Gavin Newsom is the epitome of the liberal elite who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. He criminalizes homelessness instead of working to address its systemic causes and is deep in the pockets of corporate and wealthy donors. His whole appeal is just posturing against Trump. It boggles my mind that my mom likes the guy.
Newsom is just one more rich California family trying to establish a political dynasty.
Millions of beds in homeless shelters have been built with his programs, yes, he does the bullshit harm tactics, but he’s spent way more money on real solutions than any other CA governor. One of the attack points Republicans have come up with is attacking him on the ‘‘rise in homelessness by millions’’ what they don’t say is that this stat is coming from the millions of homeless people who are now being counted as they have shelters to sleep in. They are calling it a rise because the number isn’t a guess anymore because they have shelter. Don’t fall for the bullshit. We have to not punish the politics that are actually spending money where he want it.
The absolute worst thing we can do is settle for a neoliberal.
Because if we do, and they win the general, they get to install cro ies in the DNC after the election.
We need AOC regardless of if she thinks she’s ready, sometimes you just gotta jump out of that plane.
They will do just what they did to Sanders. DNC will not allow AOC to be the nominee.
Then it’s time for a new party.
You might be right, they might block her. I’ve been shocked at how much they are willing to protect themselves from Progressives, but that’s not why Bernie never got the nomination. Bernie never got the a Democratic nomination because he’s NOT a Democrat.
Bernie is an Independent, and has always been a staunch Independent. He may caucus with the Dems, but he doesn’t fundraise for them, he doesn’t share his campaign money with them, he doesn’t support them. Over the decades, he has been nearly as critical of Democrats as he was of Republicans.
The Presidential nomination is the greatest gift a party can bestow upon a party member, and they are going to give it to a loyal member who has worked hard for the party, NOT an outsider who is just hijacking the party’s infrastructure to use it to ride to victory, and support policies that the party doesn’t support.
Bernie wasn’t nominated because he wasn’t a Democrat. AOC is a loyal Democrat, and if she gets the primary votes, and the DNC still won’t nominate her, then that’s the end of the Democratic Party. Dems shouldn’t be so worried about that, the Republican Party died about a decade ago, and became the MAGA Party. It happens, parties die, and new ones pop up.
The party rewarded Leiberman with a VP nod. He wasn’t a member of the party either, but I guess he returned the favor by blocking the public option for them.
Bernie wasn’t nominated because he wasn’t a Democrat. AOC is a loyal Democrat, and if she gets the primary votes, and the DNC still won’t nominate her, then that’s the end of the Democratic Party.
Or we’ll see you come up with a new excuse for the party ignoring its own rules again.
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First of all, VP isn’t president. Also, Lieberman had been a Democrat for most of his career, except the very end when he turned Independent, so maybe there was some dumb Democratic idea that this would bring him back to the fold.
In any case, it didn’t work, and they lost the race, in part because many Democratic voters weren’t thrilled with Lieberman, whom many saw as a turncoat for leaving the Dems and going independent. So choosing an independent certainly didn’t inspire the Dems to ignore their rules in the future.
Sanders and Noam Fucking Chomsky himself started spouting neo-liberalism bullshit, and AOC just voted against stripping funding to Israel from 2026 “defense” act.
They ain’t the heros you’re looking for.
Yes they are. No candidate is perfect, and they are far better than any of the others.
Don’t let perfect stand in the way of good.
Centrists, call us when you find these “good” candidates who can win a majority of a vote, and until then sit down and let us handle cleaning up your mess, without your constant yammering.
Thats about the least you could do to help at this point, so do that.
What’s your plan for cleaning up the mess? Let me know how I can help!!
We haven’t gotten to cleaning the mess yet. Your mess, we’re in it now.
You all insisted on voting for a non viable right wing candidate and she lost. The numbers have been out long enough for you to make a correct conclusion: people didn’t vote for Trump over Kamala, they just rejected fascism-light from the Democrats and stayed home.
