The Peoples Republic of Berkeley!

From Gateway Pundit is more news of Berkeley and the Marine Corps Recruiting station. Logically, you'd think that self-styled progressives would have respect for freedom of speech, but I guess that's wishful thinking. We've always known that Communist dictatorships cannot survive when free expression, of points contrary to the party-line, truly exists. The People's Republic of Bezerkeley is no different!

As for withholding federal funds from the City of Berkeley, I'm all for it! One caveat though, please don't take it out on the University of California at Berkeley. Cal is not the same as the city of Berkeley and the University should not suffer at the expense of idiot Berkeley Citiy Council members.

I spent nearly 4 and a half years in grad school in Berkeley, and my experience living there from 1987 to 1991 solidified my political philosophy in favor of free markets and in opposition to political correctness and other related forms of censorship. My first experience with Berkeley idiocy was rent control. As a result of price fixing by the city, there was no incentive for landlords to develop or maintain properties. Similarly, there is no reason for anyone who has a rent-controlled apartment to move. As a result, it took me two years to get an apartment close to campus in Berkeley itself. This was not an uncommon situation, forcing many students who would have have happily walked to class, into cars, busses and all manner of transportation that contributes to (guess what!) CO2 emissions! Rent control was finally struck down by the courts.

And if I were a landlord and had to choose a tenant between the US Marine Corps and, say, Code Pink? Well, that's a no-brainer!

[Update 2/4/2008 12:45pm JST] Here is an interesting libertarian take. Essentially, Berkeley should be enforcing the rights of landlords and tenant to enter into a freely negotiated and legal agreement. The city (like anyone else) has a right to express an opinion, and the city may even go so far as to enforce certain laws against discrimination, but it may not actively encourage one group to impede the rights of others. Interesting point of view, and Berkeley is again on the wrong side of it.