"There is no easy way to debunk the false promises of socialism. But we can begin by recognizing that socialists in America are not fighting capitalists. They are allied with the world’s biggest and most powerful corporations and financial institutions to destroy emerging competitors, centralize power and profit, and engineer the biggest transfer of wealth in history, from poor to rich. The next time Newsom or Mamdani flash their radiant smiles, remember who they really represent."
"California Governor Gavin Newsom wants to be the 48th President of the United States. In pursuit of that lifelong ambition, Newsom has positioned himself as principled but practical.
"Even if Newsom’s positioning is genuine, his career conflicts with the promise of his new image. California’s considerable remaining economic vitality is in spite of Newsom, not because of him. On every issue that might differentiate him from the Democratic machine that runs California, Newsom’s pronouncements have been suspect. Either they have been completely fraudulent—his claims to have alleviated homelessness are a perfect example—or they have been flip-flops necessitated to avoid disaster.
"And in those cases where Newsom actually flipped into doing something right, however incremental and inadequate it may have been, “disaster” to his presidential ambitions has been his primary concern. Avoiding the disastrous impacts his policies are having on California’s law-abiding citizens, working families, and beleaguered businesses is a secondary concern, only motivated by Newsom’s desire to avoid the first.
"Newsom is also counting on his charm and charisma to propel his candidacy ahead of his competitors. Being 6’3″, telegenic, photogenic, effortlessly glib, and sporting a world-class pompadour should be worth at least five to ten points in the polls. In a democracy awash with low-information voters, races are won or lost with soundbites and clicks. Appearances have an outsized influence on results, no matter how shallow and deceptive they may be.
"Another advantage Newsom brings with him is being born into extraordinary privilege. Newsom is an intimate member of California’s ongoing, firmly entrenched political aristocracy. When Governor Brown left office and Gavin Newsom began his first term as governor in 2018, noted political columnist Dan Walters had this to say about his family connections:
"“Newsom is succeeding someone who could be considered his quasi-uncle, since his inauguration continues the decades-long saga of four San Francisco families intertwined by blood, by marriage, by money, by culture, and, of course, by politics—the Browns, the Newsoms, the Pelosis, and the Gettys.”. . . More...