Liberals love slogans like “Believe in science,” “Love is love,” or “Black Lives Matter.” But these mantras are pasted onto a system that jails Black and brown youth at staggering rates, exports death through drone strikes and sanctions, and props up apartheid regimes like Israel with billions in aid. Kamala Harris, as California’s “Top Cop,” made a name for herself by locking up poor people, defending death row convictions tainted by misconduct, and laughing off truancy policies that disproportionately harmed working-class families. She literally argued in court that the state would “lose a source of cheap labor” if incarcerated people were released early. And yet, liberals who marched under banners reading “ACAB” in 2020 did backflips to justify their support for her.
Why? Because identity politics, stripped of any materialist critique, has become the liberal religion. It’s a shallow representation game: so long as a candidate checks certain demographic boxes, they’re granted moral immunity from the violence they enact. A woman bombing Yemen is better than a man bombing Yemen, apparently. A Black VP rubber-stamping military aid to Israel is a milestone of inclusion, even as Gaza burns.
And here lies the grotesque irony. Liberals chant about systemic racism, but refuse to confront the systemic violence upheld by the very leaders they support. They denounce ICE, but back an administration that continues deportations and funds border militarization. They wave rainbow flags while voting for a VP who until recently held archaic positions on same-sex marriage. They scream about reproductive rights, but ignore how imperial policies abroad strip countless peoples of even the right to live.
Real leftist politics demands we dismantle the structures that Kamala Harris has spent her entire career fortifying. It requires we see through the illusion of liberal “progress” and recognize that the carceral state, imperial hegemony, and racial capitalism do not become humane just because a woman of color is in charge of them. That’s not justice.
We’ll clean up the mess, but it’s gonna get messier first. You can choose to join us in cleaning up the mess, or you can waste your energy fighting on behalf of Gavin Newsom or whichever unpopular objective piece of shit the DNC forces down your throat next time.
I don’t think anyone will read that, but I did. The thing is, you’re not really wrong. But you aren’t going to appeal to anyone like that.
Do you just want to be angry? Do you just want to yell? I feel that.
Personally, yes, I would rather have had non-Trump than Trump. There weren’t really any other viable options besides Kamala when I voted. No third party vote would’ve saved us, even if I convinced literally everyone I know to do the same. But Kamala was much better than Trump, and you brought up good reasons why. She can be bullied into being better. Heck, Gavin Newsom can be bullied into being better. I don’t really like either of them, but I have limits to what I can affect, and I chose that which I could.
Unfortunately, it’s everyone’s mess. We all have to clean it up. I didn’t cause it. Heck, even people that don’t live here probably have to help, and they’re the least to blame for it. But, that’s kinda how it works. Start small, and go from there.
not elect any more zionists for starters, and elminate any dem reps taking checks from them. Ocne we start taking out the trash of the bad dems, they will udnerstand they work for us and start kissin our ass instead of donors.
Fuck your good that includes making sure your children are wage slaves while your taxes slaughter children in Palestine. That’s not good, you just don’t give a fuck that the people YOUR TAX DOLLARS slaughter for your comfort are far away.
Who’s your perfect candidate? If there’s someone better I’ll happily back them.
There is no perfect candidate because both parties are actively fighting progressivism. What you do is hold your nose and vote for the one who won’t try to eradicate anyone they don’t like from the country and then show up to your local democratic party/club every meeting they have and be actively pissed off at the lack of progressivism. Bitching on the internet does nothing, trying to argue about the best candidate does even less.
Make it known what you want in your community and build a coalition in agreement
I agree. I’d just like to hear from the poster above if there’s a single politician that meets their standards, or are they just giving up and using this line of argumentation to justify their own lack of action.
You can’t elect a perfect candidate from two fascist parties. Step one is to realize you don’t owe them a vote, and they must give you a viable candidate before you give them your vote.
The Democrats are not your friends, you’re letting them ruin the world and describing it as good.
I’m doing nothing of the sort. All I’m doing is asking you for an example of a candidate you think is worth voting for. Doesn’t need to be a democrat. Just anyone.
What an ignorant statement…
They once financed a Republican in order to beat a Democratic nominee because they were progressive. Jist look at the New York Mayor race if you need an example of how the DNC would treat AOC.
The party fights progressives and not republicans.
The party fights progressives and not conservatives because the party is conservative, and so are the republicans.
Maybe learn about something before you comment on it?
