Total Retard
Governor Schwarzenegger's latest fix for California's budget crisis is to shut down 48 state parks to save money on upkeep and staffing. The possible closures include Tomales Bay, San Simeon, Topanga, and Will Rogers. At the same time he plans to hire guards to keep the pesky public out. Though many are saying 'ol Arnie's proposal is just a bluff, the mere thought of such actions should make even the most level-headed resident feel like chucking this clown right out of the state. This is public land, bro, not some sort of leverage dealie. And IF it does come down to this, I'd like to see a lot of you brothers and sisters out there in those closed parks, picnicking, hiking, whatever, just USING your rightful public land and thumbing your nose at any government stooges who try to stop you. Meanwhile some jokers think that CHARGING people to use this land is the answer. Are you serious? For one thing, most of them already do, for parking or camping fees. Where's that money going? As for the rest, after selling off and plowing over just about every inch of natural landscape, you're going to make us pay to walk around on the few acres that don't have crappy subdivisions or shopping mall parking lots spread over them? You’ve got to be kidding me.
If that weren't enough to inspire a new batch of Terminate the Terminator bumper stickers than here's the latest news from Sacto. Yesterday Schwarzenegger announced his support of the OC tollway that'll cut right through San Onofre State Park—against the recommendation of the State Park and Recreation Commission and just about every Californian who thinks things like clean beaches and open public areas are more important than fastlanes for SUVs and lining the pockets of freeway building entrepreneurs. "I have concluded that this project is essential to protect our environment and the quality of life for everyone in California," Schwarzenegger said in a letter to the Coastal Commission. So accepting the misleadingly-named Transportation Corridor Agency's kickback to put new trashcans in the park is going to make up for the fact that one of the region's last unobstructed deltas and a major animal right-of-way are soon going to be bisected by a deafening river of smog and concrete?
I say send the fool an email and tell him that closing our public parks is not an option. And remind him that in the old days, if you hired someone to keep tabs on your budget and he fucked it up this bad he'd be out on his ass, not jocking around Malibu on a poser Harley. And while you're at the computer, let him know that you’d like his developer buddies to keep their money-grubbing mits off San O, and that he ought to know (being the Conservative he claims to be) that putting less cars on the roads we have (through public transportation, carpooling, etc.) is the solution not only to gridlock, but for keeping California golden the way it ought to be.