Properly Subversive: Let’s be honest about Marin ‘electrification’ — we’re boiling frogs here for so little gain it can’t be measured

Sherman R. Frederick/Properly Subversive

On Nov. 15 the County Board of Supervisors will consider a new law to take another step in the “electrification” of Marin. The supervisors appear enthused, news reports indicate, and after passage they will try to convince every other Marin government to follow their lead.

The new law pretends to save us from climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in our funny little corner of the planet.

The county portrays the proposed law as no big deal. Nothing to see here – just a painless “incremental step” that over time will give us “a de-carbonized building environment.” 

But, my dear Marin friends, there are moving parts to this law, including a raft of rules  governing “alterations, additions and remodels” that you may not view as so painless in the upkeep of your private property in 2023. And, mark my words, eventually the well-meaning people who back this new law will also be the ones who one day in the not too distant future will force you by law to swap out your beloved chef gas stove for a crappy electric burner. 

And they will call it a romantic incremental step toward utopia.

Look, I get the idea. But, when it comes to windmill tipping, my skepticism can sometimes get the best of me. So pardon my “fart in the elevator” questions.

Even if we achieve 100% electrification today, would it really make any difference in the planet’s atmosphere? I think the Board of Supervisors can probably convince Fairfax to jump on the “electrification” train, but do they have China on board?  Hell, do we even have California on board?

If we’re going to eliminate gas stoves, dreaded gas-powered leaf blowers, etc., can we at least be honest about it and  say we’re doing it to set an imperfect example, instead of pretending we’re actually making a real difference on climate change. 

And, can we stop with the spinning of the yarn that this November law is painlessly incremental. This is bureaucratic frog boiling. And, people who own private property in Marin are the frogs. 

JEWISH FREE ZONES

If you want to make a difference, how about asking what’s going on at Berkeley? 

I suggest this after reading an op-ed by Kenneth Marcus in the Jewish Journal, which begins:

“If it wasn’t so frightening, one might be able to recognize the irony in the sight of campus progressives trying so hard to signal progressive virtue that they fall victim to a deeper moral shame.

“Nine different law student groups at the University of California at Berkeley’s School of Law, my own alma mater, have begun this new academic year by amending bylaws to ensure that they will never invite any speakers that support Israel or Zionism. And these are not groups that represent only a small percentage of the student population. They include Women of Berkeley Law, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Middle Eastern and North African Law Students Association, Law Students of African Descent and the Queer Caucus.

“Berkeley Law’s Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, a progressive Zionist, has observed that he himself would be banned under this standard, as would 90% of his Jewish students.

“It is now a century since Jewish-free zones first spread to the San Francisco Bay Area (“No Dogs. No Jews”). Nevertheless, this move seems frightening and unexpected, like a bang on the door in the night.”

Again, forget the war on leaf blowers and let’s all start demanding answers to what in the hell is going on at Berkeley?

RACISM IS RACISM

A new charter school is being proposed for Novato. At a recent Novato Unified School District board of trustees meeting, a Hispanic woman, according to reports, objected to the school because the person advancing the idea is – wait for it – white. 

Would the Marin D.A. consider that a hate “incident” or just a “stupid” incident? 

There is an argument for both.

LEVINE REMORSE

In making its endorsement for California insurance commissioner, the San Francisco Chronicle pays a nice compliment to Marin Rep. Marc Levine. The newspaper said: “If voters had paid closer attention in the primary and voted for Marc Levine, this race wouldn’t be the mess it is now.” 

ONE MORE THING

– Some guy is suing Texas Pete Hot Sauce because it’s not made in Texas. His life is going to be a wreck when he next turns to Moon Pies.

– My wife and I are going to be super bummed if we don’t get a good grade on our daughter’s science project.

– I asked a supermarket worker where to find canned peaches. He said “I’ll see,” and walked away. Irritated, I asked another worker. She said “I’ll see,” and walked away. Eventually, I found the canned peaches for myself … on Aisle C. 

And, that’ll do for this week. Thanks for reading and until next week avoid soreheads, laugh a little and always question authority. 

(“Properly Subversive” is commentary written by Sherman R. Frederick for Marinscope Community Newspapers, the “mother ship” of the Novato Advance, San Rafael News-Pointer, Mill Valley Herald, Ross Valley Reporter, Twin City Times and the Sausalito Marin Scope. Mr. Frederick is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Battle Born Media, a news organization dedicated to the preservation of community newspapers. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)