Resist the enviro-socialist state

May 10, 2017

By MIKE BROWN

The bad news is that the environmental socialists, who have hijacked the historic Democratic Party, now fully control the government of the State of California as well as that of many cities and counties within the State. They can pass tax increases at will, such as the Senate Bill 1 fuel tax increases.

The good news is that environmental socialism contains the seeds of its own destruction.

Ultimately the high taxes, ever growing fees, and blighting regulations will undermine productive elements of society, which in turn will erode governmental revenues and sap governmental power. Vast state and local unfunded pension debt, bonded debt, and unfunded deferred maintenance of the roads, universities, public schools, government buildings, dams, aqueducts, and parks are the harbingers of the looming catastrophe.

The power of governments rests largely on their finances. As the private sector weakens, physical and social blight proliferates, capital facilities deteriorate, social unrest and crime increase, and housing becomes impossibly expensive, driving the up-coming generational work force (millennials, generation Z) out of state. As a result, existing businesses leave the state to expand in more favorable employment climates.

Ultimately, income taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes stagnate or decline. In SLO County the impending demise of the Diablo Nuclear Power Plant underscores this reality. Enviro-socialist elites react by further raising fee and tax rates, which in turn accelerates the destructive death spiral process.

The problem is that, while one can take solace in the knowledge that ultimately the corrective forces will prevail and hold the enviro-socialists historically accountable, millions will become unemployed, homes foreclosed, life savings destroyed, and most tragically, the hopes and dreams of generations annihilated.

Sadly, the era of dominance of environmental socialism may exist for decades. This fact is very disheartening to many of those who understand the problem, as well as current grass roots leaders and potential grass roots leaders who would resist and ultimately seek to overcome the regime. Since the enviro-socialists control the government apparatus of the of California as well as the government apparatus of many cities, counties, special districts, local public schools, and the state universities, the full force of professional staff expertise, contract patronage, alliances with powerful government employee unions, and job patronage are used to enhance their power and advance the enviro-socialist agenda. In the face of such daunting obstacles people may be tempted to give up and submit. Or they may run away to Nevada, Texas, or Idaho.

On the other hand, we may regard it as our duty as citizens to fight back. The American Revolutionary patriot Thomas Payne wrote as the colonies were threatened by the military might of the British Empire, “Tyranny, like hell is not, easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

Here are practical things we can do to resist:

Be aware and stay informed. Spend 20 minutes per day, while having that cup of coffee or lunch, doing a quick scan of the following sources:

For local information read the COLAB SLO weekly updates here.

Listen on line or on the air to the Andy Caldwell Radio Show on KUHL 1440 or KZSB 1290.

For both local and State as well as national information read the free online postings and also Stephen Franks’ California Political News & Views.

For national perspectives check out the site Stanford University Hoover Institution here. The guest articles, book reviews, and editorials contained in the last two pages of section A of the Wall Street Journal are also quite helpful. The Journal can be obtained in paper format or online. Of course there are many other fine sites as well.

Get mad. As the late former University of Texas football Coach Darrell Royal (back when Texas won three national championships) used to say, “You have to get mad to win football games.” The injustice and destructiveness of the enviro-socialist’s policies are outrageous and are a powerful motivational factor.

Recognize that anger can be destructive and must be converted into plans and action, which result in holding the currently powerful enviro-socialist regimes accountable. Elected officials, appointed board members, and sycophantic senior staff members should understand that once the consequences of their policies are widely understood as perpetuating economic decline and suffering, they will be held accountable legally, professionally, and materially. It should not be sufficient that they are allowed to retire into oblivion.

Reject ballot measures that establish new or increased sales taxes, property taxes, or special tax assessments. Often voters who oppose general taxes will support a tax for a specific benefit such as roads, a school, a library, a new jail or parks. It is rationalized that these are specific benefits for which there is a demonstrated need. The problem is that the new tax relieves some of the pressure allowing the government officials avoid balancing their ever-growing operating budgets. Demand that they grow the natural economy to pay for their feel-good programs instead of placing higher taxes on an ever-narrowing base.

If you can afford the tuition, put your kids and grandchildren in private schools. The public schools are now a vast indoctrination system promoting enviro-socialism, political correctness, and value relativism. The teachers unions are powerful allies and funders of the enviro-socialist regimes locally, and in Sacramento and Washington. Eliminate the reason for their existence.

Do not compromise on fees and regulations, even if you love the particular purpose or project. By supporting a new tax or fee, you are simply feeding the machine.

Many business, agricultural, and trade organizations seek to minimize the damage caused by state and local enviro-socialist regimes by participating in efforts to ameliorate more egregious regulatory and fee proposals by seeking compromise. Paid representatives and officers attend workshops, provide suggested wording changes, and otherwise “cooperate” to obtain crumbs.

The current state of regulatory and tax conditions in the state and many cities and counties are clear proof that the strategy ultimately fails and is death by a thousand cuts. Business owners and their trade associations, both large and small, should recognize that short-term cooperation and collaboration only advances the regime’s ultimate goals.

Similarly, some businesses, and especially those dependent on government contracts, may fear retribution if they or their representative associations oppose particular enviro-socialist policies. Such retribution may come in the form of economic ostracism and/or regulatory punishment. In these circumstances, the government is little more than a “legitimized” protection racket.

Demand that your elected officials/candidates declare a moratorium on all new fees and regulations for their term of office or prospective term of office. When your elected official or aspiring candidate is at a meeting, campaign event, or other situation where there is a crowd, wait for the question period.

When your turn comes ask this question: “Given the sorry state of state and local finances, unaffordable home prices, unemployment, etc., will you agree to sign this pledge today to promise to vote against all new fees, taxes, and regulations if you are elected, reelected, or for the remainder of your term (whatever the case is for that individual)?” Have a friend hand him/her the form with a signature block pre-filled out with his or her name. Have extra copies for the crowd to can see what you are asking. If the officials/candidates refuse to sign or say they have to study the matter, hit them again at the next event.

Organize: Set up study groups or writing groups. These may be only three or four people or they can be more extensive. Write letters to the editor. Oppose new regulatory measures and fee increases. On major issues, appear at the SLO County Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Air Pollution Control District, SLOCOG, and the Integrated Waste Management Authority. If you have a business association or trade group, make sure its staff alerts you to critical issues.

Remember, it’s not sufficient to oppose just the fee or regulation that affects your own particular business. Eventually the knock on the door will come for you. Groups should help one another by opposing all fees and regulations. Write, email, appear and complain.

Support candidates who oppose the regime: Hold a coffee hour for a candidate in your home or with your business group (or both). If you are able, support such candidates financially. Remember, early support is important because a large proportion of votes are now by absentee (mail-in) ballots. These are sent out a month before the actual Election Day. Thus, funding for media buys, printed materials, and so forth must be accumulated very early in the campaign.

Mike Brown is the Government Affairs Director of the Coalition of Labor Agriculture and Business (COLAB) of San Luis Obispo County. He had a 42-year career as a city manager and county executive officer in four states including California. He can be reached at mike@colabslo.org.