California Breakup Initiative: Enough Signatures Gathered (San Jose, Sacramento: credit, racist, transit)

[NewbiePoster]

Originally Posted by AuburnAL

I am not sure why this is a brought up as a concern. It's not like the poeple there now are making a ton of money that will evaporate overnight if California ceases to exist. They're already making a certain amount, and it won't go up or down immediately following partition. Depending on the policies the successor states follow their local income may change noticably after several years, but there won't be an overnight change for most people.

Yes, it would go down, or jobs would vanish. The jobs dependent on Sacramento, that is. Jefferson would need to generate its own tax dollars to pay for state jobs. Where would those dollars come from? Stepping up redwood harvesting? Jefferson doesn't have options for economic development.

[CAHntr]

I like the idea of 2 states--makes more sense. An East CA and West CA is more in line with urban versus rural and would likely represent their constituents more closely. If you took the proposed "mini states" and broke them into just 2 Californias, you would have 2 viable states that would better reflect urban versus rural counties.

If you combined Jefferson, Northern and Central CA in 1 state (Northern CA or whatever people wanted to call it) and Silicon Valley West and southern CA into a 2nd State (California, Southern CA or whatever they wanted to call it), you would end up with 2 economic powerhouse states that would be quite viable.

The Western or Southern CA state would still be the # 1 state in the union for GDP, have about 29 million inhabitants in 17 counties. There would almost be a 2-1 Democrat over Republican majority although there would be a huge (almost 3 million) group of Decline to State voting block that could possibly break up the gridlock California currently suffers from.

The other California (Northern, Eastern or whatever they decided to call it) would have about 9 million people in 41 counties and a GDP ranking of # 14 in the reconfigured union (definitely not in the poorhouse). This new state would still have a slight Democrat majority but would have to deal with a huge Decline to State voter block that would obviously drive the final compromises.

I wouldn't see U.S. Senators changing parties but think you would get more responsive U.S. Senators in both new states. Congressmen/women would probably remain pretty much the same as we have now.

The 6 Californias website is minimal and does not provide much information at all. I agree completely that 6 Californias is not viable or even desirable. I also agree that 2 Californias could be just the medicine that's needed and would obviously be economically viable.

[pch1013]

I think that gerrymandering the borders of entire states, as opposed to just congressional districts, for partisan political purposes would set an unfortunate precedent.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by NewbiePoster

Jefferson would need to generate its own tax dollars to pay for state jobs. Where would those dollars come from? Stepping up redwood harvesting? Jefferson doesn't have options for economic development.

Oh no? They sure could, if the Feds would quit bothering their product:


Fun thing about that is, the righteous fundamentalist types up there would have to buy into the idea. Can't wait for those town hall meetings!

[Native Transplant]

If South California, the proposed state I live in, became its own state, I kind of wonder about the counties. I wonder what it takes for counties to split up. San Brdo. County, IIRC, is larger than Maryland. It, on its own, would be something like the 42nd largest state. San Brdo. County could split up, if people wanted it to, into, say, Owens County, Victor County, Mohave County, and San Brdo. County.

But how would that even work, and would any of these six states have immediate risk of that happening?

[Tulemutt]

I agree an east - west split is the best apportionment. But I feel bad about any state not having a seashore and ocean port. So, in the spirit of fairness you understand, I propose that a slice off the very tippy top of the western half state along the Oregon border be donated to East California. Giving up Crescent City is about as magnanimous as you can get. Hell of a gesture of good will.

[nslander]

This whole thing is just incredibly dumb.

The only good I can see coming from this is a push to reform to the initiative process. I couldn't care less how many people voted for a crook like Leland Ye; we live in a state that entrusts those same people, and worse, to amend the state's Evidence Code. FFS.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by nslander

This whole thing is just incredibly dumb.

Yeah. Except for the giving away Crescent City part.

[nslander]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Yeah. Except for the giving away Crescent City part.

I heard they have vestigial tails.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by nslander

I heard they have vestigial tails.

Yes. And they vote!