The Democrats of today are nothing like the left when I was growing up in the 60's and there are some radicals rolling over in their graves at how crazy the left has become. That being said as inflation gets worse, food shortages will happen this winter due to low wheat production, border crises will get much worse due to Biden undoing title 42 the Democratic party will become the minority party for a decade. Kid you not it will take a decade for them to dig themselves out of this whole.
Lastly Michael Shellengerger hit it out of the park with this essay, thank you!!!!!
What we're dealing with here in Cali (and elsewhere) is that the noble concern for the rights of ethnic and sexual minorities that once defined liberals/the Left has gradually, like the proverbial boiling frog, moved from the realm of the political into the realm of the sacred. Or more simply, that the rights and identities of ethnic and sexual minorities have now become sacralized. So while we may think we're discussing politics with the Leftists who run our state, they are being theological, not political.
In re the homeless issue, this is why the immediate needs and feelings of the "unhoused" can never be infringed upon, they are seen as helpless victims and ergo no other concerns can be mentioned or acknowledged. They are holy and untouchable, and only the Evil say otherwise.
In re the immigration issue, this is why the borders must be opened, why ICE must be vilified and not allowed to work here, why "NO ONE IS ILLEGAL" has become dogma, because our immigrants are for the most part poor and brown, and in the Leftist theological framework this means they are sacred victims who must be loved and cared for regardless of what laws they may have broken getting here or once having arrived here.
And this also explains why every possible organization and department must have a Diversity bureaucracy, and why no matter how many times the voters here have tried to put a stake through the heart of affirmative action aka racial bean-counting, it is essentially unkillable: in the Left theological framework anything and anyone who tends to the needs of marginalized groups aka Protected Victim classes is seen as Good, it is in fact the greatest Good, and any opposition is not responded to rationally but damned as irredeemable bigots. When people get a whiff of the sacred (esp ruling-class people who need a sheen of moral legitimacy), they are loath to let it go.
Our state government is being run by a religious cult and they won't be getting deprogrammed anytime soon (it doesn't help that the media acts as megaphone for their beliefs and as attacker of their enemies). They also have enormous social, political and financial power--I think we will need to see some deeper cataclysm (most likely financial) before they can be dethroned.
I think this analysis is right. John McWhorter and others also believe that current progressives are essentially a secular religious cult. He also agrees they cannot be reasoned with. Their entire identity (and often, livelihood) is wrapped up in this ideology. Therefore, says McWhorter, we shouldn't even try. Focus instead on their potential supporters who can still be reached, who haven't yet drunk the cool-aid. I think that's what Schellenberger's strategy is. The biggest group of these, I'm guessing, are left-centrists young people who sense something deeply wrong with The Woken, but who don't have attractive role models who oppose them. Again, Schellenberger can help fill this void. Hopefully, other prominent refugees from the California Left can join him. I know they're out there, if they have the guts to come forward. Now is the time.
I am happy to have Latin American immigrants, but I do resent come-one/come-all policies that have allowed millions in with no checking for Covid vaccinations/antibodies, no screening to identify and reject career criminals (including members of drug cartels) and no providing identification so immigrants can work in legal jobs and pay taxes like everybody else.
Dang, Michael, this reads like a platform for ... a run for the Presidency, not Gov of Cali. Great stuff. Seriously, this is much better than some of the early statements you made on Substack and other places in your run for Gov.
Why did Trump get elected? Because his supporters are all dummies? Hardly. He spoke to common sense notions. That is what you need to do. Stop telling people you support their identity rights- that is a leftist/Democrat agenda and it is a suck hole. Tell people what is wrong with the country and what you will work to change. Speak to common sense. Hopefully you can do that. But it is a long ramp up. Took Reagan y ears to perfect his stump speech - by riding the circuit, speaking to ordinary Americans, eating rubber chicken. He developed his pitch, honed it, then broadcast it. It worked. You can do the same, but it is a long arc, long than the current race for Cali Gov. If you center yourself on Cali, no matter how much affection you have for what it once was, you do not stand a chance at all. Center yourself on America, plan for the long game.
Newsom had previously given Sonoma County 'Homekey' money to buy the only downtown hotel in Sebastopol in 2020 to convert into transient housing. This was the self celebration event and I was one of the few people aware it was happening (due to Twitter) and rushed over to see the soundstage they had set up. Myself and other local business owners were held back by armed guards at a distance.
