Liberal Califas

President Bush began a four-day visit to California today, and protestors are giving him a warm unwelcome at every stop. According to the NY Times, a demonstration at Stanford forced Bush to move a meeting at the Hoover Institution.

This is, after all, California.

The same California that voted Schwarzenegger for governor. And Reagan. And Deukmejian - who cut my public education down to reading, writing and 'rithmetic. And Wilson - who thought the illegal immigrants didn't deserve that watered-down education at all, or any other social service for that matter. I guess if your people missed the boat to Ellis Island you've got to pick lettuce or go home.

Have you been to Berkeley lately? You'll hear more about getting in on the next big tech startup or catching the tail end of the real estate boom than finding a solution to the healthcare crisis. Or how about Santa Monica - the Berkeley of the south - where people blithely chase their Hollywood stars in their SUV's? When gas prices are low, who cares how the oil execs/Saudi royals/White House are related?

We the liberati of San Francisco and Los Angeles can be a big smug, no? Reduce/reuse/recycle, organic, fair trade, green buildings, gay friendly, Medi-Cal, rent control. We are progressive in many ways, and I love that about this place. But at the end of the day, are we sending our tax refunds back to the government to cover our bloated national debt? I know I didn't. I have yet to hear anyone say 'The value of my property has appreciated too quickly,' even though it means many Californians will be unable to own their own homes. I know I can't, unless I want to dedicate 2/3 of my income to a condo the size of a shoebox.

I'm not saying we shouldn't protest, but, California, if we are going to be liberal, let's vote like we're liberal. Let's put people in office who will set things right in our own state. If we are going to be liberal, let's spend our money like we are liberal. Let's buy from ethical companies. Let's donate to charity. Let's take public transportation every once in a while. Words are good, but action is better.