I live close enough to Santa Barbara County, where Vandenberg Air Force Base is located, that I can see the middle stage of a rocket launch. If Elon Musk’s SpaceX was allowed to operate as any other business would operate, Vandenberg would be busy launching payloads into space. But that has been put on hold for now.
It is no secret that California’s political environment is deeply blue and deeply corrupted. California’s state and much of its local politics are controlled by Democrat demigods who often act like tyrants and dare those who oppose them to “sue.”
State commissions that are, in theory, non-partisan are anything but. The worst example of thug politics and cronyism is the California Coastal Commission. Established in 1972 via ballot initiative, Proposition 20, the commission was made permanent by an act of the state legislature in 1976 called the California Coastal Act. It was intended to “regulate” building on the California coastline, and it was supposed to preserve and protect the coast and access to natural resources. It has devolved into a political and crony cudgel wielded by partisans with agendas.
By short example, in some areas of the state, the area under the commission’s control is miles inland. Permits to build are often slow-walked, held up for years over absurd concerns for habitat or blind politics. If the commission doesn’t like an applicant, the commission will find a “snail darter.” If a builder kisses the right rings, then maybe permits will be granted. Politics, it seems, is always at the center of the California Coastal Commission.
Part of the reason housing is scarce and unaffordable in California is because of the California Coastal Commission. Modifications to its functions via legislation have been rejected. The commission members are kings and queens of their own making. If those who seek permits and permission are of the same party politics, they have a much better chance at moving forward. Run afoul of commissioners and their aligned politics, and you will be shown the door. Elon Musk and SpaceX were shown the door recently, and the reasons are purely partisan politics.
In August, the commission demanded that SpaceX meet seven new demands:
Requiring a written plan to minimize the impact and reach of sonic booms, a light management plan for night launches that would limit the reach of lights facing beach areas, and steps to provide more information about the launches and their effects to beach visitors and the fishing industry.
That sounds like a “word salad” Kamala Harris would be proud of. It’s nonsense that seems to defy the laws of physics. How does one “minimize” the impact of sonic booms? Giant pillows? And, with an obvious mix of hubris and hypocrisy, the commission has little issue with “Space Force” and military launches – they are slow-walking SpaceX because “Orange Man Bad” — and by extension, Musk Man Bad.
The Coastal Commission, known for its sharp-elbowed defense of public access to the state’s 840-mile coastline, has been sparring with the Air Force’s Space Force branch since May 2023, when DOD asked to increase SpaceX’s satellite launches from Vandenberg from six to 36 per year.
The commission ultimately approved the 36-launch plan at the meeting, on the condition that Space Force undertake seven measures to improve environmental protection and coastal access. But military officials didn’t commit to following them during the hearing, drawing fiery criticism from commissioners.
But three commissioners offered up their own political sharp elbows — not to protect the “western snowy plover,” the California “least tern,” or the California “red-legged frog,” but to tweak the nose of red-hatted Elon Musk.
Commissioner Gretchen Newsom said:
“Elon Musk is hopping about the country, spewing and tweeting political falsehoods and attacking FEMA while claiming his desire to help the hurricane victims with free Starlink access to the internet.”
Commission Chair Caryl Hart added:
“[H]ere we’re dealing with a company, the head of which has aggressively injected himself into the presidential race and he’s managed a company in a way that was just described by Commissioner Newsom that I find to be very disturbing.”
Oh, well, if Gretchen Newsom thinks Orange Man Bad, let’s stop SpaceX from launching.
The widow of TV producer Steven Bochco, Danya Bocho, is also a commissioner. She once marched into a senator’s office, yelling that she was doing her part to save the planet because she owned a Prius. “I pimped my Prius! It’s got waves on the side, pinstripes and chrome rims that look like cabochon sapphires.” She demanded that Congress pass a “global warming” bill to save the planet.
Bochco said, “Space Force came here and intentionally disrespected us.” It sounds like Bochco sees herself as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver.
Odd thing to say since Space Force and SpaceX have been doing what they can to cooperate with the Coastal Commission. It was a foregone conclusion that SpaceX permissions to proceed would be denied. The commission voted 6-4, rejecting the launch plan over “concerns that all SpaceX launches would be considered military activity, shielding the company from having to acquire its own permits, even if military payloads aren’t being carried.”
That’s the stated reason. The real reason is:
“Orange Man Bad.”
