farmer wants to secede from california

California farmer Virgil Rogers wants to divide California into two. He wants to separate coastal California - you know, the part of the state with 90% of the people - from the interior.

Why? Because “Those Hollywood types don’t have any idea what’s going on out here on the farms.” Seems old Mr. Rogers is upset that city folk "just don’t know what it takes to get food on their table.” And now Proposition 2 has banned the tight confinement of egg-laying hens, veal calves and sows.

There are other things Hollywood types don't know about what's going on out on the farms. They don't know about the fat farm subsidies they get, cash from you and me to them. They don't know about the subsidized water rates they pay - that we are taking water from the Owens Valley and Mexico in order to allow farmers to grow alfalfa in the DESERT.

So if we're gonna do some truth telling, Mr. Rogers, let's make sure we do it in both directions. The fact is, rural-dominated legislatures (like the US Senate) are reactionary, farm-protectionist outfits. Believe it or not, legislatures don't exist solely for the sake of farmers. They represent, they protect the interests of us ALL. That includes the interests of farmers, and the interests of the OTHER 98% of Americans.