California Democrats need more spine to stop the socialists

The only way for Democrats to stop the socialist takeover of their party is for party leaders to take a stand.But California Democrats are still confused.On the one hand, California Democrats voted to endorse Ben Allen over Jane Kim for insurance commissioner, in an important race that pits two Democrats against each other.California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story Kim had been the favorite.She is a former San Francisco supervisor, and enjoyed the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, whose minions are winning Democratic primary races everywhere.Typically, the candidate from Northern California has the edge.

That’s where the power and money are.And Kim finished comfortably ahead of Allen in the June primary.But Kim had a hilariously bad interview last month in which she struggled to list her qualifications and to provide any idea of what she would do as insurance commissioner.Her own hometown paper called her a “disaster,” citing her plan for a socialist-style, state-run home insurance system.(As if the existing “California Fair Plan” could be any worse.)California Democrats decided that Kim was a bridge too far, pushing Allen past the 60% threshold for the party’s official endorsement — a rare achievement, and a strong statement of support.On the other hand, the California Democrats voted to endorse Proposition 40 — the so-called “billionaire tax” — despite the fact that both Gavin Newsom and aspiring replacement Xavier Becerra have come out against it.Newsom and Becerra aren’t putting much effort into opposing Proposition 40, which would impose a 5% wealth tax on the state’s billionaires. But Sanders and the socialist activists within the party have embraced the idea with feverish enthusiasm.

They won’t take “...