The California Challenge
So, citizens of America and of the World, you may have noticed that California is in fiscal and social crisis. In fact, today is just another budget deadline unmet. Put America on steroids and give it breast augmentation, boil it in the legendary melting pot, then pour it into one bordered area called a state and Voila! – California.
This is the view expressed by the San Francisco Bay Guardian on the left. Which is appropriate, because we are so often referred to as the Left Coast, due to the whole center of the nation thinking we are this left-wing stronghold.
But, look at that map more closely. We are actually “America’s America” as Bill Clinton referred to us. You can’t refer to the land that produced Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, among others, as being just “Left.”
Now, I’m by no means a California expert, but let me describe these different regions so you will have some idea why the legislature is so bad. And, boy are they bad, but I’ll get to that in just a bit. Also recognize the broad brush these regions are painted with. For example, you would find fry-your-butt Redding – where the summers get to 6 million degrees – in Greenland. You see what I mean, but in my descriptions, I will follow the fantasy that these are actually totally homogeneous regions, because that really does help describe the governing problem.
Greenland: This is the area where the giant redwoods live. Stunning countryside. A world of its own that you have to experience to know what it is like. Kind of like the Grand Canyon in that sense. Sorry, but a movie or a picture can’t do it justice. And, oh the sweet air and the serenity…and you better take care of ancient forest groves – unless you work at a lumber mill and are unemployed. Or, unless you are a spotted owl.
Sierrastan: Kind of akin to Greenland. GOOD mountains! Lake Tahoe, mountain cabins, Yosemite Valley, ski resorts. And mountain people with their own hard edged views of the universe and their own priorities! Environment first. And, we are armed if you want to trash it any!
Coastland: Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara. The ocean is everything! Don’t mess with the Coast! Environment is big there. Whales are big there. Surfing is big there.
Notaxistan: This is the conservative Central Valley. This is the heartland transplanted. Really. This is Kansas. Don’t tax ‘em. And don’t bring any of your fancy liberal ideas out here, either. Oh, yeah, and send us all the water you can!!
Palm Sprawl: Palm Springs, Death Valley, Mojave Desert. This is where the people of Hell go when they need a little more warmth. I have seen days when the low in Truckee (which is in Sierrastan) is over 100 degrees cooler than the high in Death Valley. In the same day! I’m not sure where they stand on stuff. But, wherever it is, it’s HOT!
North Mexico: San Diego area. There is a whole lot of Mexican immigration happening here. And, some of it is legal. It is one of the few places where the highways have signs warning you to watch out for families running across the highway! Really! But, go there and you have to fall in love with it. And, the Mexican influences really are a net positive. Have you noticed any Hispanic influence on the names you see here? It’s almost like we took it from them! They are a rapidly growing political force. Some want it back!
Disney: I suppose you could name it that, but I have a friend on the CNN Chat site that knows it more truly for what it is, “Behind the Orange Curtain!” Orange County is THE bastion of conservative political clout. That’s where the Reagans and Nixons sprout from. It is also a huge source of American image making, for better or worse. Hollywood, Disney and a whole lot of industry. World is writ BIG there. It’s the LA area, after all. Need I say more? Poverty mixed with BIG BUCKS!
Pinkostan: Last but hardly least, this is where I live! San Francisco, the Bay, myths abounding across the nation that EVERYONE is gay. The home of Nancy Pelosi. Also the home of some of the finest halls of higher learning that you can find anywhere, Berkeley and Stanford. I will go out on a limb and say it is slightly liberal. Well, a lot. But, nowhere near like the myth. It is kind of like you transplanted a European city and called it San Francisco and that has become the entire myth. But, don’t forget, we also have Silicon Valley, the Napa Valley and we are the original home of Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Visa, Google, Apple and the first radio broadcasting and the invention of television and on and on. Charlie Chaplin even started here. So, don’t give me your simplified stereotypes!
So, those are the parts of a state that tipped over would reach 1/3 of the way across the North American Continent. One in ten Americans live here. I think Hollywood developed here because we have every possible look and terrain you could ever want for filming. It is the eighth largest economy in the entire world (used to be sixth, but, you know) and when it gets its act back together, LOOK OUT!
So why can’t it get its act together? Well, it’s like the story of the blind men and the elephant. The first blind man grabs the trunk and says it is very much like a snake. The second grabs a leg and says it is very much like a tree. The third, the tail and says it is very like a rope. You get the idea. Each has a different idea of what is good for this creature.
In the same manner, each area of California has its own idea of what is good for the state. Unfortunately, pushed and elected by their parochial constituents, most legislators are blind and have a different idea of what is good for the elephant. No one sees the elephant as a whole creature and so no one can ride and guide it. The Governator would love to, but we have gone for glitz rather than experience. He’s a smart enough guy, really, but being an actor may not be as helpful in learning about governing as…well…as governing is! To put frosting on the cake, it takes a 2/3 majority to pass the budget, so a minority view can hold the body as a whole hostage.
