Democratic Socialists of America (updated 14nov17)

Lord, give me coffee to change things I can change, wine to accept the things I cannot change, and bourbon to forget about the whole mess.

George Rebane

DSA candidates running openly as socialists under the Democrat banner now have 35 seats in the country’s state legislatures.  “Tuesday's election night gains for the group were fairly substantial. The Democratic Socialists picked up a historic 15 seats across the country, adding to the 20 members they already have in office.” (more here)  Make no mistake about the staging of their socialist ideology as nothing but communism resurgent.  The DSA got an enormous boost from socialist Bernie’s candidacy and the fact that he was screwed by the DNC – DSA’s membership surged sixfold over the last few years and it is the fastest growing political organization in the country, primarily abetted by the know-nothing Millennials who now poll around 50% saying they’d rather live under communism than capitalism.

This is part of the extreme or alt-left direction the Democrats have taken under Obama’s reign while telling all their Alinsky lie that it was everyone else that moved to the right while they stood still.  Their and the Democrats’ successes (e.g. Virginia and New Jersey) now have openly declared the true nature of the long-sought fundamental transformation.  The Republicans are abetting the whole movement by not being able to execute the promised legislative program that got them elected.  Formerly right-leaning news outfits like Fox are daily slanting their reports toward the Left’s interpretation of events and history.  For example, in recounting the murderous communist century (more here), they include the term ‘Red Scare’ without qualification describing the 1950s, allowing the history-innocent viewer to continue believing that such a post-WW2 fear of communism’s expansion was an unfounded hysteria against just another method of governance.  The times they are a’changin’, and a good part of that impetus is powered by Republican impotence.

Given California's unabashed embrace of socialism, how long will it be until the state's Democrats hoist their true colors?

[14nov17 update]  The contention by two of our community’s leading progressive intellectuals is that California has gone socialist because the “right wing has pushed their agenda so far off the scale that any socialist bullshit solution looks good in comparison.”  (Presuming, of course, that America’s leftwing has maintained its more reasonable proximity to the center.)  This conclusion in Mr Crabb’s 947am comment below is detailed in Mr Frisch’s 749am, which itemizes the sins of the state’s Republicans.  To wit (item numbers inserted) –

Republican are increasingly irrelevant in California politics because they embraced a political philosophy, largely driven by the national party, that is completely out of step with California residents and voters.

1. They demonized Hispanics when they were the rising demographic in the state and lost their support.
2. They demonized homosexuals when no one below the age of 40 gives a shit if someone is gay.
3. They attack women’s rights to health care when the vast majority of Californians support abortion.
4. They claim climate change is a hoax when the vast majority of Californians see it every day.
5. They stand up for guns when people are crying out to stop the mass killing; they are whores to the NRA.
6. In short, a political party cannot reject the majority of the people and expect to get a majority of the vote.

The above assertions are based on a worldview – which illustrates the two irreconcilable universes in which we live -  and lacks evidence to back up the individual assertions.

1. “demonized Hispanics” – now there is hyperbole for the pre-educated consumption. The only thing that remotely relates here is the Republicans’ support of secure borders and cessation of welfare programs targeting illegal aliens which makes California an inviting destination from their own dysfunctional and corrupt countries.  Republicans have long endorsed guest worker programs that have proven a win-win for alien Hispanics.
2. “demonized homosexuals” – Republicans sought to retain the label ‘marriage’ as identifying the traditional union between one man and one woman. There is no desire or attempt to deny them the legal and functional benefits provided by marriage.  However, Republicans, in general, do oppose public schools teaching that homosexual unions are normative in the affairs of Man; they have never been and are not now.  But that sentiment does not mean that Republicans seek to proscribe, let alone “demonize”, such unions, only that they should be openly recognized as one of several special kinds of socially acceptable relationships that humans have with one another.  (The Left has no problem endorsing Islam, globally and in America, which does not share such beliefs.)
3. Republicans “attack women’s rights to healthcare”, now really. That kind of patronizing pabulum is really a sad commentary on the demonstrated acumen of the Left’s constituency.  First, there is no “right” by women or any other class of people to be provided free healthcare.  Second, Republicans simply don’t want the government to get into the abortion business, since ‘women’s healthcare’ is the accepted dog whistle for the poor and prophylactically challenged to understand what party will give them a free pass from unintended parenthood.
4. Regarding climate change, the “vast majority of Californians see” what they have been propagandized to see by the media and leftwing public schools. There is no science behind their beliefs; most certainly no accessible science, since the issue has been presented to them as a non-falsifiable religion.
5. Yes, Republicans stand up for Second Amendment rights, and continue to pose the question never dealt with in the lamestream and by the local leftwing luminaries. Why pass new and more restrictive gun laws since there is no evidence that the present gun laws don’t work, because these have yet to be either enforced or shown relevant to preventing the “mass killings” which are the claimed objective for constructively denying private ownership of guns in America?  Enforce current laws and show how they are ineffective before seeking more laws that will be subsequently ignored by everyone (law enforcement and criminals) save the law-abiding.
6. Given the above, this statement should read, ‘a political party, successfully portrayed to reject the majority of wealth-recipient people, can expect to be rejected by these same people in the voting booth (for they know from whence comest their largesse).'

