Below is my column in The Hill on the recent appearance of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) in Munich. They found the perfect audience for pledging to reverse many current policies and re-embrace a high-taxation, high-regulation platform. The Europeans were giddy with excitement as they doubled down on policies that have stagnated many of their economies.
Here is the column:
This week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) joined the many Californians now seeking their fortune elsewhere. The difference is that Newsom is planning to come back to California, even as billionaires, investors, and companies flee his state for greener pastures.
Newsom and Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) were selling a brave new world that looked a lot like the broken old world. It was an ironic moment. They were addressing countries at the Munich Security Conference that had previously destroyed their economies through socialist and far-left policies.
The rush of liberal Democratic officeholders to Europe was telling. A new poll shows that a record 58 percent of voters believe their party is “too liberal.” But Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez found a welcoming audience in Europe.
The global elite gushed over Ocasio-Cortez and sat enraptured as she rattled off socialist platitudes. That included New York Times correspondent Katrin Bennhold, who thrilled the audience by treating it as a given that Ocasio-Cortez will run for president.
Both Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez spoke of returning the U.S. to the good graces of the global elite. Newsom assured the Europeans that Trump’s reign is temporary, and that the U.S. will soon enough dismantle the “wrecking ball” that the administration has taken to the EU.
Newsom offered his leadership and his state as the model, proclaiming that “California is a stable and reliable partner” for Europe. The model includes high taxes, massive spending programs and greater bureaucratic regulations — precisely the policies that have driven the European economy into its current stagnation. In other words, Democrats were in Europe to offer precisely what Newsom outwardly condemned: “doubling down on stupid.”
When not fumbling with security questions about issues such as Taiwan, Ocasio-Cortez was demanding that wealth taxes be implemented in the U.S. “expeditiously.” Such a tax on billionaires’ wealth, including unrealized gains, is currently being pushed in California. The predictable result is that billionaires and other wealthy citizens are rushing to leave the state and taking their investments and companies with them.
Ocasio-Cortez had the audience at hello.
Rather than having Vice President J.D. Vance shaming them for their attacks on free speech, the Europeans positively gushed over Democratic leaders pushing far-left agendas. It did not matter that such policies devastated European economies in the 20th century.
In my book “Rage and the Republic,” I discuss the rise of support for socialism in both the U.S. and Europe. Many of those supporting it are young voters with no memory of the collapse of socialist economies in the 20th Century. In 1977, Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan pursued many of the same socialist policies, leading to what was called the “winter of discontent” as inflation hit 25 percent. With the collapse of the British pound, the United Kingdom had to take the demoralizing step of securing a loan from the International Monetary Fund, as if it were a developing country.
In France, François Mitterrand was also elected to pursue his “rupture with capitalism.” The French economy collapsed; Mitterrand quickly had to reverse himself and restore capitalist policies.
That history is rarely discussed or taught today. The “warmth of collectivism,” as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani put it, is back in vogue. It does not matter that, in Argentina, President Javier Milei is achieving one of the most impressive economic turnarounds in history — dramatically curtailing runaway inflation, government deficits and poverty — by reinstating free-market policies and reducing government spending.
What is chilling about Europe is that the EU has strangled growth with its increasingly centralized controls and massive bureaucracy. My book describes the instability of the EU and its global governance model. Europe is facing populist movements and, like many Democrats, the response has been calls for further consolidation of power. This included the creation of a new, uniform European corporate law, known as the “28th Regime.”
With an economy crushed by a massive EU bureaucracy and regulations, the solution of many is all too familiar: borrow more money. French President Emmanuel Macron and others want to issue “Euro bonds” to spend their way into an economic recovery — another policy ideal shared with many on the American left.
This week was only the latest effort of the American left to strengthen an alliance with the EU. Previously, American leaders such as Hillary Clinton pushed the EU to censor Americans online after free speech protections were restored by companies like Twitter. Likewise, the American left is enamored with the EU’s global bureaucracy and regulations.
Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez certainly found their element in Munich, and the EU certainly found the “reliable partners” it has longed for in creating “a new World Order with European Values.”
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
“in Argentina, President Javier Milei is achieving one of the most impressive economic turnarounds in history — dramatically curtailing runaway inflation, government deficits and poverty — by reinstating free-market policies and reducing government spending.”
Milei’s “impressive” economic turnaround is heavily dependent on IMF loans and a huge $40 billion bailout from Trump. Inflation is still pretty high, 25%. Argentinians purchasing power has been severely lowered. Many are already regretting voting for Milei. Argentina is burning through its loans and U.S. bailout money fast.
While Turley is deriding the EU’s economies as stagnating he “forgot” to mention that ours is also un a state of stagnation. Low job creation, a stubborn inflation rate that won’t go down, huge growing trillion dollar deficits, and our high GDP may be attributed to higher government spending which is really odd because Republicans are in power.
Turley loves to bash democratic socialists and dismiss their increasing popularity while ignoring what is truly driving it. Trump and his incompetent attempt at being an authoritarian. Food prices are still high, utility bills are high, cost of healthcare is still high and growing. His “trade deals” are as useless as the paper they are allegedly written on.
