Recently Oklahoma has been added to California's state-sponsored travel blacklist.
I see that Alabama has already made this list previously. Apparently California is attempting to exert economic influence on another state's politics. Whether is this a good idea, or just meddlesomeness, is a matter of opinion.
I must say that it is absolutely comic to think of California as a possible moral compass!
But, amazing to say, none of the articles regarding this addressed the practical aspect of what sort of magnitude this sort of blacklist has on most states.
For example, just how has Alabama been affected by being on California's travel blacklist? Somehow, I don't see there having been a large number of ordinary California state employees being required to go to Alabama for some reason or other. Or maybe some beach-starved Californian workers are jonesing for some quality beach time at Gulf Shores!
It is very unlikely that anyone has come up with a specific amount that a travel ban of this type would affect a particular state; it would require shifting through a lot of raw data (travel receipts).
ReplyDeleteSomeone once said that relations between states should be like lovemaking between porcupines: it should be done very carefully. A large state with significant economic clout may come across as a bully and generate resentment, and cause citizens of the targeted state to launch a voluntary economic boycott of the perceived bully political entity.
Gulf Shores is not Laguna Beach (my favorite); but it's not bad.
S
This is a pro forma gesture liikely to have minimal impact.
ReplyDeleteKind of mean-spirited of them, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't lose sleep over this grandstand move.
ReplyDeleteThanks, you all. You made some good points.
ReplyDeleteCalifornia officials not traveling here -- sounds pretty good to me.
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