Letter: Don’t blame Texas for California’s mismanagement
To the editor:
– Dug Chisholm’s letter paints California as a beacon of progress and fairness while blaming President Trump and Texas for every perceived political sin. But if California is truly the “fourth-largest economy in the world,” shouldn’t that success translate into better outcomes for the people who actually live here?
Despite our massive economy, California leads the nation in homelessness, has some of the worst roads in the country, and faces rampant public drug use in nearly every major city. Add to that annual wildfire disasters worsened by decades of forest mismanagement, water rationing from failed environmental policies, and an exodus of businesses and working families escaping our over-taxed, misgoverned state. These issues aren’t caused by anything happening in Texas—they’re the direct result of California’s one-party rule and political arrogance.
Let’s also dispense with the idea that gerrymandering is somehow new or unique to Republican states. Illinois, Maryland, and New York are textbook cases of Democratic-engineered district manipulation. Pretending that “only Texas does it” is either willfully blind or deeply partisan.
And about Proposition 50—Dug has it completely backward. Californians overwhelmingly supported the creation of an independent redistricting commission to take power away from politicians and give it to the people. Now, politicians want to suspend that voter-approved process whenever it’s politically convenient. That’s not democracy; that’s political opportunism. Undermining what voters already decided because the outcome might not favor one party is exactly how democracy erodes. If Sacramento can just override the people’s will whenever it feels threatened, then every future initiative becomes meaningless.
Dug accuses President Trump of endangering democracy while ignoring California’s own failures to manage basic governance within its borders. Maybe before pointing fingers at Texas or defending yet another “Proposition fix,” we should look at what decades of progressive policies have actually done to the Golden State.
And Dug—if your letter is any indication, you might want to get that Trump Derangement Syndrome checked out. It’s clouding your view of reality.
Respectfully,
Gary Brown
Paso Robles
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Spot on. Changing the redistricting law that we the people voted for is the war on democracy.
Gary, how do you condone the 100’s of Trump’s bad actions, some illegal? From the last few days they include: crypto guy who pled guiltuy pardoned for money laundering, Giving $20B to Argentina dictator, hurting American soybeans beef growers by helping Argentina, tearing down Whitehouse east wing without coordinating with any government agency, suing Justice Dept. for previously prosecuting him, asking Texas to get him 5 more Rep. house districts, getting house leader to delay seating an elected Arizona Rep, and refuses to negotiate to restore ACA & Medicare cuts.
Agree, but you didn’t list them all. I recently read a story about this guy that asked his Alexa to list all of Trump’s lies, misstatements, and bitches about how badly he has been treated. Big mistake, his Alexa has not stopped talking for the past 2 days.
Respectfully Mr. Brown! That’s pure MAGA propaganda! The freeways run into California and out of California.Sounds like you already checked out.
Spot on. Changing the redistricting law that we the people voted for is the war on democracy.
Gary, how do you condone the 100’s of Trump’s bad actions, some illegal? From the last few days they include: crypto guy who pled guiltuy pardoned for money laundering, Giving $20B to Argentina dictator, hurting American soybeans beef growers by helping Argentina, tearing down Whitehouse east wing without coordinating with any government agency, suing Justice Dept. for previously prosecuting him, asking Texas to get him 5 more Rep. house districts, getting house leader to delay seating an elected Arizona Rep, and refuses to negotiate to restore ACA & Medicare cuts.
Agree, but you didn’t list them all. I recently read a story about this guy that asked his Alexa to list all of Trump’s lies, misstatements, and bitches about how badly he has been treated. Big mistake, his Alexa has not stopped talking for the past 2 days.
Respectfully Mr. Brown! That’s pure MAGA propaganda! The freeways run into California and out of California.Sounds like you already checked out.