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If it’s by economic importance, Texas is #2 even if NYC is the most important city in the US. It’s important to remember that the GDP of the NYC area includes part of NJ and CT.
California is bankrupt, needs to tax its citizens to survive; doesn’t have its own water supply, takes water from neighboring states; one-fifth of its people are on public assistance; every day 100 middle class families move away to other states. Nice weather, though.
California has had big budget surpluses for several years. The vast majority of California's water comes from... California (mostly the northern third of the state where is is sent to the Central Valley and SoCal through aqueducts). I guess you could argue the Colorado River water is imported, but the river runs through Riverside, Imperial, and San Bernadino Counties. If California is taking Colorado water from other states, so are all the other states that use the water (Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Nevada).
However, you are correct about the large number of people that need assistance due to the high real estate costs, as well as the exodus of lower middle class. The weather in general is nice, but I'll pass on the summer weather in the Central Valley, as well as the high and low deserts.
California is easily number one. The real question is who is number two: New York or Texas? New York obviously has New York City, but upstate New York on its own is a top ten state based on population, agriculture and location (borders Canada, nearly every state in the defined Northeast, and has the Great Lakes). Texas has a significantly larger population, dominates the US energy industry, has our longest border with Mexico and several influential cities.
I'll actually make this my next poll then. I think most people say NY is #2 because of NYC but Texas has a slighty bigger economy than NY and a higher population.
California has had big budget surpluses for several years. The vast majority of California's water comes from... California (mostly the northern third of the state where is is sent to the Central Valley and SoCal through aqueducts). I guess you could argue the Colorado River water is imported, but the river runs through Riverside, Imperial, and San Bernadino Counties. If California is taking Colorado water from other states, so are all the other states that use the water (Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Nevada).
However, you are correct about the large number of people that need assistance due to the high real estate costs, as well as the exodus of lower middle class. The weather in general is nice, but I'll pass on the summer weather in the Central Valley, as well as the high and low deserts.
This is why it's so funny when folks mention California's "water problems" as California is a massive state, and majority of it isn't even desert. Both the Los Angeles and California aqueduct drain from water sources entirely within California. If anything California's water problems stem from feeding the nation 80% of the water goes to agriculture. Everyone already knows California is the most environmentally continuous state in Nation if not the world so that's not the issue. The Colorado River naturally drains in California.
California contributes no water to the Colorado River, but by treaty with Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada takes 44% of the water use rights for agriculture. California takes in water originating in Idaho as well. California does use that water to grow food eaten in other states, but the reality is that California needs imported water to function. Which is fine; thanks for the almonds, and avocados.
Is the hate on California because of envy? Or politics? Cause I really don't see any other reason why somebody would hate on CA.
A lot of the hate is because it's a liberal stronghold. Especially the states surrounding California, all of those states hate California and the transplants they're bringing (trying to turn those places blue and turning them into another California).
On the water thing, California has a water use problem, not a water problem. Water needs to be priced appropriately so it’s not squandered growing water-inefficient crops like almonds/pistachios, rice, and alfalfa for cattle feed. Free water for cows when it’s easy to raise cattle elsewhere in the country is crazy.
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