Oposition swarms against splitting CA

Like hornets rising from a disturbed nest, opposition is swarming against venture capitalist Tim Draper’s proposed initiative to split dysfunctional California into six states, a couple of which might turn out functional. The Chronicle reports:

“Steven Maviglio, a Democratic consultant, and Joe Rodota, a fixture in GOP politics, have formed OneCalifornia, a committee that will oppose Draper’s “Six Californias” plan if and when the constitutional amendment gets on the ballot.”

And you thought there was a two-party system?

It’s easy to understand why this opposition is swarming.. The power of political operatives, as well as such special interests as the California Teachers Association, depends on knowledge of the political makeup and personalities of the current state. Draper’s initiative would multiply the difficulty of their jobs by six.

It would be like, in the current arrangement, trying to influence the state legislatures of California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington State and Idaho. Nobody does that. OneCalifornia? One political milch cow is more like it.

Secession fever

No question passing Draper’s initiative will be difficult. Yet secession is in the air:

• In Venice, 89 percent just voted to split from Italy. A united Italy always was a mistake. The people of Dante and Boccaccio, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thomas Aquinas, Leonardo and Michelangelo, are too anarchistic to join in the large state jammed together at the opera buffa 1861 Risorgimento.
• Crimea just voted to leave Ukraine. Although admittedly that is complicated by its vote to join Russia amid international tensions.
• In Quebec, which in 1995 voted 49 percent for secession from Canada, separatist fever is back. The people again are echoing the words of de Gaulle from his 1967 visit: “Vive le Québec libre!“
• The Scotts have scheduled a Sept. vote to regain their independence from the United Kingdom. Braveheart lives.
• Catalonia also has set a Sept. vote, in their case to leave Spain. 
• If that happens, the Basques, who long have wanted to leave Spain, wouldn’t be far behind.

Of course, small countries can be repressive. Witness Cuba and North Korea. But at least in those cases, the repression is contained. But in general, small countries — or small states, in case of splitting California — generally engender competition, with freedom bringing immigrants seeking prosperity, while tyranny expels people. We’re already seeing that as so many people and businesses flee California’s highly taxed and regulated economy for Texas, Arizona, Washington State and other states with much lower state taxes and regulations. Six Californias would spark competition among the parts of OneCalifornia that currently are stuck in a dysfunctional relationship. If not this year, then soon California’s parts will be ready for Divorce Court.