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The End of (California) History?
California Political Review ^ | Aug 8, 2002 | John Kurzweil

Posted on 08/08/2002 10:23:35 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan

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It's a bit long but totally worth reading. This Kurzweil guy is really sharp.
1 posted on 08/08/2002 10:23:35 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan
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To: ElkGroveDan
Here's a snip I like..

One constant is the left’s eternal migration ever further left. Taxes are never quite high enough; government programs and regulations never quite ubiquitous enough, spending never quite lavish enough; guns, boy scouts, Christian symbols, and traditional morality never quite marginalized enough; and education and the law never quite politically correct enough.



GO SIMON

2 posted on 08/08/2002 10:29:44 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: ElkGroveDan
Thanks for the post - I appreciate learning via this kind of detail. Enough with the 'sound-bite' post and replys; the're so "did not. did too."

Anyone care to name the individuals who are
now making decisions for the Simon campaign.
I believe he is on the 2nd or 3rd team... just curious.
3 posted on 08/08/2002 10:45:27 AM PDT by seenenuf
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To: seenenuf
Anyone care to name the individuals who are now making decisions for the Simon campaign. I believe he is on the 2nd or 3rd team... just curious.

Well if so, he's the only thrid team candidate for governor in recent memory to have closed a 14 point deficit to a 2 point lead.

Simon's not doing anything wrong, he hasn't done anything wrong. The media are in a feeding frenzy, but it's not sticking with the voters.

4 posted on 08/08/2002 10:51:23 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan
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To: ElkGroveDan
An interesting scholarly article. I would like to hypothesize an alternate view and base it on a corralary to the following article concept.

California?s politics is fluid, not static.

The hypothetical argument is that "California's population is fluid." By that I mean that of all the states in the union, California Culture promotes transient citizenship. For someone to be a "native born" Californian is unusual. In other states near California, being "from California" is common and a social stigma.

People move to California, get jobs, pay taxes and then leave to go somewhere else. California is no longer a state retirees move to. My Grandfather sold his farm and left North Dakota to move to California so he wouldn't have to face the terribles winters of the Great Plains. I don't see many folks retiring to California that I know. The are going to other places, where the income taxes are much lower and property values are reasonable.

When I got my graduate degree in engineering, I accepted a job with a large engineering firm in San Francisco and moved there with my wife. The project I worked on mostly was one that was being designed for construction in Washington State, where I got my engineering degree. I got my professional training there and then came back. I still remember how high the combined income taxes and sales taxes were then. I remember how expensive home ownership was and I and my peers were making really good money. I also know that there is no way I would ever move their and put up with their taxes, property costs, or anti-gun regulations. When I retire, I might consider setting up a home in some other state to get warmer climate, but it will not be California.

My college-aged son has moved to California and is going to college there. He is hoping to get good contacts that will serve him well in business. He has talked about maybe getting his first professional job in California and then quickly leaving to come back to the real world. He sees the artifical nature of living in southern California. I was talking to another friend of my son's last night. He too is enrolled in college in southern California and home for the summer. He will be graduating next year and told me he wants to get into graduate school in some other state. He wants out.

I don't see lots of business moving to California. I would argue that a lot of business has been driven from California by the nature of the litigation in the state, by the extreme environmental regulations, by the high tax rates, by the extreme salaries they must pay so people can have homes and pay the high state taxes, by the failing schools and reduced trained labor pool, and by shortages of all kinds of things from electricity to water that cause interruptions in production.

California may have had a conservative core, but I feel that core is being driven away from the state. You can't vote for conservative California politicians, if you have left for Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, or Washington. That is the real question, when it comes to California demographic trends.

5 posted on 08/08/2002 10:55:12 AM PDT by Robert357
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To: ElkGroveDan
bump
6 posted on 08/08/2002 11:06:55 AM PDT by NEWwoman
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To: ElkGroveDan
Simon bumps! All I hear from the news media is how Simon is "screwing it up" but they never give any details about HOW he's screwing up. They're just trying to attach the "incompetant, stupid bungler" label to him like they do to all Republicans they try to destroy.

For God's sake, California, GET OUT THERE AND FIGHT! Gray Davis must not win a second term!
7 posted on 08/08/2002 11:08:22 AM PDT by Antoninus
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To: ElkGroveDan; Dark Wing
Too late. Events did that already.

"Several political professionals I have spoken with say Simon’s greatest vulnerability is that Davis will use his huge war chest for TV spots to fill-in the vague picture millions of voters still have of the Republican candidate in shades as dark as those applied to Matt Fong — unless Simon first fills in his own bright, clear picture.

8 posted on 08/08/2002 11:11:51 AM PDT by Thud
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To: *calgov2002; Ernest_at_the_Beach
Index Bump
9 posted on 08/08/2002 11:19:05 AM PDT by Free the USA
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To: Robert357
"He sees the artifical nature of living in southern California."

