Is “California The Lindsey Lohan Of States”?

Go get ‘em Tiger!

All I can say is, don’t come crying to the rest of us when things continue to go horribly wrong, especially you, California – you had your chance. And you blew it.

Wow! Everybody HATES California because it didn’t march to the same drummer. We promise not to ask the Feds for money if we can keep the difference between what we send to Washington and what we get back.

California is teetering on the edge of a cliff and instead of electing a fiscal conservative who would have the guts to do what needs to be done, they elected Gov. Moonbeam…AGAIN. 

I read yesterday that California is borrowing 40 million a day from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits and they are going to have to come up with $362 million to pay it back by the end of Sept. 2011.  You know they ain’t gonna be able to pay it back, so we, the taxpayers, are already getting soaked for their irresponsibility.

We know this because NO vehicle with CA plates has ever shown a turn signal or a brake light light in Las Vegas.  
  Yes, the lack of turn signals (I mean showing the INTENTION beforehand, not in the middle of the action) bugs me too.
But I brake all the time in Las Vegas. There’s so much going on that I don’t want to miss anything.

One good thing – Prop 27 passed so redistricting will no longer be in the hands of our elected officials.  Our district maps have been desiged for only one thing – to keep the incumbants elected.  They look like orgami shapes on steroids.

I don’t think that’s the reason, EllenD.  I think it is because CA continues to have the same problems without coming up with ways to FIX those problems.  When CA caved to the SEIU to get fed dollars in exchange for the SEIU not to make the same cuts as everyone else, that pretty much said it all.  The recent election sealed the deal.

I don’t feel like defending my native state right now–particularly after the last election results.  However, for anyone outside of the state, it is hard to understand how hard we were hit by the California Energy Crisis of 2000-2001.  We’ve never come close to recovering:

“The financial crisis was possible because of deregulation legislation instituted in 1996 by Governor Pete Wilson. Enron took advantage of this deregulation and was involved in economic withholding and inflated price bidding in California’s spot markets.[7] The crisis cost $40bn to $45bn.” (Wikipedia)

The recall of Gray Davis and Election of the Governator were direct results of this event.

The problem Rev Amy, is that Californians won’t stay in California. It’s one thing to tell them you made your bed, you can just sleep in it, but the problem is once they break their own state, they just move to ours and try to take over.

It’s a viscious cycle. I’ve suggested building a big fence.

LOL, I’m not going to defend my former state either! I will however speak up for Lindsey Lohan.

However, for anyone outside of the state, it is hard to understand how hard we were hit by the California Energy Crisis of 2000-2001.  We’ve never come close to recovering:  
 
“The financial crisis was possible because of deregulation legislation instituted in 1996 by Governor Pete Wilson. Enron took advantage of this deregulation and was involved in economic withholding and inflated price bidding in California’s spot markets.[7] The crisis cost $40bn to $45bn.”

Oh thank you Oowawa. Nobody in the rest of the country cared that California was cheated out of a huge amount of money that it can never recover.

We keep electing the same people here in NY too and have financial problems along the lines of CA.  I don’t get it.

On a lighter note, Amy did you see that Jeter, Cano and Tex won gold gloves?

Yes, EllenD.  California is a huge and very diverse place.  There are LOTS of Republicans and Conservatives living here.   But it’s okay to bash Californians as a group because . . . well, because it’s so much fun to stereotype people in California!  We’re fair game . . .

Just as a reminder, the woman who wrote the WSJ piece is from CA.

And, as I said, I go after MA and their relecting Barney Frank for all of these years given the shady enterprises of his partners.

Um, and it is satire…

Idiom Definitions for ‘Beating a dead horse’If someone is trying to convince people to do or feel something without any hope of succeeding, they’re beating a dead horse. This is used when someone is trying to raise interest in an issue that no-one supports anymore; beating a dead horse will not make it do any more work.
+++++++++++++++++++
When you live in a place were you expect  the same out come, you will eventually believe that  this is all there is. California is sailing on the tide going with the flow and happy living with rose colored glasses on.California will be stuck in gear as long as the politician plays to the fears that change is bad. Obama promised change but not for everyone, California Democrats promised the status quo and made people believe this was the better option.So what do I take from this ”That you can bring a horse to water but you cannot make them drink.”" Such a stupid horse”   
 

Yup, oowawa!  

