California’s War on Consumers

There was a time when buying a light bulb did not require government permission. Customer demand dictated market choices. You walked into a store, examined the alternatives, considered price and quality, and bought the one you wanted. The manufacturer wanted to sell it. The merchant wanted to stock it. You wanted to buy it. Three voluntary parties agreed; nobody else’s rights were violated, and that was the end of the matter. But that arrangement is incompatible with the agenda of California’s overlords. Today, while shopping online, Californians routinely encounter a disturbing message: “This item cannot be shipped to your location.”...