To paraphrase Sir Winnie, this may not be the end of the American Socialist State; it may not even be the beginning of the end; but it may, perhaps, be the end of the beginning. And the end of the beginning for the Ron Paul Revolution.
Silverwolf believes that we may be witnessing the end of that beginning, a beginning that took Ron Paul from 1% to over 20% in several States during the campaign of ‘08. But what makes him think that has little directly to do with Ron Paul, but much to do with the phenomenon of the fiscal disintegration of the State of California, (a State, for those who have never heard of it, located in the Southwest of the United States of America, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean). This State seems to be financially disintegrating exactly in the manner predicted by the Austrian School of Economics. And the fact of this disintegration has forced the politicians to bring a handful of funding propositions to the voters, who will decide the issue on May 19th. If the propositions fail, Gov. Schwartznegger has said he would commute the sentences of roughly 38,000 prisoners, releasing them back onto the streets (except for aliens, who will be turned over the the INS). He has also talked of closing fire stations, and laying off school teachers.
Judging by the calls to John Rothmann’s talk show the other night, these Propositions are going down to a well-deserved defeat. Given the Liberal-Democratic bent of most of his callers, it was amazing to hear the anger, and the near unanimity in opposition to these measures. Rothmann pointed out that while tuition had been raised 9.3% at the University of California, the Regents were simultaneously raising the salary of one UC Chancellor from just over $400,000 to roughly $450,000 in one year, while another’s was raised from just over $300k to over $400k, a 27% increase. Now the voters, and the students, can clearly see with what contempt they are treated, and how there money is spent to give bureaucrats an incredibly cushy lifestyle (those Chancellors additionally received their housing on campus for free, and a car allowance), while taxpayers and students are further milked of their savings to accomplish that goal. The poor must suffer, so rich bureaucrats don’t have to, much as under King Louis XIV.
The callers seemed to realise that the problem is the vast sums spent at the top of the totem pole, subsidized by the taxpayers at the bottom. One caller, who had worked as a driver for his school district several years back, told of the incredible waste he had observed, and how contractors, having sweet relations with the contract-awarders, would bid low to secure the contract, but always come in with final costs that were roughly double of what the contracts had originally been projected to run. Others talked of how CA State workers could retire after a mere 20 years on the job, with 80% of their salaries, and full benefits. Examples were cited of State workers receiving that retirement benefit, and then getting hired by another State agency, so that now they had two monthly cheques from the taxpayers.
All in all, it sounded like a bunch of Ron Paul supporters had taken over the airwaves, although Silverwolf would bet that not one of those angry voters had voted for the Libertarian from Texas for President. It well illustrates how politics is a battle of ideas, and if one constantly espouses logical and true ideas, they will eventually seep into the consciousness of the populace. However, as Silverwolf has long maintained, those ideas will quickly accelerate in potency given the catalyst of economic depression.
The voters are running out of money, and when they see the arrogant bureaucrats coming to them with hands outstretched, begging for yet more gravy on their sirloin steaks, their anger waxes red-hot. Judging from those callers, it is waxing by leaps and bounds.
California well illustrates the principle, so ably elucidated by Ludwig von Mises, that Socialism will eventually bankrupt the State, and destroy itself. That principle is exactly demonstrated by what is happening to the State of California, the 10th largest economy in the world. At least, it used to be.
Come May 19th, the voters of California will send a “No” heard around the bureaucratic world. A “No” that few seem to realise was made possible by the philosophical campaign of Dr. Ron Paul.
Come May 19th, 2009 in California, the Ron Paul Revolution will begin.
Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww! — Silverwolf
Tags: California Ballot Propositions, California State Government, Governor Schwartznegger, John Rothmann, May 19th California election, Ron Paul, Ron Paul Revolution, State Socialism, UC Chancellors
