“Our Revolution was founded by Bernie Sanders as an independent organization to take on corporate power, elect progressives, and fight for a government that works for all of us — not the billionaire class,” Our Revolution states on its website.
“At a critical moment for California, Our Revolution is proud to endorse Tom Steyer for governor,” Our Revolution recently announced.
On its face, those two statements contradict one another. Tom Steyer is a billionaire. Tom Steyer is the epitome of corporate power. Yet Tom Steyer is receiving massive praise from Our Revolution.
“Tom Steyer understands that California’s affordability crisis is not inevitable — it’s the result of a political system shaped by concentrated wealth and corporate power at the expense of working people. At a moment when too many defend the status quo, Tom has taken a different path — challenging the very system that benefits people like him,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese said.
Quick side point. Geevarghese is correct that California is experiencing an affordability crisis.
However, he fails to mention that California is one of the most socialistic states in the nation. California has embraced socialist policies for many years, which are coming home to roost in the form of sky-high costs for goods and services, shortages, rationing, population flight, capital exodus, and massive business relocation.
California’s large social welfare state, coupled with high taxes on its productive people, has resulted in California’s economic unraveling. The state faces a $35 billion deficit in 2027 due to “unstoppable spending problems,” according to state Sen. Roger Niello (R-Roseville), vice chair of the Senate Budget Committee.
Despite the dire economic situation in the Golden State, Our Revolution asserts that “Tom Steyer has stepped forward with a platform that is clearly aligned with the priorities of our movement — single-payer healthcare, taxing extreme wealth, bold climate action, and getting money out of politics.”
In other words, let's double down on the socialist agenda because it has worked so splendidly to date. California cannot afford to squeeze more revenue from its already beleaguered and weary tax base. At some point, raising taxes produces diminishing returns, especially when people can move to low-tax states.
Single-payer health care will cost a fortune. Taxing extreme wealth is a cliché slogan, not a sound policy. Bold climate action means more green energy mandates and subsidies alongside higher energy costs and less reliable electricity. Getting money out of politics? Give me a break. This is coming from a group founded on the sacred socialist principle of fighting against billionaires that endorsed a billionaire, who says he will get money out of politics only after he spends more on his election campaign than any gubernatorial race in state history! The irony is so epic.
In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom spent $73 million on his race. So far, Steyer has spent $132 million. “Nearly all of the money came from Steyer personally, $105 million of which he poured into the campaign from January through April 18,” campaign finance disclosures show.
You see, at the end of the day, this is “about winning,” as Our Revolution frankly says.
“In a high-stakes race where Republicans could take the top spot, consolidating behind a candidate who is both values-aligned and building momentum is essential,” Our Revolution admits.
“Our organizers on the ground in California are seeing real energy around Steyer for Governor — and that grassroots engagement helped drive this decision.” I don’t believe that whatsoever. I highly doubt that far-left radicals in California are enthusiastic about Steyer.
This is how socialist propaganda works. Things are twisted and manipulated so that an organization founded on standing against billionaires can team with a hedge-fund billionaire who pours cash into his campaign while decrying big money in politics. The awful argument they offer: Republicans could win if we don’t get behind the billionaire.
If a Republican were to win the race, California would no longer be a one-party state. It would restore checks and balances to a state governing system that sorely needs reform.
But Our Revolution is terrified of that happening. “This endorsement is part of a broader strategy to build power in California — a state that can lead the nation on policies like single-payer healthcare, economic justice, and climate action,” the group said in a statement.
Again, beware of bumper sticker slogans like single-payer health care, economic justice, climate action, tax the rich, etc. They are just vague notions that have been promised by socialists for centuries.
The real lesson to be learned by Our Revolution’s endorsement of billionaire Tom Steyer is that Our Revolution is unprincipled, unscrupulous, craven, and most of all: power-hungry.
Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute.