May 27, 2009

Should California split up into two or three states?



California is f*cked. T'hat's pretty clear now (thank you realtors!).

So maybe it needs a "Good California" and "Bad California" break-up?


Or is the whole thing one big unsalvageable ungovernable mess?

41 comments:

Afterthought said...

Yes.

Anonymous said...

If they want to split up into two or three states, why not? But maybe they should go bankrupt first?

yoski said...

Let Clownifornia declare bankruptcy and sell it to the Chinese.

Bukko Boomeranger said...

I read a good argument for splitting it into four: 1.) a military/right-wing based state from San Diego, along the Mexican border and maybe up to Orange County; 2.) a multi-ethnic, Hollywood and tourist based state centred on Los Angeles and the Valley; 3.) a left-wing, Silicon Valley/gay state around San Fran, San Jose and Oakland; and 4.) a rural, rednecky resources-based state from north of Napa/Sonoma to the Oregon border. Made sense to me.

But to keep the balance, North Dakota would have to be merged with South, Wyoming would have to be split up between Colorado, Utah and Montana, and at least one of the pipsqueak East Coast states would have to be absorbed by one that's slightly less pipqueaky. Cause 50's a nice round number and everybody wouldn't have to replace their flags.

Anonymous said...

I read on an investment blog that a 'retired' 50 year old state worker from California recently climbed Mt. Everest.

Anton Chiguhr

Anonymous said...

Yes it should, not based on geography though.

Have one state for taxpayers. HAve the usual services available, like Emergency Rooms at Hospitals.

Have another state for illegals, wetbacks and welfare families with anchor babies and Politicians. Have No Services of any kind available, especially free handouts of any kind whatsoever. Give every illegal and welfare cheat a brand-new factory fresh 9mm handgun and unlimited ammo. Place in a fenced area in the mojave desert, near say, Barstow. Kill whoever gets near fence.

Problem Solved.

You're Welcome

Batman said...

What's the good part?

Anonymous said...

Sure, and let's call them:
Calneva and Calzona.

Anonymous said...

N and S CA have effectively been split for years, regardless of the housing debacle.

Jasen said...

This was a common debate topic growing up in the 90's in Southern California. What exactly makes a state too big? and exactly what problem will be fixed by making two or three legislatures, governors, and governments.

I'd like a re-write of California's constitution, especially paygo rules for propositions.

Anonymous said...

why? what difference would it make?

the only way to make a successful state that way would be to split it east and west and north of SF. that way there would be the unproductive liberal portion that resides along the coast from SF to SD.

Anonymous said...

any get the feeling that all hell is going to break lose? N. korea attack s. korea so the north can get something to eat.

israel attack iran (or iran attacks israel, you know , it will take just 12 days to wipe them off the map)

BO needs to get busy and start talking to these problem states some more. clearly he hasn't been talking to them enough....

Unknown said...

All government officials in California need to be summarily frog-prepped.

Anonymous said...

I am only concerned about 1 thing. Who is in charge of the WINE?

borkafatty aka the pig said...

They should break it up into three. East California would run the length of Nevada from Oregon to just north of I 40. Its western border would be just west of I 5 from Oregon to Sacramento where it would cut east to exclude Sacramento, which would be part of North California. South of Elk Grove (also North California)the border would run just west of the 5 all the way down to where 5 and California 99 come together. A straight line would be drawn east to west where these 2 roads come together and everything north of that line along the coast would be North California and everything south would be South California. The Rednecks would have their own state to the East, The normal people can have their own state in the south, and the hippies to the north can have their own state. Since they're the source of most of California's problems, and thus responsible for the situation, they get to keep Sacramento and all of California's "legacy costs". The other 2 states would be new and could start with a clean slate. North Cali could too after they do the right thing and declare bankruptcy.

Problem Solved. You're welcome.

Markus Arelius said...

Some important things:

1.) If California goes bankrupt, this would be a nice position to re-negotiate state government contracts. Unfortunately, any municipality union-wide is totaly screwed if Cali does indeed go "tits up" without a federal bailout.

2.) Interestingly, California's state constitution requires a balanced budget. With a 21 billion budget shortfall, the crew of cretins in Sacramento still have all of their work ahead of them. Watch 'em walk the political tight rope. Several are going to be recalled.

