The fine art of plunder

Orange County Register ^ | October 5, 2002 | Steven Greenhut

[logician2u]

Plunder.

The word brings forth images of conquering armies looting cities and pillaging towns, or of gangs of armed bandits who bust into homes and fill their duffels with gold and jewelry.

But it's also an apt description of modern American politics, and California politics in particular. Long gone are the days of limited government, when people generally agreed that individuals have a right to the money they earn, minus a small percentage that goes to maintain some limited number of public works and public services.

[logician2u]

California voters are notoriously unpredictable when it comes to ballot questions. They have approved such initiatives as Proposition 13 to roll back property taxes, then a few years later vote for tax increases; they approved the use of marijuana for cancer patients but wanted to exclude illegals from public schools; a few years ago they passed a measure allowing any voter the right to help decide another party's candidates in the primary election.

Go figure.

Let's just hope that they have the sense to reject this pay-for-play boondoggle that won't do anything to improve either traffic congestion or school bus safety.

[justshe]

A Strong Kick To The Finish! (Leave The Left Behind)
	Finish Strong. Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD

[daviddennis]

Doesn't sound like it will do anything to lower congestion, despite its title. The new roads that are there are in already uncongested (or, perhaps, not yet congested) areas that developers want to congest. Surely they should pay for their fair share of this?

And who said light rail projects were environmentally friendly? They only work out that way when they get nearly full ridership, and I don't think there's a light rail project on the planet that does. Otherwise, the pollution created through digging the ditches and laying the track won't be made up for by the lower pollution caused by fewer people driving, since, well, people will still drive. Right alongside the light rail, in many instances.

When I tried riding the Blue Line out of curiosity, it was particularly galling to see cars, in heavy traffic parallel to the routes, BEATING the light rail. The light rail only goes 15mph at times, so even a horrible mess on the adjacent roads beats it.

Talk about irony!

D

[logician2u]

When I tried riding the Blue Line out of curiosity, it was particularly galling to see cars, in heavy traffic parallel to the routes, BEATING the light rail.

The Red Cars of the old PE, the Blue Line's predecessor, were considered a fast way of getting places 100 years ago. Compared to walking, I suppose it still is fast. I suspect the time between downtown and Long Beach is not too much different than it was on the Red Cars, though. 45 minutes or so?

[daviddennis]

If my memory serves, the time spent taking the spiffy new light rail system from Downtown to Long Beach is 45 minutes almost to the second. In short, no, there has been no improvement over the red cars, and I doubt that the red cars cost 900-odd million dollars.

Quite frankly, anyone who advocates light rail for any purpose other than sopping up tax dollars blatantly ignores the facts. Heavy rail, too, unless you're talking about Manhattan. http://www.ti.org is a helpful resource for this sort of thing.

D

[logician2u]

There's a whole lot of people in denial, and especially politicians of both parties. It would be nice if Bill Simon had something to say about 51, but he seems preoccupied at the moment with works of art.

Randal O'Toole is one of the best debunkers of light rail and urban growth boundaries (i.e., pushing high-density development that makes traffic worse) as remedies for government's previous planning mistakes there is. You can also find some great stuff over at Wendell Cox's site, The Public Purpose, emphasizing cost savings through privatization. Wendell was once an appointee of Mayor Bradley's on the SCRTD board of directors. He now expresses great regret in having been a proponent of the Blue Line. At least he left the board before it started throwing money into that hole in the ground.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Stop the Plunder:

...to see what bad, bad things Davis has done... - CLICK HERE

calgov2002:

calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. 

calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. 

Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register

[Carry_Okie]

The big private donors to the Slave Party in California have traditionally been real estate interests (witness DiFi's amazing conflicts of interest via her husband and Katellus Development).

The reason for this ubiquitous corruption is simple: government land use control via the permitting process.

[John Jorsett]

And let's not forget the Defense of Marriage Act, passed handily in a state that is supposedly in complete thrall to the Democrats.

[logician2u]

I fail to see the connection.

[logician2u]

The reason for this ubiquitous corruption is simple: government land use control via the permitting process.

What would California's beaches be like without the Coastal Commission, though? </sarcasm>

[John Jorsett]

I was adding to your list of unpredictable California voter behavior.

[Carry_Okie]

Those beaches would be under less pressure and better protection because they would all be private property. Entry by paid admisson only. Of course they could charge a fair price only as long as the state sold off its monopoly in the nature entertainment business. Socialized commons are subject to overuse and have no accountability to the public for successful management.

Socialism wrecks everything it touches, including the environment.

There is a better way.

[logician2u]

I was adding to your list of unpredictable California voter behavior.

I get it now. You had me confused a bit with the reference to Democrats. The only way you can get one of these ballot measures passed is to have names in both parties come out in favor. You'll see Republicans crawling out of the woodwork stumping for 51 to keep it "bipartisan," too.

[logician2u]

Socialism wrecks everything it touches, including the environment.

Eastern Europe and the former U.S.S.R are testament to that.

Socialism's biggest failure, though, has to be the public schools. The worse they get, the more money they say is needed. It's a bottomless money pit, which is bad for the economy.

Worse, students can go through 12 years of school and not even know that socialism doesn't work, and that capitalism does.

If I had to start over with a family, I'd try home schooling.

[steelie]

Same with prop 50 the "Clean Water.....blah blah blah."

NO ON PROP 50

[Carry_Okie]

If I had to start over with a family, I'd try home schooling.

We do.

[logician2u]

Good for you, and your kids will do you proud I'm certain.

[Carry_Okie]

They already do.