“Performative opposition” is exactly the right phrase. We don’t have a policy problem as much as a courage and coherence problem. If you’re not willing to actually confront power, you’re just decorating the stage while the house burns.
I hope you will feature Jerrad Christian, candidate for OH12, soon. Jerrad is an outstanding candidate - progressive, articulate, personable, under-40 Navy vet.
And could I add that, genuinely confident people (Mark Carney a prime example) are not always looking behind them. Their intelligence and integrity guide them steady forward. People like Mamdani, AOC, and Chakravarti are shunned by the Dems who put themselves at the mercy of Big Money Interests. It's their own weakness and vulnerability that makes them so nervous.
Unfortunately, when asked, Chakrabarti avoids the questions. Or, basically lies. He says he supported Bilal Mahmoud because he’s a friend and “just like Dean.” It was a known fact that Bilal Mahmoud was not a supporter of affordable housing, believes in the trickle down approach. Similarly, Dean Preston was and continues to be a leader on social and other forms of affordable housing. That’s one example where Mr. Chakrabarti avoids the issue. When asked about his investments, I understand that his response is to say that he can’t afford to divest, that an investment advisor is responsible for the choices. He avoids answering the question about how his investments impact the environment (Stripe=Tech and large investments in Israel) and housing (Blackstone is a notorious destroyer of affordable housing). Chakrabarti is a slick, faster talker. For instance, he keeps saying, “when I was in Congress.” He was a short-lived member of AOC’s staff, not a member of Congress. He talks the talk, but, as I previously pointed out, his actions belie his words. Also, I found it very disturbing in this interview that he avoids mentioning the largest immigrant population in SF - the Chinese - and other Asian groups. He also only refers to Scott Wiener as an opponent as though women don’t exist. The PROGRESSIVE Connie Chan is a woman, a Chinese immigrant, has worked in the community, and continues to work in the community.
Shakrabarti is so right. The Dem Party needs a complete update. Everyone is so exhausted with the unhinged GOP VS the Go-Along-To-Get-Along Dems. I'm at my whit's end with them with few exceptions (AOC). Both parties now serve the same master--corporate money. They're intended to serve us.
This guy is clearly very smart. Sounds like the right person for the job. I liked what I saw & heard in your conversation. But could you address the concerns expressed by Ig? Ig does not sound like a troll, but appears sincere.
I am NOT a troll. I’m a long time San Francisco resident (40+ years). Very involved in local politics. I write a regular email “How I Will Vote” pushing progressive politics and values. Connie Chan isn’t perfect (who is?). But she walks the walk in support of talking the talk. She has stood up for and with the community. She listens. She works with us. She is not a newcomer to SF politics, so understands our needs. While Chakrabarti’s funded Supervisor aligns with our billionaire, regressive mayor, Connie Chan has tried to fight back. Because of Chakrabarti’s investments in people like Bilal Mahmoud and the “moderate” - really very very right wing - SFDCCC, San Francisco has swung dramatically rightward.
As a longtime resident of San Francisco, and a voter in the district where Mr. Chakrabarti is running for Congress, I am GRAVELY concerned about his candidacy. Since coming to San Francisco, Mr. Chakrabarti has not been engaged in any of our local political groups or any of our local issues. Two years ago, he used his great wealth to help ensure the defeat of the progressive slate to our local DCCC. He invested about $10,000 to elect one of the most conservative Democratic groups ever elected. Then, to add insult to injury, he spent the maximum permitted by law (and unknown amounts to PACs) to defeat Dean Preston, our most progressive Democratic Socialist on our local Board of Supervisors. His contributions went directly to elect someone who is one of the most conservative members of our governing legislative body (horrible on housing, “law enforcement” and just about everything else). He also gave money to another conservative candidate against a progressive. Fortunately, that progressive won. Making matters worse, while asserting that Israel is committing a genocide (which it is), Chakrabarti remains seriously invested in Stripe and Blackstone (earning about $6,000,000/year on those chosen investments). For this race, we are lucky to have a candidate who has walked the walk (on picket lines with labor), advocated for the housing needs of our community, called it a genocide, proudly participated in the anti-ICE demonstrations, is herself an immigrant. Her name is Connie Chan. Please don’t give Chakrabarti a platform. I appreciate everything you do, but worry about someone who appears to be an exceedingly wealthy fraud. Perhaps there’s a reason that neither Bernie nor AOC nor Justice Democrats have endorsed him?
