The political culture in California is a curious one. California voters keep electing lawmakers and a governor who treat them like medieval peasants by passing outrageous laws. Then, the voters pass propositions that repeal the most onerous of those laws. In most states, voters just get rid of the offending politicians and elect more sensible ones in their place.

Assembly Bill 5, a law that did violence to the gig economy, was one case in point. The law, passed with the support of labor unions, affected a whole host of professions, including freelance writers and photographers, but was primarily aimed at the ride-sharing industry, including Uber and Lyft.