I have heard Americans talk about him in very negative terms before, but never really new the details as I usually try to stay as far away from news and politics as possible.

However, with his recent Trumpish tactic of calling Europe pathetic and the laughing stock of the world and accusing us of giving Trump the Nobel Peace Prize (I didn't know Venezuela was a European country, nor that Machado was part of the Nobel Peace Prize committee), it really cemented to me that he was that kind of cunt and not just unpopular among some voters for his politics.

I could 100% agree with all of his politics and still think he's a cunt for using those kinds of tactics instead of being a fucking adult and treating his voters, his state and his position as politician and governor like a joke. I will never respect him, he will always be a joke to me and the Democrats will be a joke if they elect him to represent him during the next presidential election. I'm a much bigger fan of AOC. Everytime she opens her mouth, as far as I'm aware, she's been spitting facts. America needs someone with the dignity, intelligence and warmth she has displayed towards the American people. That's what I think, but take it with a grain of salt as I genuinely try to stay out of politics as much as possible and am ignorant to most things.

[–] 7101334@lemmy.world 2 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (1 children)

Gavin Newsom vetoed legal psychedelics (in other words he wants people in prison for possessing plants and doing what they want with their own bodies / minds), vetoed unemployment pay for striking workers, repeatedly disregarded COVID mandates that he himself put into place, and took photo ops throwing away the only worldly possessions of homeless people.

Basically what's happened to the Democratic Party in the United States is that their base has moved left, for example, increasingly having a favorable view of socialism, increasingly supporting universal healthcare, and holding an increasingly unfavorable (to put it mildly) view of Israel. But the oligarch donors (by way of Citizens United, and the more recent Supreme Court decision which basically legalized bribery) who define the DNC's allowed rhetoric and actions won't allow Democrats to move left, because that would be contrary to capitalism, which is of course the top priority for the oligarchs in question. So, aware of their rapidly diminishing base, the Democrats are instead moving in the only permitted direction where they see any potential to pick up voters: more to the right. This is why Kamala Harris promised "the most lethal military in the world", campaigned with Liz Cheney (daughter or maybe granddaughter of Dick Cheney, war criminal architect of the illegitimate Iraq War), and talked about being tough on crime and immigration. Gavin Newsom is doing the same thing.

The thing is - in my opinion, and I think as evidenced by the 2024 election - rightwing people will just vote for the real deal, and leftwing people won't vote for you at all. So Democrats, barred by their owners from serving as an actual opposition party, are guaranteeing their own irrelevancy and the dominance of Republicans in the short-term. Unless people are so fed up with Republicans they just vote for Democrats despite not actually really liking any of their policies, which is a possibility... but then people will just vote a Republican in again after Democrats inevitably live up to Biden's famous promise, "Nothing will fundamentally change."

[–] Nangijala@feddit.dk 1 points 19 hours ago

Thank you for your comment. It helps with context and gives me some perspective. It seems generally in line with the perception many of us outsiders have about the US generally and the direction it has been going in for a long time now.

And I also appreciate you sharing some of the reasons Americans don't like Newsom. I feel like I understand their perspective a bit better now.