovative solutions and turnaround stories in response to homelessness, stressing the need for a housing first approach. He also addresses the widening income inequality, acknowledging that inaction from the state would result in lost opportunities but conceding that solutions take time. Newsom’s executive orders, including suspension of mortgage payments and expansion of Medicaid, have had immediate impact and are hailed by some as models for the nation. Newsom challenges the media to do better in covering those stories, emphasizing their responsibility to focus on the more hopeful aspects of society in addition to the negative. In the context of addressing the pandemic, Newsom dismissed the use of antibody treatments, advocating instead for a higher level of hospital preparedness. He advocated for more testing and advocated for a federal government response that is more closely connected to how the state is experiencing and handling the crisis. Overall, this interview highlights the importance of a proactive housing policy, the need for a comprehensive approach to tackling income inequality, and the significance of the executive branch in addressing critical issues in the face of legislative inaction.
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