But in the final analysis, all of the above is nothing but a carefully crafted and executed smokescreen by the socialists as part of America’s fundamental transformation that calls for calving individual coastal states from the traditionally constitutional parts of the country through their own well-versed and historical means of fomenting class warfare, demonizing the ‘rich’ and redistributing wealth from the taxpayers to the permanently and growing aggrieved classes who willingly vote for politicians and programs promising free money.  It was ever thus.

As an example of a corollary concept, which the Democrat collectivists seek to convince the lightly read, we have their fundamental ideological tenet that tax rates do not affect economic behavior of the wealth producers – i.e. taxpaying workers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.  Giving lie to the Democrats’ contention “that marginal tax rates don’t matter to investment and growth” are the “IRS data (which) show an accelerating flight from high-tax states.”  More detailed data of such state-to-state income transfers is given in ‘The Great Progressive Tax Escape’ which highlights the huge dollar amounts now leaving ‘tax-the-rich’ states for more suitable fiscal climes.  This type of migration hurts most the middle classes of the afflicted states, since it is they, the left behind, whose taxes must subsequently be increased to make up the revenue losses.  Again, this bamboozle is one of the Left’s most successfully smoke-screened secrets.   

Once more, I want to show appreciation for the fervently argued positions of the Left in these pages.  RR welcomes such contention of ideas so as to give readers the opportunity to see for themselves how wide differences in public policies that result from their respective ideological antecedents.  The winners and losers in these debates are determined by the individual readers, who in the end must choose for themselves and their families in what kind of country they wish to live.

 

 

Comments

[Russ]

Undoing the Dis-Education of Millennials

I teach in a law school. For several years now my students have been mostly Millennials. Contrary to stereotype, I have found that the vast majority of them want to learn. But true to stereotype, I increasingly find that most of them cannot think, don’t know very much, and are enslaved to their appetites and feelings. Their minds are held hostage in a prison fashioned by elite culture and their undergraduate professors.

They cannot learn until their minds are freed from that prison. This year in my Foundations of Law course for first-year law students, I found my students especially impervious to the ancient wisdom of foundational texts, such as Plato’s Crito and the Code of Hammurabi. Many of them were quick to dismiss unfamiliar ideas as “classist” and “racist,” and thus unable to engage with those ideas on the merits. So, a couple of weeks into the semester, I decided to lay down some ground rules. I gave them these rules just before beginning our annual unit on legal reasoning.

Read the rest the rules are HERE:
http://newbostonpost.com/2017/11/09/undoing-the-dis-education-of-millennials/

Bumped from the Sandbox.

[Bonnie McGuire]

