Where does ultra liberal domination lead?

... to California.

I have lamented before on this blog over the mess the state of California finds itself in. How the Golden State, the place that once upon a time epitomized everything that was great about America has literally become the place that showcases everything that's wrong. It's not much of mystery, really. California has been dominated by ultra liberals for decades. Even when they've had semi-conservative governors the lunacy of the liberals running the state house in Sacramento has ruled the day.

People - I should say, people with money and business have been moving out of California in droves. Soon there will no one left to pay the high taxes. Sure you could write off California as a loss cause, but it doesn't take long to realize that as severe as California is it's not alone. Everywhere liberal government dominates we see similar fiscal and societal carnage. (everywhere except where I live, but I'll get to that later). Take Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey and even New York for example. Each of these states is virtually broke. Each one of them is hemorrhaging jobs. Each has failing school systems and crumbling infrastructure. They have all been dominated by liberal legislatures, with liberals running their cities and their school systems. Sure occasionally a Republican is elected mayor or governor but they are never strong enough to stem the tide of decay and collapse brought on by endlessly smothering liberalism.

Liberalism may have moved in with the departure of heavy manufacturing as a "humanitarian movement", but the billions of dollars spent and decades of liberal policy domination has seen so little in the way of actual progress, rather we've seen only a growing dependence on government programs and so-called entitlements.

The fact that school systems all over this country are dominated by liberalism should be enough to drive home the fact that it's a failed philosophy, but it never seems to stick. The problem is always that we just haven't spent enough on "the children". Our students finish so low by international standards that it's embarrassing.

Recently John Fund had an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal (April 22 2011 pg A11) that highlighted a trip taken by several California state house representatives and Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom to Texas. It was a fact finding mission to see why so many California businesses were moving to Texas. While Newsom didn't see the exodus as a partisan issue clearly the California public unions did. The unions threatened several Democrats who planned to attend who then abruptly canceled the trip.

To add insult to injury after their meetings with Texas governor Rick Perry they learned another California business, Fujistu Frontenach was picking up stakes and moving to Texas. It was the 70th business to leave California this year. Why so many departures? Again, not much of a mystery. High taxes, onerous business and environmental regulation. It could also be said that Sacramento doesn't really care. While their state is tens of billions in debt and business and wealthy people are fleeing their state like rats from a sinking ship they are busy passing bills that mandate that school children will be taught the history of gays and disabled persons.

My heart breaks for California, I've loved every minute I've spent there. It's hard to say if they will ever wake up. We thought maybe Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to be a turning point, but he was a bigger disappointment than Governor Ventura was.

That brings me to my home state of Minnesota. This state has also been dominated by liberalism my whole life. And yes, the fiscal health and the good standing of Minnesota's famous quality of life is in some question, however it is not a failure waiting happen. Things are relatively good here. How can that be if liberal domination leads to collapse and decay? Minnesotans by and large are very conservative people. We are very hard working and have had held together a decent education system (until recently) for decades. These people vote liberal but live very conservatively. To be sure the state is closer to 50/50 than 60/40 in favor of Democrats, but liberalism is what's taken for granted around the water cooler and church halls. People here may say anything goes, praise diversity and declare tolerance from the rooftops, but just not for them. It's an odd thing, but that's the way it is here. That's why liberalism hasn't quite destroyed our great state - yet.



CW