California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is widely known to be angling to be the next Democratic presidential nominee after the implosion of Vice President Kamala Harris. This week, Newsom positioned not just his campaign but also his state as part of the “resistance” for the next four years against the Trump Administration. Newsom pushed a special session to secure a $25 million war chest to take the Trump Administration to court, even before the inauguration and release of policies by the incoming administration.
I wrote earlier about how the loss of both houses, as well as the White House, will mean that lawfare and obstructive efforts will shift to the states. Newsom is moving to out-position governors (and potential primary opponents) like Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker moved first in a chest-pounding press conference that he would stop the incoming administration from trying to remove undocumented persons, declaring, “You come for my people, you come through me.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) added that he will “fight to the death” against Trump’s agenda.
Newsom has upped the ante by demanding millions to pre-fund litigation against the new administration. With a massive budget debt burden, Newsom has continued to pile on new debt for politically popular initiatives.
I cannot recall any state pre-positioning funds for the sole purpose of litigating against any incoming administration. The most obvious area of disagreement is the effort to ramp up the enforcement of immigration laws and to carry out deportations. While polls show that the public overwhelmingly supports such enforcement, including deportations, California is seeking to take the lead in court actions designed to slow or frustrate such efforts.
It could prove costly, not just in litigation expenditures. The Trump Administration could seek to withhold federal funding from states and cities obstructing enforcement efforts. In the meantime, sanctuary cities are continuing to face rising costs associated with rising populations of undocumented migrants.
For example, as we previously discussed, Denver Mayor Mike Johnson (D) declared that he was preparing the Mile-High City for its “Tiananmen Square moment” to fight the federal government in any attempt to deport unlawful migrants. Johnson warned that he would have not only Denver police “stationed at the county line to keep [ICE] out” but also “50,000 Denverites.” He later walked back the comments while repeating that the city is positioning itself to be part of the resistance.
Now the Common Sense Institute (CSI), a non-partisan research organization estimated that eight percent of the city’s 2025 budget of $4.4 billion is now dedicated to housing and services for undocumented persons. If true, that amounts to $356 million or $7,900 per migrant.
California has led other states in offering a wide array of benefits to undocumented persons.
Notably, Californian voters surprised many Democrats this election with almost 40% voting for President-elect Trump over California’s own Vice President Kamala Harris.
There is an obvious political advantage to Newsom in securing these public funds to assume the mantle as the leader of “the resistance” as a foundation for his 2028 campaign. The question is how such an obstructive position will prove to the advantage of Californians. As citizens sought to increase criminal penalties by passing Proposition 36 by over 70 percent (over the opposition of Newsom), the governor is focusing on setting aside millions to fund a high-profile legal campaign against Trump’s administration.
Ultimately, the litigation campaign is unlikely to change federal enforcement efforts significantly. However, Newsom hopes it will significantly change his electoral enhancement efforts.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, Gov. Josh Shapiro, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Mike Johnson, had better be into the Black-Ink by the time they run. As it stands today They are all deep in Red-Ink. For Newsome’s part, Governor Moonbeam (Jerry Brown) made a clear demarcation point to Newsom, that he had a balanced & healthy State-Ledger when he turned over the reins to Gavin.
Newsom dose what he has always done before, that is, find a fresh line-of-credit and max out the debt, while looking pretty.
You can expect to see the Newsom-Goldman (Rep. NY Daniel Goldman) ticket in the future, with all the backing of the California Cartel.
The DEMs have not given it much though, They just intend to going back to the same old NEGATIVE badgering they resorted to in the first Trump Administration. That needs to stop, not for Trumps sake but for Their own. The DEMs just wasted the last 4 years on Mr. 10% and Ms. Macabre-Salad Mouth, previous to that trying to scuttle Trump’s offices. That’s 8 years of not doing a damn thing for the People, and raking up Debts. They need to wake up to the facts that America is in 2nd Place and lagging more and more behind the Competition (China, India, etc.. ).
Newsom’s and the Others move for Lawfair is in the wrong direction (His Horse is running the wrong-way around the Track and headed toward the BRIC Barn). Same goes for the Commercial Networks, it’s time for some new Talking Heads that really want the Country to succeed, and not just waist time Playing Politics.
Nough Said.