I endorsed Bilal Mahmood because I've worked with him for a while and he's a real progressive! He and I co-wrote and op-ed for how to do a Green New Deal in California a few years before he ever ran for Supervisor. He is supporting Overpaid CEO Tax to tax companies where CEOs make more than 100x their median employee. He's been vocal against ICE, he was the only member of the Board of Supervisors to personally go to the MTA board to fight against cuts to the MTA, he's gone after GeoGroup - a for-profit halfway house provider in the city that has had serious abuses in their home. And one of his first acts of legislation was the One Shelter Act to spread homeless shelters across the city so the Tenderloin and Mission don't have to handle the brunt of it (and, I should add, Connie Chan voted against this bill presumably because she did not want homeless shelters opening in her district).
Over the years, I've spent over $50,000 supporting DSA candidates across the country and much more than that on progressive causes. Last cycle, the bulk of my donating and organizing went towards Prop 5 - a CA ballot measure that would have unleashed tens of billions in affordable housing funding - and towards defending candidates like Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, and Summer Lee who were being attacked by AIPAC.
When it comes to my personal investments - I instructed my financial advisor to divest from the Blackstone private credit fund immediately after I saw it on my financial disclosure before anyone else raised or reported on it. My investments are in a professionally managed portfolio, not hand-picked stocks. My advisor is told not to invest in defense or fossil fuel stocks (and this fund is not a defense or fossil fuel stock). But I didn’t want to be associated with Blackstone, so I had it sold.
My investment in Stripe is from the fact that I was the second engineer at Stripe and so was given stock options as part of my compensation. This is something I have never hidden from, and I talk about it often as the reason I ended up working in progressive politics for the last decade. Because I worked hard at Stripe, but I didn't work harder than a teacher or a nurse or the people cleaning our offices did every single day. I simply won a startup lottery. And a society that works like that, where you either hit the lottery and get rich or you'll never be able to afford a house or a secure retirement, is crazy. And unless we change it, America is doomed to fail. That's why I've spent the past ten years fighting for policies like Medicare-for-all, affordable housing for all, universal childcare, a Mission for America to create millions of high-wage jobs, and a wealth tax on billionaires and centimillionaires, and it's why that is a core part of my campaign today.
Ultimately, I am running because I don't see anyone else willing to challenge a corporate-backed Democratic establishment. We won't get Medicare-for-all or a wealth tax on the rich unless we replace a lot of the existing Democrats and completely change the leadership and direction of the Democratic Party. My opponents in this race have been clear that they are not willing to do that. I'm running because I believe we HAVE to change the system, and the moment is ripe right now to do it because of the incredible appetite for change I see all across the country. I'm willing to take the political risks to make this change happen.
For someone who claims great involvement in the community, Mr. Chakrabarti, except for spending on two HORRENDOUS candidates and using your unlimited wealth to help assure an extreme rightward swing of both the local Board of Supervisors and the local Democratic Party, you have been totally invisible in SF political activities. You appear not to have participated in opposing the recall of Chesa Boudin. You supported Bilal Mahmoud against the single most progressive supervisor in San Francisco. You now assert Mahmoud’s “accomplishments” when it is well documented that he is one of the most conservative members of an extremely conservative Board of Supervisors. Dean Preston, who your chosen candidate opposed, was the author of the original resolution against Israel’s genocide of Palestine. I testified twice before the Board of Supervisors in support of the resolution. I never saw either you or Mahmoud there. Despite the pandemic, my now almost 98 year old mother and I attended and testified numerous times against the disasterous SF redistricting. We never saw or heard your voice in that. You’ve admitted to voting for the current exceedingly wealthy, anti affordable housing, pro-privatization of our streets and lock-em-up mayor. These are the credentials which lead this San Francisco voter to doubt your credibility.
It's important for clarification from the comments posted to have your response. Thank you I appreciate the information.✌️
For more information about Chakrabarti and how his finances don’t align with his assertions, see
https://www.phoenixprojectnow.com/phoenix-review/blog/the-mystery-of-saikat-chakrabarti
And
https://brokeassstuart.com/p/saikat-chakrabarti-draws-dividends-from-stripe-blackstone
https://open.substack.com/pub/qasimrashid/p/a-conversation-with-saikat-chakrabarti?utm_campaign=comment-list-share-cta&utm_medium=web&comments=true&commentId=206148578
“Performative opposition” is exactly the right phrase. We don’t have a policy problem as much as a courage and coherence problem. If you’re not willing to actually confront power, you’re just decorating the stage while the house burns.
