Obama’s comments appear in a new video supporting Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50 which would allow the California legislature to draw new congressional boundaries ahead of the midterms

Barack Obama has entered the political fray ahead of November’s special election in California, accusing Republicans of attempting to “rig the next election” in a new ad backing Governor Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50, a ballot measure that could reshape the state’s congressional map.

“Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years,” Obama says in the 30-second ad, urging voters to approve the proposal. “You can stop Republicans in their tracks.”

    • Basic Glitch@sh.itjust.works
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      7 months ago

      AOC is my top choice, but I know everybody has a million reasons why America wouldn’t elect her as president.

      But, I had this thought the other day, and I know this is nobody’s dream team, but possibly the odd couple situation that just might work. Am I crazy for thinking a Pritzker-AOC ticket might actually have a decent chance?

      • ToastedRavioli@midwest.social
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        7 months ago

        The Pritzkers are literally the billionaire family of the Hyatt hotel chain fortune. They are, if anything, one part of the problem with the democratic establishment. If you want there to be zero change in society when it comes to taxing the wealthy to create social safety nets, JB is your guy.

        Realistically there is zero chance that an actual progressive and a Pritzker could ever function on one ticket. Thats like Bernie running with Bezos, it makes no sense

        • WindyRebel@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Pritzker is a guy who comes from money but actually does try and govern for the people. I live in Illinois and he did a bang up job for COVID, is actively doing things to try and fight/resist ICE and shows up in person to talk to the people, has signed vaccination protections to law, he helped to get stalled projects (like road repairs) going, he’s helped with education funding and requiring homeschooling to have more standards, and more.

          Yeah, he’s not perfect but he’s at least one who fucking fights for the people and is trying to find ways to make things better for us in Illinois. I truly believe he would do the same on a national level.

          • SabinStargem@lemmy.today
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            7 months ago

            Definitely among the top five people that should be president. AOC is my first pick, but I would be alright with Pritzker too. Newsom is vaguely acceptable, in the sense that he at least has the ability to lead and isn’t a complete idiot. I guess he would at #10.

          • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
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            7 months ago

            Nobody hates Sociopathic Oligarchs more than I do, but there have been cases of ultra-wealthy people being sympathetic to the people.

            The best example is Franklin Roosevelt. By my general way of thinking, I never would have supported him based on his wealth alone. And yet he went in to do more for working people than any 10 presidents combined.

            So while my general attitude is to NEVER support a billionaire for office, I am prepared to make exceptions for the right candidate, but they have a very high bar to clear to get my support.

            Pritzker is looking like a possibility, but I’m still deciding. I’d love AOC, but she’s problematic at this stage. I can’t stand establishment Dems like Newsome. But I will vote for anyone who vows to purge MAGA from our government and our society, reconfigure our government to remove MAGA advantages, and then follows through.

            We have to deal decisively with MAGA before we can do any thing else. We can deal with progressive policies after that.

          • ToastedRavioli@midwest.social
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            7 months ago

            I never said he is a bad governor or even a bad politician. I said it is antithetical for anyone who is legitimate progressive to run with him. The Prtizkers at large are the type of people who are democrats in the interest of protecting their money. Typical establishment democrats who will make limited concessions in whatever way is needed to prevent any radical change from occurring. No DemSoc or Progressive candidates or voters should be foolish enough to let the fox be in charge of the henhouse

            Being better than nutjob conservative billionaires doesnt make someone a good fit to run with progressive candidates

            • WindyRebel@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              We will see if the progressives like Mandani can do what they say. There is still a lot of resistance in law and interests against them. I think that’s why people get these aspirations to do big positive things in government and then can’t because reality hits. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s going to take multiple years and rounds of those kinds of elections and the voters do not have that patience.

        • Basic Glitch@sh.itjust.works
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          7 months ago

          So the argument most people seem to focus on regarding AOC is that she’s too far left, especially in terms of economics. If we could have an actual progressive VP, I would hope we could logically then actually have a progressive as a president.

          Pritzker may be from a wealthy family, and not be extremely progressive in terms of economics, but several of his economic policies seem more progressive than a lot of establishment Democrats. They would be an odd couple, but might offset each other enough to make a good team and cast a wide net.

          He raised minimum wage in his state to $15 an hour back in 2019, he passed a law to protect collective bargaining, and he passed a graduated tax law that didn’t make people making $250K or less pay more in taxes.

