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Gavin Newsom is Not a Progressive (www.currentaffairs.org)

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[-] apftwb@lemmy.world 123 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Do I like seeing him fuck with Trump? Yes.

Is he a dirty neo liberal? Yes.

Would I support him in a primary for President in 2028? Probably not. I sure hope someone better shows up.

Would I support him if he won the Democratic primary? Yes. Assuming we get elections. Assuming the DNC hasn't fully fractured and a third party candidate cannot reasonably win.

Would he fix our country? No. See item 2.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Its not hard, people.

[-] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Good take. Maybe the Kamala protest abstainers will have a fresh enough dose of Trumpism to remember that halfway-kind-of-decent-sometimes is better than literally-the-worst-possible-decision-at-all-times. I hope we still have elections. I hope we are not stuck with Newsom as the only choice. But if we are, he IS the only choice, and even though he's not nearly a progressive, he is far closer to it than whatever the GOP rolls out with in 3 years (whether it is Trump again, Trump Jr., Vance, or a new piece of shit far right authoritarian). We need to make sure he wins, and that means getting your asses to the booth. All of us. Even you.

[-] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social 14 points 1 month ago

I also have noticed that literally 0 of the "we can't vote for Democrats, stop voting for them, that is the way to progress" strategists have anything to say about candidates to support before the primary, protest organizations to join in the meantime, anything generally productive that is outside of the general election they're so gung-ho about giving their input to.

Right now would be the time to be looking around for good midterm or primary candidates who aren't corporate whores, talking up third parties or reforms that would make third parties viable, all that kind of stuff. Nope. Just "let the Republicans win" in the general election, and then, crickets. And now occasionally popping up to shit on Gavin Newsom when he's tangling with Trump, like a romantic partner who is grabbing on your arm and screaming "stop it!" while you're in the middle of a fistfight. Just fuckin' helping, the lot of them, from morning till night.

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[-] Hubbubbub@fedia.io 88 points 1 month ago

Don't care. He's not a fascist and that's enough right now.

[-] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago

This is a huge problem in mindset in my opinion. Yes he's better than Trump. But I can grab a random person off the streets and they'd probably clear that bar. Our economic and political systems will always pool power into fewer and fewer peoples hands. We need drastic rethinking of how our society is going to work because Newsom will 100% sales out the American people when the rubber meets the profits. The old system are dead. We are just experiencing the symptoms and only wanting to stop the pain. Not cure the sickness.

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[-] inkrifle@lemmy.world 71 points 1 month ago

So sick of the division amongst the left. He is far from perfect, but I'd much rather take a neoliberal over a fascist.

[-] pregnantwithrage@lemmy.world 43 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

With all due respect, as I understand where this sentiment comes from, that is how Trump gained momentum and won.

I think the blue no matter who approach has failed more than worked considering Hillary failed, Biden did win but really it was more Trump lost, Kamala lost (she got a shit deal yeah but still neolib vs unchained Trump should have been a no contest) and going further back Gore and Kerry lost to Bush. Clinton basically was the centrist Republican neolib that got Dems a roadmap that they keep to this day.

The time for half measures is over and the DNC needs to adapt or they will end up like the Whig Party. If you dont believe me look at their approval right now, No one likes the Democrats

Newsom is an establishment figure and telling the next generation of voters this is going to be a candidate for change won't yield the results you think.

[-] PhilipTheBucket@piefed.social 28 points 1 month ago

With all due respect, as I understand where this sentiment comes from, that is how Trump gained momentum and won.

Trump gained momentum and won because the people in this country don't know their ass from their elbow in terms of what is happening, and their whole picture of politics is based on confusion and incredibly effective weaponized propaganda.

You presented a child with a pretty unappealing fast food burger that had gone cold anyway, and a big lump of shit laced with (and labeled as) rat poison, and then he selected the shit and ate the whole thing. And your reaction is, "Well the burger should have been better." I mean, it's not at all an incorrect statement. But I feel like the way it played out should be automatic proof that the burger quality wasn't the core of the issue.

[-] pregnantwithrage@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I would say the citizens that experienced the fall out from NAFTA that gutted blue collar jobs and created the rust belt would say "the big lump of shit with rat poison" was the Democrats that threw the working class overboard years ago.

Speaking of poison, it is the same reason residents of Michigan would rather vote Trump because the Democratic party and Obama would rather gaslight them about their water being safe to drink instead of charging the corporations that cut costs that polluted the water with federal charges. Obama also bailed out Wall Street and left hard working Americans with a shell of an American dream.

The core of the issue is the Democrats use to be for the everyday man and they lost their way and eroded trust, that will never be gained back. What that leaves voters in fly over states with is a choice to vote their better interest or have a candidate that "tells it like it is" aka lie and get back at the party that screwed them over.

It's not as black and white when you're in the thick of it, as difficult as it is to reason with that base.

