America is designed to be a federation. Theoretically and within reason, as each state manages it’s own affairs, some will have good ideas and some will have bad ones. Also states (at least in theory) apply only those solutions desired by their people. Meaning a law appropriate for Massachusetts isn’t crammed down the throat of Wyoming; and vice versa. Oh how I wish we hadn’t drifted from that simple humility! The other advantage of a federation is that the nation’s people have an escape valve. They can move from state to state seeking the place they like best… as I have done more than once. (Indeed Americans do this all the time.)
I like it when states do weird things, so long as the stupidity remains at the state level and leaves me out of it. In particular, California regularly comes up with heroically ridiculous ideas. You gotta’ hand it to them; there’s nothing so pointless and minor that they won’t codify a solution to it… that often makes things worse in ironic and amusing ways. So long as they’re not pissing in my Cheerios I don’t care.
The idea of banning plastic straws, for example, is stupid and pointless but since they’re bossing themselves around it’s just a punchline. Enjoy some memes based on California’s newest brilliant idea:
