> The problem in California isn’t land, it’s politicians.
You mean the voters who vote for the politicians that do what they want vs. not vote for the politicians who would do what others would prefer? It is no secret that politicians can't act unilaterally or nefariously without being unelected at the ballot box.
I've never seen a politician openly run on a "I will exacerbate the housing shortage by any means necessary" NIMBY platform. They may have promised key donors they would, but how often do the voters know that?
No, but they still run on what their constituents want, and act on those wants via how they execute their office. Key donors are probably a lot more for growth than key constituents.
Yes, the problem is the classic landowning class vs. serfs. It's just that the USA had a lot of land compared to population for a long time, but one day it will explode in redistribution when too few people own too much land.
You mean the voters who vote for the politicians that do what they want vs. not vote for the politicians who would do what others would prefer? It is no secret that politicians can't act unilaterally or nefariously without being unelected at the ballot box.