The Resistance-- California

Yesterday when I woke up, I saw a tweet from Ice-T about how he ignored a call asking him to play the Inauguration. And artist after my own heart! Gabe Ortiz did an essay for America's Voice this week about how faith leaders have vowed to protect undocumented immigrants, an overwhelmingly popular sentiment in southern California. In Los Angeles, the Episcopal Diocese-- more than 140 congregations-- has adopted a resolution calling for "holy resistance" to Trump’s deportation proposals and declaring itself a "sanctuary diocese."

You may have seen the L.A. Times report Friday, California is itching to take on Trump, name-checking some of what they call "prominent figures leading the charge." Remember, California went for Hillary 8,753,788 (62.1%) to 4,483,810 (31.8%). And in most of the state's big population centers, the disparity was even greater. Clinton won L.A. Co. with 71.4%, San Francisco Co. with 85.5%, Santa Clara Co. with 73.3%, Alameda Co. with 79.3%. The only states that gave Trump a lower proportion of it's votes were Hawaii (30.1%) and Vermont (29.7%). And of course, DC-- 4.1%.

The Times story nods towards the work California representatives like Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris are supposedly doing to protect American values from Trumpism but the thrust of the story was on antagonists like Governor Jerry Brown, incoming Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Secretary of State Alex Padilla, University of California President Janet Napolitano, state Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, state Treasurer John Chiang, as well as the attention addicted opportunist Gavin Newsom who hopes to win voters to his gubernatorial campaign by playing foe to Trump.

On a federal level much of the opposition to the excesses of Trumpism will be led by Californians in Congress. We reached out to some of the ones we expect the best work from, like Ted Lieu, who represents much of coastal Loa Angeles, from Malibu, through Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa, and Redondo down to Rancho Palos Verdes where Trump has one of his scandal-tarred golf courses. As you might expect, Ted an Air Force colonel takes a reasonable tone when talking about the President-elect and Commander-in-Chief. "It is possible," he told us, "that Donald Trump-- who lost the popular vote-- will have some ideas that benefit my constituents, California and our nation as a whole. On those policies-- such as withdrawing from the TPP-- I will support. What I will fight-- in every way at my disposal as a member of the United States House of Representatives-- are any policies that put our national security, our privacy, our economy or the well-being of Americans at risk." He continued:  

Any attempt to pass a sham infrastructure plan: I will fight. Any plan to gut the VA and privatize care for our Veteran heroes: I will fight. Any plan to create a so-called Muslim registry: I will fight. Any plan to gut the Affordable Care Act or Wall Street regulations: I will fight. Any plan that moves our nation further away from leading the clean energy revolution and undermines the undeniable science of climate change: I will fight.

This is a challenging time in our great nation's history; a time that calls for serious leaders with serious policy solutions that make our nation healthier, more sustainable, more just and more prosperous. My hope is that Trump arrives at the White House and governs differently than he has campaigned.

Ro Khanna is a freshman from the San Jose/Silicon Valley area and, like Ted, he has no intention of buckling under to Trumpism. "California," he told us, "must lead the resistance to the Trump agenda on issues of the environment, immigration, civil liberties, supporting education and science, and embracing pluralism and tolerance. These values have also produced extraordinary innovation and economic growth. If Trump's vision is Sparta, California represents Athens. It's a fight over who we want to be as Americans. I am convinced the future is with California and we can't cede an inch when it comes to our values."



UPDATE: Adam Schiff

An Adam Schiff staffer reminded me after this post was published that Schiff had told an L.A. Times reporter that "[l]ike so many of my constituents and people all over the country, I am still trying to come to grips with the election and its aftermath. Although it is far from the responsibility I wanted to have, I now have a vital role to play in assuring that the Trump Administration does not violate the constitution and the rights of Americans, or roll back all the progress of the last eight years. If he tries to make common cause with Russia in its bombing of civilians in Syria, or hide its role in the interference in our elections, we will push back hard. If he tries to deport Dreamers or their parents, we will push back. If he tries to roll back the gains we've made on the environment and deny the science of climate change we will push back. If he tries to throw millions off their healthcare we will push back. There's going to be no shortage of important fights, and every progressive Member of Congress and around the country will need to make common cause."