Red Ink
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/red-ink.asp
Black Ink
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/black.asp
Navin Grusom *might* get to be President of a nation if California managed to successfully secede from the US, otherwise his candidacy is a total non-starter. At least he seems to have a bit of charisma, albeit that is his entire list of his positive attributes. Here in NJ, Bucky Beaver (Murphy) is an ugly, hated apparition in Drumthwacket, and, since he is done in by term limits as governor in 2025, he is mouthing empty, hypocritical threats, which is pretty much his established style. While he was previously rumored to have Presidential aspirations, and is clueless enough to continue to harbor same, he has even less of a chance than does Grusom. After his performance here, and considering the shift in the political landscape (blue state NJ went an astounding 46.5% for Trump) I think Bucky might be challenged to be elected Newark’s official dog catcher.
Newson is a free-agent after the 2027 California Election (Newsom’s current term will end early January 2027 – due California term limits). That gives him a year to distance himself from the disaster he’ll be running away from. Figure a Newsom/Goldman Ticket or Goldman/Newsom Ticket at this point in time. Political Makeup Artist will have a lot of air-brushing his past over, and the DNC will be counting on the WOKE Community to push his candidacy.
Here’s a point – Just because your/or were the Mayor of San Fransisco, should not make you the LGBTQ Communities goto ‘political partner’. Fmr. S.F. Mayor Will Brown would have been the best choice for Gov. (or even a Pres. run), should he had wanted to at the time. It’s your ‘track record’ Stupid. Gavin racked up $1.5 Billion of Red-Ink in San Fran before running away to the Governors Office. Now look at what he has done to the State of California. The Nation cannot afford him today or in 2028.
Hillary says: ‘It’s the People’s Economy Stupid’ … ok … so for Politicians “It’s the Budget-Debts Stupid”. Credit needs to be reeled-in, Tamed. The Nation is under Subordination of Bankers.
-Break the Chains-
While the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in City of Chicago v Barr ruled that sanctuary cities cannot have federal funds withheld strictly on the basis of them being sanctuary cities (reason: violation of constitutional separation of powers principles), another jurisdiction has come to a different conclusion. The Second Circuit ruled that DOJ could withhold federal grants from sanctuary cities that do not comply with federal immigration enforcement requests. The Ninth Circuit ruled that the Trump executive order during his first term to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities was unconstitutional, stating that only Congress has the authority to control federal spending.
To my knowledge, SCOTUS has not ruled on this matter, although it would seem ripe for SCOTUS to take up the case given the split amongst the Circuit Courts.
What Homan is looking at is a multivariate optimization problem. The goal is the use of resources in the most efficient way possible to deport invaders.
The solution involves every possible way to physically deport or cause invaders to self-deport – look out Justin Castro🤣
Hopefully, legislative support will be solid. The administration needs to decide how to apportion resources between:
Border security
End financial incentives
End birthright citizenship
Elevate criminal charges for entry
Elevate charges for crimes by invaders
Punishment of employers of all sizes
Financial punishment of states&locals
Asset seizure for invaders
Tax or ban remittances by invaders
Travel restrictions on invaders
Comprehensive biometric ID of invaders
Lifetime ban on future legal entry
Enforce aiding and abetting laws
Capital punishment for violent crimes by an illegal – murder, rape, robbery. Likewise for drug smuggling or distribution.
What did I miss?
On another note: Trump should limit the use of the military to the border and for transport purposes. We are, after all, being invaded. That would make it tougher to criticise since repelling invasions is actually part of their job description.
Trying to end birthright citizenship will put Trump face-to-face with the Fourteenth Amendment. The federal courts have this amendment memorized, and wouldn’t tolerate forced deportation of a US child-citizen. If the parent(s) wish(es) to self-deport that is a different matter, but the child has every right to return to the US lawfully when s/he turns 18 and then sponsor their own family members legally at that time. Trump would never get the 2/3 vote to end birthright citizenship via repeal of the 14th Amendment in Congress and it is doubtful he would get 3/4ths of the states to ratify.
The 14th A states” “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, AND SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION THEREOF are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” [CAPS mine]
Has the original intent of the capitalized qualifier been adjudicated? If so, when?
It is not that americans will not tolerate the deportation of US citizens – it is that you literally can not do it.
Nor is that what will happen.
First this is actually a SMALL problem. Using the birth rates for illegals, the numbers of men and women and their ages, this is likely at very most 100,000 people over the past 4 years. Illegal immigration in that time is 100times that minimum.
If you are going to deport an illegal immigrant family – THEY have the choice of finding a place for their citizen child or taking them with them. The PARENTS make that choice.
The Child is free to return to the US anytime – not just at 18, they are just unlikely to be able to do so because few countries allow children to travel outside the country unaccompanied.
It is highly unlikely that an amendment would pass ending birthright citizenship and it would be a bad idea regardless.