“market manipulation squeezed the industry’s revenue margins, causing the bankruptcy of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and near bankruptcy of Southern California Edison in early 2001.[6]“

The bankruptcy of PG&E–that staggers the imagination.  And yes, Rev. Amy, it had a trickle down effect–just like 9-11 had a trickle-down effect.  But for the people in NYC, the effect was particularly devastating.

LOL – now there’s a thought, Yttik!  
 
And EllenD, many of us were very much aware of what happened in CA.  It didn’t JUST affect CA, either – it had a trickle down effect.   Especially with the ENRON collapse – that affected people all across the country in a BIG way, not just CA.
 
But even if that was not the case, many people DID care abt what happened with the whole energy crisis there.  Again, CA has one of the largest economies in the WORLD – it is going to have an effect on the rest of the country.

The bottom line is, we are all connected.  So what happens in CA, or MA, or LA is going to affect states in the rest of the country.  That’s just how it is – now just literally, but honestly, and again, in all seriousness, I believe that as a philosophy/theology.  We are all connected.

Indeed, oowawa – I am in no way, shape, or form trying to minimize what happened to CA in the early 21st century.   All kidding aside, I am sorry if I have touched on a raw nerve here.  My apologies.

Glad I got to give you the good news Amy.  No word on Jeter yet.  2/13 is not that far away, I live for that date.

We just elected Andrew Cuomo (son of Mario, a former governor) as governor.  What happened to ‘no more dynasties’?

California the state is a gorgeous piece of God’s handiwork.  I love California. 

I dislike immensely California politics, politicians, and the many, many latte uber liberals living there infecting the state. 

It may be good looking like Lindsey Lohan, but there is no rehab facility or pscyotropic drug big enough and strong enough to contain and manage it.  We have to constantly fight Californication in our own beautiful state.  I fear the worst if this terrible disease spreads; and I DO feel sorry for the good people who have family and history there and try to fight the good fight to maintain some sanity.

That only applied to Hillary.

Good point, My Site! 

And good question, jmm915.  It is ironic, isn’t it?

You and me both abt 2/13.  Have you been to a Spring Training game?  I hope I can at some point…

I’m hoping California manages to start turning it around, Ellen.  Though I think the electorate was offered a choice, I’ve never been convinced that success in business automatically = good governance.  Getting things done beyond “promises made” has a lot to do with understanding the political machinery, how to work it for the benefit of your constituency.  The one thing Brown had over Whitman was knowing how California works from the inside out. 

I wish him and the residents of CA well.  Brown’s going to need to knock a lot of heads around to make any progress. Here’s hoping he can do it.  Because California is important to the rest of the country.  Boxer?  I think she would have been toast had Whitman won; Fiorini would have been swept in.

Barney Frank IMHO did not deserve reelection, no way, no how. To defend Frank is to defend in the indefensible.  He was either compromised or asleep at the wheel.  Once he pronounced Fannie & Freddie were sound, only to have them blow up 2 or 3 days later, everyone should have scratched his name from consideration.  But? That was up to Massachusetts to decide. If I lived in-state, I would not have voted for the man.

Good luck on the West Coast.  This displaced, East Coast native wants to see you turn it around.  Hope Brown can do it. For everyone’s sake!

So you like the geography, but not the people.  Sounds like there’s nothing wrong with California that a bunch of neutron bombs couldn’t fix . . .

As for “Californication.”  That was a common cliche in Washington State–bumper stickers that said “Don’t Californicate Washington”–largely used by a bunch of ex-Californians who had moved to Washington (there were lots of them, and I was one).  Teaching a university English class, I assigned the topic: “Don’t Californicate Washington”–what does it mean?”  Yeah–the essays were interesting . . .

Beware of stereotypes . . .

Thanks Peggy Sue. You make a good point about the difference between action and promises. Which is why I always say “We shall see”.

LOL – oh, I wish.  Wouldn’t that be AWESOME?  Like doing fantasy camp or something?  Wow.

We’re going to have to get to a ST game, then – that would be so cool.

To fully answer your question, my right knee is coming along, though still fairly painful.  The worst part is, as expected, the more I rehab the right, the worse it makes it for my left one, due to be replaced next year (maybe, as long as I can forget how unbelievably painful this one was.  And, I might have to wait for my “Rico Suave PT” to retire! ). 

Thanks for asking, and thanks for the great news abt the Gold Gloves!

Jerry Brown did not call his opponent a “whore”.

And did you see his teacher say that he was a “leader” even as a child?  Oh, yes – she continued that the other kids did what he told them to do because they were AFRAID of him.  That’s not leadership – that’s bullying!

