‘Democracy Dies in California’

“To impose a new burden on fast-food restaurants, the state plans to ignore the constitution’s right of voters to review laws.”

George Rebane

California suffers a continuous stream of social, economic, and political disasters.  All of these are formulated, brought to bear, and implemented by the state’s virulently anti-American Democratic Party.  Most of the public policy tragedies arrive unknown and unannounced to the state’s shrinking share of maker residents.  The takers don’t care since they know that all the wealth transfer programs, no matter how scurrilous, all go to buy and pay for their votes.

The latest of these promises an historic change in how California’s referenda will now be treated.  Slated to go into effect tomorrow (1jan23) – “The law creates a state council to dictate wages, working conditions and benefits, among other things, for fast-food workers who aren’t unionized. The law is intended to coerce fast-food franchises to surrender to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).” (here)

What’s different is that this law was passed late in the legislative session to deny Californians any reasonable review of the matter.  However, an astute watchdog organization, Save Local Restaurants, has gathered over a million signatures on a petition opposing the referendum and filed it with the state.  According to California’s constitution “a law is required to be put on hold once a referendum petition with enough signatures is filed.”

The constitution is very specific about this 1911 amendment which reserves “to the people the power to pass judgment upon the acts of the legislature, and to prevent objectionable measures from taking effect.” Once a referendum is filed, “no such act or section or part of such act shall go into effect until and unless approved by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.”

The state is ignoring its constitution, and has stated it will “temporarily” implement the law until the signatures are verified, a task that will be completed sometime in October 2023.  At that time the law will either be withdrawn or made permanent.  Such an unconstitutional, temporarily-in-effect provision has never been attempted before.

If allowed to stand, this legislative tactic – passing bills late in the legislative calendar in order to limit their opponents’ ability to stop them from taking effect - will become yet another tool and precedent for our monopoly political party to continue its destruction of California.  Sleazebags on parade.

The only remaining hope on this is an order by a state judge prohibiting enforcement of the law until a hearing is held in two weeks.  Else “businesses would have to temporarily comply even though the laws may be later suspended once signatures are verified and eventually overturned by voters.”  So it is no surprise that we continue to witness large numbers of our businesses and people vote with their feet by leaving California.

Comments

[Gregory]

In SEIU We Trust, George. Get with the new program. Save Our Democracy.

[Bill Tozer]

For those of us behind the WSJ paywall

AN ACTUAL THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/12/an-actual-threat-to-our-democracy.php

[Bill Tozer]

Year in Review: California Got Even Crazier in 2022

https://freebeacon.com/democrats/year-in-review-california-got-even-crazier-in-2022/

[Randy]

And New York State is a close second!

[scenes]

Probably knows something I don't.

https://www.theunion.com/news/community/dan-and-roxanne-miller-to-move-to-arkansas-more-than-three-decades-of-service-to/article_cf7fed5e-8b3f-11ed-bf1f-a778b80dc139.html

[Cereal Liar]

Old news...

"Fast food may remain affordable for at least another year in California, but possibly at the expense of increased wages for the industry's workers.

AB 257, or the FAST Act, also known as Fast Food Recovery Act, was signed into law by California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 5 to go into effect in January. Two days later, the FAST Act was met with a voter referendum effort to block the law.

A million signatures and 90 days later, the block proved successful. The law can’t be implemented unless it wins a ballot vote in November 2024.

The FAST Act would give an appointed 10-member state council, or “Fast Food Council,” wide-ranging authority over fast food and fast casual restaurants in California with more than 100 locations nationwide. The council could raise the minimum wage to $22 per hour in 2023 and up to 3.5% annually after that. It could also set minimum standards for working conditions, maximum hours worked, security, and more."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2022/12/14/california-fast-food-law-blocked-voters-decide-2024/10891862002/

[Bill Tozer]

Fast Food law in CA is to be on ballot in 2024.

The announcement means the law, also known as the Fast Recovery Act, approved last year by the Legislature is suspended until California voters decide on the November 2024 ballot whether to repeal the law.

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-01-24/californians-to-vote-on-overturning-a-new-law-that-could-raise-fast-food-worker-wages

‘Californians put fast-food law on 2024 ballot’
The law creates a council that would set minimum wages and standards for working conditions at fast-food restaurants

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/californians-fast-food-law-2024-ballot

Ah, an unelected council….another commissar.