Term limits took away
the electorate’s ability to throw the scoundrels out

We were opposed to term limits that were imposed several years ago in California on grounds that the best candidate for the job might just be the incumbent. And voters already had the option of setting "term limits" with every election cycle.

California’s "energy crisis" is the product of state legislators who, for the most part, can’t be thrown out of office because we took away that privilege when we enacted term limits. So we can’t get a measure of revenge for the officeholders who passed deregulation years ago.

While most of us believe that we’re being gouged with every turn of the electricity meter, California hasn’t added adequate power-generating capacity to accommodate our growing population. Even if existing residents make major cutbacks in their own consumption, we can’t come close to compensating for population growth.

We’re really worried about next summer.

For those who think the shortage is total hogwash, guess again. Power companies can’t make money on electricity that isn’t there. So if there are blackouts, and they appear likely next summer, don’t be surprised when your central air conditioning gets some unexpected downtime on the hottest days of the year.

In the meantime, turn off the lights you’re not using and stop running the TV when nobody’s watching. Switch some 100-watt light bulbs to 60 or if three bulbs illuminate the vanity or medicine cabinet, unscrew one or two.

We can save electricity.

But throwing a few politicians out of Sacramento would have felt better.