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These attacks on CA are so stupid. Yes the state is pretty unequal but that's not because of the states progressive policies. The state would be in WORSE shape without them. The financial crash of 07-08 made the situation worse for CA.
Los Angeles is very unequal with I believe 12% unemployment! Its rich or poor but since living here I've noticed that for those stats I'm surprised the city hasn't turned into a hellfire mad max type of place with violence and extremely high crime like Detroit or Camden.
It's because LA provides a lot of assistance to people and there many agencies to help alleviate unemployment, health issues and housing.
Without those things this place would be a complete disaster.
What really grinds my gears is that conservatives have created this fake showdown match between TX and CA. It's as though Texas has beaten the state as far as sound economic policy when there's more to it than that. Texas is a unique state with ample flat land ripe for development, it experienced a massive population boom and has a very diverse economy with several sectors from ports, oil, energy, real estate, construction, medical, etc. These are things that can't really be replicated. Also Texas has no social safety net quite the size of CA so it spends less on health, education, social services and infrastructure than CA which means it takes in less in taxes. But Texas is one if the worst states for a multitude of things concerning quality of life; health, educational spending, social services.
I just don't get why CA is the whipping boy against progressive policies? The state is still miles apart better than states that are in an upswing like Texas. It's just that conservatives who attack are just looking for their slice of the economic pie and could care less about pitching in to provide for their states and fellow residents quality of life.
Desertdetroiter is right on point. The people attacking CA proly live in crap states like Mississippi or Louisiana where the quality of life is pi$ $ poor. California is still a jewel of a state and is bar far the most innovative creative eclectic and beautiful state. By a mile!
Why do people always say educational spending instead of educational outcomes? If you get better outcomes while spending less, then that should be a plus.
What stats have you been reading? California is not a paradise but its by far a better state overall than Texas. Its pollution and environmental record is better than Texas. LA and SF crime rate are better than Houston.
Its labor record is better than that fiefdom and right to work state BS in Texas.
The only thing Texas has going for it is if you're a professional, have the credentials or are highly skilled in some manual labor then Texas is good for you. It's job growth is two sided; their other side is low wage service sector without the benefit of any social services.
The Houston Chronicle is my source saying that while wages are up so is poverty? How is that in this "great" Texas miracle? Because the boom doesn't benefit the vast majority and what Texas is creating is an uneven economic development that is going to be WORSE than California. Houston is already an example.
The Texas miracle is a MYTH. Texans just blind themselves to it because they don't care about poor people. Their feeling is if you can't hop on the gravy train then tough luck. They act like growing income inequality and quality of life is not an issue for the state, its a matter of personal initiative. I'm so glad California doesn't think like that.
Texas will learn that relying mostly on private growth is limited.
I don't talk about miracles or manufactured headlines.
What is California good for if you want a job? Tech - yup. Prison guard? Yup. Teacher - if you want to be employed but never fired - yup.
Net domestic migration in California has been negative for more than 20 years. The population is growing only via immigration and births.
The poverty rate in Texas is not much different than CA - but it is not adjusted for cost of living. Texas is unquestionably cheaper to live in that CA.
Why is income inequality worse in CA than TX? It isn't just Zuckerberg that skews the numbers. Texas has cleaner air, and more water. We pollute more because we produce more energy than anyone. But somehow that pollution doesn't generate worse actual environmental conditions.
How is it worse when Texas' unemployment rate is 6.0% vs. California's 8.3%? What's remarkable about Texas' number is that it is absorbing a constant flow of people moving into the state. California has about 800,000 more people unemployed than Texas does. 800,000 people that are draining public services.
BTW...California is a leader in everything you mentioned.
It's one thing to say it.
It's another to prove it.
Here's the list - prove that "California is a leader in everything" on this list:
"...produce your food" - I don't dispute that California is a big ag state, so you don't need to waste your time on this one.
"produce ... many of the products you use" - California has some manufacturing, so you don't have to research that one, either, although, I'll bet that if I looked, I could find you saying that we don't manufacture anything in the U.S. anymore, and that all mfg has gone to China, but I'll leave that alone in this discussion.
"...the car that you drive" - prove that California is a leader in auto manufacturing.
"the machines that harvest your food" - prove that California is a leader in ag equipment manufacturing.
"machines which ... facilitate infrastructure improvement" - prove that California is a leader in heavy/construction equipment manufacturing.
"machines which ... produce or refine the energy you use" - prove that California is a leader in equipment used for energy exploration, production and refining.
"They work for NASA" - JPL is located in Pasadena, so you're good there.
"big in the tech industry" - you're good there, too.
So let's see... You have four major points to prove. Have at it, tiger.
These attacks on CA are so stupid. Yes the state is pretty unequal but that's not because of the states progressive policies. The state would be in WORSE shape without them. The financial crash of 07-08 made the situation worse for CA.
I think a lot of that had to do with your lax policies and your free dealing ways.
since the topic came up, im all for cutting slackers off from the public teet
that goes for residents of our state, and the slacker states within our union.
for decades we've been one of the "payer" states, getting less than .80 back from every dollar we send to the feds. that deficit is eaten up by the "taker" states that keep their local taxes low then go to their cronies in DC with their hand out to pay their way
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