RUSH: Okay, folks, a couple of things you need to know to put today’s update in context. First, it’s California. Second, the guy doing it is a Democrat.

And not just any Democrat. Ian Calderon is the Democrat Majority Leader of California’s Assembly. Powerful guy. He’s also a man on a mission.

He doesn’t like straws, and he’s determined to limit straw usage in California.

So Ian Calderon is pushing a bill through the Assembly that will bar waiters from giving out plastic straws in restaurants unless a customer specifically asks for one.

If a waiter in a California restaurant violates this law and voluntarily brings a customer a straw, that waiter will face a $1,000 fine, and could spend up to six months in jail.

Calderon issued a press release to explain why he’s become the new straw man in California. He says: “We need to create awareness around the issue of one-time-use plastic straws and its detrimental effects on our landfills, waterways, and oceans.” So, there you have it.

Thanks to Ian Calderon, we finally know the culprit, the reason living standards in California are in decline. It’s not excessively high taxes. It’s not crime. It’s not being overrun with illegal immigration. It’s not high prices or massive homelessness. It’s not poop in the streets! It’s … straws.

And that should be the last straw! But, it won’t be because it’s California! It’ll be accepted and they’ll smile about it.

Fools.