7 ms·

A one party city in a one party state, endorsed by the local media establishment. You get what you vote for.

CamperBob2 6y ago
When the Republicans insist on nominating unelectable kooks, a one-party state is indeed what you end up with. That's what we see happening here in Washington, in any case. There's no one I can vote for who isn't a Democrat, so I guess I'm a Democrat by default, whether I wanted to be one or not. Super frustrating.
youareostriches 6y ago
Did you read the article? It laments a lack of investment in: * Affordable housing * Public transit * Green energy Can you show me any of these items in the current Republican party platform, or even point to any local Republican-run government which has invested significantly in any of these?
- garmaine 6y ago
  I think you are misinterpreting the post you are replying to. Any single-party system devolves into graft and cronyism as the politicians aren't held accountable for their actions. After all, what are you going to do, waste your vote on the other side?
- whatanattitude 6y ago
  Why haven’t the Democrats who have ran this city done any of that is the point of the article. Your looking to republicans. It’s a liberal run city.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - deepakhj 6y ago
    On housing - Nimbys.. folks that fight change.
    - ashtonkem 6y ago
      Often while making arguments about how increased housing would hurt poor people, hilariously enough.
      - the_only_law 6y ago
        A tad related: This was in the LA area, but there was a video I saw a while back where a guy had crowdfunded a project to build shelters for homless people that were basically tiny houses with locks, a solar power providing a small amount of power, etc. and the city went ballistic about it. Admittedly there were some genuine problems with how it was executed, i.e. blocking sidewalks and they even offered to move them but were rejected. There was a clip of some city official claiming that this man building shelters for homeless people did nothing to help them, yet his own plan to "end homelessness" somehow would. This video was rather old, probably early 2010s. I wonder how that politicians plan to end homelessness is doing.
        ashtonkem 6y ago
        Since I live in LA I can answer your last question: whatever the plan was it is not working. The homelessness situation here is continuing to accelerate out of control. This dovetails nicely with the “tiny home” movement. Regardless of how you feel about affluent people taking up tiny homes, there is something deeply off putting about municipalities in the midst of a housing crisis putting up minimum housing size laws that require tiny homes to be built via loophole on top of a trailer.
  - Redoubts 6y ago
    Because local politics are weird, and half the Democrats would want to build a wall around SF and make Midwestern transplants pay for it...
- anm89 6y ago
  And apparently the left is approximately the same because they totally dominate there and yet none of this is fixed.
- redis_mlc 6y ago
  I live in SF, and your post is bizarre: - affordable housing - for who? with our confines - how? Currently 60% of the $300 million in city "homeless funds" pay for subsidized apartments, presumably low-income residents. - public transit - is relatively good (pre-corona.) SF Muni needs to retain senior transport engineers to prevent fiascos like buying the wrong length street cars, and how to side around non-operating cars. Otherwise the problem is that the workers (unionized) are allowed to call in sick 30% of the time, so an extra 30% has to be hired. - green energy - don't see how this is important compared to other issues. street cars are already electrified.
- axaxs 6y ago
  So you only care about what a website says, and not the living proof that your current leadership has not only -not- done those things, but apparently lied about its intentions?
- Rebelgecko 6y ago
  Affordable housing is an easy one-- look at a map of US housing costs, and make a decision about which areas are affordable [1]. Then look at a map of political party distribution. There is a strong correlation between affordable communities and Republican ones It's also trivial to find examples of republican led cities/counties investing in public transit and green energy. Here's a twofer [2] [1]: here's a map that takes COL into account although it's California only https://edsource.org/2019/interactive-map-where-teachers-find-affordable-housing-in-california/611230/amp https://edsource.org/2019/interactive-map-where-teachers-fin... Here's a national map that compares the minimum hourly wage to rent a 2 bedroom house, it also let's you zoom in on a region- https://reports.nlihc.org/oor https://reports.nlihc.org/oor [2]: https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/article/21114673/stadler-lands-pair-of-milestone-contracts-with-marta-sbcta https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/article/2111467...
