Why is California not governable? Gray Davis exited in disgrace and Arnold really did not do much better. So neither the professional politician nor outsider worked. Is there any hope for either Jerry Brown or Meg Whitman to make this state golden again?
The sad fact is that Californians made themselves ungovernable. Of course no politician will assign blame to the people. So they can only blame other politicians. But that cannot solve the fundamental problem. Therefore the politicians can also strive for a short-term win that makes the system even worse a couple years later. This is the end of a democratic system: everyone suffers like the proverbial frog in a boiling pot that does not jump out until its demise.
The environmentalists want to save the beetle, Earth, or whatever. The farmers want more water and subsidy. The high-tech people want to brainy engineers. The corporate America want to outsource to profit more. The immigrants want to bring their family here. The incumbent want to keep their ways of life. The general population just want to happier life but cheaper, preferably free. Since there is no way to satisfy everyone, let’s just vote. But minority sue when they lost in the election.
This is why I love Niven and Heinlein. They dreamt up Utopian worlds that made so much more sense. Usually, they also contrasted with the sad and impossible purgatory that this Earth has become.
Back to Earth. What to do with this life, this country, or this state that I live in? Yes, I would vote. I now almost always vote against the incumbent. The new comers will at least make this political soap opera more interesting to watch. No, this life won’t get better because we the people won’t let it. Let’s stop blaming Obama, Arnold, or whomever.