The 2020 hotel purchase by the county was a disaster for the local hospitality businesses already reeling from the pandemic. Since this event the 2021-22 county fashion has been to provide 'concentration camps' for 'safe parking' of dilapidated transient RVs (a huge fire risk) with no sobriety rules within city limits. None of these autocratic events had any sort of coherent democratic component. In some ways Newsom's semi rural California's homeless are far more destructive than what is going on in immensely wealthy cities such as San Francisco - Sebastopol has a $10m annual city budget for fire, police, water and public works which is being bled out to cater for inbound transient campers and their needs.
Aside from your candidacy Michael, the only other piece of good news I am aware of is Musk's assault on Twitter through the old school method of buying power. I'm not your campaign manager, but let me suggest you get Rogan to coordinate a meeting for you with Musk. He could fund you and others with Koch-like efficiency and effect better than we can (though I am among your donors).
Thanks Michael, you are effecting the dialogue already methinks. I do wonder how that free homeless houseing will flesh out, and how it will be different from a barricks or a concentration camp. Thinking more like the latter, and many millions will be spent to create it as well. Folks need to have some kind of investment in a place, and autonomy within it, for it to be a success. Free forever just isn't viable to me, folks will hide any income to stay. I would. It will be a trap, likely.
"Why do liberals keep making the same mistake over and over again?"
Because scientific rigor isn't allowed, nor is dissent. There is ample evidence that "climate change" (change how?) is wholly fraudulent, taking a once viable environmentalist anti-pollution movement and turning it into a method of control, theft and grift.
The 2020 election was a total farce. Already, Pennsylvania has shown that its results were flawed, at best, and the state supreme court lambasted the actions during that election cycle. 2020 election was the "cleanest ever" and more americans than ever before voted for some senile nobody in his basement.
Liberals make these mistakes repeatedly because they believe what they're told, and are incapable of dissent. All you have to do is call the 'racist' or 'conservative' and they shut up. See how easy this is?
Neolibs are part of the same war machine Bushes were, they want to sell more weapons. Consider the WSJ article in 1997, instead of reporting our peace dividend, announced that NATO intended to engage in massive expansionism and US arms makers were excited. YAY. Invest, invest, invest, in a future full of never-ending wars. The lobbyists and brokers were working overtime. So do not scapegoat environmentalists, even as naive as they might be. The war party is working for the biggest economy in the world, weapons. These provocations of war with Russia that has been brewing since 2011 Hillary/Obama first planned yet another coup in Ukraine. Another one you can read about in The Guardian, 2004, under Bush. Undermining the democratci processes of other countries is a thing, and we bring that same technology and savvy into our own elections. Putin has nothing on us. US is no moral high ground.
It's dishonesty, not naivete, that is behind writings like this article. Blaming it on environmentalists is standard deception and distraction. It's a sad state of affairs. This is why honest and meaningful public debate is not possible. The US as a military empire has been attacking democracy and national autonomy for it's entire history: Indian Wars, land theft, banana republics, CIA covert operations started under Eisenhower, etc. The reason the US political elite have held back in being too aggressive and critical toward Putin's actions in Ukraine is because they know the US has regularly committed far greater evils. Empires aren't in the business of judging other empires for being imperialistic.
Saw you on Joe Rogan. I agree with you on what the problems are that need to be addressed. I like the fact you don’t seem to be afraid to use powers of the office either. I am concerned that you were referencing how European countries handle their homelessness problem and we should mirror them in that regard. It’s hard for me to agree with that afters years of being told that we should be more like Europe, look at where we are now. I really like the idea of a statue of responsibility, I think the lack of personal responsibility in this country is the root cause of most of the social issues we’re dealing with right now. Just got on Substack, enjoying your’s and common sense. As a Californian, you got my vote come election time.
He doesn’t just refer to any European country , but specific countries that demonstrate they were effective on a particular issue. He isn’t suggesting we emulate Europe on climate policy, for example. The US should do what works, regardless of who else is or isn’t doing it, if there is a good empirical evidence supporting it.
