Election 2016 was great news for
almost all Republicans.
We know about the blue states that
went red. Wisconsin went from a sea of blue to a near red-state (except Madison
and Milwaukee). Michigan is on the road to recovery, and red all over, too. In
Pennsylvania, Democratic strongholds like Erie County and the surrounding
suburbs of Philadelphia County went Republican. States which stayed Democratic
got redder, too. Minnesota was a near-win for Trump. A Republican governor with
a now ruby-red legislature will flip the Land of 10,000 Lakes into the GOP
column in 2018. Illinois Republicans also made modest legislative gains. A new
Republican Rust Belt strategy will pay future dividends. Globalist pressures, immigration,
and anti-American trade deals are forcing conservatives to target the
industrial core of America, long neglected by the think tanks.
But the Republican resurgence missed
other deep-blue states like Rhode Island and Delaware. Hawaii’s lone GOP state
senator succumbed to the Blue Hawaii syndrome. Aloha State Democrats now hold
unanimous control in the state senate.
It was bad news in California, too,
following modest gains in 2014. Democrats took back the state legislative
super-majority. The final blow fell when Democrats flipped a state senate seat
in the reliably Republican SoCal region of Diamond Bar. The California
press—from the Sacramento Bee to the Los Angeles Times—have
downplayed this progressive political restoration, claiming that Sacramento’s
moderate Democrats will hold back the hyper-liberalism of their peers.
Yeah, sure!
The State Assembly Speaker Anthony
Rendon (who represents cities with the lowest quality of life among cities
nationwide) will enjoy a longer shelf-life (since reformed term limits extended
his potential tenure to 12 years). He wants to focus on “Latinos.” What? The
rest of Californians don’t matter?! Taxes are coming. Water is not. Labor
unions rule, and uniformed voters drool. Anti-religious bigot state senator
Ricardo Lara will take another crack at criminalizing Christianity.
California’s liberal ruling class
despises Trump, and demand secession. Should we be surprised? Progressives
resemble the Confederates of 1860. They like their slaves (welfare-dependent
and illegal), and they don’t want the federal government messing with their
peculiar institution of “Government First, Individual Last.” If there is a
secession, the 19 northeastern California counties that voted for Trump should
form The State of Jefferson and call it a day.
But seriously, is there a silver
lining for the Golden State?
Former Congressional
candidate-turned-radio host Carl DeMaio (who ran on nearly every Democratic
plank in 2014) discussed with libertarian Steven Greenhut the need for a robust
opposition. They claim that Republicans are too focused on law-and-order
issues. They need to be libertarian, fit their district. My assemblyman David
Hadley checked off every box on their list … and still lost.
Should California Republicans just
pull up stakes and leave? I met California transplants in Texas, but I’m not
ready to leave, yet. After three weeks of reviewing California’s epic losses, I
believe California can be saved. Trump’s most enthusiastic supporters—from
Marco “Taco Trucks” Gutierrez to We the People Rising—all hail from California.
Long Beach, CA is the seat for one of the most active national Trump
contingents.
1. Voter ID. Voter fraud is the
norm, not an anomaly, in California. CBS news investigator David Goldstein
discovered dead people voting in Los Angeles County elections. In San Pedro, CA,
an apartment received 83 ballots mailed to different people. The Democratic
state legislature enacted automatic motor-voter registration, and the year
before, California Democrats allowed illegal aliens to get drivers’ licenses.
California’s Secretary of State Alex
Padilla (who denies the existence of voter fraud) allows people to register to
vote online. California Republicans are mulling a lawsuit (finally!). I would
like to see Attorney General Sessions sue the state of California for rampant
voter irregularities. After all, voter fraud violates the civil rights of all
Californians!
2. Labor reforms. Big Labor buys
politicians the way chefs buy meat at the butcher shop. Their domination in
Sacramento ensures the progressive agenda for all, while taxpayers get to pay
for it.
South Orange County teacher Rebecca
Friedrichs sued California’s largest labor union—the California Teachers
Association—because the coerced dues violated her First Amendment rights. Her
case stalled before the Supreme Court following Justice Antonin Scalia’s
untimely passing. Still, anti-forced unionism cases are advancing through
federal courts. Trump appoints Super-Scalia, and forced unionism in
California—plus the dues which fund the Democratic Party—is dead. (Trump should
also sign the National Right-To-Work, sponsored by
US Senator Rand Paul!).
3. Religious Freedom Restoration
Initiatives. The churches across the country did not sit out Election 2016.
Religious liberty faced extinction if Jezebel Hillary won the presidency.
Ricardo Lara’s SB 1146 woke up Christians even in Sodom-and-Gomorrah
California. Conservatives need to tap into this momentum. California’s churches
are alive and well, but need to get active. Donald Trump was the only
Presidential candidate to suggest repeal of the nefarious Johnson amendment
during the campaign. If Congress repeals this law, churches and pastors will
reassert their freedom, then participate in politics and shape the culture.
4. A Donald Trump presidency is
ready to defund sanctuary cities. California has at least 35. Securing the
borders and ending welfare to illegal aliens will remove California’s
Democratic voter base while welcoming back taxpayers and middle-income
families.
5. Expand School Choice and Defend
Charter schools. Trump’s Department of Education nominee, Betsy DeVos, will
take these reforms national. In California, parents and students have organized
against corrupt, union-bought city councils which oppose school choice and
impose moratoria on charter schools.
Californians can do their part, too,
of course:
6. Repeal Prop 14. In 2008,
California enacted Louisiana-style jungle primary. The result? Three quarters
of Los Angeles Country residents have no Republican on their ballot, besides
Donald Trump. Epic fail. It must be repealed.
Is this a tall order for California?
It would be yuge! But
with President Trump, Californians have nothing to lose!
Are you saying that adopting libertarian attitudes and positions is part of the problem in the CA GOP?
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