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=FxaDVhnNABY2. "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=aw0mVFvttsQ3. "'Florida Freedom' - July 4, 2022 (ft. Gov. Gavin Newsom)", Pacifico Studios YouTube channel, July 6, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjQJ1lVdQuIMUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE CREDIT:cropped screenshot from Gavin Newsom press conference, California Governor Gavin Newsom YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0mVFvttsQ, 53:03

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; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxaDVhnNABY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxaDVhnNABY</a> 2. "New Action to Protect Women from Other States Seeking Abortion Services in California", Governor Gavin Newsom YouTube channel, June 24, 2022; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0mVFvttsQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0mVFvttsQ</a> 3. "'Florida Freedom' - July 4, 2022 (ft. Gov. Gavin Newsom)", Pacifico Studios YouTube channel, July 6, 2022; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjQJ1lVdQuI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjQJ1lVdQuI</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: cropped screenshot from Gavin Newsom press conference, California Governor Gavin Newsom YouTube channel, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0mVFvttsQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0mVFvttsQ</a>, 53:03

Governor Newsom says Californians are not safe living in America

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/7685947001MUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE CREDIT:"July 4th fireworks, Washington, D.C. (LOC)", by Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress, public domain

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; <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/06/22/american-democracy-former-cia-director/7685947001" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/contributors/2022/06/22/american-democracy-former-cia-director/7685947001</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "July 4th fireworks, Washington, D.C. (LOC)", by Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress, public domain

I'm back! Did I miss much?

Weekly roundup for May 7, 2022On 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-00029473MUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.com

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; <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-00029473" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/02/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-00029473</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a>

Weekly roundup for May 7, 2022: SCOTUS draft leak

Weekly roundup for April 9, 2022What 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-trump2. "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-hungaryMUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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 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; <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/13/17823488/hungary-democracy-authoritarianism-trump" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/13/17823488/hungary-democracy-authoritarianism-trump</a> 2. "What It’s Like to Have Tucker Carlson Praise Your Country’s Authoritarian Leader", by Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, January 29, 2022; <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/tucker-carlson-hungary-viktor-orban-george-soros-1291890/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/tucker-carlson-hungary-viktor-orban-george-soros-1291890/</a> 3. "Why Is CPAC Traveling to Illiberal Hungary?", by Creede Newton, SPLC Hatewatch, April 5, 2022; <a href="https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2022/04/05/why-cpac-traveling-illiberal-hungary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2022/04/05/why-cpac-traveling-illiberal-hungary</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "Viktor Orbán", by European People's Party, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viktor_Orb%C3%A1n_(13581867193).jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viktor_Orb%C3%A1n_(13581867193).jpg</a>

Weekly roundup for April 9, 2022

Weekly roundup for April 2, 2022A 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=10005520868652. "How Do We Fix The Economy? Modern Monetary Theory, Explained", The Problem with Jon Stewart, February 24, 2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G6obeUKWmw3. 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=AF3mRrwQqb0MUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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 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; <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jon-referees-an-economist-battle/id1583132133?i=1000552086865" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jon-referees-an-economist-battle/id1583132133?i=1000552086865</a> 2. "How Do We Fix The Economy? Modern Monetary Theory, Explained", The Problem with Jon Stewart, February 24, 2022; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G6obeUKWmw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G6obeUKWmw</a> 3. Scotonomics podcast homepage, accessed April 1, 2022; https://scotonomics.scot/ 4. "SCOTONOMICS. Ep one. Economic Sovereignty", IndependenceLive, June 9, 2021; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF3mRrwQqb0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF3mRrwQqb0</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "Kelton classroom photo", by Paul Thomas, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kelton_classroom_photo.png" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kelton_classroom_photo.png</a>

Weekly roundup for April 2, 2022

Weekly roundup for March 5, 2022Some 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=gXb5IJiEeIE2. "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-denazify3. "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.comIMAGE 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