Well I was working when I wrote that, I didn’t have enough time to explain everything I wanted. I thought I made it clear I was specifically talking about the homelessness crisis, nothing else. I agree that we should do what works no matter who is doing it as long as the evidence supports it. Maybe I’m a little jaded when I hear someone say that we should emulate the European’s at all. But, I like him as a candidate and even though I may not agree with his strategy, I said in my original post that I agree with him on what the problems are!
I like the fact that’s he’s willing to disrupt the political class that is corrupt in our society. I think whether you’re left or right of the aisle, we need to realize that voting for the same two parties all the time isn’t going to change anything.
As far as climate policy goes, I agree with keeping our only nuclear plant running and hopefully bring back online the other one.(I don’t remember the names of them sry) I don’t understand why people are so afraid of nuclear power.
I agree with you, good evidence is what decisions should be based on, but i was talking about how I feel. Most people vote on feelings or the party that they align with. Being back by good research is great but you also have to connect with people emotionally if you’re going to sway them. The way people feel about something isn’t always logical.
Even I said I disagreed with his methods, I did say I would vote for him because I think being a good leader is more than stating facts.
"Such a strategy was the only one that ever made any sense from an environmental point of view. Nuclear and natural gas are the two technologies that are most responsible for declining emissions by the US and Europe since the 1970s." Bravo! well said.
What does the minority of mainstream elites think 'liberal' means when the supermajority of Americans are to the left of the elites in both parties and the elites across the corporate media?
The Democrats of today are nothing like the left when I was growing up in the 60's and there are some radicals rolling over in their graves at how crazy the left has become. That being said as inflation gets worse, food shortages will happen this winter due to low wheat production, border crises will get much worse due to Biden undoing title 42 the Democratic party will become the minority party for a decade. Kid you not it will take a decade for them to dig themselves out of this whole.
Lastly Michael Shellengerger hit it out of the park with this essay, thank you!!!!!
Yet another first rate analysis, Michael.
I once long ago worked as a reporter, and thus know a bit about stringing letters together.
You repeatedly deal with complex issues in a way that ordinary folks can understand. It is a skill worthy of admiration.
Thank you.
What we're dealing with here in Cali (and elsewhere) is that the noble concern for the rights of ethnic and sexual minorities that once defined liberals/the Left has gradually, like the proverbial boiling frog, moved from the realm of the political into the realm of the sacred. Or more simply, that the rights and identities of ethnic and sexual minorities have now become sacralized. So while we may think we're discussing politics with the Leftists who run our state, they are being theological, not political.
In re the homeless issue, this is why the immediate needs and feelings of the "unhoused" can never be infringed upon, they are seen as helpless victims and ergo no other concerns can be mentioned or acknowledged. They are holy and untouchable, and only the Evil say otherwise.
In re the immigration issue, this is why the borders must be opened, why ICE must be vilified and not allowed to work here, why "NO ONE IS ILLEGAL" has become dogma, because our immigrants are for the most part poor and brown, and in the Leftist theological framework this means they are sacred victims who must be loved and cared for regardless of what laws they may have broken getting here or once having arrived here.
And this also explains why every possible organization and department must have a Diversity bureaucracy, and why no matter how many times the voters here have tried to put a stake through the heart of affirmative action aka racial bean-counting, it is essentially unkillable: in the Left theological framework anything and anyone who tends to the needs of marginalized groups aka Protected Victim classes is seen as Good, it is in fact the greatest Good, and any opposition is not responded to rationally but damned as irredeemable bigots. When people get a whiff of the sacred (esp ruling-class people who need a sheen of moral legitimacy), they are loath to let it go.
Our state government is being run by a religious cult and they won't be getting deprogrammed anytime soon (it doesn't help that the media acts as megaphone for their beliefs and as attacker of their enemies). They also have enormous social, political and financial power--I think we will need to see some deeper cataclysm (most likely financial) before they can be dethroned.
I think this analysis is right. John McWhorter and others also believe that current progressives are essentially a secular religious cult. He also agrees they cannot be reasoned with. Their entire identity (and often, livelihood) is wrapped up in this ideology. Therefore, says McWhorter, we shouldn't even try. Focus instead on their potential supporters who can still be reached, who haven't yet drunk the cool-aid. I think that's what Schellenberger's strategy is. The biggest group of these, I'm guessing, are left-centrists young people who sense something deeply wrong with The Woken, but who don't have attractive role models who oppose them. Again, Schellenberger can help fill this void. Hopefully, other prominent refugees from the California Left can join him. I know they're out there, if they have the guts to come forward. Now is the time.
