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California Suggests Suicide; Texas Asks: Can I Lend You a Knife?
In the future, historians may likely mark the 2010 midterm elections as the end of the California era and the beginning of the Texas one. In one stunning stroke, amid a national conservative tide, California voters essentially ratified a political and regulatory regime that has left much of the state unemployed and many others looking for the exits.California has drifted far away from the place that John Gunther described in 1946 as the most spectacular and most diversified American state so ripe, golden. Instead of a role model, California has become a cautionary tale of mismanagement of what by all rights should be the countrys most prosperous big state. Its poverty rate is at least two points above the national average; its unemployment rate nearly three points above the national average. On Friday Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was forced yet again to call an emergency session in order to deal with the states enormous budget problems. This state of crisis is likely to become the norm for the Golden State. In contrast to other hard-hit states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Nevada, which all opted for pro-business, fiscally responsible candidates, California voters decisively handed virtually total power to a motley coalition of Democratic-machine politicians, public employee unions, green activists and rent-seeking special interests. Californias decline is particularly tragic, as it is unnecessary and largely unforced. The state still possesses the basic assetsenergy, fertile land, remarkable entrepreneurial talentto restore its luster. But given its current political trajectory, you can count on Texans, and others, to keep picking up both the states jobs and skilled workers. If California wishes to commit economic suicide, Texas and other competitors will gladly lend them a knife. Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2010-11-17 |
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