California, America’s great progressive experiment, seems to be going from bad to worse every single day. But now it looks as though the crisis in California may be reaching a breaking point.
In an unprecedented move, one of the state’s largest counties has voted to study the idea of secession from California.
On Friday, the Associated Press reported that in the November elections, voters in San Bernadino County, the fifth-largest county in the state, approved a ballot proposal directing county officials to study the idea of secession.
The report also noted that actual secession from the state and the creation of a 51st state is a longshot, given that such a move would need the approval of both the state legislature and Congress, which is unlikely to obtain.
According to FOX News, the move comes amid growing frustration in the county over the state’s onerous tax policies, out-of-control crime rate and massive homelessness problem.
Essentially, if the state of California cannot solve these problems, the counties are proposing to take on these problems themselves.
The AP also noted that, while San Bernadino County is still a Democratic stronghold, Gov. Gavin Newsom lost the county by 5 points in last month’s midterm elections.
This is not the first time that counties in California have explored the idea of secession. According to FOX, in the state’s 172-year history, there have been 220 failed attempts by counties to secede from the state.
Yet while this current attempt will likely come to nothing, the fact that this discussion is even taking place speaks to Californians’ growing discontent with their government’s failed policies.
Should counties be able to secede from their states?
Yes: 98% (48 Votes)
No: 2% (1 Votes)
It is frankly quite easy to see why Californians would be so frustrated and consider the policy of secession.
California, like the rest of the nation, has been experiencing a massive spike in crime over recent years. Just like other liberal states, California has adopted a soft-on-crime approach that has incurred the wrath of its citizens.
In June, legal action was taken against district attorneys in Los Angeles and San Francisco after they refused to enforce the law.
While refusing to enforce the law against actual criminals, the leftist government of California has instead spent the last few years trying to enforce some of the most draconian COVID restrictions in the nation. This included at one point making going to church on Sunday essentially illegal in the name of stopping COVID.
At the same time, with record numbers of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border, the government of California has used taxpayer money to incentivize illegal and dangerous border crossings, only making the problem worse.
These insane policies have made California practically unlivable, and as a result, many have decided to flee the state to states such as Florida and Texas, which are more affordable and less restrictive.
Meanwhile, those who have chosen to stay in California have made their feelings about the state of their state known.
Last year, Newsom faced a recall election as a result of his disastrous policies. He easily survived the recall, but the fact that ultra-blue California seriously considered recalling its progressive governor shows just how disillusioned Californians have become with the state.
This latest move by San Bernadino County is bad news for California. One of its largest and most economically vital counties is fed up with the state’s inability to tackle the serious problems facing the state.
San Bernadino County is not exactly a hotbed of right-wing activity. Democrats still heavily outnumber Republicans in the region. So the fact that this very liberal county is expressing discontent with the state’s liberal policies should set off alarm bells in the heads of the state’s officials.
This should serve as a warning for other liberal states: People are growing increasingly frustrated with the left’s seeming lack of concern for the major problems facing Americans.
If the state governments won’t step in to solve the problems, the counties may decide to do so.
