The Pete Quiñones Show The History of California and Its 'Occupation' - Complete w/ Thomas777
Oct 23, 2025
This week’s guest is Thomas777, an independent commentator and author known for his insightful writings on California’s complex history. He delves into the transformation of California's political identity, breaking down how it shifted from a stronghold of 'white America.' Thomas expounds on the Gold Rush's impact on demographics, early racial politics, and the struggle between Jacksonians and Whigs. He also critiques the narrative around California's progressivism, arguing it stems from elite influence rather than grassroots movements, inviting listeners to rethink common historical assumptions.
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California's Deep Political Roots
- California's political identity formed early from Jacksonian vs. Whig/Free-Soil conflicts rather than late 20th-century progressivism.
- That 19th-century racialized and economic clash shaped persistent local institutions and attitudes.
Don't Mistake Media Labels For Deep Trends
- California's apparent modern liberalism didn't spring up overnight in 1992; political cultures evolve from deep historical processes.
- Electoral conventions and institutional quirks like the Ninth Circuit and plebiscites complicate surface narratives.
Polk's Pragmatic Expansion
- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and Polk's diplomacy fixed California within U.S. strategic aims.
- Polk balanced expansion with restraint, paying Mexico and avoiding chaotic military occupation.
