Why I hate California

     As a frequent visitor to the state, people ask the above question. How can you like Ohio, they want to know. You have nothing there: grey days, "rural" clothing trends, not much free stuff, no birds of paradise, no panoramic oceanscapes, no mountains.
Hmpf. Our little corner of the world isn't perfect, but it's pretty comfy. You can get anywhere in 15 minutes. You have access to the vaunted big cities in a few hours. You have excellent health care and schools (Well, okay,if you don't live in Toledo). You have an art museum, a zoo, several respectable universities, lots of shopping, and LOTS of places to eat from all over the world. You generally don't have a bunch of weirdos trying to control your schools and making stands on stupid issues. Nobody, NOBODY, in the world enjoys SPRING as much as we do and blue sunny days. 
     Out there, everything's a carnival. Sure, there are beautiful (obscenely so) places with unspeakably unusual foliage. But everywhere you see bizarre people. The freeways are frightening. You have to fear for your life if your car breaks down. Plan on waiting in lines, wherever you go. And be sure that you won't understand half the words being spoken around you. Yeah, there are a lot of beautiful people out there, but much of what you see is so artificial as to be hard to appreciate. Implants for every body part, surgery to pull this in and that out, whatever. Self indulgent spas to cater to your whims are everywhere. Billboards in Spanish. Billboards in English everywhere advertising the next stupid movie which most of middle America will never see, the handsome star/let looking out with their 3 foot high artificially blue eyes pasted on a passing bus. Gold roofed buildings in Beverly Hills, even the police station. Precious water being wasted on growing grass in the desert, even while legislators suggest that the Great Lakes be emptied to provide water so that Palm Springs can run rivulets down its curbs as the sprinklers drain into the streets. Not my Great Lakes.
     All scenes of indulgence, opulence and evidence of an utterly broke state. Not only is the state broke because everyone who works for it in any capacity makes way too much money, but California citizens are all broke too. Many are eligible for free everything. Many have bought whatever they want or think they need: boats, big houses, "cottages" on gorgeous lakes in the mountains, backyard pools. The list goes on. Don't worry about tomorrow. Just remortgage your house and get what you want. Borrow from the relatives back in Michigan, if you have to, but get what you want. 
     Then when the bill comes due, go crying to the authorities because, after all, this is your right.
     And who do you think will be bailing these people out? Who? 
     Take a look at this chart and you can see who will be bailing these irresponsible people out. You've already got the Obama administration paying off mortgages and credit cards (as long as your balance is above $10,000!). (Map found here.)

     Yes, you will be bailing out California. You. The hard worker who plugs away every day, paying taxes for schools and city services so your kids can grow up in a nice neighborhood. You, who just want to enjoy your life. You, who always thought that all you had to do was work hard, take care of your family, and the payoff would be great because you knew you were responsible for those little chicks under your roof.
    That swimming pool in Brent's backyard? Yeah, you'll be paying for that, cuz Brent's run out of, well, your money, so he needs more.
    The atmosphere of dependence that has been fostered by this administration and those of liberal states like California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Michigan are evidence that giving things away free does not work. It only makes people more dependent, stupid and lethargic. Why should I do it myself if someone else will do it for more and smooth my hair away from my fevered brow? 
    This is the fruit of Obama's labor. This is the fruit of the labor of the Democrats, who fully expect to be booted from office in November, with the knowledge the jobs of position will be made available to them when all these layers of government are imposed on these United States.
     This is why the tea parties have been formed. Hope springs, of course, all over the country, that we can stop the bleeding and save our country. All over the news politicians and talking heads speculate about the impact and nature of the tea parties, as if "we" were a monolithic group.
    They do not understand, as we come streaming from our houses in our little/big towns, carrying our flags and our homemade posters, eager to spend a few minutes in the company of other like-minded imperfect individuals. They do not understand what drives us, because we probably do not understand it much ourselves. We only know that something must be done.
    A father must be found. A mother must enact punishment. A consequence must be enacted. The enabling must stop. The old traditions of respect, order, consequence, loyalty, patriotism must survive the onslaught of the fruit of the labors of the 60s generation. We thought we were through with them, the hippies and the screamers. 
     Unfortunately they dwell in Washington, D.C. now, and in the ivy covered academic buildings on our campuses, and in the state houses of our governments.
     But "we" are here now. "We." The tea party." Huh. 
     Who would have thought it.
     Read Victor David Hanson:

      Yesterday I think I understood why California is in deep trouble. Let me walk you through another day out here. At 7AM I put a few letters in my armored, heavy-duty steel rural mailbox. Four thefts of mail in the last five years have meant my grandfather’s old light gauge unlocked box gave way to a quite impressive, smart-looking sort of locked safe — the armor is a tasteful forest green.