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; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXb5IJiEeIE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXb5IJiEeIE</a> 2. "The antisemitism animating Putin’s claim to ‘denazify’ Ukraine", by Jason Stanely, The Guardian, February 26, 2022; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/25/vladimir-putin-ukraine-attack-antisemitism-denazify" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/25/vladimir-putin-ukraine-attack-antisemitism-denazify</a> 3. "A letter to the Western Left from Kyiv", by Taras Bilous, <a href="http://openDemocracy.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">openDemocracy.net</a>, February 25, 2022; <a href="https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/a-letter-to-the-western-left-from-kyiv/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/a-letter-to-the-western-left-from-kyiv/</a> 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; <a href="https://theintercept.com/2022/03/01/ukraine-russia-leftists-tankie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theintercept.com/2022/03/01/ukraine-russia-leftists-tankie/</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "A banned image of Vladimir Putin", by Gijemag3, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, <a href="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" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">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</a>

Weekly roundup for March 5, 2022

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-Hfv50JBSLLPA2. "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-ea76e9003c7fMUSIC CREDITS:1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/IMAGE CREDIT:1. Hannah Miyamoto, used with permission

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; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodOnpgLp1-Hfv50JBSLLPA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodOnpgLp1-Hfv50JBSLLPA</a> 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; <a href="https://medium.com/@FreeCalifornia/the-new-georgia-abortion-ban-could-start-a-new-civil-war-ea76e9003c7f" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://medium.com/@FreeCalifornia/the-new-georgia-abortion-ban-could-start-a-new-civil-war-ea76e9003c7f</a> MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; <a href="https://mixkit.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mixkit.co/</a> IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Hannah Miyamoto, used with permission

Interview with Hannah Miyamoto (part 2)

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-Hfv50JBSLLPAMUSIC CREDITS:1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com2. "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; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodOnpgLp1-Hfv50JBSLLPA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodOnpgLp1-Hfv50JBSLLPA</a> MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; <a href="https://mixkit.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mixkit.co/</a> IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Hannah Miyamoto, used with permission

Interview with Hannah Miyamoto

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/UCsn4e5uimQQGu1sALUvjXcwMUSIC CREDITS:1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; elements.envato.com2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/IMAGE CREDIT:1. Hal Lohr, 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; <a href="https://redstarreport.com/about-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://redstarreport.com/about-us/</a> 2. Red Star Report YouTube channel; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsn4e5uimQQGu1sALUvjXcw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsn4e5uimQQGu1sALUvjXcw</a> MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; <a href="https://mixkit.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mixkit.co/</a> IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Hal Lohr, used with permission

Interview with Hal Lohr of Red Star Report

Weekly roundup for February 12, 2022This 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-1769502. "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-ottawaMUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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

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; <a href="https://theconversation.com/supreme-courts-ruling-on-alabama-voting-map-could-open-the-door-to-a-new-wild-west-of-state-redistricting-176950" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://theconversation.com/supreme-courts-ruling-on-alabama-voting-map-could-open-the-door-to-a-new-wild-west-of-state-redistricting-176950</a> 2. "The Canadian trucker convoy is an unpopular uprising", by Zack Beauchamp, Vox, February 11, 2022; <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22926134/canada-trucker-freedom-convoy-protest-ottawa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22926134/canada-trucker-freedom-convoy-protest-ottawa</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "2020 U.S. House elections in Alabama", by Politicsfan4, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2020_U.S._House_elections_in_Alabama.svg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2020_U.S._House_elections_in_Alabama.svg</a>

Weekly roundup for February 12, 2022

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.

