As Democrats have panicked over President Joe Biden’s lackluster debate performance and looked elsewhere for a potential replacement, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is the talk of the town. But how would he fare on the national stage?

The Silicon Valley Organization issued a public apology for the way it defended a political candidate accused of sexual harassment.

The Silicon Valley Organization drew flak for the way it responded to a campaign mailer about a candidate endorsed by its PAC.

Mugambi Jouet’s new book examines how the growing dark side of “American exceptionalism” has driven the polarization of U.S. politics.

Rep. Mike Honda has blasted opponent Ro Khanna for receiving money from “right wing millionaires and billionaires.” But records show Honda has received at least $115,000 over the last five years from wealthy backers who also support the GOP.

Silicon Valley was once the female capital of the world for political power, but times have changed. In order to make progress, we need to not only elect more women leaders but also change the culture in which they are forced to compete.

For years political mail and TV commercials have made up the bulk of campaign spending. But it’s clear that the same tired tactics are not working.

Debates make no difference in campaigns, especially in races where one candidate is so strong, that to share a stage with their opponent is a waste of time for the electorate and themselves.

Many current public polling organizations have mastered the art of the liar poll. These polls are designed to reflect a result, so that voters are deceived into believing that certain candidates or issues are winning, when clearly they are not.

At 6pm tonight at Hofstra University, the second Presidential Debate of 2012 will take place. Debate moderator Candy Crowley, CNN’s chief political correspondent, will introduce the candidates for a Town Hall meeting format. The stakes for the two candidates are huge, especially for the incumbent.

The San Jose City Lights production of “44 plays for 44 Presidents” is terrific for political hacks, history majors and local political wannabes. It is engaging, poignant and most people will learn something new of the Presidency. But—**spoiler alert**—the ending does encourage everyone to register and vote. In the spirit of democracy, I respectfully disagree.

On the same day presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced he will release his 2011 tax returns, we take a look at how the remaining four candidates for two San Jose City Council seats made their money last year.

The horse of Millionaire Mitt Romney’s wife was beaten badly in the Olympics by the steed of a British billionaire’s granddaughter, setting off a firestorm among America’s elite on whether Romney was really dedicated to, or wealthy enough to engage in, “American Exceptionalism.” But then Bain Capital swooped in for the rescue.

Silicon Valley is home to tech behemoths such as Google, Adobe, Facebook, and HP. Being one of the biggest business hubs in the world, Silicon Valley has also become a fundraising battleground for President Obama and his likely opponent in November, Mitt Romney.

By now everyone knows that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare). Some of the conversation has centered on why the reform was upheld, but more so the story has been advanced to focus on what this all means for the future of the country as well as President Obama’s re-election chances.

Lost in the exaggerated numbers of Tuesday’s primary election vote totals is this very frightening reality: Less than 8 percent of the electorate is all it takes to amass political power in our county. And if there is money to push an issue, it’s becoming almost impossible to stop millionaires and multinational corporations from getting what they want.