Somebody will come along that can ride this thing and can herd all the blind cats in the legislature. And, when they do, oh baby what a ride!!!
What do I think? I think we should quit electing actors and Lilly-livered varmints. I’m sure somebody will turn that into a proposition for us to vote on, too!
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Tags: California, governing, People
Before that happens, I think we have to fix the redistricting issue so that we have some legislators who have to think about someone other than their “core constituency”. And the problem there is, who do we trust to oversee that boondoggle? The only reason those propositions went down is that we didn’t think the people specified to split the cake would do so in an unbiased fashion.
41 days to financial meltdown and counting.
EXCELLENT description of California. Such variety. In West Virginia we were considered only one thing—dumb Hillbillies.
Hearing you describe California makes me want to do my further studies there even more! But I agree with your point, the ability to govern should be the guiding force behind voting for a candidate. Unfortunately we in India, face an aggravated form of the same problem at a much broader scale. Only in our case its not just actors, but criminals, terror accused, etc. Democracy has its flaws I suppose.
Let me Quote–” I cannot conceive of anything more ridiculous, more absurd, and more affrontive to all sober judgement than the cry that we are profiting by the acquisition of New Mexico and California . I hold that they are not worth a dollar.”—- Daniel Webster, senator of Massachusetts, 1848.
At least, it appears that Massachusetts’ senators of Webster’s days were smart, but could not convince the rest of the senators!
That really is a great description of California. You defy all stereotypes! It’s like Johnson County Kansans trying to understand the needs in Goodland. Lotsa luck out there…
I moved from West Virginia the “dumb Hillbilly” state to New Mexico which isn’t “worth a dollar”.
San Diego, North Mexico Santa Fe, other North Mexico
I shall be diplomatic and watch the exchanges. I wish that I could be as prolific about my home state in India where too we have a crisis of sorts – just fiscal would be too much to expect but other major problems that need urgent attention.
Gail, I don’t believe that you truly carry three kangaroos in your back seat now. No Aussie could have come up with that comment.
rummuser’s last blog post..Freedom.
When people hear that I come from Ireland, they ask me if I know ‘Mr Murphy’. Their Mr Murphy might live 200 miles away.
With that in mind, Conrad please wave to my cousin who lives right next door to Pinkostan.
Grannymar’s last blog post..Memory Lane
It is a pretty state and one where everyone should live for about a year or so. Don’t come to Minnesota…it is way too cold here.
I’ve tried hard not to send this but when you mentioned that Bank of America was founded in Pinkostan, I’m finally giving in. I was trained to be a proper lady but also there was some snobbery training too. That includes “name calling”. At a women’s college–Hollins College VA I had a friend, Verge Giannini. Her father came from Italy with about $10 & built Bank of America. I didn’t know she was rich until I introduced her to Mother (my trainer) who told me.
One time on a picnic Verge threw an empty cigarette pkg. in the stream. As it was floating away she said. “There’s $5 (bill) in that.” She didn’t bother to get it, but I did. That was in the early 50’s when $5 was worth more.
We as CA voters are pretty fed up. The only measure that passed was the one limiting legislators’ salaries.
Ashok, democracy is messy, no doubt. But, it sure beats the alternatives in my view~
Gail – Yep. New Mexico has tarred the California reputation for all this time!
bikehikebabe, should we put that on our state license plates? “Not worth a dollar!”
Grannymar, when I first moved out here, Mom wanted me to drop in on Aunt Dorothy (no connection to Oz!) every so often in the LA area. I told her that would be like her dropping in on the relatives in Denver every so often…
GL, I have seen your area via Google Earth – and it looks very pretty indeed!
bikehikebabe, before Jean quit coming around, I thought SHE was the only famous person you were close to. I should have known!
As my lecturer says, even the worst form of democracy is preferrable to the best form of dictatorship. Messy as India is at the moment, I don’t face the death sentence for having a blog and writing my mind on it. These are luxuries I will always be greatful for.
Ashok’s last blog post..The Optimist’s day out
Same here, Ashok, same here!
Rummy, I’m going to sit down and have a “rollie” and think about what you just said about my Roos!
I love Califonia wine, so Conrad send some my way. By doing that you would help the economy, and to hell (as you once said to me) with Daniel Webster. He didn’t realize, at the time, that “good people” like you, BHB, and that Rhonda girl, would be living in those states.
Why, thank you Gail. Wine is on the way! Uh, what was that address again…
Hmmm, is a Kansan in California still a Kansan? How many smoke-free restaurants and bars, how many native wines, how many budget deficits does it take to mutate from a Kansas to a Californian?
I think it may have more to do with how deep you plant your new roots. When I met my wife, the roots started going deep.
But…Kansas base is always in my hip pocket.