It is unwise for Republicans to even talk signficantly about it. Trump has RARELY mentioned it, and not seriously.
It should not be something seriously persued.
“few countries allow children to travel outside the country unaccompanied. ”
I’m having difficulty reconciling that statement with widely publicized allegations that on the order of 300k unaccompanied illegal immigrant children were dumped here. Can you explain further?
Asset forfeiture under civil and criminal laws usually only applies for criminal activity after arrival. I don’t think that being an illegal alien only would (or could) be used to seize assets without a change in the law.
Most US asset forfeiture laws need to be gone anyway – they are unconstitutional, and in practice they have a corrupting effect on government.
OldFish – do not make the mistake of presuming that because a super majority of people oppose the mess that Biden created they are willing to flip 180 to what you propose.
Whether you like it or not the US needs about 2-3M immigrants a year – otherwise we put ourselves in the same boat as japan, China, Russia, and parts of Europe that are in demographic collapse that will lead to economic collapse.
Currently we have about 1M legal immigrants/year. That is 1-2M short of demographic needs.
Next, touch birthright citizenship at your peril. Nations that do not have birthright citizenship have far worse immigration problems than those that do.
Eliminate Birthright citizenship and you create a permanent immigrant class that does not identify as american. That is incredibly disruptive – it encourages us/them. It encourages terrorism.
Regardless despite ranting from those on the far right this is NOT a huge problem.
With respect to the CURRENT mess – Trump and Homan are being coy.
They are constantly asked how they are going to deport 11-21M people.
That is a trick question – they cant. Just as Democrats did not anticipate how politically potent the issue of mass illegal immigration would be, republicans should not be blinded to the fact that ACTUAL mass deportations will prove to be HIGHLY unpopular.
Get over it – voters are fickle. They want illegals all gone. But they do not want to see families on TV being hauled off by ICE in large numbers.
Regardless, Trump and Homan are aware of this. That is why they are careful in their answers.
The FOCUS will be #1 – close the border. Trump has already threatened the Mexicans into doing just that.
After the inauguration he can reciprocate on our side of the border and when congress passes funding he can start building the wall large scale – that is all popular.
#2 will be deporting criminals. That will start right away.
#3 will be deporting the 1.3M who already have deportation orders outstanding.
Everything above except large scale Border Wall construction can be done without congress.
I would further note the BEST political outcome for Trump and Republicans is for Democrats like Newsome to do exactly what they are doing – without creating incidents where they actually look good and gain sympathy.
Fight them – but let them win – pissing off their OWN people.
Homan has mentioned this – but the most effective tool is getting illegal immigrants to Self deport.
Increasing legal immigration would be a huge step toward that.
It is already true that if you are deported – you are unlikely to EVER be allowed immigrate to the US legally.
If you are here illegally and you leave, you can still seek legal immigration.
Increase the perception of risk of getting caught and increase the odds of being able to immigrate legally and these people will leave on their own.
Regardless illegal immigration is a great issue for Republicans – until it isn’t.
Get overly draconian and you WILL lose public support rapidly.
Remember this is a PR fight as well as a policy fight.
Another example of the dumb that is the Newsome failed state of CA, CA Forcing Department Stores To Have Gender Neutral Children Section https://thepopulisttimes.com/california-ag-forcing-department-stores-to-have-gender-neutral-children-section/
Apparently Trump won’t be Gavin’s President. The opposition to enforcing federal immigration law misjudges Homan at their peril. It will take one criminal charge of one high state official to make other state officials crap their pants and get in line. This effort at “trump proofing” their states is wasteful and against what the people want. I hope it will be very interesting to watch. We are going to see early on if Trump ends Ukraine war, reforms the FBI and other three letter acronym orgs and gets behind fixing the border / immigration issues.
well said! hooray
It is also politically stupid – though republicans should take care.
The BEST strategy for dealing with Newsome types is to fight them – but mostly let them win. Let them get the bad press that comes when bad things happen from their policies.
Let them deal with the costs of illegal immigrants, let them deal with the crime, let them deal with the growing unpopularity of this within their own party.
Give Newsome’s their bully pulpit, give them their confrontations – but let them win.
As Sun Tzu says – when your enemy is making a mistake – don’t interfere.
Trump can start shutting the border down Day One. He can restart wall construction. With control of congress funds can be allocated to speed that up.
ICE can deport people – where they have cooperation. It is also in Trump’s/Republicans interests to allow the left to recreate their stupidity with the Portland Federal Courthouse.
