Well, yes, we are the cavalry, for government has nothing it doesn’t take from the private sector. Nothing. That is why states are broke, and areas where government is the strongest may have lower unemployment but that happens only as long as the unions can force tax increases.
The flip side is when, as in CA, government really would prefer you take your grotty little business elsewhere, and tax and regulate to make that happen. A friend runs a paint manufacturing operation in the Central Valley, not one of your high smog areas. He proposed to the air quality folks some process and equipment changes to improve efficiency and worker protection.
He was told it was a great plan but if his permits were changed his factory output would be halved. Why? Those are the new rules for allowable output of VOC’s. So I do nothing and I can keep going? Well, yes, we can’t shut you down under the law, yet. No way to stay in business at that production level, I have to shut down, fire all my workers. Well, that isn’t our problem, we are protecting the environment.
He threw his proposal in the trash, is making a plan to sell or move from CA, taking his financial and intellectual capital with him.
That trend is increasing and, God willing, we are not that far behind him.