Very good Russ...It's sad that generations are put through the same o and convinced that its good because it's given a new name. But if we pay attention and look back we'll recognize it. Lately I've gained quite an education because Dr. Rebane mentioned the Westphalian peace treaties. Something new to me, so I investigated and look what I discovered!
It is scary because those paid to lead, and their media paid to mislead, constantly stirring the pot, can't be trusted. This is especially interesting since I just happened to be researching the Westphalian peace treaties of Western Europe (1648) ending 30 years of religious wars. The study inadvertently led to what the former leader of al-Qaeda terrorists "Sheikh" Louis Atiyyatullah had to say about the Treaty. He declared (2004) that "the international system built up by the West since the Treaty of Westphalia will collapse; and a new international system will rise under the leadership of a mighty
Islamic state." Interesting when you look at what's been going on with the multitude of Islam immigrants flooding into Europe and America.
Here's a YouTube about the Muslim doctor Abdul El-Sayed running for Gov in Michigan. Truth or fiction says that his Soro connection is mixed fiction. He went to Columbia University with Soros' deceased brother Paul's fellowship help. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xfPpeDq0xTE
Repeatedly, El-Sayed has described himself as a devout Muslim: he prays several times a day; he has said that “his Islamic values are at the center of his work as a civil servant"; his father is an imam. If he's a devout Muslim, that means he firmly supports sharia law. But how does he square this with his purported approval of secular government? Is he a devout Muslim or a devout believer in the separation of religion and state? You can't be both if you're a devout follower of Islam. Are we looking back to the concerns and revenge of the 1648 Westphalian religious peace treaty? https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/why-the-peace-treaty-of-1648-merits-scrutiny-today-1.203678
Maybe this is a little off subject, but it shows how the use of words (propaganda) can divert truth. If you're a devout follower of a religion that believes all but those who worship Allah deserve to die...What the heck? Is this why our former street demonstrator President has caused so much social wealth and racism in America....just like what happened in Socialist Russia last century?

[Account Deleted]

Russ at 1:06 - that prof wouldn't last one hour in a Calif Univ or College. Sad.
The kiddies these days are glad to use modern electronic toys and gizmos as a matter of a kind of human right. Yet they utterly reject the basic truths and logic that have enabled such scientific wizardry.

[Steve Frisch]

Funny, I just looked it up and there were more socialists in the Wisconsin state legislature in 1920 than there are in the entire nation today. I think this is a manufactured 'problem' in search of a solution :)

[Steve Frisch]

Posted by: Steve Frisch | 13 November 2017 at 06:52 AM

Oops, I got that slightly wrong, their nadir as the Progressive Party of Wisconsin, aligned with Republican Progressives, was 1936, when they held a majority in both the Wisconsin state senate and assembly. Mea culpa...:)

[Todd Juvinall]

Looks like Trump is moving on up. Where Is Paul Emery? Only 7 points difference (45/52). And Emerson Poll says Judge Moore is up 10 points over Jones. Uh oh.

[George Rebane]

A quick perusal of US history does confirm that in the depths of the Great Depression we were enthralled by socialism cum communism as presented by our gullible media hosted on Potemkin trips to the USSR. A more thorough reading lays open the serious love affair the country had with collectivism during the first half of the century. All that went downhill in the post-WW2 years when the spread and practice of communism showed its true colors as a system of governance (never recognized by our Left). But after going through a half century dip in popularity, younger Americans of the post-Great Society age have again been educated and prompted by their leftwing political leaders to re-examine communism with the idea of giving it another try. And all available data on population attitudes shows that communism again has a fertile field in which to grow in America. Citing what was then should not be an acceptable palliative to what is happening now.

[Todd Juvinall]

Communism and socialism seem to be the favorite form of government for "revolutionaries" in the last century. Even Cuba sent its military around the planet to support communism. And the left seemed to be able to sir up people in the twenties and thirties in America with a class warfare theme. Jinn up the class warfare and tell the lame asses that those rich folks swiped your money and hope so it became easier to organize.

[Account Deleted]

The saddest thing is that a supposedly intelligent person such as S Frisch picks out one little factoid about one state's legislature in the 30s and claims this disproves volumes of poll data, political leanings and actual enacted laws nation-wide.
Now we have the mayor of NYC coming out against private property rights.
Trump is just a blip on the passing scene - our nation is going steadily left. Our govt so-called educators are seeing to that. Keep 'em ignorant and helpless and they'll beg for more govt control every time.

[Gregory]

Well, if you're going to go back that far, the early 20th century Progressives also believed in eugenics and, based on the millions of black babies killed in utero by left wing sacred cows like Planned Parenthood, they still do. For the record, Margaret Sanger also counseled white women to abort.

[Steve Frisch]

Posted by: Scott Obermuller | 13 November 2017 at 11:35 AM

Sorry, but I just don't see how bringing up the point that we have had much more political engagement with socialism in our past is in any way rejecting recent polling. I can only say that I am on record here many times over the years stating that capitalism is firmly entrenched in the USA and ain't going anywhere. The idea that Geroge choses to characterize what is essentially a mixed economic system (and always has been) as sociaist is the real flaw here.

[Gregory]

Yes, Steve, even the New Deal was socialism with an American face. As is the "Better Deal" that seems to have been dropped by Chuck and Nancy. That's might nice of you to say capitalism is needed, albeit with short leashes from their governors above and the occasional 501c3 rentseeking "councils" to help them through the minefields..

"Sociaist"? You know, a 3rd grader in my extended family was telling us that he didn't have spelling tests anymore. That's for little kids.

[George Rebane]

If today's America were sanguine about continuing with an "essentially mixed economic system" based on "firmly entrenched" capitalism, then we would not be having this discussion, let alone the militating existence of the country's many leftward political movements openly declaring their love for socialism, bigger government, and along with their hatred of capitalism. People who argue that today's socio-political sentiments are nothing special, but fit into the same ol' same ol' mode of public sentiments are either terminally sheltered or are promoting an agenda.

[Norman Sauer]

THE DESTRUCTION OF CALIFORNIA WILL BE ONE OF THE GREAT LEGACIES OF THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT.

[Account Deleted]

Oh - we'll always have some kind of capitalism for sure. Even the ChiComs and Viet Nam realize that someone has to actually produce wealth for the dear leaders to 'redistribute'.
But it won't be free market capitalism. And, as it is with all left wing govts - there will be plenty of wealthy and well connected, a much, much poorer middle class and lots of very poor to sweep the streets.
The socialists of the 1930s in the US would be absolutely appalled at the attitudes of the American left today. We no longer have the army of workers willing to take on hard labor and harsh conditions that built dams and bridges and other infrastructure.
The amount of Americans that believe they are owed stuff from society just because they exist is large and growing. It's probably past the tipping point as it is. It's only a matter of time before the voting masses that expect free stuff overwhelm what's left of the producers of value in this country.
Remember - it always works great until you run out of other people's money.

[Paul Emery]

Oh George you are so dramatic. It's just a bunch of California Liberals that took over after the Arnold flamed out. Business as usual for California, no big deal or great change.

[Don Bessee]

Said the po' ol' party parrot @558. It seems most of the libs like Pelosi and others are transplants not actually Californians other than in the sense they are here now. ;-)

[fish]

Posted by: Paul Emery | 13 November 2017 at 05:58 PM

Oh Punch you are so dramatic. It's just a bunch of American Semi-Liberals that took over after Barry flamed out. Business as usual for America, no big deal or great change.

[Paul Emery]

Glad you appreciate my rhetoric Fish. Imitation is a sincere compliment. Thanks

[Account Deleted]

Emery, Ah-nold was a big part of the what's been going wrong in California.
He flamed out? Really? Obviously recent political history has gone missing in your brain. He didn't just sign the AB32 - he hyped it and the left has glommed onto AB32 as a life saver and as a religion in California. He's still yapping about global warming.
If he flamed out, it was because he decided he would rather be adored by the left than be honorable. The stupid fool hasn't learned what so many other Rs in California haven't learned either. They can say and do everything the Dems want, but the Dems will always hate them because they aren't Dems.
I'm a 4th gen born Californian and that state is committing suicide. Even some Dems are waving warning flags about what the state is doing.
Business as usual? Well - if you only count the last 20 years, that might be so.
But looking back at California history over all, the state has gone off the left wing deep end big time. And there's no return.

[Gregory]

Ahnold flamed out because he made a baby with the hired help while he was married into the Kennedy klan. "The Global Warming Solutions Act" wasn't enough to overcome that.

Really? The house staff?

[Bill Tozer]

5:38 pm
Spoken by the guy who defended The Govenator when mean ole bully Deplorable Trump said Arnie’s Apprentice ratings sucked. So low, we all wondered where did Arnie go. I know, I know! Ask me, ask me! The Terminator got terminated off the show. Trump said, “You’re fired.” Hey, my maid’s son has an uncanny resemblance to the Kindegarten Cop. Opps, off topic. Let’s fix that lickidy split.

The Gipper: “Public servants say, always with the best of intentions, ‘What greater service we could render if only we had a little more money and a little more power.’ But the truth is that outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector.”

https://www.facebook.com/lastamericapatriots/photos/a.235087906641439.1073741826.235086849974878/949499615200261/?type=3&theater

[George Rebane]

PaulE 558pm - "business as usual for California"? Hardly. I believe your blinders are firmly fastened by the arrival of liberals and progressives from their soiled coastal cities. I and mine have seen friends and colleagues leaving over the last ten years, and that pace is picking up as the Republicans grow more impotent in Sacramento.

[Paul Emery]

Well George the impotency of the Republicans in California is not the fault of the Liberals but more the irrelevancy of their message that does not resonate with the majority of California voters. That imbalance will likely be amplified in '18 when California Republicans will be forced to defend Trumps rip off tax reforms for Californians .

[Gregory]

Paul

The dominance of the Dems in California is a direct result of collective bargaining over pay and benefits granted public employee unions by Jerry Brown when he was governor the first time around... it's a direct line from the public payroll to the unions to the Democratic Party.

They will be running out of borrowed money sooner or later.

[Account Deleted]

"...when California Republicans will be forced to defend Trumps rip off tax reforms for Californians"
Dems raise taxes on the poorest to pay for union cronyism = a message that 'resonates' with the California voters.
Reps raise taxes on higher wage earners to equalize the fed tax burden = a tax rip off.
Since Paul gets his talking points straight from Dem party HQ, why doesn't he just join the party?

[fish]

Posted by: Scott Obermuller | 14 November 2017 at 07:14 AM

psssssssst…..…Green Libertarian™ protestations to the contrary………he never left it.

[Account Deleted]

+1 Gregory at 10:29 - forced unionisation of the Cal state workers was nothing more than a legalized pipeline of tax dollars direct to the Democrats. As well as tax payer funded organizing and voter indoctrination of thousands of state workers to vote Dem.
SEIU is nothing more than organised crime.

[Steve Frisch]

Seriously you guys blame collective bargaining? Unions have never been weaker in American society since the early 20th century than they are now. Unions merely comprise one of many special interests in California government the vast proponderence of which are on the conservative rather than libelral side.

Republican are increasingly irrelevant in California politics becuase they embraced a political philosophy, largely driven by the national party, that is completely out of step with California residents and voters.

They demonized Hispanics when they were the rising demographic in the state and lost their support.

They demonized homosexuals when no one below the age of 40 gives a sht if someone is gay.

They attack womens rights to health care when the vast majority of Californians support abortion.

They claim climate change is a hoax when the vast majority of Californians see it every day.

They stand up for guns when people are crying out to stop the mass killing; they are whores to the NRA.

In short, a political party cannot reject the majority of the people and expect to get a majority of the vote.

[fish]

Posted by: Steve Frisch | 14 November 2017 at 07:49 AM

Seriously you guys blame collective bargaining? Unions have never been weaker in American society since the early 20th century than they are now.

IIRC criticism of unions at RR's has largely been directed at the government employee and teachers unions. They seem to be doing just fine as appendages of and funding sources for the democratic party. Positively thriving it seems.

You are correct though; "a political party cannot reject the majority of the people and expect to get a majority of the vote.".

I do hope we all are still around to see what happens when the bills come due!

[Todd Juvinall]

The state is run by the left since it has been overrun by them. My goodness, the democrats have imported millions of democrats. And so those on the right have vamoosed to states with freedom.

[editorial o' the day]

http://takimag.com/article/gentrifiers_prefer_blondes_david_cole#axzz4yQMUlqmj

[George Rebane]

It seems we're talking past each other about unions. In what's left of CA's private sector, unions are weak. In the public sector (including education and prison guards) they dominate and have been used to buy so many politicians and votes that their pension unfunded liabilities are now astronomical and no one knows how to extort that much money out of the private sector taxpayers (public employees pay their taxes with private sector taxes, i.e. they don't really pay taxes).

Bottom line, unions have awesome power in CA.

[Bonnie McGuire]

Kind of funny how history constantly repeats the same o and so many don't recognize it.
Weren't both the German Nazi (National Socialist) and Russian Communist Parties labor unions? And their tactics were comparible to some of our unions behavior. Whatever became of Jimmy Hoffa? Do what we say or else...

[Account Deleted]

Steven Frisch at 7:49 -"Seriously you guys blame collective bargaining?"
At this point I blame Frisch's inability to comprehend written English.

[Bonnie McGuire]

I guess they never found Hoffa, but there are lots of stories, and some comments are equally entertaining...like "he would have voted for Hillary." Obviously the ol' political play or pay mentality of all dictators.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/07/30/jimmy-hoffa-investigation-frank-sheeran-and-blood-evidence-found-in-case.html

[Walt]

Look no further than the Oroville Dam to see the "cost" of collective bargaining.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/19/cost-of-repairing-oroville-dams-spillway-nearly-doubles-in-price-to-500-million/

[rl crabb]

You can't blame the far left for gloating. The right wing has pushed their agenda so far off the scale that any socialist bullshit solution looks good in comparison.

[Gregory]

"Seriously you guys blame collective bargaining? Unions have never been weaker in American society since the early 20th century than they are now. Unions merely comprise one of many special interests in California government the vast proponderence of which are on the conservative rather than libelral side."

So, Steven Frisch is denying California's public employee unions and their retirement funds ar the 600lb gorillas in Sacramento. They have swayed the needle enough to the Dem side to effectively make California a one party state.

However, there is a case that will be heard by the Supremes in a few months that, if found in favor of the plaintiffs, may shrink the funny money that they have to spend in election contests... a similar case ended in a 4-4 tie due to the Scalia vacancy. Stay tuned.

[Gregory]

Crabbman 947

You've been listening to mandersonation, Frisch and your BFF, Chris Hodgekinson, too long.

Democrats of old would not recognize their party in 2017.

[Todd Juvinall]

rl crabb | 14 November 2017 at 09:47 AM

Give us your examples so we might see if we agree or not.

BTW, the left says we decide our own gender at birth. 77% of college-educated democrats say this is true. Do you agree?

[Gregory]

The case to be held that may turn off the Democratic Party public payroll money tap is
Janus v. AFSCME

http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/janus-v-american-federation-state-county-municipal-employees-council-31/

"And she'll have fun fun fun till her daddy takes the t-bird away..."

[Account Deleted]

"The right wing has pushed their agenda so far off the scale that any socialist bullshit solution looks good in comparison."
You mean like simply agreeing with most of what Obama promised when he ran for pres?
Funny - I don't remember anyone claiming Obama was far right.

[Steven Frisch]

Jsut to be clear I never characterized California as 'going soiclist." We are actually an example of an economy that has grown at roughly 2 times the rate of a national economy because of our subnational policies. Uneven to be sure, and I champion greater economc growth in rural areas, but the "socilist" characterization is all George's.

[Gregory]

Frisch (nice invented spellings for "socialist", keep trying), the rocket scientists in Sacramento have been claiming the rights to Silicon Valley riches for years. No, the state's economy has been roaring in spite of the legislature and the Gubernor's Orifice policies, not because of them.

It is an accident of history that The Valley (not much silicon is grown there today) is where it is.

[George Rebane]

Re StevenF 1255pm – Mr Frisch, aside his spelling, has given us another look into the local leftwing mind. Now again, one has to understand that he is among the top tier progressives in these parts, who is also the CEO of a regional NGO that regularly gets grants and contracts for a performing a number of tasks whose utility is to me indeterminate. This man has for years pumped my ego for introducing him to notions that are recognized and debated both nationally and internationally, which indicates that he (and most certainly his local lessers) are innocent of the wider literature and reportage in these matters. So here again he credits me as being the sole and original observer that California’s socialist “characterization is all George's.” While happy to accept the accolade, in all honesty I cannot, and must share it with many, both here in California and nationwide. For the record, I have pointed out similar mis-attributions over the years to the gentleman, but to no avail. It is as if he seeks to give new meaning to ‘water off a duck’s back’.

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/06/11/californias-descent-to-socialism/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasdelbeccaro/2017/02/22/ca-the-physical-collapse-of-a-social-state/#1a6220466bdb
http://thefederalist.com/2017/01/26/let-jerry-brown-turn-california-socialist-utopia/

[Bill Tozer]

Too many items of the list of how awful and out of touch the evil intolerant R’s are in CA to tackle, so I will close my eyes and pick one it:

Gays. Hmmm. Was it Prop 8 that passed popular vote in CA by 52%-48? That’s was a lot of city dwellers who voted for that measure. If memory serves me correctly, the main point of contention on blogs at the time was the redefining of the word “marriage” to fit a contempary narrative. Nobody was against civil liberties and rights for any gay person. It was about the aforementioned definition of marriage. Everybody (it seemed) was for Civil Liberities, from President Obama to his Secretary of State Clinton, and on down the line. Another point of contention was the idea of a protected class, not protected rights.
Anybody with half an open mind could see that the traditional “family values” crowd had some valid reasonable points, whether one agreed with those arguments or not. All legal residents and citizens have the same Constitutional rights. Yes, I still say “all lives matter”, despite that meaning I am some kind of irredeemable racist, lol. Funny how a protected class often demands to become a privileged class, but I digress.

