California: Newsom and Proposition 47’s Legacy Policy Context: Newsom, a progressive Democrat, has supported decarceration and rehabilitation-focused policies, notably defending Proposition 47 (2014), which reduced penalties for low-level theft and drug offenses. Critics argue this fostered a perception of leniency, spiking shoplifting and burglaries. Crime Surge and Reversals: Shoplifting rose 28% from 2019-2023, with San Francisco … Continue reading Three governors, three masters of destruction