We’ve been using the term here in CO for some time.  It’s people coming and paying too much for houses because they are used to housing prices that are clear out of sight.  Our housing prices were reasonable for a long time, but the people moving here to the Denver area (and I should say Northern Colorado area) just bought the house for whatever price the realtor asked for without checking because the price asked was so much lower than those in CA.  It did a lot to raise our prices, which now are under water, so to speak, given the economy.

They were used to long driving commutes to work, so they bought houses in places sometimes fifty miles away from where they worked, clogging up our highways and driving the way they did in California.  It was a “faster” lifestyle than we had, a more wasteful lifestyle.  (They Boulder/Denver area became in some regard a new Silicon Valley.)

We see a CA license plate and we steer clear, same as we do in Southern CO when we see a TX license plate (and especially in the mountains because those Texas people aren’t used to winding, climbing roads.)

And, oowawa, I do think you are too touchy on this question.  I have always added that I DO know there are many good people in CA.  Heck, a large branch of my extended family lives there.  My great-aunt and her husband had twelve children who had children who had children, many of whom live there.  I included “and I DO feel sorry for the good people who have family and history there and try to fight the good fight to maintain some sanity.”

We have not yet in CO experienced the massive use of illegal immigrants in our agriculture.  We have a large conservative agricultural base that wants the immigration problem to be fixed before it gets as bad as it is in CA.  We have yet to have a situation in a school where the Mexican flag is allowed to be flown above the U.S. flag.  (We even raised up Tancredo in this state.)  We have never elected a Pelosi or a Jerry Brown. 

Our governors–Repub and Dem–have all tried desperately to keep the budget balanced and to avoid the accusation of having “sanctuary” cities.

We can criticize CA without stereotyping.  Recognizing the massive problems with the state’s policies is half the battle, not denying them.

And…I should add, that I had hoped Mass., too, had gained some more sanity and would have kicked Frank out of office.  I guess electing Scott Brown for “Kennedy’s Seat,” was more than we could have expected and should satisfy us until Frank is too old and we can finally NOT have him in office.

Yes there was a trickle-down effect, but California was targeted by those Enron slime. No other State was their target.

California is literally on the edge of a cliff, at least a large part of it –the continental shelf.  I lived in CA for 50 years and I believe that CA folks by and large accept this as easily as we accept earthquakes, Lindsay Lohan, or any other number of strange or earth-moving phenomenon.  We are blindly brave.

I no longer live in CA.  I did not leave to get away from that lovely state but in hindsight it gave me a perspective that one is unable to get while living there.  I had traveled all over the world during those 50 years and of course I believed that “travel broadens one” but found that it does not do that nearly as well as when you leave your native stomping grounds and decompress for a few years.  It is like a bad marriage that ends in divorce where you later see that maybe your spouse was not all to blame for the mess of things.

For nearly all of the 50 years that I lived in CA I had felt that it was God’s answer to the insanity sweeping over a good portion of the rest of the nation, and surely the world.  We CA folk are often quite arrogant and too many of us believe that we are the leaders of the free thinking world.  This would be an admirable belief if it did not screw up the psyche and push you further into your own blind truth that you doggedly hold on to.   You lose perspective and a larger understanding of things.

To make matters worse, as this mass blindness expands and the foundation of Californians collective psyche begin to crumble (as it is currently doing), CA folk are loathe to admit that maybe they are not so smart in all things after all.  Arrogant people have a very hard time admitting that they are wrong, or have been wrong at least some of the time, or are continuing to make the same mistakes over and over again expecting a different results.   

This is why the “jump-back” to Brown occurred.  This is why Boxer has been hanging on for decades.  It is very hard for CA folk to let go of their very lofty ideals as they see them — as they want them to be.  I know this well because I did it myself for decades.  I find it impossible to blame Californians for their choices; how could I?   I don’t know what it is going to take for a mass wake-up-call but I do hope that it will not require a major shift of plate techtonics followed by complete disaster to get people to open their eyes. 

Part of me is still there.  I care about all the people I left behind.  I can’t tell them that many of them are blind, that they need to open their eyes and look around.  I can’t tell them to move away and get some perspective.  No one could tell me these things either when I was there.  I had to find out for myself.  I did not move to a perfect place.  Such places do not exist.  But my eyes are open and I never again will allow them to completely close again. 

