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It's Only Fair

Columnist

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Norman Rosinski
All articles by columnist

Welcome to the July Agribusiness issue of NorthBay biz magazine. For decades now, California’s economy has been subject to the vagaries of boom and bust cycles. Given the various stresses caused by these swings, most people are exhausted by the volatility. However, if you’re a fan of relative stability and dependable growth, you’ll find it rooted in California’s agricultural heritage. In 2007, California’s ag-related revenues exceeded $40 billion. Here in the North Bay, the ag community contributes significantly to the local economy and is largely responsible for the pleasing rhythm of local life. So sit back and enjoy the stories in this issue as we attempt to capture that ineffable spirit that personifies the bucolic lifestyle that is the North Bay.

“Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress…But then I repeat myself.” —Mark Twain

California is awash in debt, unemployment is at around 10 percent and rising, and the taxpayer base is eroding as overly regulated businesses flee high taxes—taking thousands of jobs with them. And how do the politicians in Sacramento react? By bemoaning their fate with paroxysms of finger pointing, never accepting the blame for a situation entirely of their own making. Voters are waking up and being heard. By nearly a two-to-one margin, angry voters said “no mas” and rejected the propositions that would have increased taxes by $16 billion. Apparently voters have had enough, realizing the taxes they’re already paying are among the highest in the nation. And what do most of us have to show for all the cash the government has so tenderly lifted from our wallets? While you ponder that question, I’ll tell you that state spending has increased 26 percent per capita over the past 10 years. Remember, just a few decades ago, California roads and schools were the envy of the nation. Today, the roads are a joke and our schools are mired at the bottom of national rankings. And listen to this: We’re constantly being told the state just must raise more money, but 40 years ago, California spent $1,240 for every person in the state, in today’s dollars. Currently, it spends $3,200 per person! Do you feel like that money is being well spent? Can you recognize any benefits you’re receiving from more than twice the outlay?

Our state government has pretty much degenerated to the point where it really is only serving two constituencies—those who need public assistance and the public employee unions. Caught between the demands of one and the needs of the other, the concerns, needs and rights of regular people are ignored. As regular Joes lose their jobs, the state continues to hire. The state employs almost 400,000 people. That’s approaching one employee for every 100 California residents. State employee salaries average around $20,000 more than employees in the private sector, and California teachers earn 25 percent more than the national average. Early retirement at 80 percent pay with lifetime health benefits is the norm for public employees. If you’re in need of public aid or in the country illegally, California is the place for you, offering an assortment of health and welfare services usually with no questions asked—and all on our nickel.

When will the politicians in Sacramento start representing all the people instead of just select special interests?

Encouraged and nurtured by nanny-state politicians and the courts, society at large has developed a “victimhood mentality.” Consequently it’s only “fair” to be rewarded for failure. If Chrysler is going down, what’s wrong with the government stepping in and giving it billions of taxpayer bucks to prop it up? While we’re at it, let’s give some company ownership to the UAW. You know, there’s nothing wrong with a little quid pro quo for a union that donated millions of members’ money to the winning campaign. Then let’s dictate what kind of cars the government-owned company should make. What’s wrong with a little experiment in social engineering on a national scale? Hasn’t the government proved since time immemorial that any program or agency it runs is superbly efficient and free from scandal or waste? Further, why should you be punished if you bought a house you couldn’t afford and the market took a nosedive? And certainly, if someone entered the country illegally, how could anyone be so coldhearted to enforce the law and deport them? If you buy a chainsaw from a local hardware store and cut your fingers off, that’s not your fault—the manufacturer should have put a warning label on it telling you the saw is sharp.

Personally, I’m fatigued with politicians writing legislation to serve special interests on issues they have no comprehension of and then watching the rest of the legislators voting passage without even bothering to read the bill. What the hell kind of representation is that—with billions, or these days, trillions of dollars tied to the legislation? Once upon a time, this country had no welfare system—families took care of one another. Once upon a time, there was no social security or income tax and, believe it or not, crime was low and divorce rare. Today’s politicians’ insatiable craving for more power at the expense of our liberty so they can control every facet of our lives is fundamentally altering our American way of life—a way of life that’s been the envy of every other country in the world. My question is, why?

“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
—Thomas Jefferson

That’s it for now. Enjoy this month’s magazine.