Cal Exit

There she stood in the doorway

I heard the mission bell

I remember thinking to myself

This could be heaven or this could be hell

--Eagles

This election cycle continues to spawn ironic, and often welcome, behavior. Some of it is taking place in California. 

Over the years, leftist ideology has found a home in California with academic institutions such as Cal Berkeley serving as incubators. Yet, since Trump's election, the bastion state of socialistic thought has been considering actions that liberty lovers should applaud.

One is the possibility of secession. Polls suggest that one in three Californians now supports withdrawal from the union, and signature gathering by activists groups is underway. The group Yes California states includes this in its secession rationale:

"This independence referendum...is about the right to self-determination and the concept of voluntary association, both of which are supported by constitutional and international law." [emphasis mine]

Well said. Of course, similar rationale offered by Southern states for breaking away from the union after Lincoln's election has been traditionally viewed by leftists as racist. There is no teacher quite like experience, it appears.

Another possibility being entertained by California is not paying federal taxes. After President Trump threatened last week to cut federal funds from so-called 'sanctuary cities' engaged in harboring illegal aliens, California state officials are reportedly studying ways to withhold payment of federal taxes. California is one of a handful of 'donor states' that collects more in federal taxes than is received in federal funding.

At this time, it does not appear that refusal to forward tax money to the feds would result in the suspension of tax collection. Instead, federal tax payments would remain in the state to offset federal funding cuts to sanctuary cities. 

I have often wondered about what it would take to inspire a large group of US citizens to refuse to pay their income taxes. Such action would likely grind the entire tax collection scheme to a halt--perhaps for good. I hadn't conjured a scenario where historical supporters of the income tax scheme become the holdouts, but it seems an interesting step in the correct direction nonetheless.

If a libertarian-minded president was in office, then he/she would likely view California's actions as gifts that would hasten the process of shrinking the federal government and restoring freedom. Of course, how Trump might respond is anyone's guess. 

Meanwhile, I am enjoying the ironies associated with Cal Exit prospects.