Hard Times...

I have this continually annoying habit on my morning commute- I listen to NPR. It's annoying for a couple of reasons:
1. It gives me things to talk about at social gatherings other than Daisy of Love, The Hills, and Lolcatz.
2. They talk about sports sometimes and it makes me want to elbow the nearest intellectual.
3. The current state of affairs is really freaking depressing.

Exhibit A:
Current State of California's Judiciary

Now, here's where my morning better-than-you radio plays a role. I'd recommend you give this report courtesy of the California Report a listen.

Exhibit B:
Why ballot initiatives piss off Patrick Coughlin


When taken together, you get the sense that if I want to carve out a nice little niche for myself, I'm going to have to be as resourceful as humanly possible. And that's fine. Part of my excitement to start my own firm is that edge and sense of accomplishment that working for yourself will bring. With that being said, I will get sick of California voters mucking it up.

Here's how I see it. I don't want to implicate the mass of California voters as dumb, shortsighted, ignorant, etc. Still, I can't help but think that when a special interest group slaps a pretty cause on a ill-thought plan, we have a tendency to... um... not really think it through. Sorry, I went there. And I would be remiss if I didn't include myself in all of this. I've been in the booth and fell victim to a sappy, feel-good cause.

But here's what's happening. Our legislators (who, yes, do not deserve much sympathy, if any) are essentially hand-cuffed by our own "initiative." If you listen to the California Report's report, I believe there is a reference to Sacramento's inability to cut from an afterschool program. The result? Cutting in to DURINGSCHOOL PROGRAMS! Selfishly bringing it back to me, as soon as I began to read the CalBar article, my brain did this:
Brain: Pat, hit "control", then "f."
Pat: K... now what?
Brain: Type in "appointed."
Pat: K... now what?
Brain: Read, moron.
Pat: Sob....

I know I'm pissing and moaning because it's less opportunity for me, but you know what? It's also less opportunity for those indigent who our Federal Constitution exists to protect.