Newsom seems to think Democrats will want to nominate a neo-Republican

He's bought and paid for by Silicon Valley and that has become clear from outer space. I loved him for the gay marriage thing, but everything since has been a disaster.

I don't know what you guys see in him. He looks like a sleazy used car salesman.

Does he share hair care tips with Doug Burgum?

It's no use.

The Democratic Party is going extinct.

Going far-left and continuing to double down was their downfall.

What exactly in the Democratic platform do you think was far-left?

R5 They just don’t realize that in America the Overton window has shifted all the way to their neighbors house, if the window is still present at all.

These are things average people want... who wants homeless encampments? They have been illegal in NY for decades... The biggest complaint by visitors to California: encampments and homeless people everywhere... so why not try to clean that up?

And why do I have to pay for healthcare and non-citizens get it for free? Is that fair? There has to be some middle ground on all of this. I like these policies.

[quote] What exactly in the Democratic platform do you think was far-left?

Hmmm, where to begin. Reparations? Allowing people to waltz out of stores with a thousand dollars worth of merchandise with no repercussions? School renamings?

I'm fine with this. Providing health care for children of undocumented is one thing, but MediCal for all of them was an experiment that went wrong. Now they're charging $100 a month - so they STILL get it, but they have to pay. What's wrong with that?

And the homeless issue is obviously complex but something else needs to be tried. Doing the same policies that change nothing isn't a game plan.

People should not be allowed to live on the streets when there are programs to help. Yes, I know not everyone is going to get help - but this hands-off approach isn't a solution. Homeless people learn from other homeless how to survive and then a community starts and people are less likely to go get help. And if you weren't on drugs before, once you're homeless and have to deal with the stress of not sleeping well, not feeling secure, scrounging for food everyday - you're going to want some relief mentally out of that situation - or if only to sleep a whole night through.

We have to all agree there are also different types of homeless - people who are still working who are homeless, temporarily homeless, and then a last more visible group of anti-social drug addicts who want to live on the streets.

It's not a Republican idea - they would just say fuck all of you and not help at all. Taking a more forceful hand on illegal immigration, homelessness, and other issues that people know are a big problem is a step in the right direction.

New things have to be tried.

R7, Not a Californian, but I agree with you. I live in a now-sanctuary city in the former confederacy and there are descendants of slaves at poverty level who can no longer get into public housing due to the city accepting and prioritizing immigrants both legal and not. It’s appalling. Likewise with the city health plan.

No. He'll be finished politically after leaving the governor's office. He'll run for president in 2028, but it will be an embarrassment.

[quote] declaring homeless encampments illegal and calling on cities to tear them down

This isn't neo-Republican. This is common sense and having his finger on the pulse of a population who are exhausted with tweakers tweaking.

Sorry, but there is nothing “appalling” about immigrants.

We set up our laws and institutions to encourage them to come here. We don’t have the capacity to process asylum claims quickly. We hire them.

If you want to stop them from coming, make it harder to get here and stay here. New Zealand won’t let tourists in without hotel reservations and a return plane ticket. But to let them in, exploit their cheap labor and then punish them like they’re criminals is just wrong.

R8 sounds just like any republican. Just like Newsom.

Get familiar with the overton window if you aren't already. We've been on this track for over a decade and it's only going to get worse. Stay firm in your values, don't let rising fascism infect you.

I live in Los Angeles and I'm not a fan.

He has not been effective, and now he is pandering to the Right to appear moderate. He needs to stop, as he is embarrassing himself and will never be president.

I like Newsom. I like the way he speaks, he's smart, he's a great debater, and he's handsome. He's a more realistic choice for POTUS than Jasmine Crockett, David Hogg, or some of the others less experienced that people are suggesting. There has to be some balance somewhere.

I loathe how he speaks. He over-enunciates, dramatically pauses, and his "period hard stops" are over the top. It seems like he is lecturing us as if we are children. He acts like he knows better than anyone (which is clearly not the case), and he seems to feel superior to everyone. Very off-putting.

Andy Beshear is the best bet for the DEMS

Pete B. would be the best, but of course we can't have such things, because he's "a gay."

No one likes homeless encampments. They are unsightly and unsanitary. A solution is needed but what? Mental institutions, free housing and counseling for the down on their luck and redeemable? Republicans don't care though plus it gives them something to use against "woke" democrats.

[quote] A solution is needed but what?

The problem is that a lot of them are mentally ill + druggies, and so, they don't want a solution. They want to keep doing their zombie meth drugs, and when provided with an alternative, they'll keep choosing the encampments and the zombie meth drugs.

And the advocates for the "unhoused" aren't helping them or their cause either. They just provide more rope for them and more bureucratic rope for everybody else to have to navigate.