California is indeed experiencing an outflow of wealthy people, but their businesses are not. Because the talent is there and the infrastructure is also there. Florida, once touted as the destination of the rich and well off is not so attractive anymore because of hideously high home insurance premiums and property taxes. It’s driving many out of the state too.
Just because you say so? Your AI machine is messing with you. Again.
Is Newsome and AOC really the best of the Democrats got for 2028? Come on, Democrats! Dont you have anyone else better?
They thought Joe Stealin’ was better and look what that got them.
Your writing and grammar skills are liberal level.
Professor Turley is performing a huge public service here. I’ve seen instances of leftwingers rewriting history, claiming that socialistic economies during the 70’s outperformed economies under Reagan and Thatcher. It’s like the Misery Index never existed. It’s like Reagan and Thatcher were never reelected by huge majorities. It’s like Bill Clinton never admitted that “the era of big government is over.” Professor Turley is reminding his readers about that economic history which leftwing quacks in media and academia want us to forget.
huge public service And what public service might that be please?
AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez running mates in 2028
Can they survive the Democratic Presidential and Vice Presidential Debates?
How many Contenders will the DNC have in the 2028 White House Races? *
– ⭐Newsom | Cortez ⭐ –
🫏 Democratic Party Ticket 2026 🫏
The DNC’s last offerings
2024 Democratic Party presidential candidates (Biden Incumbent Pres. Candidate)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Democratic_Party_presidential_candidates
* 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidates
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries
What a succession. Newsom-AOC to follow Clinton-Tim Kane (2016), Biden-Harris (2020), Harris-Walz (2024). This is the best that Democrats have to offer us? Especially the VP choices?
As a single male professional, I am taxed to the hilt. Seeing beyond that is not the amount but the waste and now the transparent theft. If my taxes truly helped and did not be the swimming pool of water to eventually fill one glass to a parched person, I would give more.
As a single male professional, I am taxed to the hilt. … Get married, make babbies, move to a tax free state.
We were birthed with the DNA for a constitutional republic. To become something fundamentally different is not just a policy shift. It is structural incompatibility.
Trying to form citizens for a system other than the one embedded in our founding design creates what I have described elsewhere as National Dysphoria.
DNA for a constitutional republic…. so the founders knew this was coming and extracted DNA and spread all around.
Rubbish.
What globalists and Democrat have in common….is the mission of destroying Western Society!
STOP THEM!
Democrats are committing TREASON at this point!
Cut 50% of Federal Spending. Decentralize Power!
European socialists PRETEND to love Democrats because Democrats let them jack up tariffs without consequence. That is now a documented fact. Democrats are Quislings–weak, inept authoritarians installed by foreign interests and eventually despised by everyone.
Documented you say. Okay, show us.
Most people believe I’m right, so the burden of proof lies with you.
Most people. Of the 8 plus billion on the plant … believe you’re right?
You still haven’t documented what you claim.
Most Americans, specifically. Most people in the world live in dictatorships and don’t know what to believe, but all of those dictators know I’m right and depend on you and ActBlue to cover for them.
Most live in dictatorships? Really, name them. The dictators know you’re right? What if they don’t speak American English?
Actblue is a new detergent you say?
Everyone knows Diogenes is right. Be honest, you know he is. Give it up.
Please, tell that to my wife 😉
Present your documents! says the demanding commie…
Here ya go, the Constitution of the United States! eat freedom commie.
Parasite.
Drunken lout.
He’s not drunk and you’re no lady.
Not a drunk you say? And you’re not intelligent.
Useful idiots have new limitations on the idiot part as it tends to make the commies look bad.
Okay Anonymous. Tobacco Tariff: Reports from that period and later analyses highlight a 350% U.S. tariff on tobacco imports.
Other High Tariffs: Other products with high ad valorem equivalent tariffs around that time included peanuts/peanut butter and certain sugar-containing products. These European Tariffs were imposed on American goods in 2008 while Obama was the President.
Thanks, fellas. This troll is playing the usual games of splitting hairs and making everybody else prove what everybody already knows.
geez, like hullbooby waiting for someone to comment? Make wild comments then get defensive when called out.
You’re a BS artist, making wild, unprovable, nonsensical statements. And you expect approval? You’re crazier than AOC, Newsom.
Thinkitthrough provided proof about foreign tariffs. You provided proof that Democrats are Quislings. I rest my case.
Proof? So just saying so makes it proof? What about linking a source. Might help eh.
How dull can you be.
show you Democrats are Quislings–weak, inept authoritarians installed by foreign interests and eventually despised by everyone?
everyone knows that.
and asking for someone’s documents? figures…
Diogenes: in addition to being “Quislings-weak, inept authoritarians”, Democrats have also demonstrated that they are successful grifters, as they have proven by the fraud seen in Minnesota.
Shameless frauds and hypocrites, getting rich off of taxpayers!
Dems are weak! all they have left now is crimes and criminals as everyone sensible doesn’t want to be a communist.
After trashing European nations in Munich, why is Marco Rubio now in Hungary campaigning for Victor Orban ahead of the Hungarian elections in April ???
Answer: Just following orders from Putin.
Russian state media is ecstatically reporting this.
Russian state media is ecstatically reporting this. Wow, really, then how come no link to the reporting.
Rubio was conciliatory. Trashed huh?
There are no more European Nations, just lots of people good at starting wars they can’t finish.