sagarm 6y ago
Local elections in SF are actually quite competitive, thanks to both jungle primaries and ranked choice voting. Of course, if you e.g. are a single issue voter that cares only that women who has consensual sex not have the option to terminate unintended pregnancies you won't have a candidate to support in the general.
- konjin 6y ago
  >Of course, if you e.g. are a single issue voter that cares only that women who has consensual sex not have the option to terminate unintended pregnancies you won't have a candidate to support in the general. Who can I vote for to enforce copyright protection on my genes by forcing women to have abortions if they did not receive my permission to conceive?
- rexarex 6y ago
  Most City supervisors run unopposed due to the high cost to get on the ballot...
  - GeneralMayhem 6y ago
    Well, that's just not remotely true. There are six supervisor seats up for election this year, as there are every even year. Ronen is running unopposed, which is a bit odd. The other five seats have at least 3 candidates each. I don't pay too much attention to Supervisor elections outside my district (which isn't up this cycle), but from glancing at websites and endorsements it looks like there's at least a few non-delusional competitors. And I recall D6 in particular was extremely competitive last time around, since it was a vacant seat after Jane Kim got term-limited out. https://sfelections.sfgov.org/candidates https://sfelections.sfgov.org/candidates EDIT: The Board of Supervisors also has a two-term limit, so even if you think incumbents are automatic winners (which they usually are - not usually unopposed, but, like most incumbents, I don't think they usually have to sweat it too much), there's going to be a competitive open-seat race at least once a decade.
    - sagarm 6y ago
tomerico 6y ago
This is a really insightful point. I spent the last few weeks pondering on why California's governance is evolving into more ineptitude, slowness, and wastefulness, and whether there is something wrong with the democratic party values that make things worse in the long term. The reality is probably closer to what you are claiming. And the lack of competition and accountability creates rot in the system.
- dpoochieni 6y ago
  I mean when the same family has had the Governor's office for 36 years out of the past 60 years, it begins to smell fishy or at least decaying.
  - Paradigma11 6y ago
    How do you figure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_governors_of_California https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_governors_of_Californi...
- jxramos 6y ago
  Welcome to the Jungle! We got fun and games... * https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversation/sd-what-is-california-jungle-primary-how-does-it-work-20180529-htmlstory.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversatio... * https://www.city-journal.org/html/california-jungle-predictable-15955.html https://www.city-journal.org/html/california-jungle-predicta...
- Redoubts 6y ago
  idk, looking at local politics, there’s plenty of internecine fighting to keep things interesting for a while. But I do think America, from top to bottom and in its infinite wisdom, regularly designs governments to be in a constant state of deadlock. So you can “win” an election, but be blocked from doing anything of consequence. Either through minority powers to block and stymie efforts; or by making power hyperlocal so that any collective action problem is whiffed.
GeneralMayhem 6y ago
San Francisco is not meaningfully a one-party city. There are sub-party factions (the "progressives" and "moderates") who vote as blocs on the most significant issues and tend to get similar groups of endorsements. The Republicans have been run out of town (for good reason), so now the Democrats, which are a big-tent party, can - and do - safely fight amongst themselves. And it's not just primaries, either; ranked-choice voting means that general elections for city positions are usually contested between two (or more) Democrats even in November.
- bassman9000 6y ago
  San Francisco is not meaningfully a one-party city Republicans have been run out of town (for good reason)
gorgoiler 6y ago
And at best it will only be a two party system. Democracy needs more than two parties to thrive. That will never happen when every battle devolves into entrenched red vs blue attrition. The protestors chant they will not divide us! as if that’s a positive message. A little bit naive if you ask me.
deepakhj 6y ago
Democrats != one unified party. Republicans are a minority united under the same terrible platform. Democrats are everyone else. From progressive to centrist or even right wing (what would conservative in other countries). You also have "democrats" that act with conservative values that are vocal and prevent any changes. Check Nextdoor if you want to get a wiff of how crazy people are here.

