Rev up the chainsaws.

Carving up California is back in the news.

And we owe it all to raw political power grabs.

Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher is pushing a resolution calling for slicing California in two.

It his way of getting back at Gov. Gavin Newsom for challenging Donald Trump’s game plan to redistrict Congressional districts before the 2026 midterm elections.

Newsom will probably be shaking so hard in his shoes that the mask he tucked into his suit pocket then forgot about it while dining at the French Laundry during the height of the pandemic will fall out of his suit pocket.

Or maybe he’s simply laughing as hard as he can.

Imagine how splitting California in two would improve Newsom’s political standing.

He can wash his hands of the high speed rail project given its only track to date is located in Inland California.

Meanwhile, the Coastal California Legislature could pass Newsom’s tunnel vision given it circumvents the Delta enough that it wouldn’t require Inland California’s participation.

Newsom could say he didn’t start the fire.

But he just lit a backfire to try to keep the inferno Donald Trump is flaming raging on.

Fight fire with fire.

I get it.

But what happened to California values or was that just a catchy line of Newsom’s that means absolutely nothing?

One would hope whoever is governor is more worried about the impact of their actions on Californians first and foremost as opposed to national politics.

The bitterness the redistricting ploy will generate, especially if it succeeds, will simply further poison the well.

No worries for Newsom.

In just over a year, governing California will be someone else’s problem while he’s busy hitting the bricks to end up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Jan. 20, 2029.

But this is bigger than California, right?

It’s about preserving democracy.

But exactly how you do you preserve democracy by marginalizing an entire subgroup of Californians that don’t embrace your politics?

I know. I know.

This is about saving the republic.

But is disenfranchising a large swath of Californians who, as Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher astutely observes are primarily inland as opposed to the majority of political thought that are concentrated along the coast, worth the price?

Of course it is, because the concept of the minority not being subservient to the whims of the majority is only sacred when it serves your purpose and those that agree with you.

As for Gallagher, bringing a chain saw to the political firestorm only whips up the flames of passion of those that actually believe splitting California will succeed.

It’s clearly a political stunt to get attention.

If he were serious, Gallagher would have announced he is introducing legislation when the time comes to do so instead of just offering a resolution.

How ridiculous is Gallagher’s proposal?

After all, 270 previous efforts to do a Lizzie Borden act on California in the last 174 years didn’t even get out of the batter’s box, let alone make it to first base.

What does reaching first base involve?

It’s not getting a statewide referendum passed which is only advisory in nature.

It requires the California Legislature, dominated by the same people that cued up a vote to get districts drawn up by an independent commission tossed to stack the deck so the Democrats can add five seats, to agree to do so.

That’s the easy part.

To advance further, it would require Congress to do the same.

Why would Democrats elsewhere agree to having 102 senators that would effectively pad the Republican side?

And let’s not forget neither party has people who walk in lockstep.

Given the bad rep California has, how many states where they actually elect a majority of moderate Democrats would be wild about having four California senators?

If you don’t think Inland California, thanks to commuters and more, wouldn’t become more liberal eventually, then I’ve got a great deal on the Golden Gate Bridge that can be yours for six monthly payments of $19.99.

And I’ll even throw in an “I loathe California” mug signed by Donald Trump at no extra charge save a 50 percent tariff.

Maybe the Ginsu welding antics of the Texan Republican Party and the California Democratic Party is the wave of the future.

Why work together when you can go directly to the nuclear options?

Who knows, we might actually gain mutual assured self-destruction of the Republican and Democratic parties and see a new world rise from the ashes.

OK, maybe that is about as likely as the Oakland-West Sacramento-Las Vegas A’s winning the World Series this year.

And while I may not fit much more than 60 percent into the conservative Inland California mold versus the liberal Coastal California mindset, I get that one would never have existed without the other.

Inland California’s food and water allowed the great coastal cities to become cosmopolitan havens.

Los Angeles and San Francisco couldn't exist without Inland California. The reverse is also true.

I am as much a son of Berkeley, San Francisco, Delano, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, West Hollywood, Fresno, Lone Pine, Barstow and even Sacramento as I am of Manteca.

Yes, some of the family at time acts like crazy cousins.

Once in a while they get downright sneaky and steal water.

But in the end we are still part of that insane, wonderful mix known as California.

California is often described by those who don't live here as the last frontier.

Anything is possible in a state that can move massive amounts of water 800 miles, hosts great universities that are on the cusp of a nuclear fusion breakthrough, and gave the world both the Silicon Valley and Bay Watch.

Do not misunderstand.

I'll defend anyone’s right to throw out crazy and over the edge ideas.

California being hospitable for what the rest of the nation likes to refer to as "fruits and nuts" is how the Golden State gave America mechanized farm equipment, the silicon chip, almonds, Mickey Mouse, and board shorts.

California is as much a physical place as it is a state of mind.

And it’s soul is not one dimensional.

It is the sum total of the fertile San Joaquin Valley, the soaring summit of Mt. Shasta, the majestic  Sierra, the Ventura Highway, Point Reyes, Sunset Boulevard, the Mojave Desert, the Los Angeles Basin, Van Ness Avenue, the Cascades, California 1, Lake Tahoe, the 17-Mile Drive, and the towering redwoods.

It is true our internal political splits — whether it is over water, values, or high-speed rail — is as stark and contrasted as the Great Central Valley versus the Big Sur Coastline.

The difference can be as intense as a 9.0 Richter scale earthquake.

Yes, our differences as Californians are often as far apart as snow-capped Mt. Whitney soaring at 14,505 feet and the natural furnace that plunges some 282 feet below sea level in Death Valley less than 100 miles away as the California condor flies.

Even so, split up California?

You wouldn't split up Roy Rogers and Trigger, nor should you tear apart California.

This column is the opinion of editor, Dennis Wyatt, and does not necessarily represent the opinions of The Bulletin or 209 Multimedia. He can be reached at dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com