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#  Will California Be SOS (Same Ol’…Stuff) Or Rejoin The USA This Year?

May 04 2026

Written by Ken Alpern.

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ALPERN AT LARGE - Contrary to popular belief as of late, California is neither smarter, more enlightened, or more competent than other states in our nation—which, by the way, still does include the economically upward-bound states of Florida and Texas.

As much as the usual suspects, in power for decades, want to cover things up, the cold and unfeeling laws of physics and economics still hold true in California as it does in the rest of the nation.

Natural Law #1: 2 plus 2 cannot equal 7, or 6, or even 5. Just four, my friends—if too many are on the dole, or getting public-funded pensions, or getting raises at the largesse of the taxpayers, and if the top 1% of California taxpayers are paying 39-50% of our state’s income tax revenue, then budgets STILL have to add up, politics or no.

Natural Law #2: Global climate change is a real problem, but destroying our economy, and cramming lots of people into small geographic regions on the coasts, isn’t smart. Lower populations, and more spread-out populations, and modern nuclear power in the open [spaces of the state ](https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/nuclear-power-most-reliable-energy-source-and-its-not-even-close) is THE 21st Century answer to our energy challenges, as per the U.S. Department of Energy.

Natural Law #3: Fossil fuels are NOT a thing of the past, solar has serious limitations, and wind has virtually no cost-effective benefits. Hybrid cars are great, and neither fully-electric cars nor high-speed rail of over 200 mph or more are either energy-efficient or environmentally-friendly.

Natural Law #4: Ethnicity, gender, or sexual preferences have any impacts on the competence, morality, or work-ethic of either a California voter or a California leader.

Natural Law #5: If we don’t have a strong, study middle-class and cheap energy and water (and other infrastructure), our state—and ANY state or nation—is in trouble.

There are plenty of other economic and political models in other American states for California to emulate or eschew—if one spends a bit of time studying and watching BOTH liberal and conservative news sources, we’ll see how Nevada, Washington, Idaho, New York, Texas, North Carolina, and Florida are succeeding and/or failing.

Should we care if Sheriff Bianco is of Italian descent, or former U.S. Secretary Health and Human Services Becerra is of Latino descent?

Holy Heavens, no! NO!

Should we care if Tom Steyer is a billionaire and businessman and philanthropist, or if Matt Mahan is Mayor of San Jose?

Holy Heavens, yes! YES!

Should we care if Steve Hilton is bald, or if Porter is a woman?

Holy Guacamole, no! NO!

Should we care if Hilton or Porter have personalities and policies in place that instill confidence in potential voters as the next California governor?

Holy Guacamole, yes! YES!

Hence the issues of a Balanced Budget, 21st Century water/power/utility New Starts projects, Housing Policy, Homeless Policy, Education Policy should be at the front of all campaigns and associated debates.

“I’m a woke Democrat”, or “I’m a Trump Republican” belongs nowhere in the governor’s race, and letting the electorate know how we can improve after Gavin Newsom’s eight years in power should be foremost in candidates of both parties.

Hate the High-Cost, High-Speed Bullet Train? Fine—what’s the better transportation policy?

“F-ck Trump”? as a campaign slogan…probably means you’re diverting from a lack of policies and ideas of your own.

Cost-effective infrastructure—boring but a winner.

Law-enforcement and results-oriented housing and homeless policies—other winners.

Working with Washington regardless of who is in the White House, and better county/state and city/state processes—still other winners.

But we can’t afford a “third term” of Gavin Newsom.

We need change. We need adults. We need respect for the aforementioned Natural Laws listed above.

We need a responsible, adult leader in the governor’s mansion by Thanksgiving.

Not fun or sexy, just mature and sober—otherwise, it’s the “same ol’ …stuff” we’ve been doing for decades.

*(Kenneth S. Alpern, M.D, is a dermatologist who has served in clinics in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties, and is a proud husband and father. He was active for 20 years on the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC) as a Board Member focused on Planning and Transportation, and helped lead the grassroots efforts of the Expo Line as well as connecting LAX to MetroRail. His latest project is his fictional online book entitled The Unforgotten Tales of Middle-Earth, and can be reached at <Ken.Alpern@MarVista.org>. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Dr. Alpern.)*

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