I hope you will feature Jerrad Christian, candidate for OH12, soon. Jerrad is an outstanding candidate - progressive, articulate, personable, under-40 Navy vet.
And could I add that, genuinely confident people (Mark Carney a prime example) are not always looking behind them. Their intelligence and integrity guide them steady forward. People like Mamdani, AOC, and Chakravarti are shunned by the Dems who put themselves at the mercy of Big Money Interests. It's their own weakness and vulnerability that makes them so nervous.
Unfortunately, when asked, Chakrabarti avoids the questions. Or, basically lies. He says he supported Bilal Mahmoud because he’s a friend and “just like Dean.” It was a known fact that Bilal Mahmoud was not a supporter of affordable housing, believes in the trickle down approach. Similarly, Dean Preston was and continues to be a leader on social and other forms of affordable housing. That’s one example where Mr. Chakrabarti avoids the issue. When asked about his investments, I understand that his response is to say that he can’t afford to divest, that an investment advisor is responsible for the choices. He avoids answering the question about how his investments impact the environment (Stripe=Tech and large investments in Israel) and housing (Blackstone is a notorious destroyer of affordable housing). Chakrabarti is a slick, faster talker. For instance, he keeps saying, “when I was in Congress.” He was a short-lived member of AOC’s staff, not a member of Congress. He talks the talk, but, as I previously pointed out, his actions belie his words. Also, I found it very disturbing in this interview that he avoids mentioning the largest immigrant population in SF - the Chinese - and other Asian groups. He also only refers to Scott Wiener as an opponent as though women don’t exist. The PROGRESSIVE Connie Chan is a woman, a Chinese immigrant, has worked in the community, and continues to work in the community.
Can you reach out to Qasim to profile Connie Chan , it's important to hear the other side from another candidate.
Shakrabarti is so right. The Dem Party needs a complete update. Everyone is so exhausted with the unhinged GOP VS the Go-Along-To-Get-Along Dems. I'm at my whit's end with them with few exceptions (AOC). Both parties now serve the same master--corporate money. They're intended to serve us.
Thanks for this interview, Qasim.
This guy is clearly very smart. Sounds like the right person for the job. I liked what I saw & heard in your conversation. But could you address the concerns expressed by Ig? Ig does not sound like a troll, but appears sincere.
I replied to Ig's comment below.
I am NOT a troll. I’m a long time San Francisco resident (40+ years). Very involved in local politics. I write a regular email “How I Will Vote” pushing progressive politics and values. Connie Chan isn’t perfect (who is?). But she walks the walk in support of talking the talk. She has stood up for and with the community. She listens. She works with us. She is not a newcomer to SF politics, so understands our needs. While Chakrabarti’s funded Supervisor aligns with our billionaire, regressive mayor, Connie Chan has tried to fight back. Because of Chakrabarti’s investments in people like Bilal Mahmoud and the “moderate” - really very very right wing - SFDCCC, San Francisco has swung dramatically rightward.
Also, I'd like to know more about Connie Chan, an apparent rival for this position, & how the two compare with each other.
This is another great candidate being profiled so important to move ground up fighters with a vision for the future .✌️💪
As a longtime resident of San Francisco, and a voter in the district where Mr. Chakrabarti is running for Congress, I am GRAVELY concerned about his candidacy. Since coming to San Francisco, Mr. Chakrabarti has not been engaged in any of our local political groups or any of our local issues. Two years ago, he used his great wealth to help ensure the defeat of the progressive slate to our local DCCC. He invested about $10,000 to elect one of the most conservative Democratic groups ever elected. Then, to add insult to injury, he spent the maximum permitted by law (and unknown amounts to PACs) to defeat Dean Preston, our most progressive Democratic Socialist on our local Board of Supervisors. His contributions went directly to elect someone who is one of the most conservative members of our governing legislative body (horrible on housing, “law enforcement” and just about everything else). He also gave money to another conservative candidate against a progressive. Fortunately, that progressive won. Making matters worse, while asserting that Israel is committing a genocide (which it is), Chakrabarti remains seriously invested in Stripe and Blackstone (earning about $6,000,000/year on those chosen investments). For this race, we are lucky to have a candidate who has walked the walk (on picket lines with labor), advocated for the housing needs of our community, called it a genocide, proudly participated in the anti-ICE demonstrations, is herself an immigrant. Her name is Connie Chan. Please don’t give Chakrabarti a platform. I appreciate everything you do, but worry about someone who appears to be an exceedingly wealthy fraud. Perhaps there’s a reason that neither Bernie nor AOC nor Justice Democrats have endorsed him?
