Let's analyze the latest entry in the Eastern Publications Trash California sweepstakes, shall we? This one, in a place called "The Atlantic," called "The California Dream is Dying." bit.ly/3wTaHYv
Apparently there is no magazine called "The Pacific," but readers of "The Atlantic" CRAVE California-bashing just like NYT readers do. In fact this piece is currently the most-read piece on "The Atlantic."
And to reach this conclusion that "The California Dream is dying," the writer cites:
1. LA NIMBY homeowners
2. Central Valley Repubs
3. The owner of something called a compounding pharmacy
1. LA NIMBY homeowners
2. Central Valley Repubs
3. The owner of something called a compounding pharmacy
1a. As to 1., wealthy white LA NIMBY homeowners deserve it. The article forgot to mention the progressive wealthy white LA NIMBY homeowners who are totally FOR housing, as long as it's affordable, and against all the rest.
1b. And yes, wealthy white LA NIMBY homeowners control way too much of LA (and thus Cal) politics, and have strangled housing production for too long.
This has been true since 1970s. Remember Prop 13?
This has been true since 1970s. Remember Prop 13?
1c. But by that measure you could say that the "California Dream is dying" has been dying since 1978.
Whining about housing has been going on since forever. It's a feature, not a bug. It does not mean that our dream is dying.
Whining about housing has been going on since forever. It's a feature, not a bug. It does not mean that our dream is dying.
1d. Most importantly, the "Atlantic" writer wholly ignores the vibrant, youth-driven YIMBY movement that has sprung up in California. In other words, people who are keeping the California dream alive. #cayimby
2. Next, the author talks to someone from the Central Valley, a farmer, and a Republican (but they are all the same person!) who whines about, well, everything.
2a. See, Republicans' whole shtick in California is to whine and moan about the FAILED STATE. We are DOOOOMED by Gavin Newsom when not DOOOOOOMED by Jerry Brown. High taxes! Not enough water! Regulations! Whine! Moan!
2b. Dear "The Atlantic" author, equating the Republicans whine about a Democratic-controlled state with "the California Dream is dying" is, ah, something less than convincing.
3. Next, to make the point about regulation, the author talks to a person who runs something called a compounding pharmacy.
3a. Compounding pharmacies are like medieval pharmacies -- they acquire the raw material and blend it themselves.
AND LIKE MEDIEVAL PHARMACIES, THEY SHOULD BE TIGHTLY REGULATED. GOOD HORRORS. WHY DOES THIS NEED MAGAZINE TREATMENT?!?
AND LIKE MEDIEVAL PHARMACIES, THEY SHOULD BE TIGHTLY REGULATED. GOOD HORRORS. WHY DOES THIS NEED MAGAZINE TREATMENT?!?
3b. I mean, if I need to go to someone who is growing his own opium poppies to make into morphine, I want some assurances that I'm not going to get a lethal dose!!! Regulate this PLEASE!
3c. Side note on regulations. We have earthquakes, as do many Pacific-bordering nations. We have building codes. 50 people die in our 6.4 EQs and 50,000 people die in Pakistan's 6.4 EQs because REGULATIONS SAVE LIVES.
Anyway, you get the idea. Yet another entry in the East Coast series on OMG THE CALIFORNIA DREAM IS DYING, which they have been writing since at least the 1960s.
My solution: subscribe to the @latimes and read some real journalism by good journos who actually live here.
My solution: subscribe to the @latimes and read some real journalism by good journos who actually live here.
@latimes At least "The Atlantic" didn't parachute in to explain climate change/ drought/ wildfire.
The planetary dream is dying, but that's a different rant.
This rant, ended.
The planetary dream is dying, but that's a different rant.
This rant, ended.
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