3.) California's state income tax and property tax structure is fantastically antiquated. Income tax is based on the 1990s dot bomb era and property taxes based on the 1970s Prop 13 controls respectively.

4.)California's legislative process and public referendum format prevents state government from raising funds through new taxes (who would vote for increased taxes?). The budgetary process does not demand sufficient accountability of the governor and legislature, which leads to paralysis every July here (July 1 is budget deadline).

5.) If only we had the Guardian or real investigative journalists like Carl Monday out here. You would not believe the entitlement programs that have been in place here for 30+ years, while public schools are made of 15 sq meter mobile home units with shitty air conditioners in the windows.

6.) California's K-12 elementary school system is ranked 46th in the union. That figure will head south of Mississippi's ranking. I'm completely serious.

7.) California is a compulsive shopper. No matter what it does, it just can't stop spending. Voters have forced the hands of legislators to make deeper cuts. They can't/won't cut pensions and entitlements. So they'll cut the education budget, fire teachers, public employees, close schools, fire protection (MO' WILDFIYAAHS!), police protection.

Then, when the wildfires are raging this August and September, and the Alt-A and Option ARM resets are ascending to their zenith, California legislators will empty the prisons.

And we'll have fun, fun, fun till Daddy took the T-Bird away!

Anonymous said...

I say three states. North from San Luis Obispo , South to the Mexican border, and down the center of The Sierra Nevada making an Eastern state. This way each seperate state could better represent its electorate and the government could enlarge itself. How about these names...

Homopia
Lawyerton
Tweekertucky
Chocolate Starfish
Scwartzeneger

Anonymous said...

Now we know what californication means.

Anonymous said...

"...the United Auto Workers retiree health-care fund was originally offered about $10 billion in cash and as much as a 39 percent equity stake for $20 billion in claims...."Go ahead and blame unions, but high health care cost is at the root of every serious financial challenge to our nation.

Anonymous said...

Just split it into Northern California and Northern Mexico, the latter including Southern California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Northern Virginia and parts of any other state/city with an influx of illegals.

Proud Californian said...

>> California is f*cked

you are f*cked

>> unsalvageable, ungovernable

blah-blah-blah. $40bln budget deficit and its big f*cken deal. Thats a pittance. The contry is in the hole $40Trln- 1000 times more. And the banks just got couple trillion- just 50 times more.

California is the 8th biggest economy in the world and will be
ok as soon as they change the constitutional requirement for
75% majority budgets to end the
deadlocks.

On a separate note- see what happens when you dont have a
printing press and have to balance the budget. $40bln becomes a problem, vs. $40trln not yet.
Gold standard anyone ?

Anonymous said...

From The NEW Book: 'Bailout Nation'

***********************************

1. This was not a "perfect storm" -- unforeseeable random events that just happened. In reality, it was a series of conscious decisions made by investment banks, commercial banks, government officials, regulators and central bankers that were simply awful.

2. The bailout has cost more so far than the Marshall Plan, the Louisiana Purchase, the race to the Moon, the S&L crisis, the Korean War, The New Deal, the Gulf War II/Invasion of Iraq, Vietnam War, NASA and War World II COMBINED. (Oh, and that includes adjusting the other expenses for inflation).

lenksy said...

"Go ahead and blame unions, but high health care cost is at the root of every serious financial challenge to our nation."

It's really the fault of human behavior since even unions didn't figure out how to keep our material appetites under control.

Anonymous said...

California is an inside picture of exactly what is wrong with America.

Taxes, taxes, taxes. Has anyone looked at their cell phone bill or phone bill lately. Take a look at all the taxes that are put on there.

Again, America fell asleep, and our politicians went to work taxing every damn thing imaginable. Now we have no money and we continue to spend and spend at unprecedented levels, on printed monopoly money.

Folks, I hate to see what the future looks like but I can honestly say we are headed down a road that will be a catastrophe of such proportions, that will make the Great Depression look like mickey's playmate!

Prepare!

Ross said...

yoski said...
Let Clownifornia declare bankruptcy and sell it to the Chinese.


Go take a tour of UC Irvine and it will look like they already sold.

Anonymous said...

nuke socal

MsNJ said...

Bukko, that's brilliant. But why would the 4 other states have to lose their sense of identity?

Add 4 more states and everyone will have to get new flags, all around the world. It would be a boom industry.

