Michael Shellenberger on Trump, LA Riots, and Shifting Immigrant Voter Sentiment

California's Lawlessness and Governance

• ⚖️ California is described as a "pretty lawless place" with issues like public camping, open-air drug dealing, and a governor who has opposed enforcing laws passed with significant public support.
• 🚨 The speaker criticizes Governor Newsom for opposing a ballot initiative to crack down on fentanyl drug dealing and for underfunding the police in Los Angeles, which has fewer officers per capita than New York City.
• 🏛️ The federal government's actions, like enforcing laws or deploying federal resources, are framed as necessary responses to a lack of effective state and local enforcement.

Response to LA Riots and Protests

• 🛡️ The president's actions, including the potential deployment of federal resources, are defended as enforcing the law, drawing a parallel to federal intervention during the Civil Rights era.
• ⚠️ The governor is criticized for not calling out the National Guard soon enough to deal with the LA riots and fires, and for failing to condemn violence by protesters.
• 💥 It's noted that violence in Los Angeles broke out before the National Guard was deployed, and that some protesters were firing fireworks at police officers.

Shifting Immigrant Voter Demographics

• 📈 A CNN pollster's data suggests a significant 40-point shift to the right among immigrant voters on immigration issues between 2020 and 2024/2025.
• 🧐 Immigrants who are registered to vote have become more hawkish on immigration, indicating a broader sentiment shift in the country.
• ⚖️ It is suggested that immigrants who went through the legal process may harbor anger towards those who arrive illegally.

Political Landscape and Radicalization

• 🚩 Democrats in California are characterized as having become "radicalized," with a reluctance to condemn violence and a prolonged insistence that federal help was not needed.
• 🗳️ The speaker believes that once the situation is assessed, there will be a realization of the need for increased law enforcement across California.
• 🇺🇸 If President Trump is to fulfill his agenda, he will require backup from the National Guard.