We here in CA, which I love, and I’m a transplant from rainy, dreary Seattle, WA, tried to go with the Republican millionaire who didn’t owe anyone any favors (Schwarzie), and it put us deeper into the financial mess.  We didn’t want to do that again with Meg, a billionaire who supposedly didn’t owe anyone any favors.  She kept saying she wanted to create jobs here in CA, but spent most of her campaign cash in other parts of the country (Portland, OR, Washington, DC).    She didn’t even vote in some 28 elections.   Most of us here feel that Brown truly loves and gets CA—Whitman not so much.  As the Sacramento Bee, newspaper there, said, “Whitman has a loose relationship with the truth.”

One of the reasons Gray Davis was recalled and Schwarzie was installed, was that Davis was trying to conduct a full-scale investigation into what really happened with the Enron scandal—it was shut down by the same “powers that be” that Whitman probably represents as well.

Haven’t been that impressed with Boxer the last several years, but she and her campaign manager nailed it with some of her ads here—showing Fiorina footage admitting outsourcing some 9,000 jobs, firing about 30,000 people while giving herself $140 million.  Had to hand it to Boxer to know what issues to address that would connect with the voters—-jobs, economy, unemployment. 

I voted for some Dems., some Republicans, some Libertarians, and some Green candidates–my ballot was a mixed bag, but I am very disappointed in the entire crop of current political leaders, except for Hillary.  She’s doing a fantastic job as SOS. 

Additionally, Brown is well known in Californa. He’s already been governor twice, he’s been in public office his whole life and yet they really couldn’t come up with anything awful he’s done. We don’t need any more insight to his character, remember he went to seminary, we know him and he’s a better bet than the alternative.

“Must be an amazing coincidence that all of these different people, from all of these different walks of life, with all of these different agendas, just happen to have the same propensity for being clueless.”

Great paragraph, joseph.  As for voter fraud?  I know why Boxer won: her negative campaign was relentless and beat Fiorina to a pulp over the “sending jobs overseas” issue.  I saw at least 20 Boxer TV ads for every 1 of Fiorina’s.  And the message was always the same: sending jobs overseas while CEO of HP.   Fiorina ran a lousy campaign.  I voted for her, but I always vote for the person who loses.

Brown?  How can you vote against someone who looks like Squidward on Spongebob?  Whitman, for all her money, ran a lackluster campaign.

Prop 27 , in the words of the legislative analyst in the official voter information guide,

“returns the responsibility to determine district boundaries of state offices back to the legislature. Under this measure, the commission recently established by voters to determine these boundaries would be eliminated”.

Yes Diana, I’m perhaps “too touchy” when it comes to California bashing.  I’ve been around it a long time, and I’m thoroughly sick of it.  I know the complexity of the state and do not like to see it characterized by a bunch of “latte uber liberals.”  By and large, it’s not that way.  Ronald Reagan was a product of California politics, as was Richard Nixon.  Darrell Issa is from California.  There’s no telling how California will shake out in the coming years. 

Thanks for that, Talk.  I just do not understand what the big deal is in showing ID to vote.  I had to do it – why shouldn’t everyone have to prove they are eligible?  It is absurd that people don’t have to provide a voter registration card at least.

Excellent comment all the way around.

Btw, it isn’t like other states haven’t had people poke fun at them – Florida?  Texas??  SOUTH CAROLINA????  For heaven’s sake, Alvin Greene just came out saying he want to run against Obama in 2012 as a Republican.  And we still have Jim Clyburn, abt whom I have written a ton.  Just sayin’… 

I voted for the $18 fee to keep our parks open.  I cannot believe that they voted to leave the fiscal health of our state in the hands of the D’s which will cost each of us thousands, but wouldn’t vote for a lousy $18 for state parks.  Also, if I am not mistaken, that included free admission to the parks for state residents.

Oh, kvit yar bitchn, CA.  A. James Manchin (yes the uncle of the new US Senator) blew all of WV’s money on the stock market and we pulled out of it with a GOP governor.  You live with a bunch of sit on the couch moron voters there on the left coast and you can’t excuse the actions of more than half of your voters anymore than I can excuse Joe Manchin for sucking up to big coal.  I am ashamed of the morons and I admit it and I work hard to get out the vote against the morons’ political choices.  Sometimes I win.  Sometimes I loose.  Life happens.  You live in bozo land and no words will change that.

Um, oowawa, FWIW, as I mentioned above, many of us here have made fun of Florida (on a number of levels, recently Alan Grayson was a fave), Texas, MA, SC (where I reside and have the displeasure of having Jim Clybuen as my rep in this gerrymandered district), and a number of states.  I appreciate that this is to close for you, oowawa, and again – sorry for opening that wound.