It’s an ignorant statement, because it ignores how much has changed since the January DNC chair…
They didn’t know about that.
The comment is ignorant.
Next time ask if you don’t understand something, most of the time I’d have blocked you first instead of replying.
It’s an ignorant statement, because it ignores how much has changed since the January DNC chair…
Yeah, since they got their brand new chair who has instantly fixed everything just as long as you don’t actually look at what the party is doing, they’ve ousted David Hogg and tried to force through cuomo in a primary.
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Telling people they won’t be able to vote again helps no one but the far right trying to normalize the idea of a Trump dictatorship.
Meanwhile Republicans are preparing for the midterms.
Nominating AOC or Sanders would be equivalent to the Democratic Party conceding the election to the Republican Party. The chance of either winning a presidential election is functionally close to nill.
Sanders already would have won in 2016 if he hadn’t been railroaded by the DNC. A ton of people went to Trump because of that.
Bruh, Hillary Clinton managed to win the popular vote in 2016. Sanders or AOC are not automatically disqualified from forming a winning coalition in light of that.
“Just go left and you’ll automatically win 😊” idiocy from people on Lemmy is incorrect, but “Leftists can never win, no matter what!” is fucking stupid as well.
ITT: centrists whining because a minor celebrity shows solidarity with a vulnerable minority.
Fuck Newsom.
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It shines a spotlight on the fact that Newsome has suddenly pivoted on this transgender issue. (basically as a precursor to running for president) And people should know that this shithead has no actual integrity and will do or say whatever it takes to get the conservatives to like him more for the general election (he’s pretty confident that Dems will choose him regardless of his policies apparently.) So, if he’s altering his policy on transgender youth, it almost certainly means that he’s gonna attempt the Democrats continually failing strategy of appealing to conservatives.
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Before this “outrage piece” I had no idea that Newsom had come out against trans athletes. So it definitely serves a purpose other than click bait.
It’s criticism of a centrist. No centrist wants people to be allowed to read it.
If he was saying that newsom was right to throw trans people under the bus where you think they belong, you wouldn’t be griping.
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Who’s griping?
You, among others.
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And yet you’re still griping because Ken Jennings of all people isn’t anti-trans enough for you.
What does Ja Rule think???
I really don’t care who he’s not supporting. I want to know who he IS supporting.
That’s kind of related, though. He used to support trans kids until he felt like it might affect his electability. If he isn’t willing to stand by his morals, he is only supporting the money.
I think they were saying they want to know who Jennings is supporting, not Newsom.
… That makes sense. Whoops!
I’m more interested in what Wink Martindale thinks, but it’s too late for that.
I didn’t really care to know a gameshow contestants political opinions.
Who the fuck cares
Edit: lol you ppl downvoting care what some irrelevant Jeopardy contestant thinks
Reading these comments you would think he hates trans people. Instead, he said:
“I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness, it’s deeply unfair… I revere sports. So, the issue of fairness is completely legit," he said.
On the topic girls playing sports against genetic males.
How is it any less fair than high school kids playing against someone who’s being scouted for professional sports? Do you think it was more fair for high school boys to play against LeBron James before he was drafted into the NBA? The entire argument is bullshit and framed just so to give bigots cover for their bigotry.
If you want fairness in high-school sports, force everyone be ranked based on their skill level not their gender because that’s what wins games not a dick and balls.
Ceding the framing to the Nazi position for political expediency isn’t much better.
That’s a red herring. Also, the science doesn’t match the fear. Anyone on hormonal blockers to transition to female no longer has a biological advantage.
It’s the same old racist, sexist, other-ist argument disguised as fairness.
If that were true, then there would be no controversy whatsoever.
However, this is the rare case where facts don’t have a liberal bias.
Transgender women are setting a disproportionate number of new world records in women’s athletics.
Sports should have two categories: “open” and “female”
https://economist.com/leaders/2022/03/19/sports-should-have-two-categories-open-and-female from The Economist
This is a great wedge issue for conservatives to split liberals.
Care to point us to some sources saying they’re breaking world records? I’m having trouble corroborating that.
I included a link
It’s paywalled
If that were true, then there would be no controversy whatsoever.
