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California isn't as liberal as many think. The Bay Area is pretty liberal but Southern California not so much so it all balances out in the end.
What is your definition of liberal? How can a state that ok marijuana use in 1996 not be considered liberal? California was the first state to ok gay marriage in the state legislature. This is where Democrats come to get money & where the state's Republicans are more like Democrats than Democrats living in the South.
California is much more liberal than New York [not sure about the other states]. New York state legislature has had a strong Republican presence. NYC often has Republican mayors. New York still doesn't not allow gay marriage or marijuana use. In-fact I can't think of a state more liberal than California.
Massachusetts has a Democratic Governor, Lt. Governor, and a Democratic super-majority in both Houses of the state legislature. It also has same-sex marriage. Connecticut and Vermont have Republican governors, but unlike Massachusetts they still have no Republicans in their US Congressional delegation. They also both have same-sex marriage.
California has 19 Republican members of the US House of Representatives and has a Republican governor. They also voted down same-sex marriage. They are likely in the top 10 most liberal, but I can see not placing them in the top 5.
Massachusetts has a Democratic Governor, Lt. Governor, and a Democratic super-majority in both Houses of the state legislature. It also has same-sex marriage. Connecticut and Vermont have Republican governors, but unlike Massachusetts they still have no Republicans in their US Congressional delegation. They also both have same-sex marriage.
California has 19 Republican members of the US House of Representatives and has a Republican governor. They also voted down same-sex marriage. They are likely in the top 10 most liberal, but I can see not placing them in the top 5.
You don't define "liberal." California is arguably the most "green" of any state, has the strictest air quality laws & commitment to the environment than anywhere in the U.S. California was the first to support stem-cell research & if the state had money it would also have universal health care by now since the governor supports it. How does Vermont, Connecticut & Massachusetts compare? Keep in mind that many Southern states were heavily Democratic for many decades but were in no way liberal. California's two senators have been Democratic for 3 decades, it's Democratic Congress people outnumber Republicans 3 to 1. Republicans in California hardly qualify as GOP compared to the way they vote & what they support [ie Schwarzenegger]. California was the first state to put same-sex marriage on the ballot & it lost by 4 points. It was the first to ok gay marriage twice in the state legislature. It was the first to ok marijuana use & to outlaw tobacco use indoors. Please point out how the other states you consider more liberal than California.
Vermont was the first state to have same-sex civil unions. Its legislature overrode the governor's veto on same-sex marriage indicating pretty solid support in its legislature. Vermont has had medical marijuana even if it had it later than California.
Massachusetts has state health-care. Six of its ten members of the US House of Representatives are in the liberal "Congressional Progressive Caucus." None are in the centrist "New Democratic Coalition" or the conservative Democratic "Blue Dog Coalition." Neither Massachusetts nor Vermont has the death penalty.
California has twelve representatives in the US Congress's conservative "Republican Studies Committee." It has the death penalty and was one of the first with a "Three Strikes Law" on crime sentencing.
California contains some of the most liberal places in America, but taken as a whole I think it tends to come out fifth or sixth most liberal. Vermont and Massachusetts don't have places like Anaheim or Bakersfield.
As for "defining liberal" that's hard to do as there are so many differences on what that means. I would guess generally it means trying to increase social liberties, decrease inequalities, and skepticism of traditional authority. I think Vermont is more secular and more economically equal than California. Unlike many here I do not see "liberal" as a compliment. I don't even believe in the classical liberalism i.e. libertarianism. Unfortunately I don't seem to believe in much of what the Right thinks these days either. (Waterboarding, conspiracy theories about socialists, chauvinistic nationalism, etc)
Last edited by Thomas R.; 01-27-2010 at 06:51 PM..
Again, this is all in my opinion. It is not actual, scientific anything.
