What Is “The Process”? Episode #26: The Realist (Part 4) - The Shadow Government in Haight-Ashbury: The Mysticism of PizzaGate (A Primer)
Nov 2, 2025
Delve into the mystique of the Process Church and its ties to counterculture. Explore the controversial cases of child abuse linked to Green Valley, scrutinizing the roles of public figures. Unpack the complexities of drug decriminalization during the Carter era, paired with whispers of CIA connections influencing Haight-Ashbury's drug culture. Discover the enigmatic life of Robert F. Hartley, marked by family legacy and notions of a shadow government. The conversation twists through spiritual communes, apocalyptic predictions, and historical intrigue.
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Episode notes
Invisible Government Across Presidencies
- Dana uses Dan Smoot’s 'Invisible Government' to illustrate persistent elite influence across administrations.
- She implies continuity of power regardless of electoral change.
Bourne And The Haight-Ashbury Clinic
- Dana reads Senate hearing excerpts on Peter Bourne and the Office of Drug Abuse Policy to trace Haight-Ashbury links.
- She recounts Bourne's Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic role and later controversies.
Drug Policy As Social Control Claim
- Dana highlights accusations that drug policy and decriminalization efforts tied to elite institutions shaped social control.
- She notes critics framed methadone and decriminalization as tools for labor pacification.
