British satirist Jonathan Swift offered his infamous modest proposal to deal with an 18th century food crisis: “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked or boiled.”
He obviously wasn’t serious about having poor Irish parents sell their children for food, but Swift effectively spotlighted the hypocrisy of the upper classes. Likewise, my modest idea isn’t really serious, but it would highlight the inconsistent views of California conservatives who champion “local control” to oppose state laws that deregulate local housing construction.
Quite simply, if Republicans truly believe that local control is preeminent, then they should lead the charge to eliminate Proposition 13, the landmark 1978 tax-limiting initiative that severely restrains the ability of local governments to raise taxes. Of course, a consistent application of this localism philosophy would stew, roast, and boil their other supposedly cherished philosophy of limited government…