Yeah, like wearing shorts on New Year's Day because it's 80 degrees outside. Like sking at dawn, visiting a museum by noon, and then surfing the same day by sunset. Choosing between taking in a Lakers game or hiking to a waterfall in Holy Jim Canyon. Picking strawberries or gold mining in the mountains. Firing up the jet ski or exploring old ghost towns in the Mojave desert. A concert under the stars at Irvine Meadows or a rave party on Melrose.

Life really sucks here.

10 posted on 08/08/2002 11:32:36 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: ElkGroveDan
I remember reading in the press back in late 1997-early 1998 that the Democrats were 'desperate' to draft Sen. Feinstin to run for governor. The press reported at the time that Democrats felt that, 1). Davis, Checchi and some lib Dem female House Rep. were weak candidates and 2) that an expensive primary would leave the winner too weak (except for Checchi) to win against the 'formidable' Dan Lungren.

The theme four years ago was that the Democratic party was in disarray. Then Davis wins, and all of a sudden the entire state is unwinnable for conservative GOPers. Only types like Campbell and Riordan even have the slightest chance of victory. Quite a turnaround. The press are morons.

11 posted on 08/08/2002 11:38:30 AM PDT by Gothmog
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To: Robert357
You can't vote for conservative California politicians, if you have left for Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, or Washington.

Uh, you can't vote for conservative politicians in Oregon, either; the ones we had are term-limited out! Oregon is heading to be another California, with anti-business mindset, high taxes, and byzantine government regulation. That's why hubby and I are leaving for greener pastures and taking our high incomes with us!

Buh-bye, buh-bye now. Here the sucking sound as thousands of tax dollars leave the state...

12 posted on 08/08/2002 11:41:01 AM PDT by Henrietta
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To: SoCal Pubbie
Yeah, like wearing shorts on New Year's Day because it's 80 degrees outside. Like sking at dawn, visiting a museum by noon, and then surfing the same day by sunset.

Like watching helplessly while your wife raped and killed while you were walking home, because you can't legally carry a gun to defend yourself. Like being stuck in a neverending traffic jam. Like having to pay taxes so that a constant stream of illegal immigrants can come in and live off the dole. Like paying higher taxes than just about any other state.

Wow, you're right, Kali is a great place to live!

13 posted on 08/08/2002 11:44:29 AM PDT by Henrietta
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To: Henrietta
Here = Hear
14 posted on 08/08/2002 11:44:57 AM PDT by Henrietta
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To: ElkGroveDan
Another sharp Kurzweil.
15 posted on 08/08/2002 11:48:34 AM PDT by StriperSniper
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To: ElkGroveDan
Consider the demographic shifts urged as reasons for Republicans to move left. The LA Times? March 2000 exit poll showed Latinos as the ethnic group most strongly supporting the Defense of Marriage Act, 65 percent ?yes? to 35 percent ?no.? Second? Blacks, the Times reported: 62 to 38 percent. Asians? Third, at 59 to 41 percent in favor. Fourth, and last, Whites, 58 to 42, which might explain Republican leaders? reluctance to champion the issue of family with Latinos ? Hispanics are too conservative for them!

This effectively refutes those in the GOP who advocate appealing to voters along ethnic lines, which is moving 'left' if anything is. To hell with sops to ethnic blocks such as printing campaign literature in foreign languages, etc. How about the GOP holding its ground on the moral issues and for a change show some b*lls? How about even going on the OFFENSIVE on these issues?

Seems to me to be a much better way to attract voters of ALL stripes and not nearly as divisive. Along with tax reform the GOP would be UNBEATABLE in ANY state in the union.

16 posted on 08/08/2002 11:51:53 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: rdf
This should be of interest to you.
17 posted on 08/08/2002 11:58:06 AM PDT by okie01
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To: skeeter
How about the GOP holding its ground on the moral issues and for a change show some b*lls? How about even going on the OFFENSIVE on these issues?

One is forced to conclude that the GOP elite don't really believe in conservative issues - they are just looking for the best short-term ad campaigns they can find to get them through the next election.

18 posted on 08/08/2002 12:06:11 PM PDT by Mr. Jeeves
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To: Mr. Jeeves
One is forced to conclude that the GOP elite don't really believe in conservative issues

Yeah. And judging by the manner in which the GOP treated first Goldwater in '64 and Reagan in '76 and '80 it's clear they haven't since Dewey.

19 posted on 08/08/2002 12:11:25 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: Antoninus
All I hear from the news media is how Simon is "screwing it up"

KFI's Bill Handel said just today that Simon is guaranteed to lose -- and Handel was/is a Bush supporter.

"Mr. KABC", a longtime Davis-basher who supported McCain and Riordan, also thinks Simon will lose.

20 posted on 08/08/2002 12:13:45 PM PDT by Commie Basher
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