How Dumb Do They Think We Are?

Actually, apparently pretty dumb.  I've watched the initiative process in California with a mixture of disgust and amazement.  This form of direct representation was originally conceived as a way for the people to bypass State Representatives who were in the pockets of special interest groups and institute laws or constitutional amendments on their own.  But like many things, there have been unintended consequences.  We now have paid signature gatherers, or signature mercenaries, which allows anyone with about $2 million to get an initiative on the ballot.

Which brings us to the latest fleecing...Proposition 30.  Gov Brown said he wouldn't increase taxes unless the people voted on it.  But of course he knew that was easy to accomplish.  Just go to his buddies in the unions and in the California Teachers Association to get the tax increase on the ballot. And how would he sell new taxes?  Say it's for the kids.  Once again bring in your lackeys to fund a deluge of ads to pound in the story that the tax increase will go to the schools.  Don't worry that if anyone bothers to really read the initiative they would discover that it isn't true.  Because most won't take the time to read it.  The money will just as easily go to the general fund for use by Brown and his cronies.  And most people won't know it because they believe the ads.

So we return to the central question...How dumb do they think we are?  Well, consider this.

• California has the highest gas tax in the U.S.
• California has the highest sales tax in the U.S.
• California has the second highest income tax in the U.S.
• California has the 8th highest corporate income tax in the U.S.
• California has the 10th highest property tax per unit of property in the U.S.
• California state and local government employees are the highest paid in all 50 states.
• California taxpayers are responsible for $62.1 billion unfunded liability for government retirees’ health benefits.
• Local pension costs are growing twice as fast as spending on emergency services, health, education, parks and social programs.
• California has 12% of America’s population and 33% of the nation’s welfare recipients.
• California has the worst credit rating of all states.
• California is losing residents to other states.  During the past decade, 4.9 million left the state, 3.7 million came in.  Net out-migration: 1.2 million.  Total lost economic production: $29.4 billion.  Lost tax revenues: about $2.9 billion for the decade.  That’s almost a third of the $8.5 billion Gov. Jerry Brown seeks in his tax increase on the November ballot.

So how dumb are we?  In my heart of hearts I'm hoping that people will recognize the shell game and chicanery.  I'm hoping people will make our elected representative do their jobs and govern.  I'm hoping that people will see who is sponsoring all the deceptive ads and recognize them for what they are.  But I just don't know.  We can be pretty dumb!