As Oakland sinks deeper, its “progressive” leaders’ interests in sideshows like civilian police review staffing and phony threats like coal dust - are analogous to the Titanic’s crew debating the arrangement of the deck chairs.
Oakland's progressive movement has been so dominant for so long that they are particularly dependent on government funding, both due to the power of local public sector labor and nonprofits that get government funding. They finally see that their mismanagement is drying the well with e failure and decline in tax base, hence they have awoken to the fiscal boon that data centers are to local government. It's actually probably good policy for oakland to attract data centers to help fix it's fiscal mess, but even if they can (and get over the knee jerk reactions) it's likely the money will just get squandered.
This is why we need LIMITED government. Oakland city government exists solely to self-perpetuate. That misguided and very dangerous impulse lies at the heart of every government in history. When the state becomes the reason for existence, as in fascism, socialism and communism, the end result is always the same: DISASTER.
Thank you for this. Oakland has so much potential but is so stuck. Maybe this trial will expose some of the rot that needs to be addressed? We seem good at putting band aids on problems, but not really fixing them
Has anyone ever floated the idea of SECESSION from Oakland? The less-impacted communities of Temescal, Upper Rockridge, Montclair, Golf Links, etc. all withdrawing individually, or as a single unit? Independent police/fire or contracted with Oakland - but SELF-governing? Or affiliate with self-governing Piedmont?
In other words, let the other Oakland simply die on its own, which, frankly, is inevitable.
A geographical segment of Baton Rouge, Louisiana recently and successfully withdrew from Baton Rouge, albeit amid great controversy. They “self-annexed.” And it worked.
Excellent write up - well done! The only thing I would add is that the ballot counting system of no voter ID, all mail in ballots, and ranked choice voting has solidified the regime's lock on Oakland. Running as an independent against that machine is like trying to run as a reformer in the old Warsaw Pact countries. The Progressive ideology in Oakland has ossified, and is going to crash and burn. Let them. I'd rather see the city go BK and have a chance to restructure than, as a taxpayer, to be continually bled out with gamed increases to my property taxes for things we have paid for multiple times over and that are never delivered.
It’s a shopworn analogy, but here goes:
As Oakland sinks deeper, its “progressive” leaders’ interests in sideshows like civilian police review staffing and phony threats like coal dust - are analogous to the Titanic’s crew debating the arrangement of the deck chairs.
So there.
BOOM
Oakland's progressive movement has been so dominant for so long that they are particularly dependent on government funding, both due to the power of local public sector labor and nonprofits that get government funding. They finally see that their mismanagement is drying the well with e failure and decline in tax base, hence they have awoken to the fiscal boon that data centers are to local government. It's actually probably good policy for oakland to attract data centers to help fix it's fiscal mess, but even if they can (and get over the knee jerk reactions) it's likely the money will just get squandered.
This is why we need LIMITED government. Oakland city government exists solely to self-perpetuate. That misguided and very dangerous impulse lies at the heart of every government in history. When the state becomes the reason for existence, as in fascism, socialism and communism, the end result is always the same: DISASTER.
Brilliant analysis. Clear, succinct and - devastating.
Thank you! We deserve better in Oakland.
Thank you for this. Oakland has so much potential but is so stuck. Maybe this trial will expose some of the rot that needs to be addressed? We seem good at putting band aids on problems, but not really fixing them
Has anyone ever floated the idea of SECESSION from Oakland? The less-impacted communities of Temescal, Upper Rockridge, Montclair, Golf Links, etc. all withdrawing individually, or as a single unit? Independent police/fire or contracted with Oakland - but SELF-governing? Or affiliate with self-governing Piedmont?
In other words, let the other Oakland simply die on its own, which, frankly, is inevitable.
A geographical segment of Baton Rouge, Louisiana recently and successfully withdrew from Baton Rouge, albeit amid great controversy. They “self-annexed.” And it worked.
Excellent write up - well done! The only thing I would add is that the ballot counting system of no voter ID, all mail in ballots, and ranked choice voting has solidified the regime's lock on Oakland. Running as an independent against that machine is like trying to run as a reformer in the old Warsaw Pact countries. The Progressive ideology in Oakland has ossified, and is going to crash and burn. Let them. I'd rather see the city go BK and have a chance to restructure than, as a taxpayer, to be continually bled out with gamed increases to my property taxes for things we have paid for multiple times over and that are never delivered.
BOOM x2!!