I refuse to use the term “oppression” lightly — especially in a nation as free as the United States. I was born in a country ruled by real oppression – where government control, censorship and corruption weren’t policies, they were a way of life. And I was raised with values that rejected victimhood — we believed in hard work, integrity, self-reliance, and no matter what life throws at us, we can rise above it and achieve our goals.
So when I look around California today, I don’t see progress. I see political suffocation. And no, it’s not coming from Moscow or Beijing — it’s coming straight out of Sacramento, delivered with a plastic smile by Gov. Gavin Newsom and his band of rubber-stamping Democrat loyalists.
Whenever I escape to a red state like Tennessee, I breathe easier. Parents hold authority again. Business owners aren’t strangled by taxes and antigrowth policies. Conservatives can speak freely without fear. That’s not California anymore.
While you are working, raising your kids, or trying to afford groceries in Newsom’s economy, Newsom has been quietly setting the stage to redraw California’s congressional maps — not in 2030 after the census, but right now, just in time for the 2026 elections. His excuse? “Well, Texas did it.”
Apparently, California now takes legislative inspiration from states it claims to despise. Go figure.
Under California law, since 2010, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission — a nonpartisan panel of 14 members (five Democrats, five Republicans, four independents) — controls map drawing. Voters approved this in Proposition 11 (2008) and Proposition 20 (2010) specifically to prevent power-hungry politicians from doing exactly what Newsom now wants to do – draw their own districts to stay in power. Is anyone else surprised at this move? I’m not!
But that’s inconvenient when your poll numbers are sliding and your policies are collapsing.
Now Newsom wants to override that commission — either temporarily or permanently — with new maps drawn by the Legislature. To make it legal, his plan would depend on a special voter-approved referendum, possibly held on Nov. 4, 2025, to authorize maps for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections, before returning to the commission method.
Call it what you want, but don’t call it leadership. This is self-preservation in a tailored suit — and he’s hoping you won’t notice because the press won’t ask, and the timing is just “coincidentally” inconvenient.
Don’t buy the “blue state” lie. They say California is a deep-blue state.
Really? Because I’ve been on the front lines since 2020, talking to real people — not consultants or pollsters. And guess what? Most Californians — regardless of party — agree on the basics:
Crime is out of control. Housing is unaffordable. Schools are failing. Small businesses are dying.
And the government? Bloated, tone-deaf, and drunk on its own power
So if everyone agrees, how do Democrats keep winning?
One word: maps.
And now they want to redraw them again. Because if they don’t manipulate, they lose.
This isn’t just about drawing a few lines on a map. It’s about keeping California in political lockdown.
Newsom’s hoping most Californians won’t notice a “special election” conveniently scheduled when turnout is at its lowest.
A two-thirds majority in the Legislature (80 Assembly votes, 27 Senate votes) is required. Some Democrats worry their political ambitions — like state Sen. Scott Wiener or Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas who eye Congress — could be affected if districts shift
Power players like Nancy Pelosi, Alex Padilla and Zoe Lofgren are all-in. Watchdog groups like Common Cause? They’re calling it what it is: an “abuse of power.”
But don’t worry — Newsom says it’s all in the name of equity.
Right. Look at what’s happening: Newsom claims he supports the commission — unless it doesn’t serve his narrow political goals. The proposed maps would be in effect for only three election cycles — until 2031, then revert to commission oversight.
The justification? A “fight fire with fire” strategy — with legal and popularity risks attached.
What this means for you:Public safety collapsing. More families fleeing California. More small businesses crushed by regulation. Voting districts engineered in Sacramento to silence dissent.
This is how “blue California” was built — not by voter conviction, but by political engineering. Now Newsom, facing rising backlash and declining poll numbers, is doubling down in a desperate attempt to lock in Democratic power before voters wake up.
Ready to fight? Here’s how to push back.
If you’ve ever considered leaving California because it feels hopeless — don’t. That’s exactly what they want.
Instead: Research every proposed bill, redistricting measure, or ballot referendum. Question every narrative from Newsom and his allies. Connect the dots between political maps, policy collapse and your everyday life. Stay informed beyond corporate media spin. Refuse to trust anything that comes from Sacramento spin machines.
Show up at town halls, hearings, school boards and local precinct meetings. Don’t be intimidated by political bullies. Silence only empowers them.
Speak — and lead. Let’s show them we still live in America.
The California we once loved isn’t gone — it’s just suffocated under bad policies, political manipulation, and a whole lot of arrogance. We can resurrect it — but only if we refuse victimhood, refuse apathy and refuse to let our districts be engineered in secret.
We don’t need to run – but instead we need to rise and we need to lead. Don’t retreat. Resist. Don’t whisper. Roar. Don’t quit. Reclaim. Newsom’s era of deception is cracking. And we — the parents, workers, business owners and patriots — are the resistance.
Let’s take back our California — one map, one voice, one vote at a time.
Nuné Gipson is a Santa Clarita resident.