When the Republicans insist on nominating unelectable kooks, a one-party state is indeed what you end up with. That's what we see happening here in Washington, in any case. There's no one I can vote for who isn't a Democrat, so I guess I'm a Democrat by default, whether I wanted to be one or not. Super frustrating.

youareostriches 6y ago

Did you read the article? It laments a lack of investment in: * Affordable housing * Public transit * Green energy Can you show me any of these items in the current Republican party platform, or even point to any local Republican-run government which has invested significantly in any of these?

garmaine 6y ago
I think you are misinterpreting the post you are replying to. Any single-party system devolves into graft and cronyism as the politicians aren't held accountable for their actions. After all, what are you going to do, waste your vote on the other side?
whatanattitude 6y ago
Why haven’t the Democrats who have ran this city done any of that is the point of the article. Your looking to republicans. It’s a liberal run city.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- deepakhj 6y ago
  On housing - Nimbys.. folks that fight change.
  - ashtonkem 6y ago
    Often while making arguments about how increased housing would hurt poor people, hilariously enough.
    - the_only_law 6y ago
      A tad related: This was in the LA area, but there was a video I saw a while back where a guy had crowdfunded a project to build shelters for homless people that were basically tiny houses with locks, a solar power providing a small amount of power, etc. and the city went ballistic about it. Admittedly there were some genuine problems with how it was executed, i.e. blocking sidewalks and they even offered to move them but were rejected. There was a clip of some city official claiming that this man building shelters for homeless people did nothing to help them, yet his own plan to "end homelessness" somehow would. This video was rather old, probably early 2010s. I wonder how that politicians plan to end homelessness is doing.
      - ashtonkem 6y ago
        Since I live in LA I can answer your last question: whatever the plan was it is not working. The homelessness situation here is continuing to accelerate out of control. This dovetails nicely with the “tiny home” movement. Regardless of how you feel about affluent people taking up tiny homes, there is something deeply off putting about municipalities in the midst of a housing crisis putting up minimum housing size laws that require tiny homes to be built via loophole on top of a trailer.
- Redoubts 6y ago
  Because local politics are weird, and half the Democrats would want to build a wall around SF and make Midwestern transplants pay for it...
anm89 6y ago
And apparently the left is approximately the same because they totally dominate there and yet none of this is fixed.
redis_mlc 6y ago
I live in SF, and your post is bizarre: - affordable housing - for who? with our confines - how? Currently 60% of the $300 million in city "homeless funds" pay for subsidized apartments, presumably low-income residents. - public transit - is relatively good (pre-corona.) SF Muni needs to retain senior transport engineers to prevent fiascos like buying the wrong length street cars, and how to side around non-operating cars. Otherwise the problem is that the workers (unionized) are allowed to call in sick 30% of the time, so an extra 30% has to be hired. - green energy - don't see how this is important compared to other issues. street cars are already electrified.
axaxs 6y ago
So you only care about what a website says, and not the living proof that your current leadership has not only -not- done those things, but apparently lied about its intentions?
Rebelgecko 6y ago
Affordable housing is an easy one-- look at a map of US housing costs, and make a decision about which areas are affordable [1]. Then look at a map of political party distribution. There is a strong correlation between affordable communities and Republican ones It's also trivial to find examples of republican led cities/counties investing in public transit and green energy. Here's a twofer [2] [1]: here's a map that takes COL into account although it's California only https://edsource.org/2019/interactive-map-where-teachers-find-affordable-housing-in-california/611230/amp https://edsource.org/2019/interactive-map-where-teachers-fin... Here's a national map that compares the minimum hourly wage to rent a 2 bedroom house, it also let's you zoom in on a region- https://reports.nlihc.org/oor https://reports.nlihc.org/oor [2]: https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/article/21114673/stadler-lands-pair-of-milestone-contracts-with-marta-sbcta https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/article/2111467...

