The California Dream

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 July 10, 2021

What are Americans celebrating on July 4? From right-wing extremists downplaying the Capitol insurrection to liberals and progressives who turn a blind eye to the problems of ordinary people, Americans are not living in the real world.

NOTES:

1. "Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol | Visual Investigations", New York Times, July 1, 2021; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWJVMoe7OY0

2. "Jordan and Steve Grumbine EXPOSE The Other Pandemic/Jordan Rants Against TMZ Progressive Media", Status Coup News, June 30, 2021; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fumNyFUgC3k

3. Straight White American Jesus podcast homepage; https://straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/

4. "California exodus is just a myth, massive UC research project finds", SFGate, July 8, 2021; https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/California-exodus-is-just-a-myth-massive-UC-16301134.php

MUSIC CREDIT:

"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com

IMAGE CREDIT:

United States Declaration of Independence, public domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.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