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[-] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 36 points 1 month ago

Jesus Christ he hasn’t even announced he’s running yet. Why are we already pretending these are the only two alternatives?

We don’t need to choose a neoliberal over a fascist… we can push for someone better.

[-] Vorticity@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago

Do we need to start the purity tests already, though? I don't like Newsom and would vote against him in most any primary but I will absolutely vote for him over Trump or any other current republican. I can't name a single republican I'd vote for at this point because they're all complicit.

[-] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 26 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yes. People won’t vote against him if we don’t articulate our criticisms against him.

He’s a bad governor who is widely disliked in California. This carnival show he’s putting on is his only claim to fame and it depends on democrats in other states not knowing anything else about him or his record.

Like, I don’t understand the implications of what you’re saying here. That we can’t criticize any politician who’s not a fascist? How is that a reasonable strategy?

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[-] AFaithfulNihilist@lemmy.world 22 points 1 month ago

Neoliberals Don't oppose fascists.

He will work with the fascist to come up with a compromise that the fascists can live with. That probably means sacrificing vulnerable groups and rallying around right wing talking points.

He is right wing. Gavin newsom is just right wing. the fact that there's a uneven deeper more belligerent right wing out there doesn't mean that he is somehow an alternative to it.

[-] null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 1 month ago

This attitude is how you ended up electing Trump.

Its bonkers that you guys are spiralling into a dystopian shitscape day by day and just cant bring yourself to acknowledge that any alternative has to be better.

[-] PalmTreeIsBestTree@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

This is how I feel. I can’t stand neoliberals but some people on here are delusional for saying they won’t vote for Newsom if he is nominated.

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[-] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 18 points 1 month ago

First, criminalizing homelessness is fascism. If you can't take a stand for the homeless how can you expect anyone to take a stand for you? You thibk he won't throw you under the bus if it's politically expedient? Second, do you intend to repeat the same song and dance that got Trump elected twice? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Third, why are you compromising from now? Like come on it's still 2025, even if you're going to vote blue no matter who, now you should be projecting strength not compliance.

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[-] nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 month ago

Oh fuck you, you tell the left they can't critisize these people during elections and now we're not supposed to critisize them aftet elections too? When are we supposed to ask for things that keep us from dying then? You're part of the problem.

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[-] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Leftists: "Democratic politicians are feckless. They need to get on social media to call out Trump's bullshit on daily basis! When is a leader going to step up?!"

Somewhere, a finger curls on a monkey's paw.

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[-] Maiq@lemy.lol 62 points 1 month ago

Newsom is your average neoliberal. As much as I like seeing someone troll Krasnov it's important to remember that neoliberals are not going to help anyone but themselves and their corporate donors.

[-] 0ndead@infosec.pub 49 points 1 month ago

I’ll take the neo-liberal over the outright nazi fascist, thanks

[-] BakerBagel@midwest.social 18 points 1 month ago

Well, history has shown that your fellow Americans do not agree with you. There is plenty of time to find a candidate that will actually be popular with voters

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[-] tabarnaski@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 month ago

Yeah but he's one of the few Democrats actually doing something against Trump and co.

[-] return2ozma@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

What's he actually doing? Having his social media manager write zingers for him? I'm sure Trump is so scared.

[-] Vorticity@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago

He's been pushing back in a lot of ways. I don't like him and would vote against him in a primary, but I'd absolutely vote for him if he wins the nomination.

As to what he's done, here are a few things off the top of my head:

  • Began the process of redistricting CA to offset what TX is doing.
  • Sued to keep the national guard from being deployed to LA.
  • Pushed back on repeal of the EV mandate.

Again, I don't like him. He's slimy. I still will vote for him if he's nominated.

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[-] aesthelete@lemmy.world 33 points 1 month ago

Don't split. I don't like the guy much if I have better options, but anytime he's punching right I'm for him.

[-] demizerone@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

No fascism is better than fascism. Hopefully if he runs and wins he actually fixes the problems that led to fascism. He needs to tax the wealthy at 98%.

[-] ubergeek@lemmy.today 27 points 1 month ago

Hopefully if he runs and wins he actually fixes the problems that led to fascism

Neoliberals like himself are a huge cause of where we are right now.

He needs to tax the wealthy at 98%.

He will never do that, unless he has a sudden and complete change of heart.

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[-] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 28 points 1 month ago

He might not be a progressive but he's not a Russian cum rag, so speaking as a member of a (for the moment) allied country, he is lightyears ahead of your current guy.

[-] Fourth@mander.xyz 27 points 1 month ago

Friend I don't give a fuck I just don't want to live in hell anymore. I'm going to be first in line slamming my fist on the table for a progressive but apparently we need to be at Gavin Newsom before we can ask for a progressive. Lemmy and Current Affairs isn't the average American. We suck. That's abundantly clear to me now. You know what? If Mandani or similar figure was running for president I'm all in. I'm all in on that no matter what. I'm in for the most progressive candidate at all times. Unfortunately right now I just need to not be under threat of everything completely falling apart and not being fixable. Maslow's hierarchy I need that first foundational level to build my pyramid on. I don't necessarily mean this to convince anyone, sometimes you just have to yell into the void because it all feels so bad.

