Author | Lightnews

Lenny Mendonca

@lennymendonca.bsky.social

220 followers 210 following 340 posts

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenny-mendonca-7b98b22a?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

www.linkedin.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Aug 22

The latest from @lauradtyson.bsky.social and me.

@gavinnewsom.bsky.social

Project Syndicate @projectsyndicate.bsky.social · Aug 22

Unlike Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott's gerrymandering effort, California Governor Gavin Newsom's proposed redistricting would require voters' approval, note @lennymendonca.bsky.social and @lauradtyson.bsky.social. bit.ly/4oPBH7o

How California Can Save US Democracy

Lenny Mendonca & Laura Tyson explain why the state is justified in responding to a Republican gerrymandering effort with one of its own.

bit.ly

1 2

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · 1d

Doesn’t get much better than Half Moon Bay in Oct/Nov

72 degrees and you can see forever

@visitcalifornia.bsky.social @visithalfmoonbay.org

Ocean view from Half Moon Bay California
72 degrees

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · 5d

Pelicans enjoying the earlier sunset tonight on the HMB coast

@visitcalifornia.bsky.social

Reposted by Lenny Mendonca

Commonwealth Club World Affairs @cwclub.bsky.social · 5d

Nuclear subs for South Korea? Nuclear missiles in North Korea? Join us in San Francisco Nov. 19 to hear former State Dept. official Joel Wit talk with Philip Yun about "The Inside Story of America's Failure to Disarm North Korea"

Details & tickets: commonwealthclub.org/events/2025-...

2 4

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · 5d

The #coastside is the best.

Just back from a relaxing walk listening to this.

share.icloud.com/photos/050-b...

Visit Half Moon Bay
Visit California

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 21

www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...

Rosie Rios is a rockstar.
The perfect person to lead this impossible task
A great interview.

Opinion | The Woman Planning America’s 250th Anniversary Party

Rosie Rios is the daughter of a migrant farmworker and has a bipartisan pedigree. Who better to ease our political divisions and celebrate our nation?

www.wsj.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 21

www.politico.com/news/magazin...

“American democracy is wounded. But, however awful its deterioration feels, it’s a long way from dead.”

Interesting alternative read of history. Worth the long read.

Optimistic but not complacent.

American Democracy Might Be Stronger Than Donald Trump

Yes, Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. But the country has a few attributes that make it more resilient than you might think.

www.politico.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 21

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

“That is exactly what the first amendment is designed to stop: the gov’t using its power to stifle speech. And if there’s any speech that’s at the very heart of the first amendment, it would be the ability to criticize those in power, particularly the president.”

Media giants accused of ‘cowering to threats’ as Trump tries to stamp out criticism

Disney’s Bob Iger and Paramount’s David Ellison are among the executives pulling the strings amid criticism that US TV networks are caving to the Trump administration

www.theguardian.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 21

www.americanbar.org/news/abanews...

“America’s democracy and rule of law are under attack for the first time in our history. These cornerstones of our republic will endure only if we choose to defend them.”

Smart list of bipartisan recommendations from the ABA.

American Bar Association releases final report of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy

CHICAGO, Sept. 10, 2025 —The American Bar Association today announced the release of the final report of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy, a two-year, bipartisan effort to address the most pr...

www.americanbar.org

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 21

www.sfchronicle.com/college-admi...

“The results show that the return on investment for most California colleges continues to rise, even when adjusting for inflation.”

This ranking shows how the ROI of UCLA, Berkeley and every California college has changed in 10 years

New data suggests that when looking at public colleges in California, it’s increasingly prudent to attend a school in the Bay Area when it comes to the ROI.

www.sfchronicle.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 21

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

#California leads.
Again.

California becomes first state to ban face coverings for most law enforcement

Local and federal agents, including immigration officials, may not wear masks while conducting official business

www.theguardian.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 20

Gorgeous 70 degree day for last weekend of summer #coastside
Fall will be even better
@visitcalifornia.bsky.social
Visit Half Moon Bay

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 20

What a fun show last night.
Awesome front row mezzanine seats at a terrific, small, 500 person venue (Guild Theatre in Menlo Park)
CheapTrick still rocks!
Brings back great 70s/80s memories
Thanks Alex Evans

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 19

newrepublic.com/article/2004...

