Fascism, California Style

The California Assembly has passed a bill and sent it to the desk of Governor Brown for his signature to put into law. "What's the subject of this bill?" You ask. Good question, and the answer is nothing short or pure, unadulterated ridiculousness.

California is proposing to ban - meaning make it illegal -for stores to use "single use plastic shopping bags." Yep, you read that correctly. The bags that nearly every store in the nation uses to pack your purchases in for you to carry them home will be illegal in CA. Their stated reasons are to save the "environment and small animals."

Noble sentiments, to be sure, but is the government really the best avenue to accomplish this?

For the record, even as an "evil, dirty air and dirty water conservative," I have no problem with the desire to preserve our environment. I don't even object to reasonable laws, such as anti-littering and anti-pollution laws. It is incumbent upon all of humanity to leave our children a healthy world in which to live. That's almost an automatic understanding for a conservative.

But.......

What I object to is the left's absolute insistence that the government interfere in our lives to the point of making a certain product - usually one that's convenient for the consumer, as well as the most cost-efficient for businesses - illegal, or so costly to use that businesses are forced to stop using said product, whatever it is, thereby inconveniencing the consumer.

One of the definitions of fascism is using the government to force businesses and the citizenry to sell and/or use a certain product/service a certain way. 0bamadontcare, anyone? What this approach usually does is drive up prices. That's proven throughout history.

If you don't want plastic bags used, convince businesses to stop using them. Make it beneficial to consumers to use something else, but leave that decision to the consumers and businesses.

Stop using the government to enforce your social conscience. Let the markets decide what's best for consumers and businesses alike. ~ Hunter