You’ve probably all heard the news that a California legislator submitted a bill that would allow the state to place digital ads on California license plates. The law has not passed and, given the stupidity of it, I doubt it will. Nevertheless, the whole idea makes me stabby.
We Don’t Need More Advertising
Seriously, we don’t need more advertising. I pass enough billboards on my way home. I don’t need to see ads on the physical cars. Then I go home and see ads on the TV. I see ads on the internet. I don’t hear ads on the radio, but only because I listen to NPR. Instead I hear watered down messages about sponsors.
The world has enough advertising in it. Leave me alone!
Don’t Force Your Ads Onto My Property
This is actually the thing that bothers me more. I already hate it when AT&T sends me text ads on my cell phone. It’s MY phone. I’ll thank you not to spam me on it.
This would go a bit further, by forcing me to broadcast ads from my car. Unless they’re giving me a free car, the answer is no. It’s MY car. I choose what goes on it. I don’t even have a bumper sticker. I think I have a dealer license plate frame on the front, but the back one was stolen along with the plate. If I do want to advertise on my car, then I should get the money for it, not the state. Why should I buy a car with my money, and pay for auto registration every year, only to have the state slap ads on it?
California Needs to Clean Up the System, Not Find New Revenue
I’m not a fan of the California legislature – on either side of the aisle. The Democrats always find new ways to spend more and more money, and the Republicans have just enough power to hold up the budget without proposing any real solutions.
Our idiotic proposition system doesn’t make things any better. At this point, some 63% of general fund spending is mandated by law. The legislators get no say in the matter. This is thanks to government by the people, who blindly vote for propositions that tie up more and more money, which gives the government less power to direct the money where it’s needed.
The first step in solving this problem would be to eliminate the proposition system. It costs the state money and the ballot initiatives usually end up doing more harm than good.
The second step is for the government to go on an austerity plan. Stop promising state employees cushy retirements and health plans if you don’t intend to save the money to do so. Stop wasting money on campaign mailers and other fluff. Stop paying legislators when they don’t pass the budget on time. Stop stealing from future budgets to pay for this year’s expenses. Stop stealing from local governments to pay for state expenses.
And finally, stop trying to foist new revenue-drivers on the people of California. For example, keep your ads off my license plate!
