I love reading the letters to the editor in my local paper. It's usually a treasure of liberal gibberish enhanced by an occasional conservative viewpoint.
I think the editors feel they have to show there's is more to life in the Bay Area than liberalism!
But last week, on June 12, there was one letter that tore into Gov. Jerry Brown and his environmental buddies with a skill I wouldn't have expected from a man who was identified as a professor of environmental studies at San Jose State University.
The letter in the Contra Costa Times was signed by Donald F. Anthrop, in Berkeley, the home of liberalism.
He wrote with a combination of sarcasm and accuracy in terms of what's in store for the entire state of California if the politicians and lobbyists in charge of things now get what they want.
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And from all indications, they will get what they want, the entire state will suffer and, according to professor Anthrop, the middle class will bear the greatest burden.
You have to understand that in addition to the terrible drought California is enduring, there are draconian water-use curtailments Gov. Brown is imposing on everyone, 25 percent – from farmers to businesses to homeowners. It's estimated the state will lose more than 18,000 agricultural jobs with at least $1.2 billion in lost wages.
In addition, Californians are also subject to Brown's total commitment to every aspect of green living.
Communities statewide are being coerced into providing "in-fill" housing – i.e. live next to freeways and transit stations; reduce urban sprawl – i.e. one-family homes with yards; change building codes to ultimately require that every structure meets green standards; reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of fossil fuels – drive less, pay more, go electric; convert everything possible to solar; eliminate dams to save the fish and don't build more; reduce and eliminate hydro-electric, coal, oil and nuclear power generating plants; eliminate plastic bags, recycle everything; and on and on and on.
This isn't new.
Californians, and I'm one of them, have been under this barrage of enviro regulations, but it's gotten worse under Brown's current terms as governor.
Look at what professor Anthrop says will happen, if Brown gets his way:
- Most Californians will live in 400 sq. foot apartments, no fireplaces allowed, in 100 story buildings near BART (train) stations.
- We'll ride bikes to work; drink recycled sewage water; beef will scarcely be available (and will be expensive – it already is!) to save on pastureland, which needs water for irrigation as does acreage for crops and there's no water for that.
As an aside, thousands of acres of farm land is already fallow because of the water cuts due to the drought and just last Friday, new restrictions were ordered on more than 100 growers, negating their water rights agreements dating to 1903!
The professor wrote, "Democrats in the legislature profess concern for the middle class, yet the onus of a carbon tax, the real objective of their environmental backers, will fall most heavily on the middle class while the wealthy drive their $80,000 Teslas that are subsidized by the rest of us.
"Welcome to the new California dream."
Good for him, but I challenge that this is the "new" California dream.
There's nothing new about this. It's more of the same and with a Democrat-controlled Legislature, Brown has almost carte blanche.
Remember, his nickname was "Gov. Moonbeam," from his first go at being governor of this state from 1975-83.
He'd earned that sobriquet when he took positions that sounded nice to his hippie brain but that just didn't work in real life.
The main example that comes to mind: Stop building freeways.
His reasoning? If we don't build them, we won't need them.
Wrong!
And we've been suffering the debilitating traffic jams ever since, as population and vehicles keep increasing.
Brown was re-elected governor in 2011 and, in between, held a variety of elective offices and attempts at presidential nominations.
I had a great conversation with friends when Brown ran for California governor last time. They assured me he was well over his "Gov. Moonbeam" stage.
Uh – no! He may be older, but the hippie-minded man hasn't lost his moonbeam.
Now, despite about the highest tax rates in the country, businesses leaving the state because of bureaucratic roadblocks, the influx of thousands of illegal aliens and the incredible pressures they make on the judicial system, the educational system, the medical system and the quality of life for thousands of citizens, and now, the effects of the drought – Jerry Brown wants more.
Two proposals costing in the multi-billions – neither of which is funded, neither has estimates of being cost effective, and which, generally, the people of California do not want – are on his want list.
First, a high-speed train down the center of the state, cutting towns in half, destroying businesses and farms and, second, he wants to build massive, twin tunnels, also down the state, to move water from north to south.
So what does he say?
Last week, in a speech at the University of Southern California, he said California is like "spaceship Earth," and we have to devise "a 'more elegant' way of living to survive the water and land crisis.
He said California could accommodate 10 million more people if residents adapt to a new "way of life."
Remember, this is a man who is not opposed to illegal immigration and whose administration has bent over backward to give perks, benefits and encouragement to illegals.
Yet, within a day, in another speech, this to the Board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (which deals with real water problems), he expressed worries about overpopulation!
He said California will soon have too many people and not enough water to support them. He talked on about the catastrophic effects of water shortages.
Is he "moonbeam," or just plain crazy?
But speaking to those elites at USC, he elaborated on his idea for "more elegant ways of relating to material things. You have to use them with greater sensitivity and sophistication."
As far as our being on spaceship Earth, Brown said, "In a spaceship, you reuse everything. Well, we're in space, and we have to find a way to reuse, and with enough science and enough funding, we'll get it done."
In earlier news, Brown even assured us he's skipping showers to save water.
Heads up, everyone! Commander Moonbeam is aiming for more elegant living with higher taxes and drinking sewage!
The Golden State, indeed.
What's the name of that moving company again?
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