“We’re told that there’s nothing worse than Armageddon, but perhaps there is,” said Thiel. “Perhaps we should fear the Antichrist, perhaps we should fear the one-world totalitarian state more than Armageddon.”

Truly disturbing and frightening.

What’s Up With Peter Thiel’s Obsession With the Antichrist?

The tech mogul is amping up his apocalyptic rhetoric—and adding a dangerous dose of extremism into the already-fraught culture war.

newrepublic.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 19

Our poll shows more than 2/3 of Americans know it's bad for our country when a single party controls how voting districts are drawn, but that hasn't stopped Trump’s mid-decade redistricting power grab. @commoncause.org proudly supports the Redistricting Reform Act”

larson.house.gov/media-center...

Larson Introduces Election Reform Bill to End Partisan Redistricting Gamesmanship with Texas, California, and North Carolina Democratic Leaders

Washington, D.C. - Today, as the Trump White House continues to pressure Republican-led states to pass new Congressional maps diluting the voices of Black and Hispanic voters, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-...

larson.house.gov

3 4

Reposted by Lenny Mendonca

Sophia Layne @sophialayne.bsky.social · Sep 19

Care to save our rights to #freespeech, among others? Help CA pass Prop 50, the Election Rigging Response Act - ballots going out by mail in a few weeks 🗳️ #Prop50

@lennymendonca.bsky.social

2 1 4

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 17

A principled stand is the right one, even more so when it has consequences.
Proud to be a @commoncause.org member.
Your support matters.
Donate if you can.

Common Cause @commoncause.org · Sep 17

$200k is a lot of money, but integrity is worth more.
When a billionaire tried to use our name to mislead voters, we said NO. We returned the money and stood with the people. 💪

Our freedom and our values are at stake — will you help us keep fighting?
secure.actblue.com/donate/commo...

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 15

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

“Losing top, experienced experts managing crucial units in the CDC is going to put all of us at risk.”

‘Americans should be alarmed’: Experts say loss of expertise at CDC will harm US health

Top officials exited agency under RFK Jr’s leadership, and his anti-vax beliefs have dismayed medical community

www.theguardian.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 15

www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...

“This is, by any metric, an obscene amount of money.”
He’s never getting any more of my business.
Corporate governance gone wild.
#FireElonMusk

Why Tesla Thinks Elon Needs More Money

Tesla’s board proposes a supercharged compensation package.

www.theatlantic.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 15

California’s $23 Billion Plan to Restore Federal Cuts to Scientific Research www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/u...

Never say #California doesn’t think big.

California’s $23 Billion Plan to Restore Federal Cuts to Scientific Research

www.nytimes.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 15

. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/u...

“If you’re the president of the United States, you want to be making national security decisions in the American interest — not the commercial interests of the people involved.”

The corruption is disgusting. In “normal” times, impeachable offenses.

Anatomy of Two Giant Deals: The U.A.E. Got Chips. The Trump Team Got Crypto Riches.

www.nytimes.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 15

“America may be past the inflection point as Republicans continue to aggressively pursue systematic political engineering to control who gets to vote and whose vote is counted.”

Progressive Federalism at scale is the only practical near term option.

open.substack.com/pub/cmarmitage…

https://open.substack.com/pub/cmarmitage…

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 14

washingtonmonthly.com/2025/09/02/e...

“Abundant and transparent data, plus best practices, can mean the world to students looking to move up the economic ladder.”

50 States, 50 Opportunities for Economic Mobility

Economic mobility by state: where colleges deliver real ROI. Using data, we can see the programs that lift students into the middle class.

washingtonmonthly.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 14

#fireElonMusk before he sets the world on fire.

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 14

open.substack.com/pub/fallows/...

“Ranking colleges on ‘output,’ for students, rather than ‘input,’ of assets and advantages.”
Yes please.
Thank you Jim @jfallows.bsky.social

Making College Rankings Great Again.

College rankings have carried outsized influence, mostly for the wrong reasons. New approaches can help American higher ed deal with the most serious challenges it faces.

open.substack.com

Lenny Mendonca @lennymendonca.bsky.social · Sep 14

www.forbes.com/sites/janice...

Love this!

This Harvard Program Is Helping Black Leaders Take Their Power Back—At Work And Beyond

This Harvard program isn’t just about climbing the ladder—it’s helping Black leaders reclaim power, rewrite the rules, and decide if the game’s worth playing.