California dreaming

By Thomas Lifson

California voters appear to have migrated to Fantasyland, at least when they entered the voting booth yesterday. They even elected a dead candidate. But electing Jerry Brown, who more than anyone else, wrecked the state government by allowing unionized state employees to donate to politicians and strike -- thereby triggering the fiscal meltdown -- and who was an ineffectual mayor of Oakland, is insane. Inflicting the vile Barbara Boxer on the Senate and the nation ought to be grounds for litigation from the other 49 states.

Voter initiatives were a mixed bag. Prop 19, legalizing marijuana was shot down by the voters, and a redistricting commission, supposedly intended to take gerrymandering out of the hands of politicians, passed. This covers both state and congressional districts, and could negatively impact the Democrats in the Congressional delegation.

But two other propositions more or less sealed the economic doom of the Golden State -- which ought now to be called the Brown State. The state legislature will no longer require a 2/3 majority to pass a budget, thanks to Prop. 25. A simple majority will suffice, which could unleash a torrent of spending and taxation under the Democrats. Jerry Brown has promised to take any tax increases to the voters, but he also admitted that a previous campaign for governor was based on "lies."

Even worse, in my eyes, Prop 23, which would have suspended that state's draconian carbon emissions regulations, was voted down by a large margin, based on a campaign slogan, "Say no to Texas oil." The coming regulations will strangle the local economy. Small businesses will face huge expenses, not to mention larger scale industrial facilities, which will simply have to downsize or close. This is economiuc suicide, imposed to fight an imaginary problem. The only beneficiary will be U-Haul, which will rent trailers to productive Californians fleeing the economic wasteland being imposed by state government.

One very bright spot: AT contributor Dr. Linda Halderman, who wrote in AT about her campaign for the legislature in California, won big last night (2 to 1!). She will become one of the leading lights of the legislature. Unfortunately, she will be in the minority.