This Californian writes about his take on the matter:
Farewell California
by Joe Hoffman, Jun 24, 2009
Discusses the predominance of liberalism in California which is resulting in the the utter destruction of the state's economy.
The state of California…the “Golden State,” is one of the most beautiful and diverse states in the union. California’s unique geography consists of a very temperate Southern region, near the coast, a harsh yet magnificent desert and a Northern region, which consists of a rugged Pacific coast and coastal mountain range, a great, inland valley (ancient sea), a vast freshwater delta and the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The history of California is as unique as its geography. Originally inhabited by Native Americans, California passed through the hands of the Spanish, the Mexicans and on to the Americans, also home to Russian and French trapping outposts. The main influx of immigration to the state began with the gold rush in around 1850. During the following one hundred and fifty years, the state grew to represent a pinnacle of social and economic achievement. Now, because of the tax and spend (no matter what) policies of the liberal/socialist California legislature, this once grand state teeters on chaos!
California is currently facing a forty two billion dollar deficit. The obvious reason for this is because the state has paid out more money than it takes in! There are a variety of reasons for this. One reason is that the California infrastructure has been seriously damaged under the load of illegal aliens, (ask any nurse, specifically those who work in Southern California hospitals), the expense to tax payers is enormous. Whole industries have been destroyed or driven out of the state by liberal legislators. Finally, the liberal solution to all of this is to tax and fine the last remaining tax payers beyond their means to pay the taxes and support a household. Indeed…if there is an upswing to the current economy, ( I predict that there will be a small upswing before a huge crash…THERE IS NO INDUSTRY) there will be a mass exodus of California workers leaving the state in the hands of delusional and usually unskilled liberals who will most likely be ruled by roving gangs. “This is just some ridiculous, dreadful prophecy” you say? Really…think about it!
Examine the results of liberal leadership in California. The logging industry (tens of thousands of jobs/careers) was all but eradicated to protect the Spotted Owl (a bird which is indigenous to Africa). Logging operations actually cleaned the forest of dried slash (dead trees and dead tree limbs that burn very hot), eliminating an enormous amount of wild fire hazards. Since the obliteration of the logging industry, the liberal-led U.S. forest Service has deemed it necessary to manage the California forests by basically leaving them alone…in its natural state.
As a result, the forest floor lay strewn with literally tons of slash, (which would have been cleaned by the loggers) that was ignited by lightning, producing, for the last two years, some of the most massive wildfires in California history. These fires have destroyed far more trees than all of the logging companies combined, could have logged in probably a hundred years! Get it?? If the logging companies were still working, the forest would still be there!
California’s liberal legislature has made it impossible for industry to operate in the state and make a profit. The vast, government-managed maze of permits, fines and environmental sanctions have driven most every big industry out of the state…of course taking the jobs with them. Recently, the all-knowing, all- caring California legislature cut off the water supply to farmers in the lower great valley, (some of the most fertile and productive farm land IN THE WORLD), in order to “protect” a minnow (delta smelt) which IS NOT indigenous to the California delta. As a note: It would not surprise me to find that this delta smelt (which probably hitched a ride from someplace like the Mekong delta in the bilge of one of the ships bound for the inland ports of Stockton or Sacramento) will, at some point in the future, be considered a disruption to the California freshwater delta.
What is the liberal solution to all of this? Tax and fine the people even more than usual! There are so many laws in California that a person cannot (almost literally) walk out of their front door in the morning without breaking some law! In some cities, it is unlawful to smoke in public, (not necessarily a city law), run a lawnmower on certain days, light a fire in a fireplace and woe be unto the one who burns leaves in many cities! These are but a few examples of many more such laws that all carry a fine.
California has raised taxes on alcohol and tobacco to the point where many, many people no longer purchase tobacco or alcohol products (you can say “good” but the point is that the legislature is shooting themselves in the foot). The state has increased vehicle registrations to the point that most families (those that still have jobs) who utilize two cars (because they need two incomes to run the household and almost literally, one income to pay taxes), will spend on the average one thousand dollars per year on vehicle registrations, (could be more if the family owns a trailer, snowmobile or some watercraft). The state… and they will deny this… has also tapped into/stolen money from the department of fish and game. The average fishing license in California is forty dollars. I one wants to fish in the delta, or the ocean, or for Steelhead, or for Salmon, or dive for Abalone, a license will cost around one hundred dollars…for A California resident! Much of this money is supposed to be used to plant fish in the streams and lakes for anglers. This year, many streams and lakes have not been planted. There are so many examples that it would take at least an entire page to list them all.
I have always believed in offering a solution with criticism and here it is: The California state legislature could turn this economy around overnight if they would vote to drop all environmental sanctions against drilling for our offshore oil and tell the oil companies that they can build as many refineries as they want. In a matter of hours the internet job banks would be flooded with job listings…good, career jobs! Everybody from geologists and engineers to the laborers will be needed. Then…make sure that only American citizens and legal immigrants get these jobs! Next…if the legislature would lift further environmental bans against logging and re-visit all of the reasons (usually expensive permits and government red tape) that make it too expensive for business to turn a profit in California and CHANGE them, supporting (oil) industries would move their operations back to the state…as well would other industry.
On a larger/national scale…if all of the Eastern and Western coastal states would lift drilling sanctions, this economy would turn overnight. We in California as well as the rest of the country, would be able to process petroleum for the next ten to fifteen years or so, until we have the technology to harvest natural gas (CLEAN ENERGY), which we could obviously purchase at a low rate, but we could also sell this natural gas on the world market…our new national product…and…we have most of the natural gas in the world!!
Unfortunately, California liberals will never go for anything like this. The liberal mentality of California is to protect an illegal alien minnow, at the expense of an entire industry! Tax what is left of the working population until they abandon their homes and flee to another state (no joke…this is quickly becoming a popular option in California) and continue to make idiotic laws, so as to drive any remaining industry out of the state.
Sadly, this is a bleak picture and most unfortunately, it is true. Ask any of the few working people left in California (don’t ask a fantasy dwelling liberal). There is however one further option:
Become active…become informed…go to the polls and fire the people who have made a mess of this state…otherwise…farewell California!
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