SAN FRANCISCO — Democratic gubernatorial candidate and climate advocate Tom Steyer appeared on two progressive podcasts today: Under the Desk News (UTDN) with V Spehar and The Lever with David Sirota. On both shows, Steyer made the case that he is the only true changemaker in the race and the one candidate willing to stand up to powerful corporate interests and the political establishment. Steyer also outlined his progressive policy plans to protect working Californians and fight back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities. The following are excerpts from both conversations.
On being the only true changemaker candidate:
“I am the change agent. I'm the person who's saying we're going to take on the electric monopolies — and they hate me for it… I've taken on the big oil companies and the tobacco companies and out-of-state companies that weren't paying fair income taxes in California, and I've beaten them every time. We need somebody who will take on the powers that be — and the powers that be will strike back… And I can tell you right now that they are striking back at me because they're scared I will, in fact, make change." (The Lever)
On his plan to protect our communities from ICE:
“ICE is a criminal organization. They are built to terrorize and to racially profile and they should be abolished… What I can do is this: Enforce state laws. If [ICE] racially profiles, that's illegal. We can prosecute them. If they commit violence against Californians, that's illegal… We can prosecute the supervisors who send them to commit violence. We can have a substantial state-funded legal defense fund for people who've been kidnapped, for people are under threat of deportation. We can force investigation of the closed off secret detention centers.
“I got a love letter from Donald Trump online calling me a sleazebag and a loser. I got a love letter from Elon Musk. And the head of ICE posted on us to say how despicable we are. You know what that says to me? That says to me we're the people standing up for the people of California.” (UTDN)
On who is against him and what that says about him:
“Last week, Donald Trump sent me a post calling me a loser and a sleazebag, and the head of ICE posted against me because what I'm saying is a policy to protect Californians against ICE he found extremely offensive. PG&E dropped $8 million on an independent expenditure to try and take me down. These companies feel as if they have a right to dictate outcomes and benefit their bottom line. If all those people are against me, I can't be all wrong." (The Lever)
On being backed by labor and working people:
“One of the first groups to endorse me was the [California Nurses Association]. The nurses are behind me because they know this is the reality. The people on the frontlines are for me in this and in a whole bunch of other issues because they know I'm telling the truth. I'm not telling the truth because I'm going to get something out of it. I'm telling the truth because that's what working Californians need. And working Californians deserve someone who's going to stand up for them when all the lobbyists in the world and the establishment is beating on them." (The Lever)
On keeping AI in check and supporting workers:
The number one thing is we need to protect the working people of California… We need to make sure that AI is a tool for workers instead of a replacement for workers… Californians need to own part of AI. It's a California innovation, it's a California technology. What I've proposed is basically to take a very small fee for every calculation done in the large language models and use that to fund worker protection…to give us financial stability so that we can deliver the services that Californians need and deserve." (UTDN)
Watch Tom’s full episodes of Under the Desk News and The Lever.
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