Meet The Libertarian Tech Billionaire Who Wants To Split California Into 6 States

Following in the wake of a campaign by rural Coloradans to secede from the state comes word of a California tech tycoon who wants to divide California into six states – including (you guessed it) a libertarian paradise centered around Silicon Valley:

A proposed ballot initiative from tech investor Tim Draper would turn California into six states, including one just for Silicon Valley.

Draper, who has thrown money behind Skype, Hotmail and Tesla Motors, says he’ll submit his “Six Californias” proposal to the state’s attorney general forthwith, but he’s already set up a campaign website.

In an email to TechCrunch, he laid out his reasoning for the initiative to establish the states of Jefferson, North California, Central California, Silicon Valley, West California and South California.

1. It is about time California was properly represented with Senators in Washington. Now our number of Senators per person will be about average.
2. Competition is good, monopolies are bad. This initiative encourages more competition and less monopolistic power. Like all competitive systems, costs will be lower and service will be better.
3. Each new state can start fresh. From a new crowd sourced state flower to a more relevant constitution.
4. Decisions can be more relevant to the population. The regulations in one new state are not appropriate for another.
5. Individuals can move between states more freely.

Good luck with convincing Sacramento and Capitol Hill. As Dana Carvey’s version of George H. Bush woulod say, “Nah gah happen.”

By: dave-dr-gonzo

David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.

* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.