California Democrats’ reparations saga has crashed and burned in its first attempt to get off the ground because it turns out that an unworkable idea being handled by the most incompetent state government in the country is not exactly well-positioned for success.

The state legislature’s black caucus tanked both proposed reparations bills put forward by Democratic state Sen. Steven Bradford without his permission. Bradford claims this is because Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) may veto the bills after Bradford rejected his revisions to the legislation. And all of this happened only after a Republican in the state Assembly tried to force a vote, so Democrats could make it clear where they stand on forcing Californians 160 years removed from slavery to pay reparations despite California never being a slave state.