California Politics & Mismanagement Affect Other States

California’s well-documented decline might seem fine to you if you live somewhere east of the Sierras, and you figure the state’s myriad failures fall only upon the guilty. But you’d be wrong. Consider the evidence that California is a key force in driving America toward collapse — that we are a menace to American society, and that we’re coming for you.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Nothing so excites a California politician as talking about the state’s salvific mission vis-à-vis the planet. Press releases from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office always seem to include some version of this chest-thumping/crusading pride: “California is recognized globally for its environmental leadership.” The media are always quick to echo his claims, for instance when, during the campaign to remove Newsom from office, the Los Angeles Times editorial team wrote, “For the sake of the planet, don’t remove California’s governor.” Some of Newsom’s proclamations verge on childlike hysteria, as if Greta Thunberg had suddenly taken up residence at the governor’s mansion — like the time he said: “Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines.” But big states are also big markets, and California’s political establishment uses market access as a tail to wag the national dog of automobile emission standards, which determine the cars available to Americans everywhere. Similarly, California trumpets its reliance on solar and wind power, but when the sun sets or the wind drops, Arizona plants running on fossil fuels are tapped to supply the electricity that powers California’s Teslas. The result: Every Californian and every Arizonan pays more for energy, but the earth’s air is just as befouled as ever. Of course, the real goal here was always about self-satisfaction, allowing us to declare with our governor, “Once again, California is taking on the mantle of global climate leadership and advancing bold strategies to fight climate change.”

About the Author

Will Swaim

Will Swaim is the CEO of the California Policy Center and, with David L. Bahnsen, a co-host of National Review’s Radio Free California podcast.

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California’s well-documented decline might seem fine to you if you live somewhere east of the Sierras, and you figure the state’s myriad failures fall only upon the guilty. But you’d be wrong. Consider the evidence that California is a key force in driving America toward collapse — that we are a menace to American society, and that we’re coming for you.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Nothing so excites a California politician as talking about the state’s salvific mission vis-à-vis the planet. Press releases from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office always seem to include some version of this chest-thumping/crusading pride: “California is recognized globally for its environmental leadership.” The media are always quick to echo his claims, for instance when, during the campaign to remove Newsom from office, the Los Angeles Times editorial team wrote, “For the sake of the planet, don’t remove California’s governor.” Some of Newsom’s proclamations verge on childlike hysteria, as if Greta Thunberg had suddenly taken up residence at the governor’s mansion — like the time he said: “Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines.” But big states are also big markets, and California’s political establishment uses market access as a tail to wag the national dog of automobile emission standards, which determine the cars available to Americans everywhere. Similarly, California trumpets its reliance on solar and wind power, but when the sun sets or the wind drops, Arizona plants running on fossil fuels are tapped to supply the electricity that powers California’s Teslas. The result: Every Californian and every Arizonan pays more for energy, but the earth’s air is just as befouled as ever. Of course, the real goal here was always about self-satisfaction, allowing us to declare with our governor, “Once again, California is taking on the mantle of global climate leadership and advancing bold strategies to fight climate change.”