California Dreamin'

San Bernardino, Stockton, Mammoth Lakes, Compton … this is a list of the cities/towns in California that have recently gone bankrupt … or, are about to slip under the fiscal waves (see: Fox News Story). Expect many more … and, very possibly, the state of California itself will give up the ghost. Yes, spending and accounting shenanigans are partly to blame for these problems, but may I suggest a much more structural issue? Two of these bergs are in the Central Valley, the vegetable/fruit basket to this nation. Or, at least, it used to be. The economic health of this region has been greatly sacrificed to save the Delta Smelt, a small endangered fish that has caused our federal government to impose onerous water restrictions on the farmers there (see: Central Valley Water Crisis). Without water, crops won’t grow … and, without crops, farmers are impoverished … and, without agricultural income, taxes can’t be paid … and, without tax income, bergs go bankrupt. It’s that simple.

And since Central Valley agriculture was a large part of California’s fiscal strength, this short-sighted eco-suicide is one reason that the whole Golden State itself is on the ropes. Another reason is that oil exploration and extraction in California has been seriously curtailed by these same tree-hugging limousine liberals who claim to care for the downtrodden … while, at the same time, trodding them down. Will Governor Moonbeam recognize and remedy these problems? Keep California dreamin' …