I am happy to have Latin American immigrants, but I do resent come-one/come-all policies that have allowed millions in with no checking for Covid vaccinations/antibodies, no screening to identify and reject career criminals (including members of drug cartels) and no providing identification so immigrants can work in legal jobs and pay taxes like everybody else.
Dang, Michael, this reads like a platform for ... a run for the Presidency, not Gov of Cali. Great stuff. Seriously, this is much better than some of the early statements you made on Substack and other places in your run for Gov.
Why did Trump get elected? Because his supporters are all dummies? Hardly. He spoke to common sense notions. That is what you need to do. Stop telling people you support their identity rights- that is a leftist/Democrat agenda and it is a suck hole. Tell people what is wrong with the country and what you will work to change. Speak to common sense. Hopefully you can do that. But it is a long ramp up. Took Reagan y ears to perfect his stump speech - by riding the circuit, speaking to ordinary Americans, eating rubber chicken. He developed his pitch, honed it, then broadcast it. It worked. You can do the same, but it is a long arc, long than the current race for Cali Gov. If you center yourself on Cali, no matter how much affection you have for what it once was, you do not stand a chance at all. Center yourself on America, plan for the long game.
Good luck.
The bizarre 'California Dream' Newsom speech embedded here was during a pop up unannounced press event outside the Sebastopol Inn in Sonoma county.
https://twitter.com/ShellenbergerMD/status/1510825759971053573?s=20&t=0Z2ylFyyke8qGDDY43ZmjA
Newsom had previously given Sonoma County 'Homekey' money to buy the only downtown hotel in Sebastopol in 2020 to convert into transient housing. This was the self celebration event and I was one of the few people aware it was happening (due to Twitter) and rushed over to see the soundstage they had set up. Myself and other local business owners were held back by armed guards at a distance.
The 2020 hotel purchase by the county was a disaster for the local hospitality businesses already reeling from the pandemic. Since this event the 2021-22 county fashion has been to provide 'concentration camps' for 'safe parking' of dilapidated transient RVs (a huge fire risk) with no sobriety rules within city limits. None of these autocratic events had any sort of coherent democratic component. In some ways Newsom's semi rural California's homeless are far more destructive than what is going on in immensely wealthy cities such as San Francisco - Sebastopol has a $10m annual city budget for fire, police, water and public works which is being bled out to cater for inbound transient campers and their needs.
Aside from your candidacy Michael, the only other piece of good news I am aware of is Musk's assault on Twitter through the old school method of buying power. I'm not your campaign manager, but let me suggest you get Rogan to coordinate a meeting for you with Musk. He could fund you and others with Koch-like efficiency and effect better than we can (though I am among your donors).
Reality is undefeated. Best of luck with your campaign and resisting "The Resistance": https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/how-to-join-the-resistance-tm?s=w
Thanks Michael, you are effecting the dialogue already methinks. I do wonder how that free homeless houseing will flesh out, and how it will be different from a barricks or a concentration camp. Thinking more like the latter, and many millions will be spent to create it as well. Folks need to have some kind of investment in a place, and autonomy within it, for it to be a success. Free forever just isn't viable to me, folks will hide any income to stay. I would. It will be a trap, likely.
"Why do liberals keep making the same mistake over and over again?"
Because scientific rigor isn't allowed, nor is dissent. There is ample evidence that "climate change" (change how?) is wholly fraudulent, taking a once viable environmentalist anti-pollution movement and turning it into a method of control, theft and grift.
The 2020 election was a total farce. Already, Pennsylvania has shown that its results were flawed, at best, and the state supreme court lambasted the actions during that election cycle. 2020 election was the "cleanest ever" and more americans than ever before voted for some senile nobody in his basement.
Liberals make these mistakes repeatedly because they believe what they're told, and are incapable of dissent. All you have to do is call the 'racist' or 'conservative' and they shut up. See how easy this is?
