On March 25th, an Arkansas lawmaker said that the state of Arkansas should ban California wine.
This would be retribution for the California state law requiring egg-laying hens to be able to stand up, turn around and fully extend their wings.
So now, what does a California law have to do with Arkansas?
Well, in 2010 the California Legislature extended those egg-laying requirements to all eggs sold in the state -- while also barring some eggs from cooped-up hens in other states including Arkansas.
Yes, in other words, the State of California is attempting to force it's laws and practices on other states through economic pressure.
California activism is something not totally unfamiliar in other states who do business with California.
California is very well known for imposing its social agenda and Political Correctness on other states by forcing them to either accept their demands or receive economic pressure in the way of business restrictions and threats of boycotted goods.
There are many example of California Liberals pushing themselves on other states through threatened boycotts. The latest is because of the state of Indiana's desire to enforce religious freedom's there.
Since that is not something California Liberals believe in, they have now started to threaten Indiana by talking about boycotts.
But now, for the first time to my knowledge, a state is actually fighting back.
The Arkansas state House voted 57-19 to advance to the Senate a bill that outlaws wine imports from any state that imposes a "substantial burden" on the Arkansas agriculture industry.
The Secretary of the Arkansas Agriculture Department would determine what is burdensome under the bill.
The Director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division would be able to sanction or revoke a license of a business that broke the law.
Republican Rep. Dan Douglas of Bentonville said California's voter-approved 2008 egg law has created a "nightmare" for Arkansas producers.
"We have to show the state of California they cannot force their standards on us," Douglas said.
Douglas also warned lawmakers that the egg ban is a slippery slope that could lead to other infringements.
"It's eggs today. Is it chickens tomorrow or cattle on down the road? Is it air quality restrictions?" Douglas said. "This could be just the beginning."
Douglas previously said he wrote the bill primarily to send a strong anti-regulation message to California legislators. The bill targets only wine imports, he said, because California exports lots of wine.
Charles Singleton, a lobbyist for the state's wine and alcohol wholesalers, previously estimated that about 90 percent of the wine sold in Arkansas comes from California and that the proposed law would disrupt existing distribution contracts.
Republican Rep. Stephen Meeks of Greenbrier voted against the bill and said the ban would harm Arkansas residents by limiting what they can buy.
Republican Rep. Dan Douglas of Bentonville said California's voter-approved 2008 egg law has created a "nightmare" for Arkansas producers.
"We have to show the state of California they cannot force their standards on us," Douglas said.
Douglas also warned lawmakers that the egg ban is a slippery slope that could lead to other infringements.
"It's eggs today. Is it chickens tomorrow or cattle on down the road? Is it air quality restrictions?" Douglas said. "This could be just the beginning."
Douglas previously said he wrote the bill primarily to send a strong anti-regulation message to California legislators. The bill targets only wine imports, he said, because California exports lots of wine.
Charles Singleton, a lobbyist for the state's wine and alcohol wholesalers, previously estimated that about 90 percent of the wine sold in Arkansas comes from California and that the proposed law would disrupt existing distribution contracts.
Republican Rep. Stephen Meeks of Greenbrier voted against the bill and said the ban would harm Arkansas residents by limiting what they can buy.
Sounding like someone not willing to fight for his state, Meeks also worried the bill could prompt retaliation from California lawmakers.
"Where does it end?" Meeks asked. "When states start issuing tariffs against each other or putting up a lot of barriers I think that's probably not a good precedent to set for the economic future of the country."
"Where does it end?" Meeks asked. "When states start issuing tariffs against each other or putting up a lot of barriers I think that's probably not a good precedent to set for the economic future of the country."
And there is the problem as I see it, one man, in this case Meeks, who is afraid to fight to help his constituents and ultimately surrenders the freedom of his state to the wishes of California legislators.
Whoever voted for Meeks should ask if the wants to be a legislator in Arkansas or a lobbyist for the Liberals in Sacramento California?
With more businesses leaving California than coming here, I see this as a great time to fight the state of California and stop them from imposing its social ideals on other states.
The Californication of other states should stop. The influence of the California lifestyle and political norms on other states is not a desired product.
It is bad enough when Californians move to other states like Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Arizona, and then tries to live, speak, and act like they are still in California.
Or worse, they get there and try to change that new state or city into where they just came from in California.
Other states do not need to be forced to adhere to California laws. Independent states are just that, and do not wish to live like people do here in one of the most regulated places in the world.
When traveling to other states, I am never surprised that California has the reputation it has. There is a reason for it. It is deserved.
And yes, that's just the way i see it.
Tom Correa
