Who is the Most Dangerous Democrat
Segment #902
In the video titled "This Is the Most Dangerous Democrat & It Isn’t Who You Think It Is," Dave Rubin and Joe Lonsdale are actually discussing California Governor Gavin Newsom.
This Is the Most Dangerous Democrat & It Isn’t Who You Think It Is | Joe Lonsdale
The title is a classic example of internet "clickbait"—it frames the video as if Lonsdale is naming a secretive, hyper-dangerous figure, but in reality, Lonsdale spends the interview discussing Newsom as a prime example of the fundamental structural flaws within the modern Democratic Party.
Lonsdale explains his view on why he believes Newsom is so destructive, and why the label fits:
The Power-Hungry Ideologue
Lonsdale argues that Gavin Newsom is a dangerous political figure because he is fundamentally a power-hungry politician who masks his ambitions under the guise of doing good. Lonsdale states that he doesn't even believe Newsom genuinely cares about or measures positive results for his constituents; rather, he plays high-stakes political games solely to aggregate power.
Captive to Far-Left Special Interests
The core of Lonsdale's critique is that politicians like Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris are entirely beholden to the most powerful progressive special interest groups on the left, specifically public government unions (like teachers' unions and prison guards' unions) and trial lawyers. Lonsdale asserts that California's political system is a massive "fraud machine" where government workers are forced to pay union dues, which are then channeled directly into funding the campaigns of far-left politicians. Because Newsom refuses to stand up to these groups, the state's policies reward political allies rather than fixing actual societal problems.
Signaling "Envy and Hate" to a Third-World Base
Lonsdale claims that under Newsom's leadership, the Democratic Party on the coast has devolved into what he calls a "third-world party". He argues that instead of celebrating industry, job creators, and innovators (pointing to how California politicians celebrated Elon Musk leaving the state), Newsom's political strategy relies heavily on weaponizing "envy and hate". By demonizing success and targeting high earners with wealth taxes, Lonsdale believes Newsom is deliberately creating an institutional race to the bottom to appease an increasingly radical base.
Severe Divergence in Actual Outcomes
To prove his point that Newsom's administration prioritizes union rewards over actual human outcomes, Lonsdale highlights a shocking education metric: a Black fourth-grade child in Oakland, California, is 2.5 times less likely to read at grade level than a Black fourth-grade child in Louisiana. He notes that while the media portrays California as highly sophisticated and compassionate, Newsom's policies have delivered catastrophically worse results for vulnerable communities because the system does not care about actual outcomes.
Joe Lonsdale and Palantir Technologies
Joseph "Joe" Lonsdale (born 1982/1983) is a prominent American technology entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist. He is best known as one of the key co-founders of Palantir Technologies, a multi-billion-dollar big data analytics software company that plays a critical role in global defense, intelligence, and finance. Today, he serves as the founder and managing partner of 8VC, a venture capital firm managing over $6 billion in committed capital.
The Palantir Connection (2003–2009)
In 2003, while fresh out of Stanford University, Lonsdale teamed up with his mentor Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, Stephen Cohen, and Nathan Gettings to launch Palantir Technologies.
The Mission: Inspired by the intelligence challenges exposed by 9/11 and the anti-fraud systems developed at PayPal, the co-founders aimed to build software that could map complex networks of data to detect threats, hunt down terrorist networks, and protect national security while maintaining civil liberties.
Growth & Funding: The company received critical early backing from In-Q-Tel (the CIA’s venture capital arm). Lonsdale was central to building the early prototypes, scaling the team, and securing its foundational government contracts.
Departure: Lonsdale stepped down from his daily executive role at Palantir in 2009 to pursue new ventures, though he remained an advisor and major stakeholder as the company eventually went public (NYSE: PLTR) and expanded its footprint into healthcare, corporate finance, and enterprise AI.
Executive Biography & Serial Entrepreneurship
Beyond Palantir, Lonsdale has established a reputation as a highly prolific builder and investor, frequently targeting massive, legacy industries (like finance, government, and heavy manufacturing) ripe for technological modernization.
Major Companies Founded
Addepar (2009): A premier wealth management and data analytics technology platform created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. It currently tracks and manages over $4 trillion to $5 trillion in assets for global wealth advisors and institutions.
OpenGov (2012): A cloud-based budgeting, operational, and citizen-engagement software platform designed to bring transparency and 21st-century efficiency to thousands of local and state government municipalities. (OpenGov was acquired for $1.8 billion).
Defense & Aerospace Ventures: He has co-founded and supported several defense-tech companies alongside his core investments, including Epirus (which develops advanced electromagnetic pulse weapons to neutralize drone threats) and Saronic (autonomous maritime vehicles).
Venture Capital (8VC)
Lonsdale is the Managing Partner of 8VC, an Austin-based venture capital firm. Through 8VC and its predecessor, Formation 8, he was an early institutional investor in a staggering roster of industry leaders, including:
Anduril Industries (defense technology)
Oculus VR (acquired by Facebook/Meta)
Flexport (global logistics)
Guardant Health (biotech/cancer diagnostics)
Joby Aviation (electric aerial ridesharing)
Philosophy, Philanthropy, and Institutional Work
Lonsdale relocated from Silicon Valley to Austin, Texas in 2020, where he has become a foundational figure in the region's expanding tech and policy ecosystem. His work increasingly focuses on systemic societal reform, driven by a philosophy that top-down bureaucratic systems should be updated with market-driven, entrepreneurial incentives.
The Cicero Institute (Founded 2018): A non-partisan public policy think tank established by Joe and his wife, Tayler. The institute crafts and advances legislation to tackle systemic issues like homelessness, criminal justice reform, and healthcare transparency, successfully helping pass scores of bills across dozens of states.
University of Austin (UATX) (Founded 2021): Lonsdale serves as the founding chairman of the board for this new university, launched alongside figures like Bari Weiss and Niall Ferguson. UATX was established with the explicit mission of restoring open inquiry, academic freedom, and the "fearless pursuit of truth" in higher education.
Other Affiliations: He sits on the Board of Trustees for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute and frequently writes and lectures on the intersection of technology, national sovereignty, and public policy.
