By admin 
In California politics, there should be no such thing as a Limousine Progressive. It’s a bridge too far. For how can someone with the wealth of an oligarch pretend to champion the suffering middle class?
Read more Arrest warrant issued for Brandon Aiyuk after 49ers WR posted speeding video
Tom Steyer was the Limousine Progressive in this California primary season. Hopefully, this brand of politician becomes an endangered species in future California elections.
Our problems of economic inequality, in California and throughout the nation, are simply too great. The political leader to solve this wicked problem can never be someone with three residences in San Francisco alone.
Granted, Steyer’s prospects do not appear completely dead.
His political future is on a combination of life support, prayer and wishful thinking. There’s a mathematical chance, albeit small, that uncounted ballots could disproportionately fall to him instead of Republican Steve Hilton and fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra. And now comes the painfully slow California process of counting the remaining ballots. Sacramento County, for example, isn’t scheduling a voting update until Friday.
On Tuesday night after the polls had closed, Steyer spoke to his faithful. “This race, more than any other in recent memory, laid bare the basic operating principle of American politics, a very uncomfortable truth,” Steyer said. “Money talks in this race.”
There must be no mirrors in the Steyer homes.
A recent New York Times story counted perhaps a dozen of his homes, including residences in Manhattan and Lake Tahoe. For Steyer, a housing crisis is choosing which of his many homes to sleep in.
Just the smallest capacity of self-reflection by Steyer would have revealed the duplicity of his lamenting the influence of money in California politics.
Overwhelming the campaign, Steyer spent more than $200 million of his own money. He spent more than the rest of the Democrats combined. He muted the voices of elected officials, who had actual experience in public service and had qualifications for the job.
No matter. Steyer spent Tuesday complaining about the $55 million spent by one corporate interest or another against him, a small fraction of what he was spending to advance himself.
Read more Sacramento police arrest suspect on suspicion of ‘bias-motivated’ use of swastikas
Steyer talked of “ordinary Californians” who have “sacrificed day after day, year after year, to create the system where those billionaires could realize the dreams they came to this state to pursue.”
Look, I’m not pretending that the wealthiest among us have no role in American politics or that some can have heartfelt aspirations for the job and for creating positive social and economic change. But we’re at a uniquely important point in the history of the Democratic Party in California, and billionaire Steyer was the last thing the party needed to dominate this primary.
The current governor, Gavin Newsom, is more of a classic limousine liberal wrapped in a modern social media persona. By night, the former San Francisco mayor lives in Marin. By day, he attacks “Big Oil” or President Trump.
When he constantly trumpets the state’s overall economic prowess, Newsom downplays the affordability crises facing housing, electricity, gasoline and insurance. Newsom left a political lane wide open for candidates who felt and cared about the disparity of wealth in this state.
This governor’s debate should have had room for more ideas, particularly how to reliably collect tax revenues from our companies and our wealthiest residents to maintain the vitality of a state economy built on innovation and businesses large and small.
We didn’t get that debate.
We got millions of dollars worth of Tom Steyer ads instead.
His failure to be a credible Limousine Progressive hopefully sends a strong message to the Democratic Party to wake up and get real. Trump and the Republicans trounced Democrats in the 2024 elections because the Democrats, up and down the ballot, were out of touch with voters.
Democratic leadership couldn’t control the toxicity of Steyer’s money because Steyer was right: Money talked in this election.
Read more Trump says the F-word. But SLO County students are condemned for using it? | Opinion