A Socialist California w/ Ramsey Robinson

Upstream

News, Society & Culture, Politics

4.9 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 April 2026

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode we're joined by Ramsey Robinson for a conversation exploring the need for socialism in California (and beyond). Ramsey Robinson is a mental health social worker, organizer, and revolutionary based in San Francisco. He is running for Governor of California with the Peace and Freedom Party.

The conversation begins with Ramsey discussing what compelled him to run for Governor of California with the Peace and Freedom Party, and in doing so we outline many of the problems facing US society—problems that stem from the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of one class and with the problems coming from this arrangement falling disproportionately onto the rest of us. We introduce the topic of liberation psychology and talk about how it has influenced Ramsey's work and politics—looking at how the mental health crisis in America is fueled by capitalism and what can be done about it.

Ramsey then tells us about the Peace and Freedom Party—giving us a sense of its roots and also contrasting it with the Democratic Party, which Ramsey describes as being captured by the same ruling class that is responsible for all of our problems In opposition to this vision, Ramsey shares with us his vision of what a socialist California could look like and how we can get there.

Further resources:

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Intermission music: "Rich People" by Carsie Blanton

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You know, when we realize that we're all connected, it's us on this side. It's not the Democrats and Republicans split. It's the 40 million of us in California on this side and the 194 murderers, thieves, the billionaires on the other. When we realize that it's us on this side, this is when we continue to build this movement
0:38.3	to get the change that we need. And that's really our message is that when we unite like this
0:43.8	in this movement that the Peace and Freedom Party is a part of, this is how we start to take
0:47.9	back the power that we need to survive and thrive here and how we can really alter international
0:53.3	relations as well between California.
0:55.0	I mean, think about how other countries would regard us when they see how we're treating our own people.
1:01.0	You know what I mean? So this is the struggle we're involved in, and we know that we come from a long line of
1:09.0	and warriors and struggleers that we're a part of that show us the way and the way
1:12.7	to get what we need is through this mass movement.
1:15.2	You're listening to Upstream.
1:17.4	Upstream.
1:18.4	Upstream.
1:19.3	Upstream.
1:20.2	A show about political economy and society that invites you to unlearn everything you
1:25.5	thought you knew about the world around you.
1:28.3	I'm Robert Raymond.
1:29.3	And I'm Della Duncan.
1:31.3	As yet another election year looms closer, you could be forgiven if your response is that of,
1:37.3	well, dread.
1:39.3	Who wants to go through the same circus show again, right?
1:43.3	Knowing for a certainty that the outcome of whatever meaningless battle between the same circus show again, right? Knowing for a certainty that the outcome of whatever meaningless battle between the same
1:48.4	two ruling class puppets with different letters branded below their names, the outcome
	...

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