I can't wait for the meltdowns here when AOC gets the nomination.

Of course they'll pale in comparison to the meltdowns that follow her inauguration.

Here is my take on Newsom since Trump came in - Trump is a bully and too much disagreement Trump will slash and burn. Resin is playing the devil we know. If HE doesn’t take the reins and start implementing some of this stuff - Trump and a new MAGA Governor will ruin this state. Karen Bass didn’t exactly help us with the homeless, the budgets etc. Also by Newsom doing some of these things like offering to team up with Trump to do tax incentives for Hollywood - he totally pulls the wind out of Trumps sails. Trump has been raging at California forever - if Newsom goes into full war against him - goodbye fast fire rebuild. I think that Newsom is choosing his battles. …… I can’t imagine the Olympics!

Resin? I typed Newsom ^

Love your right wing talking points r8!

It's so blatantly obvious, yes, and actually pretty hilariously demeaning for Newsome to be stooping so low, but it will work on Democratic party staunch loyalists who have been captured by the "lesser evil" voting strategy lure the Dems have put forth as their only strategy for a long time now. The end result is that people will continue to stop voting and they won't be guilted or shamed by that decision either. Good luck riding out the collapse! Maybe it's time to take your personal power back and stop looking to an outside authority to hold your hand through life.

Newsom not Newsome, but who cares. He's acting like a completely different person at this point anyway, haha.

R22 I will laugh and laugh. I don't care anymore as the destruction of the status quo will continue regardless of who is elected in the future, but I think something like an AOC/Hogg ticket in a new upstart party would be the most entertaining occurrence in a while. Out with the damn fossils already!

AIC, David Hogg running for President? Too late for Newsome. I see a youngish, white male from a purple state. Probably a Governor. Shapiro?

Exhibited poor judgement in his life for someone who wants to run for POTUS as a Dem.

To be fair R30, she was actually attractive at that time and hadn't gone full desperate cokewhore magat yet.

So what's she doing in her role as Greek ambassadress?

People are tired of stuff like homeless camps and the crime that often comes with them.

People are tired of smash and grab shoplifting and politicians trying to make them legal.

People are tired of a lot of stuff that some people would call "neo-rethug."

R32, and what, mind you, would a Refucklican do to fix this?

Every single GOP policy from Reagan onwards has led to this.

R32 oh boo hoo stop whining. People act like only "blue" cities have all the problems. Get back to me after you've lived in a meth-addled small town or smaller city run by GOP nutjobs who are forcing Christian-based restrictions into every act of legislation instead of addressing the greater needs of the local populace. I'm by no means a Democratic party supporter, but the media has hoodwinked the general (mostly stupid) population into believing dangerous crime, homelessness, and rampant unlawful activity only occurs in Democratic run cities. Go for a saunter or a drive through counties in Appalachia and do a comparison. Stop lying to yourself.

Gavin is clearly gearing up to run for president and it's not a surprise; he's been pretty clear his whole political life that this was his goal. He would have run in 2024 if the situation was different, but it wasn't and there's no point in ruminating on that. Regardless, you can't say that he hasn't been an effective governor; California has grown in both population and economic strength under his leadership and is now the fourth largest economy in the world. There is no other state or governor that can claim this accomplishment.

But I cannot say I'm not disappointed in what he's done with regard to the homeless problem, specifically when it comes to this latest announcement taking healthcare away from migrants. The whole premise of the program was that in the long run it is cheaper to treat everyone now, and I was proud that California has decided to pursue universal healthcare. It is very expensive, and that expense is borne now; we only see the real savings in the decades to come. We do not live in a nation in which future positive outcomes outweigh short term inconvenience and pain (and I believe that Elmo & Dotard's claims that short term pain is necessary for long term gain to blow up in their faces once a preponderance of the American people experience that short term pain, and when it comes to that we have seen no pain whatsoever... but that is about to change as Trump's tariff chicanery results in widespread product shortages, price gouging now and inflation later).

An undocumented immigrant is not going to pony up $!00 a month for healthcare. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment and ask yourself if you're making those substandard wages and at the end of the month you have $100 left, will you buy health insurance that you likely won't need for years, if not decades, or will you send that $100 home to your family where $100 makes the difference between eating or going hungry for a month? The insured rate for these immigrants is going to plummet back to zero where it was before this program was passed by the voters and funded by ballot initiatives, and we'll be faced with the same problems once again.

Gavin has, however, been honest and forthcoming when it comes to his homeless initiatives. He said from the beginning that the situation with encampments and, quite frankly, slums that have resulted must be ended. He said he would pass the initiative and begin cleaning up the problem in this exact manner. Bottom line, this is what Californians voted for and we should be happy that he has lived up to his word.

