Okay, that didn't go too well

There were six propositions on the ballot yesterday. All but one were written in such a manner as to confuse virtually any of the state's voters, who, by the way, stayed away in droves. The one relatively easily understood measure determined that lawmakers shall not have pay raises in years when there are budget deficits. That is the single measure that passed. It really is too bad that it didn't go a little further.



Meanwhile the Governator was in D.C. schmoozing with the President and bragging about how advanced California is in dealing with greenhouse gasses. Yup, we're so advanced that the only vehicle fuels we can purchase here are all produced here and the formula changes twice each year so that the inventory must be reduced to a point below demand level and the price shoots up well above the national average. On top of that, if a refinery is shut down, the price of fuels skyrockets as well. The energy companies don't have to collude to reap profits. We have bureaucrats who handle it for them.



Now there is another issue that is getting some locals up in arms. It seems that renewable energy can only be produced in remote corners of the state? Then in must be transmitted via high voltage lines to where the users are. Unfortunately, it is necessary for the high voltage lines to cross occupied land. That means, of course, that the land will have to be vacated either by purchase or by eminent domain. This would seem really egregious if it were being proposed by investor owned power producers. However the agency making this proposal is made up of public utilities operated by municipalities so I guess it's okay?



Maybe what all of this is about is that if there are enough different issues out there to distract the public, nobody will be able to make a cohesive effort to get rid of the real clowns.