The Post-Shutdown Mandate—It's Time for California t...

By Ash Kalra and Lola Smallwood-Cuevas

California Legislators

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The government shutdown may be over, but for millions of families across the country, the damage is done. Food assistance was delayed for over 40 million people, health care access has become uncertain for the tens of millions who rely on Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, lines at food pantries have doubled and veterans and active-duty members are waiting for benefits they rely on. Once again, political stunts in Washington have treated people as bargaining chips—a stark reminder that we cannot rely on federal leaders to protect everyday families.

Through all this, Californians have sent a clear and resounding message: We reject this type of governance. Voters want leaders who protect working families, strengthen public systems and take bold action when Washington fails. November's elections were more than just a vote—they were a mandate, showing that voters are ready to back measures and candidates who reflect these values.

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When the federal government flounders, California can step up and demonstrate how government should work: organizing Operation Feed California to support the recipients affected by delayed SNAP benefits, sending an emergency infusion of money to Planned Parenthood after losing federal funding and supporting the thousands of veterans whose jobs were jeopardized when President Donald Trump threatened federal workforce cuts. These actions are not abstract—they have the potential to directly benefit millions of Californians and set a national example for what bold, people-centered governance can look like. And Californians are already putting their values into action.

In Santa Clara County, voters overwhelmingly approved Measure A, a sales tax increase that county leaders placed on the ballot after it was estimated that President Trump’s cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would reduce county revenues by $1 billion a year by the end of the decade. The measure is set to raise roughly $330 million annually for safety-net programs. Its passage signals that Californians are willing to take concrete steps to protect the services their families rely on, even when federal support is uncertain.

In Santa Cruz, voters faced a similar choice, with Measure C—a measure designed to fund affordable housing and help prevent homelessness. The measure would double the tax and extend it for 20 years, and was passed by over 54 percent of the vote.

And let's not forget about the major statewide win, Proposition 50. Californians overwhelmingly voted to pass Prop 50, marking a bold step in structural democratic reform, not just for California but as a model for our national future.

Throughout the state, voters rejected far-right extremism—they also rejected complacency.

But California isn’t alone. Across the country, voters delivered wins for candidates and measures that pushed back against Trump’s countless cuts. From progressive champions like Zohran Mamdani in New York to Democratic governors winning their elections in states like New Jersey and Virginia, the appetite for bold, people-centered governance expands far beyond our state.

The contrast could not be more evident. On election night, people shifted from feeling hopeless to feeling hopeful, demonstrating that they will choose initiatives and leaders who stand firmly with them. While voters embraced bold action, six Democrats buckled under pressure, abandoning families in need for nothing in return.

If leaders in Washington fail to match the courage of the people, the hope that they built after the elections may quickly vanish. California cannot allow it. We must seize the moment and continue in the vein of optimism and determination that voters so clearly demanded.

California has a responsibility to lead. While Washington spirals from crisis to crisis, our state can model a government that works for the people. We’ve already heard from community leaders and organizers in states from Arizona to Georgia that they’re proud of the work California is advancing, while some of their own leaders cave to Trump’s pressure. They see in California a blueprint—proof that courage can win!

But delivering for voters requires courage from all corners of the Democratic Party. The shutdown may be over, but the lesson is clear—when Washington fails, California is ready to lead. Californians fought hard for the wins on election night. Now it’s our job to fight just as hard for them. Let's give them what they want and lead the way.

Assemblymember Ash Kalra represents California’s 25th Assembly District, which encompasses the majority of San José, including downtown and open space areas in southeast Santa Clara County. He was first elected in 2016, becoming the first Indian American to serve in the California Legislature in state history, and was reelected to his fifth term in 2024.

Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas represents one of California’s most diverse districts of Los Angeles that includes South LA. She is the first Black woman to serve as chair of the Senate Labor Committee. She spent more than two decades as a labor organizer and civil rights activist before her election to the state Senate.

The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.

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