That said, homelessness is such a complicated issue that it's hard to discern fact from fiction. That we cannot ever fully resolve homelessness should not be a deterrent to trying. I've studied homelessness and written about it elsewhere, and I break it down into three distinct but clearly related problems. The easiest one to fix is the smallest: the situationally homeless (people who lost a job and apartment, so live in their car) who are saved from a lifetime of problems with short term assistance. This is about 15% of the problem. They will stay in shelters. They will accept the terms that accompany assistance (no drug use, no crime, et. al.). They won't be on public assistance for long. It's truly a hand up, and not a hand out.

cont'd

cont'd

The real issues are that we have a drug addiction problem (35% - 40% of the issue) and a mental health problem (another 35% - 40%). The drug addicts will not accept the terms of assistance, so choose to remain on the street. The mentally afflicted portion does not have the capacity to know what to do, and more often than not, end up addicted to drugs as well. And despite the problem growing with each passing day, there is still so much public outcry (when drug and mental health programs attempt to address the issue by facing facts and accepting that if we want to get these people off the streets we must accommodate their addictions) that it is pointless to try. And I agree with the public outcry; we cannot spend tax dollars facilitating drug abuse, dysfunction, and the crime that typically accompanies it.

Gavin has taken a common sense approach to the problem. We can and should offer short term assistance to the situationally homeless. We can and should offer mental health and drug treatment programs to the remainder. We must also be tough and pragmatic when it comes to the problem, and accept that if an addict won't submit to the demands of the treatment option, we must let them live out the remainder of their lives accordingly (and acknowledge that it will be an exceedingly short lifespan in these circumstances). But they cannot live on the streets. We must accept that encampments do not belong in our cities and authorize encampment closure and relocation. And this will kill people, slowly but a lot faster than we're doing it now.

So ultimately I support Gavin's plan for homelessness. We've tried a plethora of programs that have not worked, so giving this plan a try is our best hope. It won't solve the problem in the short term, which is Gavin's issue and will probably end up costing him being elected POTUS. [bold]But if anyone has a better idea, speak up.[/bold] The path that we're on now — eliminating every program and effort now in favor of the US as a nation that turns poverty, disease and addiction into societal tragedy — is not the answer.

One thing I'd really wonder about r35/r36 is what is going on with rebuilding Los Angeles. People may disagree about every aspect of homelessness, but most people would say that one huge part of it has to be building more housing, cause, duh. Is it still a hopeless slog where the goal is to always get to NO when it comes to housing permits and building absolutely anything? Or is Los Angeles, and California generally, ready to get off its ass and actually decide to build some shit, or is an endless "process" of deciding whether or not to build some stuff, maybe, the eternal goal still. (And I admit I'm getting this all secondhand cause I don't live there, and maybe that's all a misconception, but maybe you have a better view of the situation.)

R37 - the lack of building is a problem nationwide and has been for over 10 years. Builders are choosing only higher-end, higher-profit housing.

We need the government to step in and start building more housing ASAP. It provides jobs, housing and will bring this housing price creep madness to a stop after decades of astronomical increases.

R35/R36 - Personally, I think those that are on the streets and are offered help have a 3 strikes rule. By the 3rd time you're caught sleeping on the streets, that's it - you're off to a mandatory place for a few months to get sober and get off the streets. No outs. They're not doing themselves any favors by staying on the streets - and some of the mentally ill are just out of their heads drug addicts.

Reagan destroyed inner cities by shutting down all the mental health institutions. But - now here's the real $10 million dollar question - once they're rehabilitated - how the FUCK can anyone afford to live anywhere with these prices and the jobs that pay so low?

The homeless crisis is exacerbated by the cost of living crisis which is impacting everyone outside of the upper 5-10%.

Yes it will work. Legal citizens don't want to pay for illegals healthcare, especially when they are working long hours and have co-pays of $30-$50 and Rx drug co-pays etc. Illegals pay zero where I live to use the CityMD urgent care and people with my insurance pay $100 co-pay. The co-pay was doubled last year. Doesn't seem fair to many. Try going to Venezuela or anywhere else and request free health care access with zero co-pays, you would be arrested or laughed all the way to the closest border out.

^ Shapiro is a jew so many find that might be an issue. It's Andy Beshear who can take it; however, he needs to become more engaging and personable.

I get that r39, and I think you are right about the resentment of providing health care to illegals, but everybody should be clear that all those copays and costs and nonsense and horseshit comes primarily from our insistence that heath care must primarily be designed around a system of profits for so-called "providers" including insurance companies that technically don't "provide" jackshit. We shouldn't kid ourselves about that. Solving any problems with healthcare for illegal immigrants or migrants will be a tiny drop in the bucket for the overall problem.