For those who have time, a link is provided below. A gay story:

The most defining moment concerning gays in my lifetime was the horrid story of Matt Shepard in Wyoming being dragged (?), beat up, and murdered because he was a gay man in cowboy country. The nation was shocked, appalled, outraged. It was a moment that crystallized national support against discrimination, mistreatment, and bullying of gays. A true hate crime as portrayed in the press. I was sickened by the event at the time myself.

Later, I was reading a column by a liberal darling writer who spent considerable time researching the hate crime. She was taken back how suddenly she was demonized with much vile and thrown out onto the garage heap of history as soon as she published her findings. Banned, slammed, and kicked out of the herd.. She uncovered that Matt was a sexual partner of his murderer,and was often pimped out by the same dude. Word was out of a $1,200 order of meth was coming to town for Matt. Seems like a small amount to most, but in a small town with the nickel and dime street crowd, it was a big buy. The shipment came in and Matt was murdered that night. I can’t remember the female writer’s name, but this link is close enough.

http://trib.com/news/national/author-of-controversial-book-on-matthew-shepard-coming-to-laramie/article_bf725af9-ba8b-5e3e-9ffb-a77aa11d0340.html

CA Republicans hate gays!!!!! They want to stone homosexuals in the public square. Yep, the libs own the media and education no matter which party is in control. CA is no different.

[fish]

Posted by: George Rebane | 14 November 2017 at 02:08 PM

Checking your second reference…..Cali appears absent from the list!

[George Rebane]

fish 217pm - Removed; thank you Mr fish. The prominent display on their webpage of California planning to give free solar panels to our middle class had me fooled.

[Steven Frisch]

Posted by: Gregory | 14 November 2017 at 01:20 PM

See Greg I'm such a good capitalist I can't even spell socialist...

[Bill Tozer]

As the old joke goes....yesterday I couldn’t speel Socialyst, today I r one.
Perhaps I have been too judgemental of our brain dead commie pinko Lefties.
Mea Culpa.

https://www.facebook.com/lastamericapatriots/photos/a.235087906641439.1073741826.235086849974878/948977278585828/?type=3&theater

[Todd Juvinall]

GeorgeR. What about the military? Now these socialists are not to keen about it and if they secede what will that mean?

[George Rebane]

ToddJ 459pm - What do you think are CA's chances of secession - slim and none?

And socialists only have problems with the military when they are in the minority. That all changes when they assume power.

[Don Bessee]

Well here is long term socialyst at work, hard to decide which is the worst, Venezuela or the former bread basket of Africa?

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/11/14/us-tells-citizens-in-zimbabwe-to-shelter-in-place-as-troops-seen-in-capital.html

[Todd Juvinall]

Not likely Cali will secede. My thought was how the lefty's will deal with a military and borders.

[Gregory]

"They demonized Hispanics when they were the rising demographic in the state and lost their support."

Dems, whether in the media or politics, would strip "illegal" from every mention of illegal immigration by the other side(s) thus portraying themselves as pro immigrant without having to embrace illegal immigration. Just pro immigrant.

"They demonized homosexuals when no one below the age of 40 gives a shit if someone is gay."

While Obama and Hillary are given a free pass for originally running under the banner of heterosexual marriage support, making a switch only after the courts plowed the road. And the demonizing was not of gays and lesbians, who already had in California every civil benefit available to straights... just not Federal pensions and taxes. Neither my wife or I cared if anyone was gay, either, but when we showed up to the Rude Center to get a marriage license in '08, we found the form we'd filled out was the old form with the quaint terms "husband" and "wife" and were handed new forms to fill out. As a result, she is forever my "Person B" and I her loving "Person A".

"They attack women’s rights to health care when the vast majority of Californians support abortion."

The right to an abortion no questions asked, including "Visa or Mastercard"?

"They claim climate change is a hoax when the vast majority of Californians see it every day."

What you see every day is "weather", Steve. Not climate. At this moment, the weather is cold and wet.

"They stand up for guns when people are crying out to stop the mass killing; they are whores to the NRA."

The people crying out for someone to stop the mass killings are just repeating the same one note Samba that has been played since the Eyetalian Crips massacred seven Irish Bloods that were competing for the same illegal drug business in Chicago four score and eight years ago. After 87 years of "common sense gun laws" being enacted, seven killed at once is a slow day... so Steven, what is the magic piece of the gun control pie is missing to finally stop it and not making it even worse?