Sorry but this is so silly if all these lists mean nothing more than a person's uninformed opinion. How can New York, Connecticutt, Illinios, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Maryland, Rhode Island & DC be more liberal than California? If you aren't going to put any thought into this forum than it becomes nothing more than a "my daddy is bigger than yours"
California:
1. strictest air quality control\ most committed to environmental causes -global warming funding\ first to outlaw tobacco use indoors [and now outdoors as well].
2. first to allow marijuana use, first state to put drug offenders in treatment, not jail, first to allow free needle exchange for drug users.
3. strictest controls on food quality & regulation of sugar in schools
4. San Francisco\ Bay Area considered the center of liberalism in the nation. Los Angeles\ Hollywood is center of progressive thought in movies\ tv\ arts
5. first state to give pregnant women extended employment, first to fund stem cell research
6. one of just a few states that allows voter initiatives on just about any state policies [that's why the death penalty & gay marriage ban exists]
7. first to enact strict farm worker rights, only state to regulate how cows, pigs, chickens are penned\ treated,
8. Federal 9th Circuit court is the most liberal in America
9. first to vote for bullet train funding
10. first state legislature to ok gay marriage [twice]
11. what states have cities like San Francisco, Berkeley, Arcata, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, etc
12. birthplace for Green party [largest number of socialists in office]
13. pro-union rights, strictest worker safety rules
14. 3rd highest in taxing businesses
15. home of the anti-war movement, start of free-love-hippy movement,
16. start to overturn ban on inter-racial marriages in the 1940's
The list goes on & on. Some states have followed California's lead but none have the array of liberal policies\ movements that California has.
Sorry but this is so silly if all these lists mean nothing more than a person's uninformed opinion.
Pot meet kettle
Quote:
How can New York, Connecticutt, Illinios, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Maryland, Rhode Island & DC be more liberal than California?
Look at how these states vote, look at the ratio of democratic lawmakers to republicans in each state. And look what state produced Nixon and Reagan. Look outside of LA county in Southern CA and notice the majority of counties lean republican.
CA also passed Prop 13, which started the whole tax revolt movement back in the 1970's. Look what state doesn't have gay marriage. Look at all those failed ballot measures during that special election last year that rejected a host of tax increases. Also many of our "green laws" were out of necessity b/c of pollution and not just b/c people here care about the environment.
CA is not the most liberal state, it's just the biggest liberal state. Do some research...
Pot meet kettle
Look at how these states vote, look at the ratio of democratic lawmakers to republicans in each state. And look what state produced Nixon and Reagan. Look outside of LA county in Southern CA and notice the majority of counties lean republican.
CA also passed Prop 13, which started the whole tax revolt movement back in the 1970's. Look what state doesn't have gay marriage. Look at all those failed ballot measures during that special election last year that rejected a host of tax increases. Also many of our "green laws" were out of necessity b/c of pollution and not just b/c people here care about the environment.
CA is not the most liberal state, it's just the biggest liberal state. Do some research...
I think where a president comes from is not a very good indicator of a state's leaning Clinton was from Arkansas. Bush Sr lived in Maine, etc. Eisenhower & Ford retired in California.
All counties in SoCal voted for Obama [only Orange county among all urban counties voted Republican in California - including military-strong San Diego county]. What counties in California lean Republican besides farm counties in the Central valley? None! If they weren't voting Democratic in 10-15 yrs ago they certainly are now. There's nothing Republican-leaning in California [except aforementioned little counties w/ small populations & a few educated].
What's great or bad about California is that the populace have a direct vote in policies. Prop 13 would never be allowed in almost all other states. When Californian's vote "conservative" [ie death penalty\ gay marriage] it is a reflection of the people's opinion & right to have a say; that is a very liberal permission no state in the Northeast allows. It is also progressive that other states are following.
"Also many of our "green laws" were out of necessity b/c of pollution and not just b/c people here care about the environment". Is it a conservative thing to care for the environment? duh! Practice what you preach, mi hermano "Do some research . . ."
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If you aren't going to put any thought into this forum than it becomes nothing more than a "my daddy is bigger than yours" 
