At a time when Democrats across the country are being begged by their constituents to stand for something, the local Democratic party and City Hall leaders are proudly championing their “moderate” bona fides, standing for nothing. They offer concerts and vibe shifts in place of principles, and elevate civility and cheerfulness over results. At every opportunity, this new political formation ignores the housing and economic needs of working people and those in poverty. In some ways, it feels like the dystopian fantasies of the Network State movement are being grafted onto our living, beloved city: limitless police spending, elimination of social programs, privatization of public services, and repression of any dissenting views.

I’m rooting for SF’s success as I have every day for the 32 years I’ve lived here. But we have to be real about the impact of installing inexperienced, tech-industry aligned conservatives to run all branches of government. It’s already a failed experiment.