The other week I had to drive through much of California due to the failure of Southwest Airline’s reservation system. Sitting down to write my observations I wonder if there are similarities to Southwest Airlines’ failure to upgrade basic infrastructure needed to maintain the airline’s ability to function to that of the state of California.
Driving from California’s Imperial Valley two hours east of San Diego, through San Diego and up Interstate 5 past Sacramento I observed, I was impressed, and I was saddened at what California and its citizens have done in the past and what the state has become.
First off, driving north on I-5 from San Diego the freeway ventures inland a bit before it takes a turn to the west by northwest as it enters Los Angeles county and East Los Angeles, I was struck by something that is indicative of what California has become. This happened before the freeway passes by downtown Los Angeles and heads up toward the San Fernando Valley and the Grapevine, the major mountain range and pass that separates the Southern California counties from California’s Central Valley. Traffic was slow and for several miles and the distinct smell of urine permeated the air. I am not sure if this is where the massive homeless camp exists, if I was downwind of the camp or what. Here I was driving in what is supposed to be a first world city in a first world nation on one of its freeways and smelled like urine and I did not mention there was trash littering the side of the freeway for miles.
Next, I stayed in two motels during my trip, one in the Imperial Valley and the other in Bakersfield, both of which are in California. Each motel is part of the same hotel/motel chain and each billed themselves as a suite and the difference was palpable. The room in the Imperial Valley cost 50% more than the room in Bakersfield and, quite honestly, it was substandard as compared to the room in Bakersfield. Granted both rooms were clean, the beds were made, and the towels were folded and clean. The differences existed around the edges. In the Imperial Valley, the room had no tissue, for example, and the person at the front desk was ambivalent when I asked why I could not turn the television volume down with the provided remote control. The room reminded me of one in Las Vegas in which there was no warmth and designed only to take my money.
The room in Bakersfield, on the other hand, was remarkably similar in structure and what it provided but seemed warmer for lack of a better word. I was struck by what it seemed to provide for less money. The room was cozier and just seemed to provide more value for lack of a better word.
Moving through the state I was making time out of necessity wanting to avoid an incoming storm and so I did not spend much time anywhere. Driving through Los Angeles and up the interior portion of the state had the biggest impact on me. I was amazed at the amount of infrastructure that had been built to support industry at one time in Los Angeles. I saw beautiful brick buildings that obviously were once factories with large power lines feeding these buildings. I noted that the power lines had been physically cut from the building and that they were nothing more than silent hulks with rusting metal fringes now. “What happened here?”, I thought to myself.
Of course, I know what happened and I can sum it up with one word, corruption. Corruption at the local, county, state and federal levels of power.
The infrastructure is failing, billions of dollars are being spent on a railway that will never pan out that could be spent widening I-5 up the Central Valley and 395 around Victorville, for instance. Will this happen? I doubt it because that would require the gilded elite to leave their cherished enclaves of Los Angeles, Alameda, Sonoma, Napa, and San Francisco Counties and drive around the whole state of California. Yes, I said drive and not fly. They would have to eat somewhere other than the French Laundry, like an Outback Steak House or, gasp, Arby’s, Denny’s, a local diner and stay in motels because they are the only restaurants and lodgings in many of these small towns.
Speaking of San Francisco Country and the city by the bay I learned that in the financial district of the city there are armed guards at many of the shops to prevent theft. This is in a city that no longer prosecutes petty theft up to $1,000.00. So, let me get this straight, businesses must pay high taxes in a city and state ostensibly that provides the service of law enforcement. A city and state that no longer will enforce the law and now these businesses must pay for private security on top of the high taxes that they receive no benefit from paying. Is it me or does anyone else see a problem here?