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.
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.
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.
Guilt-ridden (why?) prosperous white liberals are the backbone of the “progressive” movement. The identifying characteristic of said movement is to believe that, no matter how bad, damaging, counterproductive, or impoverishing their policies prove to be, they always think the answer is to double down.
They were brainwashed as kids in the public schools in the 60s, and now they’re running everything. When everything boils down to racial and class struggles, nothing ever gets done.
And worse, they’re WOKE-fully asleep, ignorant on how successful economies work.This is why we’re in this position.
I’m sure you’re right. The situation has to become so DIRE - and it will - that most voters will simply throw in the towel, and vote for a common sense mayor like Mindy P. When that moment happens the architecture needed for the secession has to be in place before it can happen.
Candidly, Mindy has a very long shot at being elected now. But if she runs on a SECESSION platform it will boost her visibility by 100-fold for the next election, and bring huge attention to the sixty years of progressive FAILURE.
Even if secession never materializes, the momentum will move the electorate in the right direction for a change…
Secession is rare, but there are precedents. Imagine the panic the incompetents running Oakland would face, with huge swaths of their tax base removed. The mere threat of secession and self-governance would likely and finally cause Oaklanders to wise up and see the handwriting on the wall.
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
This was a fun analogy to visualize. For those who might cook in the kitchen barefooted, there is another factor to consider. When the knife falls off the counter, get your feet out of the way before the knife plunges into your foot. Standing stationary may represent as much risk as catching the knife. I worry about the knife hitting something other than the floor and what the analogous real world damage could be. Watching the knife fall may be the wrong play here. I have no real examples to offer. I just know the knife has landed in my foot before.
I hope the trial will destroy the underlying infrastructure that has guaranteed the elections of these ideological "leaders" in Oakland so we can build anew with true leaders that will implement pragmatic ideas and solutions.
"Just as you don't find eagles living in the ocean or fish living on mountain tops, so you don't find leftists concentrated where their ideas have to stand the test of performance."
I love Thomas Sowell, and he may be right about this one (I hope), but did he mention the timescale necessary?? I don’t see much evidence in the East Bay.
I enjoy reading this blog despite the fact I disagree with most things written here, and especially the crazy commenters. Thanks for the work that you do.
I'll be voting Nate Adams in D2 come November. Hopefully he can put up a real challenge, but I'm not too optimistic.
Off topic, but did you see last weeks LAPD crackdown – finally – on SIDESHOWS? In just one location 500 arrests, 160 cars seized. Obviously an inside intel op and likely a sting. Multi- agency too. Get a clue, OPD!
They were brainwashed as kids in the public schools in the 60s, and now they’re running everything. When everything boils down to racial and class struggles, nothing ever gets done.
And they’re WOKE-fully asleep, ignorant on how successful economies work.
Hi Peter -- Thank you for your question. Regarding the author of this commentary's statements regarding billionaire and/or corporate funding for progressive causes, the footnotes provide more information.
Oakland Report is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We rely on voluntary donations, the vast majority of which are from individual Oakland residents who read and support our journal. If you would like to make a donation, please visit our website at www.citizensoakland.org.
Thank you again for your interest, and for reading Oakland Report; the engagement is appreciated.
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.
You are correct!!!! How did I forget RCV?!?!?! Great input, thank you.
You nailed it!
Call the newly seceded cities NEW OAKLAND!!
Say goodbye to old Oakland….
BOOM x2!!
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.
Of course they will squander the money. Virtually all their ideas about how to run a city equate to squandering. It is what they do.
The only mystery is how Oakland voters seem incapable of figuring this out.
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.
I like your idea *but* its the idiots in District 1 (eg Rockridge) that are partly responsible for the mess we are in.
D1 voted against the recall of Sheng Thao.
D1 voted against the recall of Pam Price.
D1 was 'all in' for defunding OPD.
Guilt-ridden (why?) prosperous white liberals are the backbone of the “progressive” movement. The identifying characteristic of said movement is to believe that, no matter how bad, damaging, counterproductive, or impoverishing their policies prove to be, they always think the answer is to double down.