John Zogby

Jeremy Zogby

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.com2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; https://mixkit.co/IMAGE CREDIT:1. Jeremy Zogby, used with permission

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; <a href="https://johnzogbystrategies.com/about-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://johnzogbystrategies.com/about-us/</a> 2. The Zogby Report podcast; <a href="https://johnzogbystrategies.com/zogby-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://johnzogbystrategies.com/zogby-podcast/</a> MUSIC CREDITS: 1. "Sexy Sneaky Cool Groove", by PhilLarson; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; <a href="https://mixkit.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mixkit.co/</a> IMAGE CREDIT: 1. Jeremy Zogby, used with permission

Interview with Jeremy Zogby of John Zogby Strategies

Weekly roundup for February 5, 2022This 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.html2. "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-legislatureMUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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

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; <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article257908358.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article257908358.html</a> 2. "Why single payer died in the California Legislature, again", by Alexei Koseff, CalMatters, February 1, 2022; <a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-single-payer-legislature" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-single-payer-legislature</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "Assembly Chamber at the California State Capitol", by BenFranske, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Assembly_Chamber_at_the_California_State_Capitol.JPG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Assembly_Chamber_at_the_California_State_Capitol.JPG</a>

Weekly roundup for February 5, 2022

Matt Owen

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.com2. "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 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; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; <a href="https://mixkit.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mixkit.co/</a> IMAGE CREDIT: Matt Owen, used with permission

Interview with Matt Owen (part 2)

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.com2. "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; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> 2. "Vastness", by Andrew Ev; <a href="https://mixkit.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mixkit.co/</a> IMAGE CREDIT: Matt Owen, used with permission