Brother, there are purple who sincerely believe that the earth is flat. Truth does not prevent controversy.
If that were true, then there would be no controversy whatsoever.
Because bigots would never just make shit up.
So he doesn’t hate trans people, he just wants to inspect every child athlete’s genitals to make sure they’re in the right locker room. Whew, that’s a relief.
On the topic girls playing sports against genetic males.
Thank you for the republican/centrist democrat talking point.
If people keep expecting Dem candidates to be 100% pure in their viewpoints then we will be stuck with MAGA again and again.
It is 2025, and we are talking about an election that is happening in 2028. The primary isn’t even on most people’s radar. If we can’t criticize candidates now, precisely when is it appropriate to level criticism at politicians???
If we can’t criticize candidates now, precisely when is it appropriate to level criticism at politicians???
Depends. If they’re progressive, we can lob bigoted attacks at them after the primaries are over like Gilibrand and Jeffries did to Mamdani. If they’re centrist, a couple weeks before the Big Bang is too close to the election.
“Vote blue no matter who” got us Donald Trump, and a Democratic Party that barely makes a shadow effort to oppose him. I for one am finished with that.
He’s miles above the average Democrat if you really look into all the details, the Republicans are masters of personal attacks and talking points that poison the discussion vs. Address any part of reality. Be careful not to fall for it. Granted like Obama he’s a careful centrist with no real desire to move the needle one direction or the other and that’s been the problem this whole time it’s establishment Dems want to play both sides and it stopped working after Trump’s cult. So. He’s not the answer to the problems Harris had, he’s likely to put his foot in the same trap and he’s by no means a liberal or populist, but he his a very strong debtor and a successful Gov if you look into it factually.
I expect them to not be transphobic. What the fuck?
I as well, but would you vote for a transphobic Dem, a MAGA Republican, or just not vote?
Those are the only options? We can’t have non transphobic people in primaries? We can’t hold them to a hire standard? If we are at the point where these are our only options, we are already cooked.
Hold them to a higher standard and they will be forced to it. Giving in and staying well, I’d rather vote for a transphobe than a MAGA allows them to stay transphobic.
This is the whole problem, we’ve been convinced we need to vote for harm reduction and only harm reduction, and even the Democrats are sliding further right.
Do better. Don’t accept a shit sandwich and a shit sandwich with mayonnaise.
In the November elections those are often the only choices. You can vote Dem or vote MAGA or not vote, the last two options get us MAGA.
In the November elections those are often the only choices.
Then don’t act surprised when people don’t return betrayal with devotion.
What a farce. People don’t want diet Republican candidates which is why the Republicans control every branch of government. The DNC would rather hand over control than allow a progressive to hold office.
Now’s the fucking time to criticize Dem candidates, before and then during the Dem primaries. Our options going forward aren’t “Newsom or a fucking Republican” yet, so don’t fucking resign yourself - and all of us by extension - to fucking Newsom.
This exactly. Choose your preferred candidate during the primaries. Then hopefully have a tolerable choice on the November ballot.
centrists, always giving away every negotiation before it even starts. I imagine back on the schoolyard you’d chase bullies down and demand they took your milk money.
Well, at least he is consistent with his Mormon upbringing, I guess…
As someone raised in that religion and fortunately was able to escape, I was curious, so I did some sleuthing.
Ken considers himself to be a ‘liberal Mormon.’ I searched through a lot of his reddit posts (https://www.reddit.com/u/WatsonsBitch/) and essentially he was never able to break free of his childhood brainwashing and has become very good at mental gymnastics.
I met a lot of people like him growing up: bright individuals who lack any willingness to introspect and search for logical inconsistencies between their religion and their beliefs.
Still, Mormonism isn’t merely a religion — it’s a culture that can be daunting to turn your back on. Especially once they really have their hooks in you (you did the Mormon wedding ritual). But I’m sorry; you don’t get to support trans rights full-throatedly and also support the Mormon church. That is Olympic levels of gymnastics.
Yah. I am well aware to the culture of Mormonism. I’m just not surprised by his lack of support for the issue. Unclear on the downvotes. I guess people were surprised that someone in the Mormon in-group wouldn’t rebel?