When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Over at Pajamas Media, Victor Davis Hanson provides incomparably the best summary I've seen anywhere of the troubles we now face out here in California. A very brief excerpt:
[W]e [Californians] count on two things to save us. One, California is a beautiful natural paradise. Yesterday I drove from the high Sierra amid a blanket of alpine snow to the 70s in Palo Alto in a little over four hours, across one of the most productive and beautiful agrarian landscapes in the world. In sum, we think there will always be some of you who will fall in love with the aesthetics that we had nothing to do with, and thus might, like the proverbial fly landing on sticky paper, arrive and become enticed enough to let us tax you for a while in our P.T. Barnum-like con. Two, someone in our past did not think like us, and so we inherited an infrastructure, universities, airports, and roads that we continue to milk but not refurbish or invest in. We, the less talented and industrious, but the far more critical and sarcastic, drive along I-5, and swim in beautiful Sierra manmade lakes, with the apparent belief that we are glad some anonymous fools did.
Non-Californians, read it and gloat.
Californians? Well, Victor's news is so bad you're going to want to make sure you have something on hand to get your mind off it immediately after you read the piece. A "Beach Boys" CD, perhaps, to remind you of the good old days?
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Oct '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Well, I was born in the mid-80s so I have no nostalgic memories to bring to mind. I hope that what you guys talked about in a recent podcast is true and that the ownership of this systemic problem falls in the lap of the unions and the Democrats they vote for repeatedly. I think Lileks used the expression of passengers on the Titanic voting to drive into an iceberg. I guess we haven't hit rock bottom yet.
Jul '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
I don't understand when Professor Hanson says that, in effect, we choose to decline. Yet given the circumstances in California, what would make the citizens of California choose to fail? What do they not see that he clearly does that allows them to vote for their own demise?
It's the same problem that I have witnessed in the school districts in major metropolitan areas: what makes people vote for the same politicians with the same tired answers to the endemic problems that they created?
Is the answer that people are conservative by nature and less prone to vote for a real change that will assist in the recovery of these seemingly unrecoverable situations?
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Question, since I'm in an inquisitive mood tonight: What happens when it all implodes? California goes, hat in hand, hollow-eyed and gaunt, to Washington DC and asks for help? How does that little scenario play out? What happens if, under popular pressure, Washington tells California to go fly a windmill? Just curious.
Nov '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Been reading for awhile, but I had to join to comment on this article. This is just so depressing. My husband and I moved to CA from the Midwest in 1990. We live on the east side of the Sierras in the Mojave Desert - a military test range town. I feel like we live in the "other California". People here are mostly conservative and election results are almost always the polar opposite of the rest of California. It's hard to imagine what the rest of the state is thinking. I wonder how far down we have to go.
May '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
You are all welcome to move back inland. We don't have any ocean here, but we have a lot of lakes, and even (today) a lot of snow. And a slightly smaller budget crisis....
May '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Maybe Gramsci explained this. After the "War of Position" [or Long March] in which leftists capture the main institutions of a society, the people remain loyal to the institutions. Will American Exceptionalism prove Gramsci wrong? If you know the answer to this and other questions, call 1-800-233-1035.
Aug '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
I have far more hope for the California of today than does the good Doctor. The California I remember from the 80s was one of decadence, addiction, homelessness, and poverty. The California of today is more sober, financially poorer, baffled by what it lost, but looking for answers -- even if they are inconsistent in their voting behaviors. That is only a sign that they are just now waking up from the haze of a misspent youth. As the Boomers fade, the state will become more productive. Younger generations lack the sense of entitlement that the Boomers revel in.
Aug '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Given the choices that California voters have made, I can look forward to the inevitable New York Post headline "Feds to CA: Drop Dead!". As to why so many Californians don't get it, consider recent history. We averted the reckoning in the late 90's thanks to the dot com boom. We averted the reckoning int the 2000's thanks to the housing bubble. I think people just assume the boom times will return and the bills will get paid. What, us worry?
Jul '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
outstripp
Maybe Gramsci explained this. After the "War of Position" [or Long March] in which leftists capture the main institutions of a society, the people remain loyal to the institutions. Will American Exceptionalism prove Gramsci wrong? If you know the answer to this and other questions, call 1-800-233-1035. · Nov 14 at 7:36pm
Darn it all. No Antonio Gramsci on Sundays!
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
My answer? Beats me. But within just a couple of years, we're sure to find out.
When will that 18-wheeler of yours bring you out here, by the way, Dave?
Jul '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
To study political science is to court despair. It is the study of the fact that votes are placed based on name recognition, group identification, and whatever name-calling emanates from the political process. Now there is a new group identification. Tea Party. Tell your friends.
Oct '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
I think the problem is people have an interest in the welfare state and so it's only rational to vote for your bosses who will pay you more. I think the challenge is to convince people that the cycle is no good for the state/country even if they personally benefit. We need a fair system where people work for their rewards and keep them.
Nov '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
It is a foregone conclusion that California is going to crash and burn in a really spectacular way. So the real question is: Can it survive? Can it recover?
Once CA crashes, everyone in the state with a lick of sense is going to pack up and bug out, taking their money, talent and resources with them. We are all familiar with ghost towns; imagine a ghost state — depopulated, public services in total collapse, buildings and infrastructure falling to pieces, the ruins haunted by illegals, drug addicts and criminals — no place for a sane person to live.
After the Crash, CA will be such a mess that we will not even be able to give it to Mexico. However, the Mexican drug gangs will be happy to move in and take over.
The California Dream will soon be a nightmare.
Edited on November 15, 2010 at 12:22pmOct '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Worth checking out: Bill Whittle on the Tea Party and Immigration. (via Instapundit)
May '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
I recently re-read parts of Tuchman's "Follies of History," a book about instances where countries act directly against their own self interest......knowingly. It appears that California is engaged in the same idiocy. I doubt this will end well.
At least when Britain created the American Revolution, a vibrant country emerged. I have difficulty in imagining anything positive coming from a west coast implosion.
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
The bad news is that -- in California, Illinois, and New York -- things will have to get much, much worse before there is any chance that they will get better. The good news is that they will get much, much worse -- and soon. Illinois has to pay more interest to sell its bonds on the international market than does Mexico. That will soon be the fate of New York and California. Margaret Thatcher's dictum applies: the trouble with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money. That moment will come when other people refuse to lend any more money to these states. The coalitions that govern these states -- an alliance of the extremely wealthy, the extremely poor, and the public sector unions -- is the alliance that governed New York City under John Lindsay. After that, as you will remember, the deluge.
Nov '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Where can I buy some credit default swaps on California bonds?
Edited on November 15, 2010 at 2:09pmJun '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
At least California has assets. If I were in charge (ha,ha), I would advance California the cash it needed to remain solvent, but the state would sign over to me all rights to their off shore oil. There would be no allowance of environmentalists to restrict production. Next they would turn over all rights to the magnificent agricultural valleys of central CA. No restrictions on the use of water for growing crops would be allowed. And, third, all contracts with public employees would be voided and re-constituted with no unions. Restrictions and over regulation of business would be shredded. All the magnificent citizens of the state would also, by executive order, be citizens of the United States. Businesses must prove that posted jobs were not filled for 30 days before hiring a non citizen (who must have papers). There's probably a few other things, but that would be a good start.
May '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
This comment drove me to conduct a quick experiment. I visited U-Haul's website to see how much they will charge me if I want to rent a 10-foot truck to pack a modest amount of personal property and drive from Spartanburg, SC to Los Angeles to start a new life. The cost? $1,347.00. Now, reverse the scenario and imagine that I want to flee Los Angeles for Spartanburg - renting the same truck will cost me 57% more, or $2,116.00. (For L.A. to Dallas, it costs almost double to leave L.A.: $658.00 to move from Dallas versus $1,256.00 to leave L.A.) This 2 minute search just confirms what we all know: There is far greater demand to get out of California than to get into it. Considering California's pension, welfare, and budget problems, this trend is deadly. The Okies are going home.
Look in the Yellow Pages under "Lehman Brothers."
May '10
Re: When the Shine Comes Off the Golden State
Peter Robinson When will that 18-wheeler of yours bring you out here, by the way, Dave? · Nov 14 at 9:46pm
If there is no business going on and no manufacturing activity, what would an 18-wheeler carry to California?