          I would say the least likeable trait, and probably the thing that would make their pairing least likely, would be his unwillingness to call for the ceasefire in Israel until October of 2024 (which sadly is still a better track record than a lot of establishment Dems).

          It’s also worth noting that he apparently funded his own campaign for governor with his own wealth, and that could make him less beholden to big donors like many establishment Dems.

          I also think he and AOC are two of the few politicians who could really mop the floor with the MAGA narrative control bullshit, and their individual strengths and differences could make them more difficult to target with typical narrative control attacks.

    • KelvarCherry [They/Them]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      7 months ago

      I think USAmericans gotta hit the streets, now, yelling “We won’t vote for Gruesome Newsom” just in case we do get a 2028 Election. If we don’t destroy his campaign now, he’ll be ushered to the front of the Democratic Primary like Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.

      • frog_brawler@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Sounds like aborting the fetus of opposition before it reaches viability.

        The left has NEVER been in control of the Democratic Party.

        Correct option is getting DSA candidates more light and having DSA candidates running as Dems.

        • KelvarCherry [They/Them]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          7 months ago

          Cool. Let’s have another Biden-esque presidency that just leaves Americans unsatisfied to the point where they come out en-masse and vote for Vance because “it was better under the prior administration” until they realize that, whoops! they aren’t actually better under Vance, but now it’s too late.

          Voting Biden in 2020 as a transitional candidate obviously wasn’t the right move. Establishment Dems are the reason the non-political Americans get rallied against “the Left”. All that figures like Biden and Newsom do is empower “both sides” political apathy.

        • Squeebah@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          7 months ago

          Yup. Let’s convince Biden to step down at the last possible second, and then surprised Pikachu face when the nominee is Kamala and then they don’t vote.

    • But_my_mom_says_im_cool@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      You guys demand democrats stand up to trump and the moment one does, you sit on them and kick them down. You guys deserve every bit of trump

    • Pup Biru@aussie.zone
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      7 months ago

      this has little to do with campaigning for newsom… it’s about supporting the counter to republican gerrymandering

      you might be right in general, but this is not that context

    • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      This is a great example of “the left” being manipulated to turn on itself. Newsom ain’t great but he is better than anything my former party Republicans put forth. If he makes it through the primaries, please for the love of Satan vote for him in the general. If Republicans win again it’s completely over. If I were still one I’d be completely OK with so many worse things happening. Be more scared of what is yet to come than a groveling centrist like Newsom.

      • Michael@slrpnk.net
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        7 months ago

        This is a great example of “the left” being manipulated to turn on itself.

        Yeah, Obama is dividing the left with another power play. People don’t want Newsom for a number of reasons. People want to vote for an actual leader who has principles.

        • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Vote for him in the general regardless. Why is this so hard? Vote in the primary and show up in the general. Our voting system is so simple.

          • Michael@slrpnk.net
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            7 months ago

            I couldn’t vote for Bernie Sanders in the 2020 primary because of Obama’s power play. Convincing effectively all candidates to drop out and endorse Biden was election interference.

            Our voting system is already rigged and the person warning that Republicans are rigging the next election is responsible, in part.

          • Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz
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            7 months ago

            Nah, that just encourages them to ratfuck progressives. I am not voting for Newsom in the general.

      • EldenLord@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        You both can be right with these seemingly opposed stances. Doesn‘t matter actually, all that matters is that the left is divided and the right isn‘t. That‘s all it takes for evil to win.

        Change that!

        • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          This is my point reiterated. I don’t like newsom either, but i would vote for him 1x10^100 if he were the candidate in the general. The “he is being normalized” shit is why the left loses all the time. Complain about him, but don’t assume enough centrists wont vote for him in the primaries for him to be the general candidate. I’m tired of people not voting, then bitching about the current administration.

          • PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml
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            7 months ago

            Wow you’d vote for Hitler (D) over Hitler (R/) you are very brave and smart.

            • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              The .ml is insanely consistent with being incredibly stupid. I wish I was comfortable being as dumb as you are.

              • PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml
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                7 months ago

                So there is a line. You wouldn’t vote for Literally Hitler. Good Job! How about Trump (D)? In the 90’s a lot of democrats, including Dems you probably have voted for and supported online, loved Trump.

                How about a President (R ) who thinks that allowing the US to use Drones to kill anyone in the world as long as the CIA has a good reason to kill them is also ok? What if that were President (D)? Any issue there?

        • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          And? Of course they are going to do this shit. Good people don’t rise against great evil, sort of evil people use it to slither into power.

      • 100_kg_90_de_belin@feddit.it
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        7 months ago

        Newsom, the Zionist guy who likes destroying homeless people’s encampements for PR ain’t “great”. That’s quite an understatement.

      • Tinidril@midwest.social
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        7 months ago

        Newsom would be Trump if he lived in Texas. If he is the Democratic nominee in 2028 then I personally am giving up on politics. I’ve been fighting for a better Democratic party for 40 years, and after all that they are worse than the Republicans were when I started. No, fuck that. Newsom would be the last straw for me. If he gets the nomination, there is no saving the country anyways.

        • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          If I see you headed on a train to the camps I’ll make sure go give you a thumbs up while you roll by. Giving up is pathetic. Go dig your grave and don’t complain when they come for you.

          • Tinidril@midwest.social
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            7 months ago

            Has 40 years of supporting corrupt Democrats saved us from the camps? It sure doesn’t look like it to me. Camps are proceeding right on schedule. That’s the whole point. At best the camps get put on hold for four years. At worst, they get diversity quotas for the guards.

              • Tinidril@midwest.social
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                7 months ago

                Are you honestly telling me that you expect Newsom would roll back more than some cosmetic fringes of Trump’s immigration policy? Biden sure didn’t. You think Newsom is going to roll back Palentir and the surveillance state? Not a chance in hell.

                • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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                  7 months ago

                  Will trump or the next republican do any of this either? You’re asking the stupidest question when the answer is staring you in the face.

              • Tinidril@midwest.social
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                7 months ago

                Also, to be clear, Newsom would be the worst scenario with diversified guards. If you want a four year pause, nominate Pritzker. If you want to take the country back, don’t settle for the first personality MSNBC jiggles in front of your face three years out from the election.

                I remember all the uninformed Democratic normie voters creaming themselves over Andrew Cuomo’s Covid press conferences where he beat up Trump’s response constantly. I kept hearing he could be the one for 2020 until he disgraced himself. Now He’s allied with Trump and Trump’s Donors, and we can’t even get Schumer and Jeffries to support his Democratic opponent. And you think these people fight for you?

                Cuomo is Trump in a different package. More than for any other name being thrown around for 2028, so is Newsom. He’s a chameleon and a political opportunist. The only thing he hates about Trump is that he wants Trump’s chair.

                • pahlimur@lemmy.world
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                  7 months ago

                  I will probably go Pritzker in the primary. But again, I’m not dumb enough not to fall in line during the general. I’ve been doing it since Hillary and regret not voting for Obama both times while I was still a registered republican. All choices on the dem ballot are better than a republican.

      • Michael@slrpnk.net
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        7 months ago

        would have any chance in hell of winning

        …why do you believe that? Kamala was the opposite of radical and lost horribly to Trump.

        If anything, it’s worth trying to run on something progressive or otherwise substantive, since running on status quo policies doesn’t seem to be working.

        • zenitsu@sh.itjust.works
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          7 months ago

          Kamala was the opposite of radical

          She wasn’t portrayed/perceived that way at all, you understand that right? You and everyone else with some political awareness might think that, but the magats and even a shitload of “centrists” (quotes because most have been captured by the magats without being aware) think she was radical.

          …why do you believe that?

          E.g. Bernie. The most milquetoast “radical” tested

          America only has an appetite for far right radicals atm, clearly.

          • Michael@slrpnk.net
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            She wasn’t portrayed that way at all, you understand that right?

            Everybody knows that those on the far-right drip are trained to think everybody to the left of them (even a little bit) is a radical.

            Liberal mainstream media did not portray her that way at all.

            even a shitload of “centrists” (quotes because most have been captured by the magats without being aware) think she was radical.

            You’re likely referring to old-school Republicans/conservatives, and they either didn’t vote (because they are disenfranchised) or voted Trump, yes. Some may have voted Kamala, but not as much as she might have hoped (given her strategy to shift right).

            A significant amount of people don’t vote in this country and the Democrats aren’t interested in capturing that demographic, nor are they interested in capturing progressive or leftist voters.

            …and because they aren’t trying to appeal to anyone besides people who absolutely cannot abide by Trump, they lost and will likely continue to lose in the big elections if they don’t run on something to attract voters.

            E.g. Bernie.

            Who never got a chance in a general election because he got ratfucked 2x in a row by the Democratic Party et. al.