Interview with Matt Owen

Weekly roundup for January 15, 2022The 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 BROKEN1. "The Constitution isn't working", by John Kenneth White, The Hill, December 28, 2021; https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/587431-the-constitution-isnt-working2. "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-5265123. "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-5267804. "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-crisisFASCISM5. "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-phase6. "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-ahead7. "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-it8. "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-1250632378219. "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-kleinfeld10. "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_VsXFRXOs11. "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-prepareSECESSION / INDEPENDENCE / DISSOLUTION OF THE UNITED STATES12. "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-marche13. "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-secession14. "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-secession15. "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-disputes16. "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-s17. "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-countryCIVIL WAR AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY18. "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-attack19. "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-military20. "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-lie21. "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-s22. "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/62084123. "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.html24. "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-186025. "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-AASziTy26. "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-violenceMUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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 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; <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/587431-the-constitution-isnt-working" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/587431-the-constitution-isnt-working</a> 2. "Republicans Are Moving Rapidly to Cement Minority Rule. Blame the Constitution", by Corey Robin, Politico, January 5, 2022; <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/05/democracy-january-6-coup-constitution-526512" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/05/democracy-january-6-coup-constitution-526512</a> 3. "It’s Time to Amend the Constitution", by Sarah Isgur, Politico, January 8, 2022; <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/08/scalia-was-right-make-amending-the-constitution-easier-526780" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/08/scalia-was-right-make-amending-the-constitution-easier-526780</a> 4. "Our constitutional crisis is already here", by Robert Kagan, Washington Post, September 23, 2021; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/23/robert-kagan-constitutional-crisis</a> FASCISM 5. "America is now in fascism’s legal phase", by Jason Stanley, The Guardian, December 22, 2021; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/22/america-fascism-legal-phase" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/22/america-fascism-legal-phase</a> 6. "If America really surrenders to fascism, then what? Painful questions lie ahead", by Chauncey DeVega, Salon, December 2, 2021; <a href="https://www.salon.com/2021/12/02/if-america-really-surrenders-to-fascism-then-what-painful-questions-lie-ahead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.salon.com/2021/12/02/if-america-really-surrenders-to-fascism-then-what-painful-questions-lie-ahead</a> 7. "Timothy Snyder warned us fascism was coming — now he says we can survive it", by Chauncey DeVega, Salon, October 14, 2021; <a href="https://www.salon.com/2021/10/14/timothy-snyder-warned-us-fascism-was-coming--now-he-says-we-can-survive-it" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.salon.com/2021/10/14/timothy-snyder-warned-us-fascism-was-coming--now-he-says-we-can-survive-it</a> 8. "If you’re not scared about American fascism, you’re not paying attention", by Mehdi Hasan, MSNBC, October 31, 2021; <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/mehdi-hasan/watch/if-you-re-not-scared-about-american-fascism-you-re-not-paying-attention-125063237821" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.msnbc.com/mehdi-hasan/watch/if-you-re-not-scared-about-american-fascism-you-re-not-paying-attention-125063237821</a> 9. "We Surveyed Experts on Democracy. They’re Worried About the U.S. Turning Even More Authoritarian", The New Republic, December 31, 2021; <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/164849/democracy-watch-authoritarian-sherrilyn-ifill-mehdi-hasan-aziz-huq-rachel-kleinfeld" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://newrepublic.com/article/164849/democracy-watch-authoritarian-sherrilyn-ifill-mehdi-hasan-aziz-huq-rachel-kleinfeld</a> 10. "American fascism is still rising. What are you going to do about it, California?", San Francisco Chronicle, January 1, 2022; <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Editorial-American-fascism-is-still-rising-What-16739948.php?fbclid=IwAR3HlQ8vQAVAYmTGxVkSmMkJxL8jW8Byx4g0yw2q4pKLdBsyzp_VsXFRXOs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Editorial-American-fascism-is-still-rising-What-16739948.php?fbclid=IwAR3HlQ8vQAVAYmTGxVkSmMkJxL8jW8Byx4g0yw2q4pKLdBsyzp_VsXFRXOs</a> 11. "The American polity is cracked, and might collapse. Canada must prepare", by Thomas Homer-Dixon, Globe and Mail, December 31, 2021; <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-american-polity-is-cracked-and-might-collapse-canada-must-prepare" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-american-polity-is-cracked-and-might-collapse-canada-must-prepare</a> 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; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/12/31/secession-civil-war-stephen-marche" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/12/31/secession-civil-war-stephen-marche</a> 13. "Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz and the dangerous rhetoric of a national divorce", by Jennifer Graham, Deseret News, December 30, 2021; <a href="https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2021/12/30/22859964/marjorie-taylor-greene-ted-cruz-and-the-dangerous-rhetoric-of-a-national-divorce-texit-secession" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2021/12/30/22859964/marjorie-taylor-greene-ted-cruz-and-the-dangerous-rhetoric-of-a-national-divorce-texit-secession</a> 14. "How seriously should we take talk of US state secession?", by William G. Gale and Darrell M. West, Brookings, December 13, 2021; <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2021/12/13/how-seriously-should-we-take-talk-of-us-state-secession" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2021/12/13/how-seriously-should-we-take-talk-of-us-state-secession</a> 15. "America: Love It Or Leave It", by Kaia Hubbard, US News and World Report, November 5, 2021; <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2021-11-05/americans-eye-secession-amid-intractable-partisan-disputes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2021-11-05/americans-eye-secession-amid-intractable-partisan-disputes</a> 16. "What would it look like if New Hampshire actually seceded from the U.S.?", NH Business Review, January 14, 2022; <a href="https://www.nhbr.com/what-would-it-look-like-if-new-hampshire-actually-seceded-from-the-u-s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.nhbr.com/what-would-it-look-like-if-new-hampshire-actually-seceded-from-the-u-s</a> 17. "Ted Cruz says Texas should secede and 'take the military' if Democrats 'destroy the country'", Salon, November 9, 2021; <a href="https://www.salon.com/2021/11/09/ted-cruz-says-texas-should-secede-and-take-the-military-if-democrats-destroy-the-country" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.salon.com/2021/11/09/ted-cruz-says-texas-should-secede-and-take-the-military-if-democrats-destroy-the-country</a> 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; <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/12/01/1059896434/united-states-backsliding-democracy-donald-trump-january-6-capitol-attack" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.npr.org/2021/12/01/1059896434/united-states-backsliding-democracy-donald-trump-january-6-capitol-attack</a> 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; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/17/eaton-taguba-anderson-generals-military" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/17/eaton-taguba-anderson-generals-military</a> 20. "The Coming Coup: How Republicans Are Laying the Groundwork to Steal Future Elections", by Ari Berman, Mother Jones, January 13, 2022; <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/01/how-republicans-are-taking-over-election-system-big-lie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/01/how-republicans-are-taking-over-election-system-big-lie</a> 21. "Why An Expert In Political Violence Is Worried About Civil War In The U.S.", FiveThirtyEight podcast, January 13, 2022; <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/videos/why-an-expert-in-political-violence-is-worried-about-civil-war-in-the-u-s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://fivethirtyeight.com/videos/why-an-expert-in-political-violence-is-worried-about-civil-war-in-the-u-s</a> 22. "Are We Doomed?", by George Packer, The Atlantic, December 6, 2021; <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/01/imagine-death-american-democracy-trump-insurrection/620841" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/01/imagine-death-american-democracy-trump-insurrection/620841</a> 23. "We Need to Think the Unthinkable About Our Country", by Jonathan Stevenson and Steven Simon, New York Times, January 13, 2022; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/opinion/january-6-civil-war.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/opinion/january-6-civil-war.html</a> 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; <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/01/01/opinion/refusal-abide-by-results-elections-threatens-stability-us-more-than-any-time-since-1860" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/01/01/opinion/refusal-abide-by-results-elections-threatens-stability-us-more-than-any-time-since-1860</a> 25. "Is America heading to civil war or secession?", CNN, January 8, 2022; <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/is-america-heading-to-civil-war-or-secession/vi-AASziTy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/is-america-heading-to-civil-war-or-secession/vi-AASziTy</a> 26. "How does this end?", by Zack Beauchamp, Vox, January 3, 2022; <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22814025/democracy-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-election-violence" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22814025/democracy-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-election-violence</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "American protesters in front of White House-11", Tasnim News Agency, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_protesters_in_front_of_White_House-11.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_protesters_in_front_of_White_House-11.jpg</a>

