Whatever Abel's Smoking, We Want Some!

Republican Lt. Governor, Abel Maldonado, the elected official who made a recent enormous California tax hike possible, is worried about the health of the GOP in this state.  Specifically, he fears that promoting an Arizona-style immigration initiative will make Republicans unelectable. Maldonado has been quoted as issuing the following warning:  "You can pull the life-support machine off the party, just pull the plug ..."

Based upon this remark, I almost have to wonder what state he's evaluating.  More to the point, how could things possibly be made worse for the California GOP?  Aside from the opposition party declaring martial law and imprisoning political dissenters without trials, I'm not sure what would qualify as "worse."

Mr. Maldonado needs to take a good hard look at the post mid-term election terrain and come to terms with reality.

California has annual budget shortfalls and an illegal alien population that dwarfs those of any other state.  If states could file for bankruptcy, ours would be the first.  If states could opt to secede from the U.S. and join other countries, California would be the most logical choice to be handed over to Mexico.

Our sanctuary cities act as magnets that allow us to import the impoverished and under-skilled at a rate no other state comes close to matching.  Further, many of our public schools are now on a par with those found in Louisiana and Mississippi; we mass produce uneducated residents unfit for most white collar and technical jobs.  Additionally, California's unemployment rate is well-above the national average.  And to top it off, we are home to 15% of the nation's population, but can boast of hosting over 30% of welfare recipients in the U.S.

Yet in spite of all this, every single Republican candidate who ran for statewide office last month was rejected by a majority of California voters.  Instead, Jerry Brown, Barbara Boxer and a slew of other Democrats, precisely the people who meticulously crafted many of the problems we currently face, were selected to continue to provide leadership.

A quick survey of the situation reveals the obvious.  It's already about as bad as it will get for Republicans in California.  And here's more bad news - undereducated, low wage earners, particularly those who believe they have an ethnic axe to grind, don't commonly veer to the GOP.

What do we know about Arizona's law?  Many of its provisions were suspended when it was examined by a judge, and before it was ever implemented, over 100,000 people left the state for "safer" locations.

Our illegal alien population is well over double the size of the one that existed, until recently, in the Copper State.  Further, there are far more anchor babies with illegal alien parents in California than there were in Arizona.

Could future GOP candidates stand to lose six figures worth of illegal aliens and their family members?  Would frightening off over 100,000 bus boys, unwed mothers, people utilizing WIC benefits, car wash employees, patients who routinely leave hospital medical bills unpaid, and children who drop out of high school at a rate of over 50%, further cripple the California Republican party?  Would the hint of immigration enforcement intentions scare away the very voters who normally storm to the polls to cast their ballots for those promising fiscal responsibility and limited government?

Arizona's immigration law on the California ballot, backed by the Republican Party?  It's a no-brainer.  Our state's GOP can't be rejected any more thoroughly than it already has, and at worst, assuming the ballot initiative is entirely overruled by the courts or rejected by voters, there will be tens of thousands fewer Californians around of precisely the type that most vehemently oppose conservative principles.

Mr. Maldonado might consider the notion that it is time to take a new tack, particularly in view of the fact that the old ones have failed so royally.  This time, let's try yanking away the welcome mat.