Who knew?

You mean stealing is illegal again in California? What next? Slavery is coming back?

This is the best video you'll see today:

Repeat shoplifters in California learn the hard way that Prop. 36 is now in effect.

Watch until the end. pic.twitter.com/T0JePmhLVB

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 23, 2024

A video of two young women casually shoplifting in California and subsequently getting arrested is making the rounds on X, and you can just feel the waves of schadenfreude emanating from all the people viewing it. 

For years, we have watched in horror videos that showed criminals walking into stores and casually taking whatever they want. On the one hand, people thought Californians deserved what they voted for, but on the other, it was a visible symbol of the decline of our civilization. Watching our wealthiest state turn into a third-world hellhole is not only depressing, but it seemed a preview of what was to come to the rest of the country soon enough. 

Shoplifters are already being arrested in Sacramento under Prop 36. Watch the video and listen closely. The person being arrested is begging to be cited and released. Because she's done this before. They knew the deal. @jeffreisig pic.twitter.com/NyIgcG8Hf2

— T Wolf 🌁 (@Twolfrecovery) December 20, 2024

California voters--shockingly tolerant of the insanity brought to them courtesy of progressives--had enough of the druggies wandering the streets and the casual lawlessness seen everywhere. Walking into Target or Walmart and requiring a clerk to open locked cabinets to purchase a razor was too much even for them. 

ATTENTION Thieves, Smash & Grabbers & Fentanyl/Drug Dealers - On December 18th, the new Prop 36 laws in California will take effect. This means your days of revolving door lawlessness and slap on the hand punishment for repeat offenses are over. Prison now awaits you should you… pic.twitter.com/Wu50CRd5K9

— Jeff Reisig (@jeffreisig) December 18, 2024

Kamala Harris had helped lead the charge to decriminalize...crime...and refused to endorse the Proposition that recriminalized stealing, and Gavin Newsom actually criticized the effort to do so. 

Gov. Newsom slams Proposition 36:

"It would bring us back to the 1980s. The impact this will have on black and brown residents is next level."

71% of California voters are planning to support the measure, which jails drug traffickers and shoplifters. pic.twitter.com/JuPAMLOR8P

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 20, 2024

Despite Newsom's endorsement of keeping criminals out of jail, Californians overwhelmingly passed Proposition 36. Newsom hasn't seen the inside of a store in years, but anybody who wanted to buy a toothbrush in or near a city was sick and tired of living in a dystopia. 

California law enforcement finally gets some wind at their backs. Prop 36 in effect today. Let's start arresting some creeps! https://t.co/oWvjcS5JU3

— Kira (@RealKiraDavis) December 18, 2024

You know that progressivism is losing badly when even Californians get tired of being told to grin and bear the costs of informal reparations. Most Californians don't really want what the progressives are selling; they just think that if they disagree with the activists, they will be called bad people, and their friends will cancel them. 

Does this small victory suggest that California can be saved from itself? Not in itself. The administrative state is entrenched, the Democratic Party has money and a machine, and the public employees' unions have an iron grip on a large chunk of voters, so they only need to pick up a relatively small number of voters to keep winning every election that matters in the state. 

But it does suggest that a well-organized and well-funded state Republican Party could start making inroads if it focuses on the right issues and addresses the problems California cares about. With effort, money, and time Democrats' hold on the state could be loosened. 

Will that happen? I doubt it, in the short term. Most establishment business leaders have made their peace with the Democrats, and few national funders want to pour gobs of money into what would be a 15-year or longer project. 

But we can hope, can't we?