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[-] kadaverin0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 27 points 1 month ago

I don't give a shit. Anyone effectively getting under the skin of that demented pedophile should be encouraged to do so. Fuck these purity tests.

[-] CircaV@lemmy.ca 26 points 1 month ago

Nope he’s not. But he’s not as bad as trump.

[-] favoredponcho@lemmy.zip 25 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Ok, what’s the point of posting an article from 2 years ago?

[-] return2ozma@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago

Which part of the article is incorrect?

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[-] MehBlah@lemmy.world 22 points 1 month ago

He only looks good compared to the opposition.

[-] thoughtfuldragon 21 points 1 month ago

Gavin Newsom offers more pain and suffering to trans and queer folk.

[-] Ryanmiller70@lemmy.zip 21 points 1 month ago

Not to mention the homeless considering he personally went out of his way to destroy the few things they own.

[-] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 21 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

He's rather brazenly pro-Israel. That is not a winning strategy for a Democratic candidate. Israel lost the public referendum, with something like a single-digit % of Democratic voters supporting the genocidal state. Time to accept this and move forward.

AIPAC and none of that shit matters if a significant segment of your voting base will outright reject you.

[-] Fades@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

OH boy I sure do love purity checks. It's worked out so great for us in the past.

Why is this shit always all or nothing, goddamn. It works for maga because they have no nuance and it's all groupthink, but the rest of the nation is far more complex and won't just go for a hard left progressive in the same way. It needs to happen but it won't happen in a single election.

I am in no way endorsing newsome, but at least he's doing LITERALLY ANYTHING.

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[-] chunes@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago

...you expect the dems to run a progressive?

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

I fully expect to see a repeat of 2020. The party establishment will be split between Elderly Nepo-Ghoul With Fanatical Partisan Following and Young Pretty Boy Who Says Progressive Things To A Room Of Millennial Age Investment Bankers.

On the edge of the debate, you'll see a few genuinely progressive leftist voices saying things like "We should be against genocide" and "Homelessness is easily solveable if we put forward even the least amount of political capital" and "Granting DC statehood is the most obviously smart and moral Act any future Congress can pass". Maybe even a few "Medicare 4 All is still a good idea" die-hards shouting from the extremely cheap seats.

And then one (or both) of the insider candidates will pick up a few of the more popular slogans as their own. This, while denouncing any of the fringe voices as Anti-White Racists, Politically Toxic Far-Left Anti-Capitalists, Eco-Terrorists, and Fat Ugly Unfuckable Losers.

Come primary day, said fringe leftists will do shockingly well in some of the early states. At this point, the centrist candidates will panic, drop the kabuki of intra-party squabbling, align behind whomever the current Party Elder tells them to select, scream that a vote for Fringe Candidate is a vote for Fascism, blanket the airwaves with a deafening smear campaign, disavow every nice thing they said up until this point, and maybe squeak in to the convention by a few points on a technicality about who gets to be Superdelegates.

The Convention will be a coronation of a rotten corporate homunculus. Any leftist disgusted by the process or the annointed candidate will be denounced as a Far-Right Foreign Plant designed to undermine the fundamental principles of democracy itself. Said rotten homunculus will pick a Token Minority/Progressive as their running mate, then immediately dump that person to the sidelines and campaign exclusively with the reanimated corpse of Rush Limbaugh.

Trump wins by a ten point margin in 2028. Leftists are blamed for the loss. Democrats vow to purge their party of anything resembling progressive values or human decency even harder. By 2032, they're running a Bitcoin Billionaire in an uncontested primary, because it's unreasonable to trust an election process that's been infiltrated by Hamas.

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[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 19 points 1 month ago

He threw Trans people under the bus. He can fuck right off.

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[-] OhStopYellingAtMe@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago

CLOSE ENOUGH. for fuck’s sake if you wait for perfect you’ll get stuck with shit like trump again.

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[-] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 1 month ago

The USA does not need a progressive rn. It needs someone who can stop the fascists. Newsom has the best chances of doing that.

[-] return2ozma@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

No he doesn't. He would lose

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[-] mcv@lemmy.zip 16 points 1 month ago

Maybe he's not a progressive, but it's great to finally see a prominent Democrat loudly opposing Trump. Too many are obsessed with undermining their own party while letting the US go to hell.

[-] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 14 points 1 month ago

Hopefully, the Democratic Party will go the way of the Whigs, and take Newsom with them. I want a genuinely good party whose mission is to overhaul America in all ways. UBI, a renewed Constitution, universal healthcare, the extinction of ICE and border patrol with minimized police, ect.

The America we have is a sick creature, that cannot be saved by Geronocrats.

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this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2025
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