Earlier this month, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a law mandating that California generate 33% of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2020. The law is expected to help improve the environment (whatever that means) and may create up to 100,000 jobs in the green energy sector (nevermind how many jobs will definitely be eliminated in the coal and natural gas industries). Governor Brown told reporters that “it’s about California leading the country. It’s America potentially leading the world.”
California, lead the country? Really? Perhaps Governor Brown means that California is demonstrating what the rest of country shouldn't do. With its insatiable appetite for progressive programs, high tax rates, and one of the worst financial situations in the entire country, California is little more than a joke. Undoubtedly Governor Brown’s law will serve as a micro-example of what happens when green energy is forcibly integrated into an already-damaged economy (hint, hint, President Obama). California cannot lead the country with such policies, and when America follows suit, we eliminate our potential to lead the world.
Among the worst states for economic and job growth,businesses are fleeing California in droves, faster than Ken Salazar when confronted with an application for offshore drilling. Just last week, Twitter signed a lease to move to a new location in San Francisco, officially confirming that the ingenious new media company would be staying in the City by the Bay. This only came after Twitter threatened to jump ship unless the city approved a payroll tax exemption.
In light of the current deficit crisis and Obama desperately grasping at raising taxes on the wealthy, the United States as a whole needs to learn from California’s proffered example: raise taxes all you want, but don’t expect the moneymakers to stick around and pay ‘em.
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