The Future of San Francisco
Nellie Bowles (Sam Steyer)
September 2023
This discussion focused on the increasingly heated political debate around The Future of San Francisco, which currently pits Progressives who want to rethink policing, put a check and balance on the tech sector, and approach homelessness with a harm-reduction framework against centrist Democrat tech and business workers who are currently prioritizing "quality of life," i.e. less petty crime and fewer open air drug use, easier conditions for business, and more housing.
Readings:
Primary: How San Francisco Became a Failed City, Nellie Bowles
Optional: It's Time for a Greater San Francisco, Evan Zimmerman
Random Aside: Techbro SF, Satirical site, anti tech people in SF politics
Many of San Francisco’s challenges reflect questions facing America more broadly:
Did the strident progressivism of the late Trump presidency go too far, or not? Where are Democrats headed in 2023?
When extremely wealthy capitalists get involved in local politics, as Garry Tan, Elon Musk, Mike Moritz etc. have in SF, are they the "capitalists" doing what we as Citizen Capitalists hopes they will do? Or are they abusing the local system with money?
What makes a great city in the 21st century?
