Texas-California Rivalry and Antipathy (Dallas, Commerce: income tax, live in, prices)

[War Beagle]

Originally Posted by chessgeek

I agree with you on the viewpoint differences. However, California's liberalism is sometimes exaggerated. Ironically, Texas has had a Democratic woman as governor for one term (Ann Richards) and that has yet to happen in California. Jerry Brown's sister Kathleen ran against Republican Pete Wilson in 1994 and lost.

California is odd because it has some of the most liberal and conservative areas in the country. The coastal areas tend to be liberal but the inland areas, particularly areas like Bakersfield, are just as conservative as places in Texas. The difference with Texas is that many Texas Democrats are probably more ideologically similar to east coast Republicans or establishment Republicans than they are California liberal Democrats. In other words, Texas is a more conservative state in part because our Democrats aren't as liberal.

Also, political scientists have been predicting that Texas will become purple for years now and it doesn't seem to be happening - even with the increasing Hispanic population. I have lived in both Texas and California and my experience is that Hispanics in Texas seem to assimilate faster and more completely than do the Hispanics in California. It doesn't take long for Hispanics here to adopt Texas interests such as guns and hunting. My perception in California was that the identification with the native country (usually Mexico) seemed to be more enduring.

Completely anecdotal, but that was my experience.

[kidicarus89]

Originally Posted by curbur

This is exactly what I fear/am excited for.

To be honest it kind of scares me too. Though land isn't at such a premium as San Fran or San Diego, housing prices have been steadily rising for quite some time. Huge population growth needs furious infrastructure improvements to accommodate them, which means higher taxes are inevitable.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by chessgeek

I agree with you on the viewpoint differences. However, California's liberalism is sometimes exaggerated. Ironically, Texas has had a Democratic woman as governor for one term (Ann Richards) and that has yet to happen in California. Jerry Brown's sister Kathleen ran against Republican Pete Wilson in 1994 and lost

The liberals in California make the "liberals" in Texas look like right wing conservatives. Nothing compared to the liberal, anti 2nd amendment nuts out here like Feinstein and Boxer, nothing at all.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by mbell75

The liberals in California make the "liberals" in Texas look like right wing conservatives. Nothing compared to the liberal, anti 2nd amendment nuts out here like Feinstein and Boxer, nothing at all.

You're either a liberal or not. It doesn't change based on where you live.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by mega man

You're either a liberal or not. It doesn't change based on where you live.

But the degrees of said liberalism do. Just as how both Republicans and the tea party are considered conservatives, The difference is the tea party is WAY to the right and may take issues with things other conservatives do not.

[casimpso]

Paul Krugman blows it out of the water with this piece.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/25/op...an-region&_r=1

California is back. Kansas is in the toilet. The so-called "Texas Miracle" is due to one thing: housing prices.

"Has there been any soul-searching among the prophets of California doom, asking why they were so wrong? Not that I’m aware of. Instead, I’ve been seeing many attempts to devalue the good news from California by pointing out that the state’s job growth still lags that of Texas, which is true, and claiming that this difference is driven by differential tax rates, which isn’t."

"Despite the bursting of the bubble, home values in California are still double the national average, while in Texas they’re 30 percent below that average. So a lot more people are moving to Texas even though wages and productivity are lower than they are in California."

The Republican prescription is failing in Kansas.
Kansas Republican Tax Cuts Are Becoming a Total Disaster - US News

The Democratic formula is working in California. The budget is back in surplus.

So much for all the anti-California nonsense.

[Transplanted99]

Originally Posted by mbell75

But the degrees of said liberalism do. Just as how both Republicans and the tea party are considered conservatives, The difference is the tea party is WAY to the right and may take issues with things other conservatives do not.

No, for most it is only the image and how they speak about it that is different in TX. Wendy Davis' history and advocacy suggest that she is as liberal as the rest of the ones you mentioned from CA. If the Dems in TX had power for as long, it would certainly look like CA.

[Meyerland]

I think it's mostly exaggerated due to being an online forum, although there is something to it.

It does get irritating when a transplant to Houston goes on and on about what a great place they came from. And on and on. We just seem to get a lot of transplants from California lately. I also hear from the European transplants too, although they love our housing.

It makes polite conversation at parties and meetings awkward. After 5 minutes i just want to say, "I'm glad you loved it there." And change the subject. I don't talk about any topic ad nauseum. Hopefully?!

[Transplanted99]

Originally Posted by Meyerland

I think it's mostly exaggerated due to being an online forum, although there is something to it.

It does get irritating when a transplant to Houston goes on and on about what a great place they came from. And on and on. We just seem to get a lot of transplants from California lately. I also hear from the European transplants too, although they love our housing.

It makes polite conversation at parties and meetings awkward. After 5 minutes i just want to say, "I'm glad you loved it there." And change the subject. I don't talk about any topic ad nauseum. Hopefully?!

Too many want to have the results of the prior government policies and come here, but once here want the policies to reflect their homeland.

One or two generations later they find that they get what they asked/voted for and begin their search for the next golden land of opportunity.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by bafbjian

So what's the real basis of all the anti-California sentiment and vitriol that gets posted on this forum, with a similar attitude that also seems to be attributed to Californians vis a vis Texas?

Speaking as someone who was born and raised in Dallas...I'm just sick of people moving here and clogging up the roads and raising the COL for all of us because of massive, constant infrastructure work to keep up with population growth and constant construction on roads to attempt to deal with the huge increase in traffic. It drags down our quality of life, such as it was before.