The California Dream

Once again, the topic of "national divorce" has entered the public discourse. And with that, a lot of general nonsense. I discuss some recent reactions from Krystal Ball, Emma Vigeland, and Ana Kasparian. IMAGE CREDIT: "Marjorie Taylor Greene (52251853611) (cropped)", by Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marjorie_Taylor_Greene_(52251853611)_(cropped).jpg

Several media narratives have emerged out of the 2022 midterms. But how many of them are borne out by the facts? In this episode, I present data on the election results in a different context, showing a more nuanced interpretation is warranted. MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com

Jeremy Zogby is a partner at John Zogby Strategies, a data analytics firm founded by his father, the famous pollster John Zogby. He is the editor of The Main St./K St. IntelligenSEER, a biweekly report, and co-host with his father of The Zogby Report: Real and Unscripted, a weekly podcast. Jeremy joins us again to discuss the upcoming midterm elections. Why are so many people focused on horserace politics and political prognostication? What factors will determine the outcome of the elections? And what is the real story behind the numbers? This interview was recorded on November 1, 2022. NOTES: 1. "About Us", John Zogby Strategies; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/about-us/ 2. The Zogby Report podcast; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/zogby-podcast/ MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/ IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Jeremy Zogby, used with permission

In this episode, we consider a provocative question: Does the United States have free and fair elections? It's a question everyone in California should consider. MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com

I sat down with Scottish independence activist Aeonghus Brownlee to discuss the Scottish independence movement, the Scottish National Party, and the new referendum proposed by Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP. This interview was recorded on June 30, 2022. NOTES: 1. Scottish National Party homepage; https://www.snp.org 2. Young Scots for Independence homepage; https://www.theysi.scot/ 3. White papers on independence, Scottish government; https://www.gov.scot/newscotland/ MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Aeonghus Brownlee, used with permission

California Governor Gavin Newsom made a startling admission at a press conference following the reversal of Roe v. Wade -- Californians are not safe living in America. What does this mean for Californians, and what does it mean for Americans living outside of California? Does California have a moral obligation to offer relocation assistance to people of marginalized groups living in the United States who feel personally threatened by the policies and culture of the states in which they live? NOTES: 1. "Let's talk about leaving your state....", Beau of the Fifth Column YouTube channel, July 10, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxaDVhnNABY 2. "New Action to Protect Women from Other States Seeking Abortion Services in California", Governor Gavin Newsom YouTube channel, June 24, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0mVFvttsQ 3. "'Florida Freedom' - July 4, 2022 (ft. Gov. Gavin Newsom)", Pacifico Studios YouTube channel, July 6, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjQJ1lVdQuI MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: cropped screenshot from Gavin Newsom press conference, California Governor Gavin Newsom YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0mVFvttsQ, 53:03

I've been away for several weeks. Did I miss much? In all seriousness, we have a lot to talk about. For this episode though, I want to share two items. First, a warning issued from five retired US military generals. Second, a replay of a segment from last July 4th (American independence day). NOTES: 1. "We fought to defend democracy. This new threat to America now keeps us awake at night.", by Michael Hayden, James Clapper, Stanley McChrystal, Douglas Lute and Mark Hertling, USA Today, June 22, 2022; https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/06/22/american-democracy-former-cia-director/7685947001 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "July 4th fireworks, Washington, D.C. (LOC)", by Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress, public domain

Weekly roundup for May 7, 2022 On Monday evening, Politico leaked a draft opinion that would overrule Roe and Casey, the two Supreme Court decisions that affirmed Constitutional rights to abortion. NOTES: 1. "Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows", by Josh Gerstein and Alexander Ward, Politico, May 2, 2022; https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-00029473 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com

Weekly roundup for April 9, 2022 What type of country does the American conservative movement want to bring to California? The answer is no secret. They openly admire and wish to emulate the authoritarian Viktor Orbán of Hungary. NOTES: 1. "It happened there: how democracy died in Hungary", by Zack Beauchamp, Vox, September 13, 2018; https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/13/17823488/hungary-democracy-authoritarianism-trump 2. "What It's Like to Have Tucker Carlson Praise Your Country's Authoritarian Leader", by Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, January 29, 2022; https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/tucker-carlson-hungary-viktor-orban-george-soros-1291890/ 3. "Why Is CPAC Traveling to Illiberal Hungary?", by Creede Newton, SPLC Hatewatch, April 5, 2022; https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2022/04/05/why-cpac-traveling-illiberal-hungary MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "Viktor Orbán", by European People's Party, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viktor_Orb%C3%A1n_(13581867193).jpg

Weekly roundup for April 2, 2022 A month ago, Stephanie Kelton and Rohan Grey appeared on Jon Stewart's podcast. I think everyone should listen to this interview, as well as another interview with Fadhel Kaboub on the Scotonomics podcast. Links are provided in the notes below. Today I focus on the narratives and stories we tell ourselves to justify the decisions we've made -- whether personal decisions about our lives or political decisions we make collectively. Many times these stories distract us from seeing the world around us and recognizing mistakes we may have made. What stories are we telling ourselves in California as we watch American democracy in crisis? Are we being honest with ourselves, or are we doubling down on old comfortable ideas? NOTES: 1. "Jon Referees an Economist Battle", The Problem with Jon Stewart, February 24, 2022; https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jon-referees-an-economist-battle/id1583132133?i=1000552086865 2. "How Do We Fix The Economy? Modern Monetary Theory, Explained", The Problem with Jon Stewart, February 24, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G6obeUKWmw 3. Scotonomics podcast homepage, accessed April 1, 2022; https://scotonomics.scot/ 4. "SCOTONOMICS. Ep one. Economic Sovereignty", IndependenceLive, June 9, 2021; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF3mRrwQqb0 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "Kelton classroom photo", by Paul Thomas, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kelton_classroom_photo.png

Weekly roundup for March 5, 2022 Some comments on the war in Ukraine. NOTES: 1. "Jan 6th: The Real Threat is Christian Nationalism in the Military - Mikey Weinstein", by Paul Jay, theAnalysis.news, January 11, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXb5IJiEeIE 2. "The antisemitism animating Putin's claim to ‘denazify' Ukraine", by Jason Stanely, The Guardian, February 26, 2022; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/25/vladimir-putin-ukraine-attack-antisemitism-denazify 3. "A letter to the Western Left from Kyiv", by Taras Bilous, openDemocracy.net, February 25, 2022; https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/a-letter-to-the-western-left-from-kyiv/ 4. "Don't Be a Tankie: How the Left Should Respond to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine", by Roane Carey, The Intercept, March 1, 2022; https://theintercept.com/2022/03/01/ukraine-russia-leftists-tankie/ MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "A banned image of Vladimir Putin", by Gijemag3, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_banned_image_of_Vladimir_Putin._%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80_%D0%92%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87_%D0%9F%D1%83%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BD.png

In the second half of my two-part interview with Hannah Miyamoto, we discuss another recent Supreme Court ruling on Texas Senate Bill 8, which bans most abortions after six weeks and authorizes private citizens to enforce it. This leads to a wide-ranging conversation about how the issue of reproductive rights could put the country on a collision course similar to how the slavery issue led to the Civil War. This interview was recorded on February 14, 2022. NOTES: 1. Pacifico Studios YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodOnpgLp1-Hfv50JBSLLPA 2. "The new Georgia Abortion Ban could start a new Civil War. — Not that that's a bad thing.", by Hannah Miyamoto, Medium, May 26, 2019; https://medium.com/@FreeCalifornia/the-new-georgia-abortion-ban-could-start-a-new-civil-war-ea76e9003c7f MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/ IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Hannah Miyamoto, used with permission

In this first of a two-part interview, Hannah Miyamoto and I discuss the recent Supreme Court "shadow docket" decision concerning Alabama's recently gerrymandered Congressional districts and the crisis in confidence this poses for the federal system. This interview was recorded on February 14, 2022. NOTES: 1. Pacifico Studios YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodOnpgLp1-Hfv50JBSLLPA MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/ IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Hannah Miyamoto, used with permission

I'm happy to welcome Hal Lohr back to the show. Hal is the co-host of the Red Star Report podcast. A lot has happened since I talked to Hal and Shankar last summer. We discuss current events in California, the United States, and the California independence movement, including the recent failure of AB 1400 in the state assembly. Hal also offers us a preview of what to expect during the upcoming season 2 of RSR. This interview was recorded on February 7, 2022. NOTES: 1. "About Us", Red Star Report; https://redstarreport.com/about-us/ 2. Red Star Report YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsn4e5uimQQGu1sALUvjXcw MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/ IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Hal Lohr, used with permission

Weekly roundup for February 12, 2022 This past week, the Supreme Court stayed an injunction from a lower panel, allowing Alabama to proceed with its racially gerrymandered districts for the 2022 midterms. Also, a trucker protest in Ottawa has brought the capital city of Canada to a halt. At first glance, neither of these stories appear directly related to California issues or California independence. However, each of them has implications we need to consider as we define our movement. NOTES: 1. "Supreme Court's ruling on Alabama voting map could open the door to a new Wild West of state redistricting", by Henry L. Chambers Jr., The Conversation, February 11, 2022; https://theconversation.com/supreme-courts-ruling-on-alabama-voting-map-could-open-the-door-to-a-new-wild-west-of-state-redistricting-176950 2. "The Canadian trucker convoy is an unpopular uprising", by Zack Beauchamp, Vox, February 11, 2022; https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22926134/canada-trucker-freedom-convoy-protest-ottawa MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "2020 U.S. House elections in Alabama", by Politicsfan4, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2020_U.S._House_elections_in_Alabama.svg

Jeremy Zogby is a partner at John Zogby Strategies, a data analytics firm founded by his father, the famous pollster John Zogby. He is the editor of The Main St./K St. IntelligenSEER, a biweekly report, and co-host with his father of The Zogby Report: Real and Unscripted, a weekly podcast. Jeremy Zogby is our first official returning guest. It's been five months since I spoke to Jeremy last August. Recently, I caught up with Jeremy again, and we discussed the California recall election, recent polling results going into the 2022 midterms, the increasing division of the country into "parallel universes", and whether the topic of national divorce has really "gone viral". This interview was recorded on January 24, 2022. NOTES: 1. "About Us", John Zogby Strategies; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/about-us/ 2. The Zogby Report podcast; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/zogby-podcast/ MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/ IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Jeremy Zogby, used with permission

Weekly roundup for February 5, 2022 This past Monday, a single-payer health care bill died in the California state Assembly. In this week's roundup, I discuss the various political and economic aspects of obtaining universal health care for all Californians, and why such an achievement can always be taken away by Washington DC, as long as we remain in the federal union. NOTES: 1. "Single-payer health care hits a roadblock: California bill doesn't have the votes", by Sophia Bollag, January 31, 2022; https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article257908358.html 2. "Why single payer died in the California Legislature, again", by Alexei Koseff, CalMatters, February 1, 2022; https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-single-payer-legislature MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "Assembly Chamber at the California State Capitol", by BenFranske, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Assembly_Chamber_at_the_California_State_Capitol.JPG

Matt Owen is a longstanding and outspoken advocate for California independence. In this second half of a two-part interview, Matt and I discuss the current political situation in the United States, including the rising fascist threat in America, the failure of Joe Biden to meet this threat, how an independent California would move away from American imperialism, and how we can craft a message for California independence that appeals to the masses. This interview was recorded on January 17, 2022. MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/ IMAGE CREDIT: Matt Owen, used with permission

Matt Owen is a longstanding and outspoken advocate for California independence. In this first half of a two-part interview, Matt discusses California history, why California would not be "seceding" from the United States, the distinction between the Bear Flag and the Star Flag, the Baja California independence movement, and why returning federal lands to indigenous populations is central to California independence. This interview was recorded on January 17, 2022. MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/ IMAGE CREDIT: Matt Owen, used with permission

Weekly roundup for January 15, 2022 The mainstream media is finally catching up to what many of us in the California independence movement have been saying for years. NOTES: THE CONSTITUTION ISN'T WORKING -- AMERICA IS BROKEN 1. "The Constitution isn't working", by John Kenneth White, The Hill, December 28, 2021; https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/587431-the-constitution-isnt-working 2. "Republicans Are Moving Rapidly to Cement Minority Rule. Blame the Constitution", by Corey Robin, Politico, January 5, 2022; https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/05/democracy-january-6-coup-constitution-526512 3. "It's Time to Amend the Constitution", by Sarah Isgur, Politico, January 8, 2022; https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/08/scalia-was-right-make-amending-the-constitution-easier-526780 4. "Our constitutional crisis is already here", by Robert Kagan, Washington Post, September 23, 2021; https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis FASCISM 5. "America is now in fascism's legal phase", by Jason Stanley, The Guardian, December 22, 2021; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/22/america-fascism-legal-phase 6. "If America really surrenders to fascism, then what? Painful questions lie ahead", by Chauncey DeVega, Salon, December 2, 2021; https://www.salon.com/2021/12/02/if-america-really-surrenders-to-fascism-then-what-painful-questions-lie-ahead 7. "Timothy Snyder warned us fascism was coming — now he says we can survive it", by Chauncey DeVega, Salon, October 14, 2021; https://www.salon.com/2021/10/14/timothy-snyder-warned-us-fascism-was-coming--now-he-says-we-can-survive-it 8. "If you're not scared about American fascism, you're not paying attention", by Mehdi Hasan, MSNBC, October 31, 2021; https://www.msnbc.com/mehdi-hasan/watch/if-you-re-not-scared-about-american-fascism-you-re-not-paying-attention-125063237821 9. "We Surveyed Experts on Democracy. They're Worried About the U.S. Turning Even More Authoritarian", The New Republic, December 31, 2021; https://newrepublic.com/article/164849/democracy-watch-authoritarian-sherrilyn-ifill-mehdi-hasan-aziz-huq-rachel-kleinfeld 10. "American fascism is still rising. What are you going to do about it, California?", San Francisco Chronicle, January 1, 2022; https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Editorial-American-fascism-is-still-rising-What-16739948.php?fbclid=IwAR3HlQ8vQAVAYmTGxVkSmMkJxL8jW8Byx4g0yw2q4pKLdBsyzp_VsXFRXOs 11. "The American polity is cracked, and might collapse. Canada must prepare", by Thomas Homer-Dixon, Globe and Mail, December 31, 2021; https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-american-polity-is-cracked-and-might-collapse-canada-must-prepare SECESSION / INDEPENDENCE / DISSOLUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 12. "Secession might seem like the lesser of two evils. It's also the less likely", by Stephen Marche, Washington Post, December 31, 2021; https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/12/31/secession-civil-war-stephen-marche 13. "Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz and the dangerous rhetoric of a national divorce", by Jennifer Graham, Deseret News, December 30, 2021; https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2021/12/30/22859964/marjorie-taylor-greene-ted-cruz-and-the-dangerous-rhetoric-of-a-national-divorce-texit-secession 14. "How seriously should we take talk of US state secession?", by William G. Gale and Darrell M. West, Brookings, December 13, 2021; https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2021/12/13/how-seriously-should-we-take-talk-of-us-state-secession 15. "America: Love It Or Leave It", by Kaia Hubbard, US News and World Report, November 5, 2021; https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2021-11-05/americans-eye-secession-amid-intractable-partisan-disputes 16. "What would it look like if New Hampshire actually seceded from the U.S.?", NH Business Review, January 14, 2022; https://www.nhbr.com/what-would-it-look-like-if-new-hampshire-actually-seceded-from-the-u-s 17. "Ted Cruz says Texas should secede and 'take the military' if Democrats 'destroy the country'", Salon, November 9, 2021; https://www.salon.com/2021/11/09/ted-cruz-says-texas-should-secede-and-take-the-military-if-democrats-destroy-the-country CIVIL WAR AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY 18. "Democracy is declining in the U.S. but it's not all bad news, a report finds", NPR, December 1, 2021; https://www.npr.org/2021/12/01/1059896434/united-states-backsliding-democracy-donald-trump-january-6-capitol-attack 19. "3 retired generals: The military must prepare now for a 2024 insurrection", by Paul D. Eaton, Antonio M. Taguba and Steven M. Anderson, Washington Post, December 17, 2021; https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/17/eaton-taguba-anderson-generals-military 20. "The Coming Coup: How Republicans Are Laying the Groundwork to Steal Future Elections", by Ari Berman, Mother Jones, January 13, 2022; https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/01/how-republicans-are-taking-over-election-system-big-lie 21. "Why An Expert In Political Violence Is Worried About Civil War In The U.S.", FiveThirtyEight podcast, January 13, 2022; https://fivethirtyeight.com/videos/why-an-expert-in-political-violence-is-worried-about-civil-war-in-the-u-s 22. "Are We Doomed?", by George Packer, The Atlantic, December 6, 2021; https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/01/imagine-death-american-democracy-trump-insurrection/620841 23. "We Need to Think the Unthinkable About Our Country", by Jonathan Stevenson and Steven Simon, New York Times, January 13, 2022; https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/opinion/january-6-civil-war.html 24. "Refusal to abide by the results of elections threatens the stability of the US more than at any time since 1860", by Michael Burlingame, Boston Globe, January 1, 2022; https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/01/01/opinion/refusal-abide-by-results-elections-threatens-stability-us-more-than-any-time-since-1860 25. "Is America heading to civil war or secession?", CNN, January 8, 2022; https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/is-america-heading-to-civil-war-or-secession/vi-AASziTy 26. "How does this end?", by Zack Beauchamp, Vox, January 3, 2022; https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22814025/democracy-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-election-violence MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "American protesters in front of White House-11", Tasnim News Agency, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_protesters_in_front_of_White_House-11.jpg

Weekly roundup for January 8, 2022 We take a closer look at what exactly occurred a year ago. How should we perceive and classify those events? What terminology should we use? And what do those conclusions say about American democracy? Is this the country Californians want to live in? NOTES: 1. Coup D'état Project (CDP), Cline Center for Advanced Social Research; https://clinecenter.illinois.edu/project/research-themes/democracy-and-development/coup-detat-project-cdp 2. "It Was an Attempted Coup: The Cline Center's Coup D'état Project Categorizes the January 6, 2021 Assault on the US Capitol", Cline Center for Advanced Social Research, January 27, 2021; https://clinecenter.illinois.edu/coup-detat-project-cdp/statement_jan.27.2021 3. "The insurrection is only the tip of the iceberg", by Sidney Blumenthal, The Guardian, January 6, 2022; https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/06/capitol-attack-coup-attempt-trump-far-right-republicans MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "Storming of the United States Capitol on 6 January 2021", Tyler Merbler, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Storming_capital_IMG_3519_(cropped).jpg

Reflections on 2021 and a preview of 2022.

Weekly roundup for December 11, 2021 I return to the microphone after a short hiatus. Unfortunately, none of the issues facing America have been addressed in the two months since we last talked, and if anything, the crisis of American democracy has only deepened. Two major cases sit before SCOTUS this term. One case, covered extensively in the media, imperils fundamental rights and threatens to tear the country apart. The other case, almost completely ignored by the media, could be the most consequential ruling for federal governance in decades. Finally, a few short comments on the F-word. No, not that F-word -- the other F-word. NOTES: 1. "Supreme Court set to take up all-or-nothing abortion fight", PBS NewsHour Weekend, November 28, 2021; https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/supreme-court-set-to-take-up-all-or-nothing-abortion-fight 2. "Chevron deference at stake in fight over payments for hospital drugs", by Nicholas Bagley, SCOTUSblog, November 29, 2021; https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/11/chevron-deference-at-stake-in-fight-over-payments-for-hospital-drugs/ 3. "The Anatomy of Fascism", interview with Robert O. Paxton, C-SPAN BookTV, May 7, 2004; https://www.c-span.org/video/?181972-1/the-anatomy-fascism 4. "I've Hesitated to Call Donald Trump a Fascist. Until Now", by Robert O. Paxton, Newsweek, January 11, 2021; https://www.newsweek.com/robert-paxton-trump-fascist-1560652 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "Supreme Court of the United States -- Roberts Court 2020", Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States_-_Roberts_Court_2020.jpg

Weekly roundup for October 16, 2021 Why is there so much division in America? How did we get here? And what does it all mean for California? An extended discussion of the historical and economic roots of current American dysfunction. NOTES: 1. "Biden signs bill to avert partial government shutdown", Associated Press, September 30, 2021; https://apnews.com/article/congress-moves-to-avert-partial-government-shutdown-8f5b5b0c6c4cb12af8316ffc0b098771 2. "Congress Just Voted To Temporarily Increase The Debt Ceiling. Why It Matters For You", by Lisa Rowan, Forbes Advisor, October 12, 2021; https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/what-is-the-debt-ceiling/ 3. "Democrats aim to pass infrastructure, social spending bills by the end of October, Schumer says", CNBC, October 4, 2021; https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/04/schumer-aims-to-pass-biden-infrastructure-build-back-better-plans-in-october.html 4. "U.S. Workers Are Realizing It's the Perfect Time to Go on Strike", by Alana Semuels, Time, October 8, 2021; https://time.com/6105109/workers-strike-unemployment/ 5. "Trump telling Republicans not to vote is the GOP's worst nightmare", by Zeeshan Aleem, MSNBC, October 14, 2021; https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/trump-telling-republicans-not-vote-gop-s-worst-nightmare-n1281613 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "Donald Trump - Caricature", by DonkeyHotey, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_-_Caricature_(51210156975).jpg

Weekly roundup for September 25, 2021 Gavin Newsom survived his California gubernatorial recall election, but California itself seemed an afterthought in the media coverage. And as millions of Americans face eviction and a loss of unemployment benefits, the fate of two infrastructure bills in Congress remains uncertain, while the threat of default and government shutdown show that Washington DC is no longer able to perform the most basic tasks of governing. NOTES: 1. "About Our Party", California National Party, accessed September 25, 2021; https://www.californianational.party/about/ 2. "California governor recall election: Voters reject recall of Gavin Newsom", Washington Post, accessed September 25, 2021; https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/election-results/california/governor-recall/ 3. "Understanding the Infrastructure Bills", Investopedia, August 25, 2021; https://www.investopedia.com/here-s-what-s-in-the-usd1-trillion-infrastructure-bill-passed-by-the-senate-5196817 4. "House passes bill to avoid government shutdown, suspend debt limit — but it faces Senate roadblocks with deadlines near", CNBC, September 21, 2021; https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/government-shutdown-house-passes-funding-debt-ceiling-bill.html 5. "'American democracy will continue to be tested': Peril author Robert Costa on Trump, the big lie and 2024", by David Smith, The Guardian, September 26, 2021; https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/26/robert-costa-interview-peril-donald-trump MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: California National Party logo, used with permission

Weekly roundup for September 4, 2021 The United States is the only country in the world to celebrate "Labor Day". I explain how such a uniquely American holiday came about as a deliberate attempt to stifle radical labor activity and thought. Meanwhile, the draconian Texas abortion law should warn Californians of the threat of American fascism. NOTES: 1. "Labor Day Is a Government Scam", by Kim Kelly, Teen Vogue, August 30, 2019; https://www.teenvogue.com/story/history-labor-day-us-government 2. "History of Labor Day", U.S. Department of Labor, accessed September 4, 2021; https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history 3. "After Texas' abortion ban, California must fight like hell to protect reproductive rights", Sacramento Bee editorial, September 3, 2021; https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article253951933.html 4. "Rep. Cawthorn talks of 'bloodshed' over future elections as he pushes voting lies", CNN, August 30, 2021; https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/30/politics/madison-cawthorn-elections/index.html 5. "McCarthy Threatens Technology Firms That Comply With Riot Inquiry", NY Times, September 1, 2021; https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/us/politics/mccarthy-capitol-riot.html MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: United States Library of Congress's Rare Book and Special Collections Division, public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pamphlet_Haymarket_affair_001da_original.jpg

Michael Loebs is Party Chair of the California National Party and a candidate for governor of California in the upcoming recall election on September 14. Michael joins me to discuss his campaign, his platform, and why he thinks the federal system of the United States does a disservice to the interests and needs of Californians. This interview was recorded on August 26, 2021. NOTES: 1. Michael Loebs campaign website; https://www.loebsforca.com/ 2. California National Party website; http://www.votecnp.org/ 3. California National Party YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTPygtBmMuEeZqiFgWmQUQw MUSIC CREDIT: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDITS: 1. Michael Loebs, used with permission

This is the second half of my talk with Jeremy Zogby. Jeremy is a partner at John Zogby Strategies, a data analytics firm founded by his father, the famous pollster John Zogby. He is the editor of The Main St./K St. IntelligenSEER, a biweekly report, and co-host with his father of The Zogby Report: Real and Unscripted, a weekly podcast. This interview was recorded on August 2, 2021. NOTES: 1. "About Us", John Zogby Strategies; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/about-us/ 2. The Zogby Report podcast; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/zogby-podcast/ MUSIC CREDIT: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDITS: 1. Jeremy Zogby, used with permission

Weekly roundup for August 21, 2021 I clarify some previous remarks about Nina Turner's loss and state-based single payer/M4A. Also, the IPCC report indicates the federal government is not doing nearly enough to address climate change. And what does the fall of Kabul mean for the 2024 presidential election? NOTES: 1. "Major climate changes inevitable and irreversible – IPCC's starkest warning yet", The Guardian, August 9, 2021; https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/09/humans-have-caused-unprecedented-and-irreversible-change-to-climate-scientists-warn 2. "AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis", Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, August 9, 2021; https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1 3. "The fall of Kabul: a 20-year mission collapses in a single day", The Guardian, August 15, 2021; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/15/the-fall-of-kabul-a-20-year-mission-collapses-in-a-single-day 4. "Keys to the White House", PollyVote, accessed August 19, 2021; https://pollyvote.com/en/components/models/mixed/keys-to-the-white-house 5. "Pattern recognition applied to presidential elections in the United States, 1860-1980: Role of integral social, economic, and political traits", by A. J. Lichtman and V. I. Keilis-Borok, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, November 1, 1981; https://www.pnas.org/content/78/11/7230 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: United States Air Force, public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Operation_Allies_Refuge_Image_2_of_10.jpg

Last week, I sat down to talk with Jeremy Zogby. Jeremy is a partner at John Zogby Strategies, a data analytics firm founded by his father, the famous pollster John Zogby. He is the editor of The Main St./K St. IntelligenSEER, a biweekly report, and co-host with his father of The Zogby Report: Real and Unscripted, a weekly podcast. In this first half of the interview, Jeremy and I discuss the nature of market research and political polling, the current state of political polling in the United States after the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, and the division and tribalism in the country. During the second half of the interview (to be released in two weeks), we discuss the possibilities of secession and/or independence in the United States, as well as some recent polling results on secessionist sentiment. This interview was recorded on August 2, 2021. NOTES: 1. "About Us", John Zogby Strategies; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/about-us/ 2. The Zogby Report podcast; https://johnzogbystrategies.com/zogby-podcast/ MUSIC CREDIT: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDITS: 1. Jeremy Zogby, used with permission

Weekly roundup for August 7, 2021 NOTES: 1. "Gavin Newsom sees another alarming California recall poll", SFGate, July 27, 2021; https://www.sfgate.com/gavin-newsom-recall/article/poll-California-Gavin-Newsom-recall-Berkeley-close-16342475.php 2. "Poll finds support for Gavin Newsom recall increased over past 2 weeks. Are mask mandates to blame?", SFGate, August 3, 2021; https://www.sfgate.com/gavin-newsom-recall/article/Poll-recall-Gavin-Newsom-Larry-Elder-mask-mandate-16360329.php 3. "Shock poll shows Gavin Newsom losing recall vote by double digits", SFGate, August 4, 2021; https://www.sfgate.com/gavin-newsom-recall/article/poll-Gavin-Newsom-recall-losing-Elder-Paffrath-16364991.php 4. "Larry Elder Thinks California's Minimum Wage Should Be $0 an Hour", LAMag, August 4, 2021; https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/larry-elder-minimum-wage 5. "Could conservative radio host Larry Elder actually be the next governor of California?", The Mercury News, July 29, 2021; https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/07/29/could-larry-elder-actually-be-the-next-governor-of-california 6. Larry Elder presenter page, PragerU, accessed August 6, 2021; https://www.prageru.com/presenter/larry-elder/ 7. "The Establishment Beat Nina Turner. What Does It Mean?", by Joan Walsh, The Nation, August 3, 2021; https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/nina-turner-shontel-brown-ohio-2/ 8. "House Democrat sleeps on Capitol steps as she blasts lawmakers over expiring eviction moratorium", CNN, August 2, 2021; https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/31/politics/cori-bush-eviction-moratorium-cnntv/index.html 9. "Mirror, Mirror 2021: Reflecting Poorly (Health Care in the U.S. Compared to Other High-Income Countries)", The Commonwealth Fund, August 4, 2021; https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2021/aug/mirror-mirror-2021-reflecting-poorly MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: Government of California, public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gavin_Newsom_speaking_at_the_California_Economic_Summit_-_2019.jpg

Weekly roundup for July 31, 2021 The United States approaches two consequential deadlines today. What is the deadline for California? How much more dysfunction can we endure before the deadline for our tolerance will expire? NOTES: 1. "Debt Limit", Department of the Treasury, accessed July 31, 2021; https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-markets-financial-institutions-and-fiscal-service/debt-limit 2. "Republicans threaten to hold up debt ceiling days before deadline, raising potential for political showdown", by Tony Romm, Seung Min Kim and Mike DeBonis, Washington Post, July 21, 2021; https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/07/21/republicans-debt-ceiling 3. "Can Democrats raise the debt ceiling alone and avert a market meltdown?", by Chris Matthews, MarketWatch, July 31, 2021; https://www.marketwatch.com/story/can-democrats-raise-the-debt-ceiling-alone-and-avert-a-market-meltdown-11627672206 4. "Progressive Cori Bush says 'some Democrats went on vacation instead' of preventing the eviction moratorium from expiring", Business Insider, July 31, 2021; https://www.businessinsider.com/cori-bush-democrats-vacationed-ahead-of-eviction-moratorium-expiration-2021-7 5. "House Republicans Block Emergency Legislation by Chairwoman Waters to Extend Federal Eviction Moratorium Due to Republican Objections: Thousands of Families and Children Now at Risk of Eviction", U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, July 30, 2021; https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=408277 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: "Tying one's shoes", by asobuno, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tying_one%27s_shoe.jpg

Weekly roundup for July 24, 2021 Today is the March for Medicare for All, a set of coordinated rallies to replace our private health insurance system with some form of single-payer or nationalized health care. But the American machine will never allow anything to jeopardize the enormous profits of the health insurance, pharmaceutical, and hospital industries. America will end as a country before the people in America achieve universal health care. In California news -- California will pay reparations to victims of forced sterilizations, and University of California students will see tuition expenses increase for at least the next five years. Finally, Bright Line Watch reports that political science experts are concerned about Republican legislative strategies to undermine future elections, but nothing in any currently proposed federal legislation addresses these threats. And support for secession has increased dramatically across all regions of America -- even among Democrats during the new Biden administration. NOTES: 1. "California to Pay Reparations to Victims of Forced Sterilization", US News & World Report, July 8, 2021; https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-07-08/california-to-pay-reparations-to-victims-of-forced-sterilization 2. "University of California regents approve rare tuition hike", AP News, July 22, 2021; https://apnews.com/article/business-health-education-california-coronavirus-pandemic-d84b3a8b69421c7033b465672f3f6a51 3. "Approaching a Tipping Point? A History and Prospectus of Funding for the University of California", by John A. Douglass and Zachary Bleemer, UC Berkeley: Center for Studies in Higher Education, 2018; https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4gn6b778 4. "Still miles apart: Americans and the state of U.S. democracy half a year into the Biden presidency", Bright Line Watch, June/July 2021; https://brightlinewatch.org/still-miles-apart-americans-and-the-state-of-u-s-democracy-half-a-year-into-the-biden-presidency/ 5. "47% of West Coast Dems, 66% of Southern Republicans Want to Secede From U.S.", Newsweek, July 14, 2021; https://www.newsweek.com/47-west-coast-dems-66-southern-republicans-want-secede-us-1609875 6. "More Californians dreaming of a country without Trump: poll", Reuters, January 23, 2017; https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-california-secession/more-californians-dreaming-of-a-country-without-trump-poll-idUSKBN1572KB MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: Bright Line Watch, public domain; https://brightlinewatch.org/still-miles-apart-americans-and-the-state-of-u-s-democracy-half-a-year-into-the-biden-presidency/

Hal Lohr and Shankar Singam are co-hosts of the Red Star Report podcast. I sat down to talk with them about how they became activists for California independence, where they see the current state of the country, and what path they think California needs to take for itself into the future. This interview was recorded on July 10, 2021. NOTES: 1. "About Us", Red Star Report; https://redstarreport.com/about-us/ 2. Red Star Report YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsn4e5uimQQGu1sALUvjXcw MUSIC CREDIT: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDITS: 1. Hal Lohr, used with permission 2. Shankar Singam, used with permission

Weekly roundup for July 17, 2021 Democrats are declaring victory over the $3.5 trillion infrastructure deal reached in the Senate under reconciliation. A closer look at the numbers reveals that the current proposal is entirely inadequate, and history proves the federal government is capable of much larger fiscal spending when facing such existential crises. As long as California remains in the federal system -- lacking the power of the purse -- we will be fiscally constrained and unable to fill the void in leadership left by Congress. Meanwhile, new details have emerged about the 2020 election. Mark Milley, the highest ranking US military officer, feared Trump would attempt a coup in the event of an election loss. And two men in California made plans to blow up the Democratic party headquarters in Sacramento in January. Fascism has come to America, and California finds itself in the crosshairs. NOTES: 1. "U.S. Senate Democrats agree to $3.5 trln for budget reconciliation bill", Reuters, July 13, 2021; https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-democrats-rush-outline-massive-infrastructure-bill-2021-07-13/ 2. "Democrats reach deal on $3.5T price tag for infrastructure bill", The Hill, July 13, 2021; https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/562889-democrats-reach-deal-on-35-trillion-price-tag-for-infrastructure-bill 3. "Senators Want to Pay for Infrastructure With 'Asset Recycling.' That's Just a Fancy Term for Privatization.", by Hannah Levintova and Noah Lanard, Mother Jones, July 2, 2021; https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/07/senators-want-to-pay-for-infrastructure-with-asset-recycling-thats-just-a-fancy-term-for-privatization/ 4. "'Asset recycling' is 1 piece of the bipartisan infrastructure deal that could prove controversial", The Week, June 24, 2021; https://theweek.com/politics/1001946/asset-recycling-is-1-piece-of-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal-that-could-prove 5. "Top US general warned of 'Reichstag moment' in Trump's turbulent last days", The Guardian, July 14, 2021; https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/14/donald-trump-reichstag-moment-general-mark-milley-book 6. "Two men charged in plot to blow up Democratic headquarters in California", The Guardian, July 16, 2021; https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/16/california-democrat-headquarters-attack-plot-indictment 7. "About Us", Red Star Report; https://redstarreport.com/about-us/ MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: Biden/Harris 2020 campaign, public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Biden-Harris_Build_Back_Better_61WnP4A6qVL._AC_SL1500.jpg

Weekly roundup for June 26, 2021 Today we discuss how the federal system hinders progress in the Golden State. From economic growth to unemployment, from disaster relief to job creation, from health care to voting, California can do better. California can be better. NOTES: 1. "About Us", Red Star Report; https://redstarreport.com/about-us/ 2. Red Star Report YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsn4e5uimQQGu1sALUvjXcw 3. "California Defies Doom With No. 1 U.S. Economy", Bloomberg Opinion, June 14, 2021; https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-06-14/california-defies-doom-with-no-1-u-s-economy 4. "2021's Best & Worst State Economies", WalletHub.com, June 7, 2021; https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-best-economies/21697 5. "CDC extends eviction moratorium a month, says it's last time", Associated Press, June 24, 2021; https://apnews.com/article/eviction-ban-extended-biden-coronavirus-9e7c4dc97c49cbb42a1ecb55b06e3b4c 6. "Governor Newsom, Legislative Leaders Announce Eviction Moratorium Extension, Increased Compensation for Rent Relief", Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, June 25, 2021; https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/06/25/governor-newsom-legislative-leaders-announce-eviction-moratorium-extension-increased-compensation-for-rent-relief/ 7. "Cash Now -- featuring Stephanie Kelton", Rumble with Michael Moore, March 22, 2020; https://anchor.fm/rumble-with-michael-moore/episodes/Ep--55-Cash-Now-feat--Stephanie-Kelton-ebpnhp 8. "March for Medicare For All" Twitter page; https://twitter.com/m4m4all?lang=en 9. "Guaranteed work: California commission calls for government jobs program after pandemic", Sacramento Bee, March 3, 2021; https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article249640183.html 10. "Ayanna Pressley's Federal Job Guarantee"; https://ayannapressley.com/issues/jobguarantee/ 11. "Stop the poison pills in HR 1", Green Party US, March 9, 2021; https://www.gp.org/hr_1 MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign, public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Medicare_for_all._car_magnet.jpg

Weekly roundup for June 19, 2021 As yet another record heatwave sweeps the Southwest, California again suffers the consequences of a federal government unable and unwilling to meet the challenge of climate change. Apparently, creating a moral panic over critical race theory is more important than confronting draught and wildfires. Paul Jay interviews economist Bill Black about the control fraud that led to the 2008 financial crisis and the federal agencies and departments that refused to punish the bankers who committed it. And finally, two California Congressmen vote against the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. NOTES: 1. "‘Potentially the worst drought in 1,200 years': scientists on the scorching US heatwave", The Guardian, June 18, 2021; https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/18/us-heatwave-west-climate-crisis-drought/ 2. "Republicans in Congress are out of step with the American public on climate", Brookings Institution, May 10, 2021; https://www.brookings.edu/blog/planetpolicy/2021/05/10/republicans-in-congress-are-out-of-step-with-the-american-public-on-climate/ 3. "This environmentalist is shaping the GOP's climate narrative", E&E News, May 19, 2021; https://www.eenews.net/stories/1063732923 4. "Republican congressman suggests changing moon's orbit to fight climate change", Guardian News, June 9, 2021; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHjktX1oQPU 5. "Guest Blog: Where Does the Bizarre Hysteria About 'Critical Race Theory' Come From? Follow the Money!", by Isaac Kamola, Inside Higher Ed, June 3, 2021; https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/guest-blog-where-does-bizarre-hysteria-about-%E2%80%98critical-race-theory%E2%80%99-come-follow 6. "BILL BLACK Pt 1/9 - The Best Way to Rob a Bank Is to Own One", theanalysis.news, May 10, 2021; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFH5-5D5_Lc 7. "14 House Republicans Voted Against Making Juneteenth A Federal Holiday", NPR, June 17, 2021; https://www.npr.org/2021/06/17/1007551309/14-house-republicans-voted-against-making-juneteenth-a-federal-holiday MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: Frank Schulenburg, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en); https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boats_on_Lake_Oroville_during_the_2021_drought.jpg