Everything is moving so quickly - most of it ugly. You know how RFK JR wanted to to work/health farms. Plus they are dangling removing habeus corpus AND creating databases and purging files. I hate to even think it - has Newsom heard any rumblings from DC that these crazy rats might get their “Brown Shirts” to start raiding homeless encampments and sending them to facilities or disappearing some homeless altogether? Is Newsom trying g to o get these people out of encampments before trouble starts?

I guess they all want to be in the same bunker when the end comes.

[quote]a mandatory place for a few months to get sober and get off the streets. No outs.

We tried that; it was what Reagan ended, given cover when the ACLU filed suit because the conditions in the state-run mental hospitals became deplorable. Forced treatment is not just a step backward, it's going back to a system opposite what the American people want. The winners of the last election spoke loudly and clearly: the nanny state is over. Homeless and the poor are the low-hanging fruit when it comes to cutting social services and specifically on healthcare (as we'll see when the Medicaid cuts roll out later this year). Expect that the Federal response to any proposal Gavin puts forward is that the homeless should go to work on farms, in slaughterhouses, mow lawns and wash cars... you know, all the work that the freshly deported used to do.

So no, R42, they won't raid encampments to disappear homeless, they'll raid to force them into work camps in the Central Valley. All we need is to hang a sign over the camp entrances saying "Work makes you free".

[quote] Allowing people to waltz out of stores with a thousand dollars worth of merchandise with no repercussions?

Yes R8, with a criminally convicted President in the WH who sells the office to foreign nationals for his own personal gain to the tune of billions of dollars without…repercussions.

Yes, I can really see how the Democrats have let the electorate down. They’re just not thinking big enough, in terms of corruption and personal enrichment.

R14 & R25, I'm not right wing but thanks for the knee jerk reaction. Explain to me why spending millions on a reparations committee in a state that didn't have slavery is a good use a funds. Even it was a state that had slavery, it would never be enough. We've seen this already with fast food workers. Would also love to know why you think it's acceptable for people to steal and get away with it.

I am not a big Newsom fan, but I live in LA. Getting rid of the homeless encampments is needed. I wish there was an easy solution, but allowing those camps just isn't' feasible.

My best friend lives Downtown and she's constantly afraid for her life just walking to get her car every morning.

He has been governor for 6 years already. What did he do about the homeless crisis during that time?

He's like an oily used car salesman without any real convictions. He can't be trusted. Cozying up to fucking Nazis on his podcast? 🤮

R22 AOC getting the nomination? Only if the Democrats want no chance at all of getting back in the White House. That choice might require me to do something I've never done...vote for a Republican.

R8 California has a lower felony limit for theft than Texas, this soft on shoplifting thing is a bullshit myth.

Which of these AOC positions do you find so objectionable, R49?

[quote] The winners of the last election spoke loudly and clearly:

49% to 48%

When the right loses, it’s always because the Democrats cheated.

When they win, it’s always a clear and overwhelming mandate.

Pathetic children.

R52 I have been reading on DL that the only reason Harris lost ( not because of her previous statements on federal Trans prisoners getting sex changes in prison) is because the GOP cheated and stole the election. A common comment here on DL

If this is true when was the last US election the losers did not claim the election was stolen?

[quote]What exactly in the Democratic platform do you think was far-left?

- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) programs

- Critical Race Theory (CRT) academics

- Trans/nonbinary ideology

- Open borders

All those are far-left issues that cost Democrats the 2024 election.

And still, they're doubling down on them, so they haven't learned anything.

It will cost them dearly in the end... unless they can extricate themselves from the far-left and pivot toward the center.

There is no ”open borders” position on the left. That’s a political invention by Fox News and MAGA.

Recognizing the immigrants are dignified human beings and not “vermin?” Yes. Opposition to wasteful gestures like a “big beautiful wall?” Yes. “Open borders?” No.

Whatever happened to the Big Beautiful Wall?

[quote] California has a lower felony limit for theft than Texas, this soft on shoplifting thing is a bullshit myth.

Oh right. Letting someone steal $950 is soft on shoplifting.

Another pussy Dem move is they get three strikes to do it. I'm surprised they don't get a free tote bag too. Though they probably already stole one.

Republicans prefer their criminals in public office accepting bribes from corporations, gangsters and hostile foreign nations.

To be fair R53 Trump pretty much admitted the election was rigged. Elmo's creepy kid blabbed about it on tape during a Fucker Carlson interview that was mysteriously scrubbed from the net.

Reminder: