In the spring of 2019, Californians will go to the polls in a historic vote to decide by referendum if California should exit the United States. Yes, California #Calexit Campaign is leading this initiative. Given the current political culture of California, separating it from the rest of the United States would be in the best interests of both parties.
I am a fourth-generation Californian. My family settled there in the nineteenth century, and all of my relatives still reside in the state. For 32 years, I worked in the California State University system as a professor and administrator. In this capacity, I had to manage state budgets and enforce state rules and policies. I also managed a small family farm subjecting me to increasing agricultural quarantines, laws, and policies such as water restrictions. So I left for a better quality of life.
You Want Liberal Nirvana? Go For It
For many decades California has been a one-party state, run by the most liberal Democrats in the country. They are financially controlled by the public employee labor unions, including the powerful teacher’s unions.
In almost 40 percent of all state congressional elections there are only Democrat candidates, and in 12 congressional districts, the incumbent Democrat ran unopposed. In 2016, both candidates for U. S. Senate were Democrats. When schools or groups try to schedule moderate or conservative speakers, they are physically attacked, riots are choreographed, and they are chased out of the state.
An independent California could finally realize their politically liberal nirvana unhindered by federal laws and policies. Freed of the U.S. Constitution, they wouldn’t be constrained by the First or Second Amendments. So they could officially ban any speech, candidate, party, or group that mentions or questions the sacred myths of immigration, diversity, climate change, criminal justice, etc. California already has the most restrictive guns laws in the country, where now you must be fingerprinted to buy ammunition. Without the Second Amendment, they could now simply outlaw private gun ownership, and then there would be no crime!
The new country could establish its totally open immigration system. California already has more sanctuary cities than the rest of the United States does. They oppose all current national immigration policies. As an independent country, they could have completely open borders: no immigration police, no borders, no walls, and everyone from the world welcome. I could foresee maybe 50 million new immigrants from Asia, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East; and lots of progressive refugees from U.S. states.
Think of all the new social welfare entitlements an independent California could mandate for its residents. There would be free health care, free education including college, free child care, free family leave, unlimited welfare payments, and state-funded retirement for all. The already-existing racial quotas for hiring, promotions, college admissions, etc. could be codified into the new country’s constitution. The American Civil Liberties Union has forced a release of thousands of convicted felons, so the next logical step would be to close all state prisons and provide miscreants with therapy and understanding.
Trade Them Land for Paying Their Own Bills
Currently, the U.S. federal government owns almost 50 percent of the land in the state. These include super-valuable real estate and facilities such as Camp Pendleton, Yosemite Park, the San Diego Naval Station, extensive national forests, etc., probably worth trillions of dollars at current value. So in exchange for gaining all this valuable property, the new country of California could agree to assume all current federal obligations for Social Security, Veterans benefits, Medicare, and other federal costs. Of course, since California opposes U.S. military policies, as a new country they would not need any military or military expenses.
California has the highest income taxes, sales taxes, and gas taxes in the country. Unconstrained by federal laws, they could really jack these up to European heights. All the European countries impose national sales taxes, sometimes called value-added taxes, of up to 24 percent at every level of sales: production, wholesale, and retail. In some European countries, income taxes start above 40 percent and go even higher. And with California’s apocalyptic environmental policies, they could increase gasoline taxes up to $5 more per gallon, ban all oil and gas production, and eliminate livestock production, because animals produce methane.
Just like some countries, the new country of California could eliminate paper and coin money. Sweden is currently banning all physical money, so every transaction must be digital. India has withdrawn most larger-denomination bills. The intention in these cases is to eliminate black markets, drug deals, and unreported income. California could have new monetary denominations worth $3, $15, and $30 because everything would be more expensive. If they had to issue physical money, I suggest the denominations depict Harvey Milk, Rodney King, and Caitlyn Jenner.
The leadership of the new country of California would be no problem. As a one-party state, the Democratic Party simply dictates who the next leader will be. The state already knows that Gavin Newsom, the current lieutenant governor, will be the next governor. They don’t even need an election. The new country might opt for a new leader, more symbolic of their newfound progressive identity—maybe Bono, Lady Gaga, or Meryl Streep. The possibilities are intriguing.
The new country of California is a win-win, for the both sides. California can fully implement its new liberal idealism. And the other 49 states will be free from the incessant whining of the left coast.