Weekly roundup for June 12, 2021 Today's theme is "Let's Get Real!". Californians are in a state of denial about their abusive relationship with the rest of the country. It's time to face up to reality and be honest about America and what options we have for the future. NOTES: 1. "Understanding QAnon's Connection to American Politics, Religion, and Media Consumption", Public Religion Research Institute, May 27, 2021; https://www.prri.org/research/qanon-conspiracy-american-politics-report/ 2. "Statement of Concern: The Threats to American Democracy and the Need for National Voting and Election Administration Standards", New America, June 1, 2021; https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/statements/statement-of-concern/ 3. "Biden ends infrastructure negotiations with Republican senators", CBS News, June 9, 2021; https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-infrastructure-bill-ends-negotiations-republican-senators/ 4. "Manchin Is Unmoved On The Voting Rights Bill After He Met With Civil Rights Groups", NPR, June 8, 2021; https://www.npr.org/2021/06/08/1004341661/despite-constructive-meeting-manchins-mind-is-made-up-on-voting-rights-bill MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com IMAGE CREDIT: Office of Senator Joe Manchin, public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brett_Kavanaugh_and_Joe_Manchin.jpg

After a brief hiatus, The California Dream podcast has a new beginning. PHOTO CREDIT: Impression, Sunrise Claude Monet, United States public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monet_-_Impression,_Sunrise.jpg

41 Senators represent less Americans than the population of California. Imagine the colossal temper tantrum if California alone could unilaterally veto any federal legislation. "The Case Against the Filibuster", report by the Brennan Center for Justice https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/case-against-filibuster Mitch McConnell normalizes political violence. 1. "The Electoral College has spoken. So today I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden.", December 15, 2020 https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/15/mcconnell-recognizes-biden-as-president-elect-445450 2. "They failed to attempt to obstruct the Congress. This failed insurrection underscored how crucial the task before us is for our public.", January 6, 2021 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/us/politics/insurrection.html 3. "There's no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. No question about it.", February 13, 2021 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/13/mcconnell-condemns-trump-acquitted-469002 4. "The nominee of the party? ... Absolutely.”, February 25, 2021 https://www.motherjones.com/mojo-wire/2021/02/mcconnell-trump-2024-nominee/ David Cross: Why America Sucks at Everything https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNghg1Y-WIc MUSIC CREDIT: "Driving Ambition", by Ahjay Stelino, mixkit.co PHOTO CREDIT: Gage Skidmore, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mitch_McConnell_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg

One hundred seventy-five years ago the U.S. invaded and conquered California as part of its plan for expanding its territory from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately for the people of California, their lands were on the American target list. They would only learn this when American troops captured Monterey and other towns along the coast in July 1846. However, within a month, Californians began an armed resistance against the Americans, starting by defeating American troops in Los Angeles. With American democracy under constant assault, and attacks on the integrity of the nation occurring regularly, now is the time to remember that California did not become a state voluntarily, but at literal gunpoint. Through the unprecedented research of Executive Producer Dr. Hannah Miyamoto, and the sponsorship of the Ohana Justice Center Charitable Trust, "The California War" is producing a series of videos for YouTube that relate each week of the American invasion and conquest of California, from January 2021 to January 2022. Your tax-deductible donation through Patreon has never funded a more timely and necessary video project. The California War YouTube channel: www.thecaliforniawar.com The California War Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheCaliforniaWar MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Guitar stroke down slow"; mixkit.co 2. "California Hacienda", by simming; elements.envato.com

The European Council on Foreign Relations released a report yesterday (January 19) on how Europeans view Biden's victory in the US presidential election and how their perspectives on American power and foreign policy have changed. The survey, conducted by Datapraxis and YouGov, polled 15,000 Europeans across 11 countries. Majorities in key member states now think the US political system is broken and that China will overtake the US as a world power within a decade. The report frankly concludes, "A majority of Europeans doubt that Biden can put Humpty Dumpty back together again." SOURCE: https://ecfr.eu/publication/the-crisis-of-american-power-how-europeans-see-bidens-america/ MUSIC CREDIT: "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; mixkit.co PHOTO CREDIT: David Lienemann, public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joe_Biden_at_the_2016_World_Economic_Forum.jpg

This afternoon (January 6), a mob stormed the Capitol building in Washington DC. We need to start a conversation about what this means for Californians. PHOTO CREDIT: Tyler Merbler, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol_DSC09156_(50826223403).jpg

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a dream as “a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal”. What is the California dream? And how does it compare and contrast to the American dream, or – as many now understand it – the American nightmare? Can California aspire to reach her dreams within an undemocratic and dysfunctional American system? Or should California chart her own course and determine her own destiny? Hi, my name is Darin Brown, and these are just some of the questions we'll be asking in our new podcast The California Dream. Let me tell you about some of what we have planned for the future. We'll discuss California history and culture. We'll talk to activists in the California independence campaign and keep you up to date on current events in the Calexit movement. We are also proud to host audio episodes of The California War, a new weekly video series that will recall the events leading to the American conquest of California on its 175-year anniversary. We'll interview authors and scholars whose work intersects with history, government, political theory, and international relations. So, if you want to learn more about California, or if you just care about the California dream, we'd love to have you subscribe and join us as we navigate through these truly unprecedented times.