Weekly roundup for January 15, 2022

Weekly roundup for January 8, 2022We 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-cdp2. "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.27.20213. "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-republicansMUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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

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; <a href="https://clinecenter.illinois.edu/project/research-themes/democracy-and-development/coup-detat-project-cdp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://clinecenter.illinois.edu/project/research-themes/democracy-and-development/coup-detat-project-cdp</a> 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; <a href="https://clinecenter.illinois.edu/coup-detat-project-cdp/statement_jan.27.2021" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://clinecenter.illinois.edu/coup-detat-project-cdp/statement_jan.27.2021</a> 3. "The insurrection is only the tip of the iceberg", by Sidney Blumenthal, The Guardian, January 6, 2022; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/06/capitol-attack-coup-attempt-trump-far-right-republicans" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/06/capitol-attack-coup-attempt-trump-far-right-republicans</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "Storming of the United States Capitol on 6 January 2021", Tyler Merbler, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Storming_capital_IMG_3519_(cropped).jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Storming_capital_IMG_3519_(cropped).jpg</a>

Weekly roundup for January 8, 2022

Reflections on 2021 and a preview of 2022.

Happy New Year! -- reflections on 2021 and a preview of 2022

Weekly roundup for December 11, 2021I 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-fight2. "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-fascism4. "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-1560652MUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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 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; <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/supreme-court-set-to-take-up-all-or-nothing-abortion-fight" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/supreme-court-set-to-take-up-all-or-nothing-abortion-fight</a> 2. "Chevron deference at stake in fight over payments for hospital drugs", by Nicholas Bagley, SCOTUSblog, November 29, 2021; <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/11/chevron-deference-at-stake-in-fight-over-payments-for-hospital-drugs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/11/chevron-deference-at-stake-in-fight-over-payments-for-hospital-drugs/</a> 3. "The Anatomy of Fascism", interview with Robert O. Paxton, C-SPAN BookTV, May 7, 2004; <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?181972-1/the-anatomy-fascism" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.c-span.org/video/?181972-1/the-anatomy-fascism</a> 4. "I've Hesitated to Call Donald Trump a Fascist. Until Now", by Robert O. Paxton, Newsweek, January 11, 2021; <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/robert-paxton-trump-fascist-1560652" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.newsweek.com/robert-paxton-trump-fascist-1560652</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "Supreme Court of the United States -- Roberts Court 2020", Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, public domain, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States_-_Roberts_Court_2020.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States_-_Roberts_Court_2020.jpg</a>