Happy to answer all of these concerns.
I endorsed Bilal Mahmood because I've worked with him for a while and he's a real progressive! He and I co-wrote and op-ed for how to do a Green New Deal in California a few years before he ever ran for Supervisor. He is supporting Overpaid CEO Tax to tax companies where CEOs make more than 100x their median employee. He's been vocal against ICE, he was the only member of the Board of Supervisors to personally go to the MTA board to fight against cuts to the MTA, he's gone after GeoGroup - a for-profit halfway house provider in the city that has had serious abuses in their home. And one of his first acts of legislation was the One Shelter Act to spread homeless shelters across the city so the Tenderloin and Mission don't have to handle the brunt of it (and, I should add, Connie Chan voted against this bill presumably because she did not want homeless shelters opening in her district).
Over the years, I've spent over $50,000 supporting DSA candidates across the country and much more than that on progressive causes. Last cycle, the bulk of my donating and organizing went towards Prop 5 - a CA ballot measure that would have unleashed tens of billions in affordable housing funding - and towards defending candidates like Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, and Summer Lee who were being attacked by AIPAC.
When it comes to my personal investments - I instructed my financial advisor to divest from the Blackstone private credit fund immediately after I saw it on my financial disclosure before anyone else raised or reported on it. My investments are in a professionally managed portfolio, not hand-picked stocks. My advisor is told not to invest in defense or fossil fuel stocks (and this fund is not a defense or fossil fuel stock). But I didn’t want to be associated with Blackstone, so I had it sold.
My investment in Stripe is from the fact that I was the second engineer at Stripe and so was given stock options as part of my compensation. This is something I have never hidden from, and I talk about it often as the reason I ended up working in progressive politics for the last decade. Because I worked hard at Stripe, but I didn't work harder than a teacher or a nurse or the people cleaning our offices did every single day. I simply won a startup lottery. And a society that works like that, where you either hit the lottery and get rich or you'll never be able to afford a house or a secure retirement, is crazy. And unless we change it, America is doomed to fail. That's why I've spent the past ten years fighting for policies like Medicare-for-all, affordable housing for all, universal childcare, a Mission for America to create millions of high-wage jobs, and a wealth tax on billionaires and centimillionaires, and it's why that is a core part of my campaign today.
Ultimately, I am running because I don't see anyone else willing to challenge a corporate-backed Democratic establishment. We won't get Medicare-for-all or a wealth tax on the rich unless we replace a lot of the existing Democrats and completely change the leadership and direction of the Democratic Party. My opponents in this race have been clear that they are not willing to do that. I'm running because I believe we HAVE to change the system, and the moment is ripe right now to do it because of the incredible appetite for change I see all across the country. I'm willing to take the political risks to make this change happen.
For someone who claims great involvement in the community, Mr. Chakrabarti, except for spending on two HORRENDOUS candidates and using your unlimited wealth to help assure an extreme rightward swing of both the local Board of Supervisors and the local Democratic Party, you have been totally invisible in SF political activities. You appear not to have participated in opposing the recall of Chesa Boudin. You supported Bilal Mahmoud against the single most progressive supervisor in San Francisco. You now assert Mahmoud’s “accomplishments” when it is well documented that he is one of the most conservative members of an extremely conservative Board of Supervisors. Dean Preston, who your chosen candidate opposed, was the author of the original resolution against Israel’s genocide of Palestine. I testified twice before the Board of Supervisors in support of the resolution. I never saw either you or Mahmoud there. Despite the pandemic, my now almost 98 year old mother and I attended and testified numerous times against the disasterous SF redistricting. We never saw or heard your voice in that. You’ve admitted to voting for the current exceedingly wealthy, anti affordable housing, pro-privatization of our streets and lock-em-up mayor. These are the credentials which lead this San Francisco voter to doubt your credibility.
I didn't read your over before posting my comment. It's very concerning. We have to fsct check .