California is Frankenstein’s Laboratory
In a new op-ed for The Orange County Register, the Senior Director of ALEC’s HHS Task Force joined with co-author Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association to point out just how far out California has gotten with their policies. From a bill to impose “sector-wide minimum standards” for wages, hours and working conditions at fast-food chains (that unfortunately passed the Assembly and now heads to the Senate) to forcing owners of rent-controlled apartment buildings to stay in that business for at least five years — even if they were losing money (that fortunately failed to garner enough support), the Legislature’s radicalism was on full display.
California, ranked 45th for Economic Outlook in Rich States, Poor States, considered eliminating private health insurance and going to a single-payer state-run system. A nightmare for those of us who believe that to improve health care, we need less government—not more. Fortunately, the proposal failed to get out of committee, but it probably isn’t the last we will see of it. The state Democratic Party has added single-payer health care to its platform and the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party has vowed not to endorse any candidate that opposes single-payer health care.
Luckily for California residents, the worst of the lot, Assembly Bill 1400 failed to get out of committee. If you live in California, your health care at least is safe for another day.