sagarm 6y ago

Local elections in SF are actually quite competitive, thanks to both jungle primaries and ranked choice voting. Of course, if you e.g. are a single issue voter that cares only that women who has consensual sex not have the option to terminate unintended pregnancies you won't have a candidate to support in the general.

konjin 6y ago
>Of course, if you e.g. are a single issue voter that cares only that women who has consensual sex not have the option to terminate unintended pregnancies you won't have a candidate to support in the general. Who can I vote for to enforce copyright protection on my genes by forcing women to have abortions if they did not receive my permission to conceive?
rexarex 6y ago
Most City supervisors run unopposed due to the high cost to get on the ballot...
- GeneralMayhem 6y ago
  Well, that's just not remotely true. There are six supervisor seats up for election this year, as there are every even year. Ronen is running unopposed, which is a bit odd. The other five seats have at least 3 candidates each. I don't pay too much attention to Supervisor elections outside my district (which isn't up this cycle), but from glancing at websites and endorsements it looks like there's at least a few non-delusional competitors. And I recall D6 in particular was extremely competitive last time around, since it was a vacant seat after Jane Kim got term-limited out. https://sfelections.sfgov.org/candidates https://sfelections.sfgov.org/candidates EDIT: The Board of Supervisors also has a two-term limit, so even if you think incumbents are automatic winners (which they usually are - not usually unopposed, but, like most incumbents, I don't think they usually have to sweat it too much), there's going to be a competitive open-seat race at least once a decade.
  - sagarm 6y ago

tomerico 6y ago

This is a really insightful point. I spent the last few weeks pondering on why California's governance is evolving into more ineptitude, slowness, and wastefulness, and whether there is something wrong with the democratic party values that make things worse in the long term. The reality is probably closer to what you are claiming. And the lack of competition and accountability creates rot in the system.

dpoochieni 6y ago
I mean when the same family has had the Governor's office for 36 years out of the past 60 years, it begins to smell fishy or at least decaying.
- Paradigma11 6y ago
  How do you figure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_governors_of_California https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_governors_of_Californi...
jxramos 6y ago
Welcome to the Jungle! We got fun and games... * https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversation/sd-what-is-california-jungle-primary-how-does-it-work-20180529-htmlstory.html https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversatio... * https://www.city-journal.org/html/california-jungle-predictable-15955.html https://www.city-journal.org/html/california-jungle-predicta...
Redoubts 6y ago
idk, looking at local politics, there’s plenty of internecine fighting to keep things interesting for a while. But I do think America, from top to bottom and in its infinite wisdom, regularly designs governments to be in a constant state of deadlock. So you can “win” an election, but be blocked from doing anything of consequence. Either through minority powers to block and stymie efforts; or by making power hyperlocal so that any collective action problem is whiffed.

GeneralMayhem 6y ago

San Francisco is not meaningfully a one-party city. There are sub-party factions (the "progressives" and "moderates") who vote as blocs on the most significant issues and tend to get similar groups of endorsements. The Republicans have been run out of town (for good reason), so now the Democrats, which are a big-tent party, can - and do - safely fight amongst themselves. And it's not just primaries, either; ranked-choice voting means that general elections for city positions are usually contested between two (or more) Democrats even in November.

bassman9000 6y ago
San Francisco is not meaningfully a one-party city Republicans have been run out of town (for good reason)

gorgoiler 6y ago

And at best it will only be a two party system. Democracy needs more than two parties to thrive. That will never happen when every battle devolves into entrenched red vs blue attrition. The protestors chant they will not divide us! as if that’s a positive message. A little bit naive if you ask me.

deepakhj 6y ago

Democrats != one unified party. Republicans are a minority united under the same terrible platform. Democrats are everyone else. From progressive to centrist or even right wing (what would conservative in other countries). You also have "democrats" that act with conservative values that are vocal and prevent any changes. Check Nextdoor if you want to get a wiff of how crazy people are here.