Neolibs are part of the same war machine Bushes were, they want to sell more weapons. Consider the WSJ article in 1997, instead of reporting our peace dividend, announced that NATO intended to engage in massive expansionism and US arms makers were excited. YAY. Invest, invest, invest, in a future full of never-ending wars. The lobbyists and brokers were working overtime. So do not scapegoat environmentalists, even as naive as they might be. The war party is working for the biggest economy in the world, weapons. These provocations of war with Russia that has been brewing since 2011 Hillary/Obama first planned yet another coup in Ukraine. Another one you can read about in The Guardian, 2004, under Bush. Undermining the democratci processes of other countries is a thing, and we bring that same technology and savvy into our own elections. Putin has nothing on us. US is no moral high ground.
It's dishonesty, not naivete, that is behind writings like this article. Blaming it on environmentalists is standard deception and distraction. It's a sad state of affairs. This is why honest and meaningful public debate is not possible. The US as a military empire has been attacking democracy and national autonomy for it's entire history: Indian Wars, land theft, banana republics, CIA covert operations started under Eisenhower, etc. The reason the US political elite have held back in being too aggressive and critical toward Putin's actions in Ukraine is because they know the US has regularly committed far greater evils. Empires aren't in the business of judging other empires for being imperialistic.
Saw you on Joe Rogan. I agree with you on what the problems are that need to be addressed. I like the fact you don’t seem to be afraid to use powers of the office either. I am concerned that you were referencing how European countries handle their homelessness problem and we should mirror them in that regard. It’s hard for me to agree with that afters years of being told that we should be more like Europe, look at where we are now. I really like the idea of a statue of responsibility, I think the lack of personal responsibility in this country is the root cause of most of the social issues we’re dealing with right now. Just got on Substack, enjoying your’s and common sense. As a Californian, you got my vote come election time.
He doesn’t just refer to any European country , but specific countries that demonstrate they were effective on a particular issue. He isn’t suggesting we emulate Europe on climate policy, for example. The US should do what works, regardless of who else is or isn’t doing it, if there is a good empirical evidence supporting it.
Well I was working when I wrote that, I didn’t have enough time to explain everything I wanted. I thought I made it clear I was specifically talking about the homelessness crisis, nothing else. I agree that we should do what works no matter who is doing it as long as the evidence supports it. Maybe I’m a little jaded when I hear someone say that we should emulate the European’s at all. But, I like him as a candidate and even though I may not agree with his strategy, I said in my original post that I agree with him on what the problems are!
I like the fact that’s he’s willing to disrupt the political class that is corrupt in our society. I think whether you’re left or right of the aisle, we need to realize that voting for the same two parties all the time isn’t going to change anything.
As far as climate policy goes, I agree with keeping our only nuclear plant running and hopefully bring back online the other one.(I don’t remember the names of them sry) I don’t understand why people are so afraid of nuclear power.
I agree with you, good evidence is what decisions should be based on, but i was talking about how I feel. Most people vote on feelings or the party that they align with. Being back by good research is great but you also have to connect with people emotionally if you’re going to sway them. The way people feel about something isn’t always logical.
Even I said I disagreed with his methods, I did say I would vote for him because I think being a good leader is more than stating facts.
"Such a strategy was the only one that ever made any sense from an environmental point of view. Nuclear and natural gas are the two technologies that are most responsible for declining emissions by the US and Europe since the 1970s." Bravo! well said.
Idiotic liberal intentions
What does the minority of mainstream elites think 'liberal' means when the supermajority of Americans are to the left of the elites in both parties and the elites across the corporate media?
https://benjamindavidsteele.wordpress.com/2021/04/07/american-leftist-supermajority/
https://benjamindavidsteele.wordpress.com/2020/11/29/polarization-between-the-majority-and-minority/
https://benjamindavidsteele.wordpress.com/2020/11/08/fox-news-americans-are-the-left-wing-enemy-threatening-america/
https://benjamindavidsteele.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/wirthlin-effect-symbolic-conservatism/
https://benjamindavidsteele.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/political-elites-disconnected-from-general-public/
Interesting and insightful article however solar panels are not made by enslaved Muslims in China regards
You are a good writer, Michael. I follow your posts carefully. But I often regret that you are a democrat first, and a thinker after that. You have so much potential. https://wendyrogers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Sen-Rogers-Brnovich-Letter.pdf