But do NOT make a martyr out of democrat contenders. Let them obstruct and then pillory them with the next Laken Riley.
“But do NOT make a martyr out of democrat contenders. Let them obstruct and then pillory them with the next Laken Riley.”
Does it not bother you that the policy you advocate will create that “next Laken Riley”?
That’s the one thing I have against John here. Because you just know that, after J20, should one single American die due to an illegal, the MSM won’t hesistate to half-heartedly rise from the slop they are mucking in, and fling it onto Trump’s pants. it won’t matter that it will have been because of these far-left mayors and governor’s rulings, all that will matter is smearing Trump.
“the MSM won’t hesistate to half-heartedly rise from the slop they are mucking in, and fling it onto Trump’s pants.”
I don’t really give a G**D*** about that, either, since the dying MSM will inevitably find something that they regard as semi-credible with which to try to tag Trump. What does bother me is someone who has opinions that I generally respect, and often agree with, advocating a policy that he believes will cause additional deaths of innocents. The reasoning may be logical (and I am frequently accused of giving excessive weight to logic), but I find the concept to be abominable. I was hoping that John Say would have a reply in which he demonstrated that while the policy he advocated would likely result in more cases like that of Riley, that there was some compensating dynamic that would arguably result in fewer innocent deaths, overall. Guess not. Disappointing.
Looks like one of the “get tough on Trump, I am the resistance!” loser governors has folded like a cheap [pant] suit, NY Gov. Hochul Changes Tune On Deporting Migrant Criminals https://thepostmillennial.com/kathy-hochul-now-claims-new-york-will-work-with-ice-on-deportations-of-criminal-illegal-immigrants-despite-sanctuary-state-laws
Hochul probably folded because her legal staff told her that Homan was right and could actually throw her in jail. That would throw a monkey wrench into her reelection dreams🤣
After the Biden administration rounded up the innocent J6 protesters and put them into cells for a long time with no legal representation, would it not be fair play to do the same to those that resist ICE?
TODAY given the stupid things that Biden and democrats have done – immigration is a potent political issue favoring republicans.
But it CAN turn around if Republicans overplay their hand.
Deporting criminal illegals is ALWAYS going to be popular.
It is incredibly stupid for any democrats to be on the wrong side of that.
But the public can be swayed by well spun stories about familiy separation of family deportation.
For those of us who have chosen to remain in California, we are not idiots.
We are still hopeful that we might be able to turn this ship around. It is taking so long!
I honestly cannot understand how Newsom is still in office. He has gotten away With so much and yet he is still there.
I pray that the new administration will support and encourage anyone who has the courage to take on California and win. We’re doing what we can in the meantime and believe me it’s not easy.
Those who chose to leave CA are not idiots either. Never moving back.
“We are still hopeful that we might be able to turn this ship around.”
Your determination is impressive. Just keep in mind that sometimes a cause really can be hopelessly lost, and those who continue to fight for it beyond all opportunities to cut and run, will likely be ruined, figuratively, and possible literally.
Sure looks like an insurrection to me. I’m sure that similar statements can be found to have been made by the insurrectionist in southern states prior to the Civil War. Newsom has his slave labor force firmly in place and he’s not going to let anyone keep them from picking his cotton. Now that there’s a real insurrection for ya.
TiT,
Is that not the typical Marxis play out of the Marxis playbook? Accuse everyone of what you are doing. They call it resistance, the rest of us call it an insurrection. Their problem is what they call resistance we call resisting against common sense, rule of law. But whenever have woke leftists ever had things like common sense? Come on, this is a group of people who think there are some 97 different sexes, you can wake up one morning thinking you are of the opposite sex or a cat, use dumb pronouns like ze/xi/whatever, think pornography in elementary schools is okay, biological males in women’s sports, locker rooms, bath rooms is okay. Thankfully the American people, as evident by the recent election, have said enough to the woke mind virus.
I actually have no problem with pre-adolescent boys and girls playing on the same teams (although I don’t support unisex bathrooms or locker rooms). Girls playing “boys’ sports” is often that period of time when girls double-down and improve their skills so that they are on par with boys. I think it’s actually beneficial for girls to compete against boys as pre-adolescents.
“Johnson warned that he would have not only Denver police “stationed at the county line to keep [ICE] out” but also “50,000 Denverites.” ” – Wouldn’t that be an insurrection?
I doubt he can get the Denver Police – much less 50,000 denverites.
To paraphrase a rather insignificant pol; “elections have consequences”. I do hope all the crazy prog/lefties who voted for democrats enjoy the ride for at least the next 4 years and hopefully beyond for 8 more years. This is your cesspool, now lay in it.
