California’s Government is a Failure

Larry Elder was a gift to Governor Gavin Newsom. Follows are his views.

Elder opposes the minimum wage and gun control. He’s said he doesn’t believe that a gender wage gap exists, and has called the climate crisis a “crock”. He has suggested that fatherless families drive up crime rates in Black communities. During the coronavirus crisis, he has given a platform to Covid-19 conspiracy theorists, including a self-identified physician who promoted the false claim that coronavirus vaccines were being pushed in minority communities as “population control”. Elder has said he has been vaccinated but has vowed to repeal California’s mask and vaccine requirements if he wins the governorship.

The Elder platform is the reason Newsom was not recalled.

Forget the social issues that divide Democrats and Republicans. California’s state government has failed.

The list of things that our California government has failed to address is long.  Neither Jerry Brown nor Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Party controlled legislature has addressed any of these issues in a meaningful way.

In the long term climate change is an issue but there are many other issues that demand immediate attention.

-The income gap.  California has more millionaires than any other state but also has one of the highest poverty rates.

-Low minimum wage law.  The low rate of pay perpetuates poverty.

-Homelessness. It’s not just the drug addicted and mentally challenged.  The poorly paid cannot afford an apartment.  Many are living in motorhomes.

-Lack of affordable housing.  Low cost housing units are in short supply and the building codes and zoning laws prevent construction due to regulations and high construction costs.

-Poorly managed state agencies.  Examples are the delays in payment of unemployment benefits, long lines at DMV facilities.  

 -High cost of college education. $46 per unit at two year community colleges.  State university’s fee is $396 per semester unit and $264 per quarterly unit.

-Water shortage.  Yes it is a natural disaster but where is the plan to ensure both agriculture and urban areas have adequate supplies?

-Death penalty.  A ballot measure retaining that law was passed by the public but Gavin Newsom has suspended its use.

-Bullet train. In their voter guides, Californians were informed of an estimate from the California High-Speed Rail Authority estimating that, “the total cost to develop and construct the entire high-speed train system would be about $45 billion.” Current estimates place the possible cost as high as around $100 billion.  Newsom has scaled back the project to 171 miles from Merced to Bakersfield.

-Taxes. California has the highest income tax rate in the nation.

First there is the issue of jobs that pay enough to live comfortably without the need for food stamps and rent subsidies.

The big employers have either closed or moved

• Toyota: 3,000 jobs moved to Texas
• Walt Disney: 2,000 jobs moved to Florida
• Lockheed Martin: 5,000 jobs moved to Georgia
• Rocketedyne
• General Motors
• Price Pfister
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise

When all of those companies left California the state government was silent in the press.

California needs new leadership.