I'm putting my money in textiles now!!

In all seriousness, I like that 4 state plan...

Anonymous said...

Give it back to Mexico. That will make Sotomayor the La Raza operative very happy.

Out at the peak said...

The last time a North/South split was proposed, it was a water issue. The North wanted to be able to charge the South for all the water they took.

I do not know how splitting the state up will really solve anything. You'll now have double overhead overall to manage the mess(es).

Markus Arelius said...

Did I mention we're overdue for a massive earthquake?

Cutting public safety staff and resoures? Well, it couldn't happen at a better moment.

Mammoth said...

"They can't/won't cut pensions and entitlements."
-----------------------
Want to BET?

Eventually, even this sacred cow is going to either be put on a diet or butchered.

Same goes for the federal entitlement programs! There is no way this can be avoided.

Book it.

-Mammoth

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't it be split between the liberal coastal cities and the conservative farming of the Inland Empire?

Not north and south...

ApleAnee said...

Anonymous said...

.....and parts of any other state/city with an influx of illegals.
-------------------

Keeping the plan simple:

Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Montana, Oregon.

Or basically everything west of the Louisiana Purchase, or everything that used to be owned by Mexico before the Mexican American War.

This leaves the following for us legal and illegal inhabitants:

Yellowstone, Glacier Park, Grand Canyon, Canyon Lands, Canyon de Chelle, and the entire Rocky & Sierra Nevada Mountains. (We will give you Las Vegas as a gesture of good faith). Those illegals who can't make a go of living the survivalist lifestyle can move east and cut your grass, pick your beans, and make your Whoppers for you wherever you are.

You get Appalachia, the Ozarks, the Missippi River,New Orleans, New York City, Trenton, Baltimore, Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Boston.

Damn, let's do it.

i've had it said...

Just kick in out of the Union. Those people there are totally screwed up and are ruining this country. Kick 'em out; build a wall around it; and let them figure things out for themselves.

There's no way we are going to give them two more senators...no F...n way!

Lost Cause said...

Too big the flail.

i've had it said...

I'm actually thinking the U.S. should split since the forces of socialism are so strong now and socialism and americanism are completely incompatible.

My idea is actually based on a map I saw some socialists create a short while ago that featured the north east states down to DC, all the states bordering canada, and all the west coast states combining into a new country, and the rest of america being the other one. Obviously the first country would be for the socialists and the second one would be for the Americans.

I think I'm OK with this. I really do think we Americans and the alien socialists should start talking about it. It would probably best for everyone if we had our own places to govern so we don't get in the way of each other.

Anonymous said...

Doesnt matter if there's a north or a south.

Its one big boondoggle.

les said...

Here's a list of police, firemen and other politicos in SF who make $250,000+.

http://myprops.org/content/S.F.-is-gonna-be-broke-whether-you-like-it-or-not/


$250,000+ govt. employees are all over this state. 15 years ago, the highest public salary was $120,000.

Too many counties and cities structured the salary contract on the salaries paid in other cities. As one city raises its pay, the other cities have to raise in kind, often times bettering them. The salaries spiraled out of control, the politicians were too stupid to realize what they created.

JAWS said...

For NoCal to lose SoCal would not be such a big deal but vice versa could be a problem. That would be like New Jersey losing New York.

CA is due for a doozie of an earthquake. That should chew up a lot of the Las Vegas vacant housing inventory.

Anonymous said...

Not overspending and under taxation but the Realtors.

Think about.

You can spend more than you make forever.

Anonymous said...

I was fortunately raised in California and not in the disgusting state in which I now reside - Arizona. Why is Arizona disgusting? Because it has a large population of displaced white South Africans, Israelis, and Southerners who migrated here to get away from the civil rights movements. These volks keep the state backwards. Now you know why Obama did not get an honorary degree from 2nd rate school ASU.

These people can not take criticism of their state. They will actually avenge themselves if theye here anyone saying a negative about AZ. They love to target Californians. Some time ago,a school teacher from CA who had mocved here, won a harassment lawsuit at her job and proved that they target Californians.

Now as for dividing California, that has been an ongoing debate forever and ever. California has been harvested and it is time to replant. Dividing the state will not help.

Was Arnold not given his new job to cover up for the energy companies theft of the surplus that was to provide free college tuition. Time to get rid of
the terminator before he terminates the state.

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