            The most milquetoast “radical” tested

            Bernie is the lesser evil here - he’s milquetoast, but not as milquetoast as e.g. Kamala, Biden, and Obama are to their corporate donors.

            Bernie was a good sport, but he has principles he stands by and that’s more than those folks could say now.

            • zenitsu@sh.itjust.works
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              7 months ago

              Who never got a chance in a general election because he got ratfucked 2x in a row by the Democratic Party et. al.

              This is just major debunked cope. People seem to forget, but when Trump ran for the first time, the whole “establishment” hated him, both left and right. Hell, even the heritage foundation didn’t want him. Until he got too big to ignore, he won through sheer brute force popularity. Bernie just lost the primaries to Hillary…if you think America has any capability right now to see anyone to the left of Bernie in power, you’re just delusional.

              Current America would rather take an old bumbling corrupt criminal rapist(pedo too?) brainlet instead of a qualified intelligent prosecutor/AG because a woman of colour is a bit too much. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your niche is anywhere near the norm.

  • minorkeys@lemmy.worldBanned
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    7 months ago

    They are actively shaping the electoral environment. They don’t just want to, they are actively preparing to do so.

  • Formfiller@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    I’ve been watching republicans do illegal things my entire life. Nobody has ever stopped them

    • ripcord@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Some judges have.

      Some people like the ACLU and Marc Elias have.

      Etc.

      Stopped all illegal things they do? No. But many real people have stopped many real things.

    • mrdown@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      People want more people lime Zohran. Where is Zohran endorsment? Enjoy facism folks

    • Jyek@sh.itjust.works
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      7 months ago

      Welcome to the left. A leftist’s favorite passtime is telling other people that they are not left enough. They’d tell Karl Marx he isn’t left enough if he lost his right arm. Drives me nuts.

    • TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      The US requires a hard reset imo. The US political discourse is heavily biased towards the right causing the ratchet effect and muddies the pool of water of ideas. Liberals and progressives can’t get along because the term socialism in the country has been heavily demonized, that socialists and progressives alike have no choice but to side with the pseudo-left party that is the Democratic Party. The party exploits the lack of choice to be complacent and provide bread crumb policies. Meanwhile, conservatives and the right typically prefer order in spite of differences, so they tend to have stronger voting cohesion to elect the Republican party.

      The US requires a hard reset so that the two party system is rid of and political variety will blossom. Actually popular policies will be enacted and not demonized. Progressives could decouple from the Democratic party and finally call themselves socialists without the taboo. And moderate conservatives could dissociate themselves from the far right. However, this hard reset could mean a lead up to a civil war and the only people who would benefit from this are Russia and China.

  • mrdown@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    When are you going to endorse Zohran and new bloods of couragous young democrats trying to reshape the party?

  • EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com
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    7 months ago

    Quit trying to make Newsome happen

    It’s really fucking tone deaf to push a Zionist in the face of cratering support for Israel among Democratic voters.

    But then the Democratic party has a history of being tone deaf, like Biden picking Kamala “top cop” Harris for vp during the height of the George Floyd protests.

    Biden won, but these stunts often fail.

    • Tinidril@midwest.social
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      7 months ago

      If someone isn’t capable of making the easy call to be against genocide, then they absolutely can’t be trusted to be defenders of democracy.

      We gotta quit pretending it’s about this one issue or that one issue. Over and over again we see that there are politicians committed to fighting for what’s right, and there are politicians who aren’t. That’s it. That’s the line. The politicians that sell out to AIPAC are selling out to big tech, to Wall Street, to the military industrial complex, etc.

      • Doorbook@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Yes, Obama, who was okay, bombing people in the middle east, many of which were innocent, doesn’t care about the, innocent people, in the US.

        If they care, they should be in the front line protesting the shit show of the ICE. They are the one that cannot be touch by Trump and his government. He is the one who doesn’t fear losing his life nor does he fear losing his income.

        These people are out of touch, they hope Trump do as much damage so they can get voted in without the need to listen to their voters.

        It is like a divorce kid, where both parents are abuser. One of which doesn’t abuse you as much as knows that the other is worst.

        People and Unions should break this abusive cycle.

  • Squeebah@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    7 months ago

    Wheeew boy. I just spent some time in progressive politics and jeez. They literally say Obama is the SAME level of evil as Hitler and Kamala is FAR right. This place seems so much more realistic.