SAD, AND ENRAGING – AT 8:55 A.M. ET:  This is one of those stories that, inevitably, leads us to think about the past.  For some of us, but only the males, the past goes way back:

FREMONT, Calif. (AP) - The last car has rolled off the production lines at California's sole auto plant.

Workers are trickling out of the New United Motor Manufacturing plant in Fremont as they complete their tasks and the plant readies to shut down.

Nearby, job centers have been set up to help the newly unemployed figure out benefits, retraining and other options.

The plant made Toyota Tacoma trucks and Corolla sedans. The last Tacoma rolled off the assembly lines last week, and Corolla production ended Thursday.

The plant began 25 years ago as a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Co. GM pulled out last year, and Toyota later announced it would halt production, eliminating about 4,700 jobs.

State officials are pursuing federal grants to help those impacted by the closure.

COMMENT:  Once the golden state, wasn't it?  Soldiers of World War II who passed through California on their way to the Pacific came back to make it their home and fueled the great California post-war boom.  That boom was also fired by industry, by real manufacturing.  California made things.  Cars and, especially, planes.  The dream factory in Hollywood was only part of the story.

Today California is nearly bankrupt.  The factories are largely gone, many driven out by the high cost of doing business and by a left-wing legislature that doesn't seem to care, really.  Yes, Apple Computer, the shining star of the new technology – its iPad is all the rage this week – is in Cupertino.  But check the place of manufacture of any Apple product.  Asia. 

There aren't too many dreams coming out of the dream factory these days, either.  More like nightmares.  At ten bucks a ticket, plus five if you want some popcorn.  Ronald Reagan tried to talk sense into Californians, but he only had two terms as governor in which to do it.  The golden state has faded, overrun by illegal immigrants – oh, I'm sorry, I meant to say adventurous sojourners – and by state programs that have grown far too fat and expensive. 

There used to be a saying that what started in California would eventually sweep across the country.  At one time we welcomed it.  Times have changed.  We hope that a new, conservative governor will be elected this fall who will make a down payment at setting things right, and will probably be ground up in the process.

April 2, 2010