No offense meant to you, EllenD, Sandi78, and any other Californians here.  We’re all in this together.

I voted for that too and yes, it did mean free admission for State residents. Seemed like a good deal to me. I think too many voters just voted “no” for any type of tax or fee without considering exactly what they were doing.

I have also heard that it is discriminatory to impoverished people to expect them to have some kind of ID.  Considering a Voter Registration card is free, I am not sure how that is the case, but what do I know?

Or that requiring an ID like a driver’s license was discriminatory because people might not be able to afford a car.  Here, at least, people can get photo IDs at the DMV that prove they are who they say they are, for a nominal fee.  So, again, not sure how that is discriminatory.  I’m open to suggestions, though.

The thing is, though, how does the court continue to uphold that proof of citizenship cannot be requested and protect our democracy?  I don’t get that.  Isn’t that their responsibility?

You would think wouldn’t you?  It seems as though our courts have gone the way of One World Government, they seem to think it is not and should not be a right of citizenship to hold voting sacred to citizens.  At this rate more non citizens will be voting than citizens.  And yes, here in CA you can for a nominal fee get a photo ID.  I believe in many states that require photo ID to vote they will even pay for the ID for those unable to afford such.

Jesus H. Christ.  Of course we know him.  That’s the damn problem.  Are you lucid?  Well, maybe you’re too young to remember or weren’t alive then.  He set the stage to run the state into the ground and he accomplished the same with Oakland as Mayor. 

In LA proper there is public transportation but if you work in LA and  live outside the city getting to work on public transportation is almost impossible. If you work second or third shift how to get to and from work?
No trains they stop running before the end of any second shift job. I am not sure of the bus schedules from outside the city but I doubt they run often enough to be useful. There is a whole world out there that does not work 9am to 5pm and they are forgotten.

Please understand I am orginally from the east coast where I could get to work no matter what shift I worked and really do not understand the thinking out here on public transportation.

WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE CHATTERING PEOPLE RULE

Redistricting will be done by a bi-partisan citizens committee 6 and 6 with strict objective guidelines they must follow.  We’ll see if they can wiggle around the rules.  I hope we get rid of the D majority in the legislature.  It might give us a chance.

Regular people don’t stand a chance in Cali. The Unions are big, and there are no stops in place to stop illegals from voting. I voted straight Republican ticket, the only Republican to win will be Steve Cooley as our new Attorney General.

Jerry’s plan is to have all illegals in college for free.

R3A…did you see that they giving Stanley Ann some sort of big honor for bring up Indonesian women.  That hasn’t worked out so well…seems quite hypocritical to me.  What a joke.

Well, OA, at least this thread got Oowawa’s attention. I thought he’s gone missing.

There’s no telling how California will shake out in the coming years.
Luv ya my fellow Californian. Same time next year?

It takes a lot to get to Oowawa who is one of the most unflappable beings on earth. We know you didn’t mean to hurt our feelings, RRRA.
We are used to being “fair game” as Oowawa says but sometimes the sheer enormous amount of crud directed at us makes us snap.
We’ll be back to normal tomorrow unless someone starts another thread with a WSJ rant against California. Sarah’s taking on WSJ now.

Thank you Amy

Yes, democracy is great, and Allysia is still a moron for insulting the entire population of California, without considering the blatant corruption that was likely behind the demise of Fiorina, and Whitman.

Having said that, I will readily admit that Carly Fiorina was not exactly a sure win. Her demeanor was unfriendly, and cold. On top of that, she promoted a resume that was flawed at best. Despite that, she had a shot, given her opponent,”Senator Mam” the b*tch of all b*tches, with nothing to show for her decades of free ride other than massive unemployment, higher taxes and entitlement programs, for the illegal and the lazy.

I believe it is a 14 member panel with at least to unaffiliated members, which will help break the tie, so to say.

And thank God for that.  Kamala Harris is a disaster.  From your post, I assume Cooley must have wound up with the vote.  I lost track of the count.

Diana L.C, we have the same problem here in Wisconsin with people coming from Chicago because real estate was so much cheaper. They didn’t mind the commute and like you say our highways became clogged worse than they all ready were.

But the infamy for which they can never be forgiven was the support of the Chicago Bears.  Clogging our highways, raising real estate prices, overcrowding our schools  are all things we could have in time learned to deal.

Supporting the Chicago Bears? That’s crossing a line too far! >:o

Oh, my…Yeah, you said it, Annie!

Thanks EllenD. Again I ask, who the fk is Allysia Finley, anyway?