If the left didn't have the NRA to bludgeon they'd have to invent one.

"In short, a political party cannot reject the majority of the people and expect to get a majority of the vote."

In short, the progressive left cannot win without twisting their opponents into the straw men we've seen Steven Frisch, the six figure CEO of Truckee's wretchedly misnamed rentseeking Sierra Business Council (it isn't a council of businesses), erect here.

The money spigot from public payrolls to the Democratic Party in the state is flowing unabated, and California is headed off a financial cliff.

[Bill Tozer]

"They stand up for guns when people are crying out to stop the mass killing; they are whores to the NRA."

https://www.facebook.com/RowdyConservatives/photos/a.217983685002343.55586.217926015008110/1201279696672732/?type=3&theater

[Bill Tozer]

I like short and sweet posts, so here is a short and sweet review of the richest country in South America. Just a review, nothing new...except trying to keep it short (er).

“The simple fact is that socialists hate competition because it produces unequal outcomes for winners and losers, so they seek to kill the free market-based economy in favor of a non-market, government-controlled one.”

https://patriotpost.us/articles/52444

[Todd Juvinall]

Oh nmy just watched the vote in the House on HR1, the tax reform bill. We won 227-207. 13 R's crossed the aisle, not one democrat crossed the aisle. Looks like the middle class truly has been abandoned by the democrats.

[Bill Tozer]

They attack womens rights to health care when the vast majority of Californians support abortion.

They claim climate change is a hoax when the vast majority of Californians see it every day.

Hmm. Can’t argue with that. How about the Daily Double....combine women’s health with Climate Change, mix them together, and let’s see what we got:

“The tragic reality of gender and climate is that women, especially women of colour, are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, but are far less likely to be empowered to cope because they have fewer resources such as power and access to finance and technology.” —Marshall Islands president Hilda Heine in a piece titled, “Global climate action must be gender equal”

[Gregory]

Just wondering what all the "critical thinkers" think about this graphic of European energy prices plotted by installed solar and wind generating capacity

http://icecap.us/images/uploads/RGGI2.png

[Gregory]

Frisch?
Frisch?
Frisch?
Frisch?...

[Todd Juvinall]

I think you wacked his pride enough and he is hiding.

[George Rebane]

re Gregory 716am - Neither sunshine nor wind nor storage of excess production are free. Comparing fossil and 'renewable' energy costs in government mangled markets requires some serious agenda-driven accounting gymnastics. Mr Goodknight's graphic promises a response from the progressive cricket corps.

[Gregory]

I've not visited IceCap for awhile but that graphic shown in a piece by Joseph D'Aleo, "Green Energy Train to Energy Poverty" really stood out. Starts with a hat tip to Gruber as an added bonus...
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/new-and-cool

Frisch?
Frisch?
Frisch?
Frisch?...

[George Rebane]

There is little hope that Mr Frisch or his ilk will bother with debates that involve actual (vs consensus) science or cost accounting at the consumer's pocketbook. Such debaters will present themselves only when they can arm themselves within a smoke screen of definitions that serve their broader agenda. I've made some recent comments on that here -
http://rebaneruminations.typepad.com/rebanes_ruminations/2017/11/definitions-derby.html

[Gregory]

Again, regarding this graphic:
http://icecap.us/images/uploads/RGGI2.png

When solar and wind energy cost of generation are on par with more traditional energy sources, that will be a flat line. When it's cheaper, as Steven Frisch has been trying to claim, the costs to the people at retail will drop with more installed solar and wind capacity... which is why Steven Frisch, the six figure CEO of the wretchedly misnamed Sierra Business Council, has gone away rather than discuss his recent mendacities here.

I vaguely remember that Calfornia's price per kilowatt-hour is also going up as more and more 'renewables' are coming on line. Why is that, Steve?

[George Rebane]

Gregory 1019am - As I point out in 'Definitions Derby', the Left's usual tactic is to peremptorily quit the field when it is shown they have been firing blanks in a debate or exchange of ideas. To illustrate this more robustly, as in your invitations for Frisch to counter your arguments, readers would benefit if you posted your (growing) list of unanswered points/questions. It would highlight that liberal tactic, since few of us expect him to reply, as the sound of silence will now serve him best. But on the off chance ..., the subsequent entertainment value would be unmatched.

[Gregory]

Frisch?
Frisch?
Frisch?
Frisch?...