Power to the (stupid) people

Despite the near-unanimous urging of all the major California papers, voters in the Golden state overwhelmingly rejected a whole range of tax increases to close a yawning state deficit. The LA Times moaned: "California voters exercise their power – and that's the problem."

Say Anything sums up the mood of Californians and the disconnect of the mainstream media:

The context is simple - not only are the people of California selfish in denying their politicians more of their money, they’re just plain too stupid to understand the complexities of what they’re voting for. Taxes are good for you, you stupid little people.
…
By the way, nowhere in the article do they interview anyone who might explain why people are sick to death of the state sucking them dry.
Read the whole LA Times article. It’s as good an example of elitist arrogance and sneering condescension from both the left and the main stream media as you’ll find anywhere.
Voters exercising their rights. The nerve.

Look on California and tremble America. Because if you believe, as Megan McArdle does, that "California is completely, totally, irreparably hosed" then historian Victor Davis Hanson has some really bad news for you:

One would hope this is wake-up call for Obama. His proposals will put the federal government a year or two away from a California-style reckoning. For now, the slash and burn tax approach to "them" (the top 5%) has assured the people that they can spend all this borrowed money on health care, education, cap and trade, and free this and free that. But in about a year's time, as the deficits and interest rates mount, the fed will start looking everywhere for cash, and Obama's "95% of you will get a tax credit" will go the inoperative way of military tribunals and rendition, and we will start to see a real pushback against taxes.

Gold and guns are starting to look like a good investment.