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