California Gov. Gavin Newsom, in his State of the State speech on March 8, took aim at red states that stray from his vision of the “California Way” and suggested anger among grassroots populist movements is a threat to democracy. Newsom alluded to political opponents and grassroots groups as “loud voices” and “powerful forces” without mentioning either by name, claiming they’re “stoking fear” to divide Americans. “We are plagued by the agents of a national anger machine,” he said. Though the U.S. might not be facing a “strongman” literally waging war, Newsom warned against the rising tide of hostility on the home front. “We can’t take democracy for granted. Authoritarian and illiberal impulses aren’t just rising overseas. They’ve been echoing here at home for some time,” he said. This anger machine is “counting on complacency to erode voting rights” and is “scapegoating vulnerable minorities, conjuring conspiracies, and promoting otherness—actively exploiting …