Weekly roundup for December 11, 2021

Weekly roundup for October 16, 2021Why 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-8f5b5b0c6c4cb12af8316ffc0b0987712. "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.html4. "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-n1281613MUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE 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 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; <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-moves-to-avert-partial-government-shutdown-8f5b5b0c6c4cb12af8316ffc0b098771" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apnews.com/article/congress-moves-to-avert-partial-government-shutdown-8f5b5b0c6c4cb12af8316ffc0b098771</a> 2. "Congress Just Voted To Temporarily Increase The Debt Ceiling. Why It Matters For You", by Lisa Rowan, Forbes Advisor, October 12, 2021; <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/what-is-the-debt-ceiling/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/what-is-the-debt-ceiling/</a> 3. "Democrats aim to pass infrastructure, social spending bills by the end of October, Schumer says", CNBC, October 4, 2021; <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/04/schumer-aims-to-pass-biden-infrastructure-build-back-better-plans-in-october.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/04/schumer-aims-to-pass-biden-infrastructure-build-back-better-plans-in-october.html</a> 4. "U.S. Workers Are Realizing It's the Perfect Time to Go on Strike", by Alana Semuels, Time, October 8, 2021; <a href="https://time.com/6105109/workers-strike-unemployment/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://time.com/6105109/workers-strike-unemployment/</a> 5. "Trump telling Republicans not to vote is the GOP's worst nightmare", by Zeeshan Aleem, MSNBC, October 14, 2021; <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/trump-telling-republicans-not-vote-gop-s-worst-nightmare-n1281613" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/trump-telling-republicans-not-vote-gop-s-worst-nightmare-n1281613</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: "Donald Trump - Caricature", by DonkeyHotey, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_-_Caricature_(51210156975).jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_-_Caricature_(51210156975).jpg</a>

Weekly roundup for October 16, 2021

Weekly roundup for September 25, 2021Gavin 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-51968174. "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.html5. "'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-trumpMUSIC CREDIT:"Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; elements.envato.comIMAGE CREDIT:California National Party logo, used with permission

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; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/election-results/california/governor-recall/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/election-results/california/governor-recall/</a> 3. "Understanding the Infrastructure Bills", Investopedia, August 25, 2021; <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/here-s-what-s-in-the-usd1-trillion-infrastructure-bill-passed-by-the-senate-5196817" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.investopedia.com/here-s-what-s-in-the-usd1-trillion-infrastructure-bill-passed-by-the-senate-5196817</a> 4. "House passes bill to avoid government shutdown, suspend debt limit — but it faces Senate roadblocks with deadlines near", CNBC, September 21, 2021; <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/government-shutdown-house-passes-funding-debt-ceiling-bill.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/21/government-shutdown-house-passes-funding-debt-ceiling-bill.html</a> 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; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/26/robert-costa-interview-peril-donald-trump" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/26/robert-costa-interview-peril-donald-trump</a> MUSIC CREDIT: "Angry Bass Line", by Adigold; <a href="http://elements.envato.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">elements.envato.com</a> IMAGE CREDIT: California National Party logo, used with permission

Weekly roundup for September 25, 2021

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.

The California Dream

What is this?
1 quote, 3 ideas & 1 question from a carefully curated podcast episode.
Every Monday & Wednesday.

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The best philosophy podcast episodes. Asking questions about how to live a better life, what it means to be and do good, to the idea of God. This topic includes episodes that bring about important questions that everyone should be asking themselves. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!