Shift in the Political Landscape

Originally this started out as a pro-President Biden commentary on preparing for the November election. A meditation on how an incumbent running on a successful record of accomplishments should be more of a slam dunk than what was being portrayed in the media.

Then the truly surprising twist and turns as Biden stepped down from his candidacy for re-election and the quick ascension of Vice President Kamala Harris to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. With the sprint to get a national campaign together in just a month before the Democratic National Convention, it has been a whirlwind to say the least in political circles.

Writing this on the heels of the convention, it was encouraging to see how prominently so many local politicians had risen and the complete tonal shift despite not a grand change in political policies. Maybe there really is something to the saying “So goes San Francisco, so goes California and so goes the nation,” because we were seeing Democrats in array.

As a political observer of nearly 30 years, it has been fascinating to see how far Democratic politics have shifted in that timeframe. With the almost obsessive 24-hour news cycle, navigating this polarizing media landscape that wants everything to either be great or terrible with no in between dominates over policy differences. The decades-long rise of San Francisco political leadership has not been without its pitfalls though, and we find ourselves at a turning point with our progressivism. San Francisco and California used to be a refuge for those escaping the confines of the past.

Yet what are the challenges we face trying to build on this growth of political power? Let’s start with an acknowledgement of how we may have handicapped ourselves. Despite being known for our “Sunshine Tax,” California and San Francisco continue to attract many as a land of opportunity for artists, veterans, techies, etc. Until recently, with our state and City’s population growth slowing, we see the transitioning of the population center of California moving south to where it now lies almost in Los Angeles. Just this year, the population center has also moved east past the 5 freeway for the first time.

With California’s population falling for the first time in history, the resulting loss of a congressional seat and electoral college vote has swung power away to other states. This also played out locally during redistricting, forcing our western districts to expand geographically with representation moving to denser neighborhoods. According to the California Department of Finance, the state’s population will stay constant at around 39.5 million until 2060.

Even if we don’t reverse this trend sooner rather than later, we are forcing population inland through our current housing policy that doesn’t prioritize infill and denser development. With demand still high, housing supply is the main constraint to increasing population within San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. As California grapples with its housing crisis, we will have to decide whether to continue the de facto policy of the past 50 years and build more homes where they’re cheaper but farther from jobs, or increase density in the nearer, but dearer, urban cores. These are the tradeoffs we need to consider in how we see our values being represented politically in the future.

Why do I bring up housing while discussing national politics? Because this policy shift was one of the biggest changes brought up at the Democratic National Convention. While our national discourse at times is easiest to define by what you are against as seen by the Republican Party, the energy and sustainability of always fighting back against the seemingly inevitable tide of nature only works as long as others feel they are losing out while others are progressing. A conservation-only mentality puts us on the back foot if we are to seriously tackle the challenges ahead. What makes political decisions so difficult is that it is very easy to be blamed for the problems and the positive outcomes of policy can take years for fruition. Take Obamacare, for example, which only now has the positive effects on the health insurance landscape, becoming perceived as a lasting benefit despite being a half-measure towards controlling costs.

Change comes to those willing to put in the work. Running with the Democrats for Change Slate earlier this year, I got to see first-hand the type of work they were preparing for people locally to get involved at all levels. With their new headquarters open downtown at 901 Market, there is now a centralized place for Democrats to volunteer to either help with voter registration, get involved with campaigns endorsed by the local party, or help support other campaigns around the nation.

Brian Quan is a Richmond District native, co-leader of Grow the Richmond, member of the Park Presidio-Sunset Lions Club and leads a monthly Refuse Refuse S.F. street clean-up.