They were brainwashed as kids in the public schools in the 60s, and now they’re running everything. When everything boils down to racial and class struggles, nothing ever gets done.
And worse, they’re WOKE-fully asleep, ignorant on how successful economies work.This is why we’re in this position.
I’m sure you’re right. The situation has to become so DIRE - and it will - that most voters will simply throw in the towel, and vote for a common sense mayor like Mindy P. When that moment happens the architecture needed for the secession has to be in place before it can happen.
Candidly, Mindy has a very long shot at being elected now. But if she runs on a SECESSION platform it will boost her visibility by 100-fold for the next election, and bring huge attention to the sixty years of progressive FAILURE.
Even if secession never materializes, the momentum will move the electorate in the right direction for a change…
Further, if Mindy runs on a secession platform, she’ll become a national lightening rod that the media will hate, but will LOVE to cover!
I’m sure you’re reading this, Mindy. Please think about the strategy. And thank you for throwing your hat in the ring.
D1 is soggy
Secession is rare, but there are precedents. Imagine the panic the incompetents running Oakland would face, with huge swaths of their tax base removed. The mere threat of secession and self-governance would likely and finally cause Oaklanders to wise up and see the handwriting on the wall.
Brilliant analysis. Clear, succinct and - devastating.
Thank you! We deserve better in Oakland.
Oakland government consists of “a coordinated grift that involves many more people than just the four defendants currently charged”? 99% likely.
Totally true. The entire corrupt progressive mafia needs to be brought down. The people of Oakland don’t know this, but it is the ENEMY of 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
This was a fun analogy to visualize. For those who might cook in the kitchen barefooted, there is another factor to consider. When the knife falls off the counter, get your feet out of the way before the knife plunges into your foot. Standing stationary may represent as much risk as catching the knife. I worry about the knife hitting something other than the floor and what the analogous real world damage could be. Watching the knife fall may be the wrong play here. I have no real examples to offer. I just know the knife has landed in my foot before.
Yes, I have also had this happen!
I hope the trial will destroy the underlying infrastructure that has guaranteed the elections of these ideological "leaders" in Oakland so we can build anew with true leaders that will implement pragmatic ideas and solutions.
"Just as you don't find eagles living in the ocean or fish living on mountain tops, so you don't find leftists concentrated where their ideas have to stand the test of performance."
- Thomas Sowell
I love Thomas Sowell, and he may be right about this one (I hope), but did he mention the timescale necessary?? I don’t see much evidence in the East Bay.
I enjoy reading this blog despite the fact I disagree with most things written here, and especially the crazy commenters. Thanks for the work that you do.
I'll be voting Nate Adams in D2 come November. Hopefully he can put up a real challenge, but I'm not too optimistic.
Off topic, but did you see last weeks LAPD crackdown – finally – on SIDESHOWS? In just one location 500 arrests, 160 cars seized. Obviously an inside intel op and likely a sting. Multi- agency too. Get a clue, OPD!
https://youtu.be/wkIVVQsh4u4?si=bGrAz1qmogXkVReU
They were brainwashed as kids in the public schools in the 60s, and now they’re running everything. When everything boils down to racial and class struggles, nothing ever gets done.
And they’re WOKE-fully asleep, ignorant on how successful economies work.
hmmmm... progressive's driven by corporate interest. that's certainly an entertaining theory. who funds oakland report and empower oakland?
Hi Peter -- Thank you for your question. Regarding the author of this commentary's statements regarding billionaire and/or corporate funding for progressive causes, the footnotes provide more information.
Oakland Report is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We rely on voluntary donations, the vast majority of which are from individual Oakland residents who read and support our journal. If you would like to make a donation, please visit our website at www.citizensoakland.org.
Thank you again for your interest, and for reading Oakland Report; the engagement is appreciated.
When Oakland goes down, ALL Oakland goes down. Secession NOW!