With the collapse of the California economy, the emigration crisis created by their policies of political oppression and economic strangulation, and the massive government borrowing driven by their policies of the out-of-control welfare state, massive borrowing, and shrinking tax base, political leaders in California last year came back to the federal government to ask for re-admittance into the United States. The debate is heating up this year, and led to this series of articles. I left the political and economic oppression there, and I am convinced that the political structure of California is unrepentant. They are simply looking for a bailout. I paid the excessive taxes in California for years, I don’t want my federal taxes going to bail out an essentially irresponsible governing structure.
There are some who feel sorry for California, who say we should loan them the money necessary pull the state out of its bonding malaise. Of course, a lot of US lenders kept lending money to California as it continued its spending spree, and now its bailout by the feds is the only way for them to recover their money. The government unions will not take a cut in pay or benefits, government managers continue to be the only economic sector that seems to be thriving in the collapse (when a water district manager earns $500,000 a year to run a water district with only 40,000 customers, something is wrong), and they all want to either steal the money from the creditors to continue their self indulgence, or have the federal government pick up the tab.
The prospect of having to take a cut in pay has government workers threatening strikes and violence. The federal government is saying is will provide loans, but only if an independent board actually runs California to be sure the bills get paid, a sort of bankruptcy type reorganization similar to the Puerto Rico bailout in 2017. That has the Left in California in a state of panic. Ever since California left the union in 2018, Republicans have run the country. The US economy is strong, freedom flourishes, property rights have been enforced again, and people are satisfied. The Left in California is concerned that if those values are “imposed” on them by the federal government governing board, the power structure in California will lose power.
Of course it will. It was the Left’s acquisition of power and intolerance of opposition that led to the collapse of California. To allow them to stay in charge will simply perpetuate the evils that created California’s current problems. My solution? Let the state solve its own problems. If the citizens of California are unwilling to throw off the tyrants, why should we subsidize them?
Besides, California’s experience has been a great lesson for the citizens in the states that remained in the union. Having an example of a failed and oppressive socialist state so close has led people around the US to focus on the issues of political and economic freedom. The result has been a renewed interest in the principles of the founding and the meaning of freedom, an American rebirth as the beacon of freedom throughout the world.
I say let the citizens of California fix their problems by throwing off the oppressive government, by whatever means necessary, and then do what is necessary to fix themselves. Then let’s see if they deserve re-admittance. The US should not allow arrogant tyrants to avoid the political consequences of their decisions. The US does not need California, and foolish lenders should not be bailed out of their poor lending decisions. The process will be difficult, but it is necessary.