Sean Hannity’s interview of California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom aired Monday night. That Fox News would seek to interview Newsom—and that he would accept (the last time was in 2010)—suggests that 2024 is shaping up to be far more interesting than most pundits and voters realize.
America’s political scene has been in transition since 2016, as the old guard in each major political party fought to stay in power.
The Republicans saw this process accelerate with the election of Donald Trump, though the turnover was incomplete.
For the Democrats, however, 2016 saw the doubling down of the status quo with Hillary Clinton followed by the election of Joe Biden in 2020, first elected to public office in 1970.
Which brings us back to the governor from California. Newsom, 25 years junior to Biden, represents all the Biden administration’s radical policies—on child sterilization in the name of gender change, generous benefits to illegal aliens, higher taxes, and crushing government control in the name of social equity or combating climate change. With Newsom, you get one of the whitest dudes in California from one of the oldest and most connected families, which means, of course, a constant drone about white supremacy and white privilege—after all, how else can a white elite guy “save” those people of color who need saving?
And, Newsom, unlike his potential Democrat rivals waiting in the wings, has the backing and the national name recognition to win the sprint for the nomination.
Thus, two of Hannity’s lines of questioning were extremely illuminating, on homelessness and on illegal immigration.
The reason for the huge increase in homelessness in California, and to varying degrees in other American cities controlled by the left, comes down to a failed ideology that focuses on the material rather than moral or mental factors.
Newsom says it’s all about housing: “…costs are too high. Our regulatory thickets are too problematic.” What Newsom didn’t say—though he’s talked about it in California—is that too many homeless are on the streets because they’re mentally ill, addicted to drugs, or both.
In the mid-1950s, America institutionalized about 550,000 people. Accounting for population growth, there’d be about 1.1 million today. Instead, some 40,000 people are in psychiatric wards of hospitals or in state institutions. Where are the other million? Some are taking medication and are self-sufficient and valued members of the community. But too many of the rest are in our jails or sleeping on the streets.
When asked how DeSantis’s flying migrants to California is any different than Biden’s “3:30 in the morning (flights to) Westchester” 37 miles north of New York City to sneak migrants “…in when states aren’t looking,” Newsom replied “…they’re coordinating. And there’s a different spirit.”
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Hannity pressed, “What’s the difference between what Joe is doing and what DeSantis is doing?” Newsom’s response was classic, “Everything. Pretense. Manipulation. False Representation.” Ahh, it’s about good intentions—the Democrats have them, DeSantis doesn’t. Record levels of human trafficking and literal child slavery to pay off debts to the Mexican drug cartels abetted by failed Democratic policies—now that’s real compassion!