Boy is this going to be fun to watch. CA was already a failed state under Newsome. Now, as he is advertising for all to see, and with CA’s already generous handouts to illegals, more and more illegals will be flocking to his failed state and other sanctuary states and cities. As the good professor notes how much money and resources illegals suck up with nothing in return for their expense other than crime, it will be interesting to see how the legal US citizens of those states and cities vote in the mid-terms and in 2028. The Democrats so called resistance might be in the form of their own voters.
How marvelous!
Apparently Newsom hasn’t learned the lesson of the 2024 election. People, even many Democrats, want good governance, not this continual inter-party warfare and lawfare. A broke California isn’t going to make a very good poster child for a presidential campaign.
Tom Homan is quite serious about enforcing Title 8, Section 1324 of the INA Law prohibiting “harboring” illegal immigrants. My read of this law is that Mayors, City Council members, Governors and State Legislators can be indicted under federal law for Sanctuary policies. And, Homan is serious. 10 year prison sentences await those defiant few. Everyone else will fold.
Technically, he needs an advisory opinion from DOJ before he undertakes any arrests under federal immigration law. I am sure that he and Pam Bondi have discussed this already and that a formal legal opinion will issue shortly after the inauguration.
JaJuan62-Yes the world always looks different from the inside of a jail cell. I think that is why people try to avoid it. Also celebrities and politicians should be thrown in with the standard prison population. That would give them an even more realistic look.
“Technically, he needs an advisory opinion from DOJ before he undertakes any arrests under federal immigration law. ”
Do you have any cite or link to the legal foundation for that contention? Didn’t think so.
Solution….End Federal Aid and loan backing to cities, states, non-profits and schools!
yet capitalism destroy Democrats!
using taxpayer money to fund invaders is TREASON!
GOP stop playing nice with Democrats fighting a Civil War!
Maybe it’s time for Newsom to read the U.S. Constitution, Article VI (“This Constitution and the Laws of the United States which shall, be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land, and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.”) ‘Nuff said. Democrat governors in CA, NY, and CO trying to emulate Orval Faubus have no future and are trying desperately to become irrelevant.
JJC,
Good point. But when have things like the Constitution, rule of law ever been a consideration of the party that cries, “by any means necessary!!!”
JJC-I think Newsom only thinks the Constitution is a set of guidelines and not the LAW OF THE LAND. He needs a refresher course on this subject. Preferably from a Prison Library.
In just three years, California will be so crushed by illegals, they will cry out to Trump for salvation. And none other than Newsom will lead the plea. Newsom will assume, like his elder mentor Biden, that Californians will have forgotten all about the $25m slush fund.
The mood of the voters in CA has obviously shifted.
Unfortunately, for Gavin, he’s either too arrogant or too insulated to notice.
The backlash will be fierce – both with the voters and the swamp.
Pass the popcorn!
No no no. California’s illegals, no longer reaping benefits, will leave CA and come to OUR states and WE will have to deal with them
Newsome as in all other politicians can play the game all they like. They want to lead a resistance, go right ahead at your own risk. The Feds do not get what they need and turn off the money spigot, you will have no one to blame but yourself when the pitchforks come out. The good citizens of California have spoken for harsher response to crime and you take your political life in your hands when you choose to ignore voters in such high numbers. But feel free, you are so
much smarter than the dumb voters you choose to ignore. Yet very large numbers of those dumb voters voted against the Democrats this election already. I would be very careful.
If it were my decision to make, I would completely defund all the “sanctuary” states and cities, and I live in one, and hail from another. We cannot keep being invaded like this. We can’t afford it on many levels.
Federal courts have already ruled that sanctuary cities cannot be defunded purely because they are sanctuary cities (this is a decision by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in City of Chicago v. Barr). To my knowledge SCOTUS has not ruled on this matter.
Sanctuary cities and states are illegal and are breaking Federal laws by aiding and abetting fugitives. Federal jurisdiction takes presidence over the states and cities. I hope the SCOTUS rules in favor of the laws and the Constitution.
Newsome trying to go far left, woke, leaser of the resistance and set the stage for his bid for 2028 Presidential election. Go Woke Go Broke and also lose in the Courts. $25 mil will not last long, especially in lawyers’ fees etc. Then what will he do ask for another $25 mil and then another? NY, Ill, etc. will jump in and waste money and the End they will lose. Trump wins Left wing DEMS/Woke/MSM all lose.
sorry mistype leaser should say leader