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| Home Front: Politix |
| New York and California Indebted and Unrepentant |
| 2010-11-05 |
| The big news from Tuesday’s elections—the GOP’s gains of 60-plus seats in the House, recapturing the majority that it lost in 2006—naturally makes one wonder about the divisions that the victories are likely to foment. Pundits are speculating on conflicts between the Tea Party and Republican regulars over spending; between the 25 remaining Blue Dog Democrats and the party’s liberal leadership; and of course between the two parties over budgetary matters, which could lead to gridlock. But another division is likely to compete for center stage in the next two years: the split between, on one side, California and New York—two states, deeply in debt, whose wealthy are beneficiaries of the global economy—and, on the other, the solvent states of the American interior that will be asked to bail them out. This geographic division will also pit the heartland’s middle class and working class against the well-to-do of New York and California and their political allies in the public-sector unions. While most of America turned toward the Republicans in this election, Democrats strengthened their hold on California and New York. In California, they won all the statewide offices and even made gains in the legislature, prompting the Orange County Register to describe the Republicans as having been reduced to “almost total irrelevancy in Sacramento.” In New York, Democrats similarly swept all the statewide offices and may have held on to the state senate, too, though three contests are still too close to call. Those three races are all that stand between New York’s GOP and a similar irrelevancy. In L.A. a dead Democrat State Senator won with 54% of the vote. |
| Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC |
| #14 I was all ready to pack up for a vacation to CA if Prop 19 passed. So the voters successfully pissed away those tourist dollars. |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2010-11-05 22:20 |
| #13 You know, it really is not fun living in "America" anymore. Selfish, corrupt, and imposing arrogant populace with no real world experience at all voting for busy bodies to get into everyones business. It's literally a DRAG now and I AM pissed about it. At odds now in what to do with these feelings. |
| Posted by: newc 2010-11-05 20:12 |
| #12 Wakaramasu, domo. |
| Posted by: Mercutio 2010-11-05 19:53 |
| #11 Mercutio, Hawaii is not in nearly as bad a position as California. Just learn Japanese - they are buying what they couldn't beat in 1941. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2010-11-05 17:58 |
| #10 Interestingly, if Obama's "tax + for the $250k and over" plan had been passed it would have devastated both NY and CA. Similarly a "no mortgage deduction for incomes over $250k" would also devastate those places. Yup, too bad... |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2010-11-05 17:42 |
| #9 Shades of the 1970s. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-11-05 17:19 |
| #8 Interestingly, if Obama's "tax + for the $250k and over" plan had been passed it would have devastated both NY and CA. Similarly a "no mortgage deduction for incomes over $250k" would also devastate those places. |
| Posted by: Lord Garth 2010-11-05 17:14 |
| #7 There is a continuing split between rural and urban areas. |
| Posted by: bman 2010-11-05 16:13 |
| #6 All the long, long, long, term unemployed people I know do not live in California or NY. Try not to broadbrush the entire state of NY based on NYC, I know its tempting. Looking over the demographics of the election, much of the state WEST of NYC voted red, while we carry the unfortunate bastions of blue like a ball and chain. GRRRRR.. NY may just learn, the hard way. New York is tired of paying for Dems public assistance fantasies. Admission is the first step to recovery. Calfornia is the most recalcitrant, I am afraid. While I have low expectations for both, I'd bet NY will recover sooner. Will I still be living here when it does? Doubtful. |
| Posted by: Private Eye 2010-11-05 15:00 |
| #5 AS usually happens, Hawaii is overlooked in these analyses. Ka Aina voted in democrats across the board. Rep. Djou was replaced with the Dem Party boss/union shill Hanabusa. We are returning an absolute party hack, Lazy Mazie Hirono, to the second congressional seat. This is the same woman who was so bad, they actually voted in a republican gov 8 years ago rather than have to deal with her locally. Of course she outspent her Tea Party opponent $1,000,000 to $19,000. This year things are back to normal - Neil Abercrombie (D-Moon), was elected governor based on his vast executive experience in voting the straight dem ticket since 1991. BTW_ I can find no reference that he actually ever worked for a living. In the Senate race Frick (D), or was it Frack (D), was re-elected the 99th time. In the state senate there is exactly 1 GOP'er. We did pick up two new republicans in the House, which I think brings the total up to minus 3. The prevailing political thought is the state didn't give enough money to the teachers union last year. You can add HI to the list of failed or soon to fail states. |
| Posted by: Mercutio 2010-11-05 14:21 |
| #4 Actually, only two non-negotiable compromises on a bailout. We don't bail out States. We bail out Territories. Give up your Congressional votes. Second, we don't even start a bailout till AFTER you reduce both the budget and size of government that matches existing non-bonded state government income. No need to keep feeding the addict. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-11-05 14:20 |
| #3 Dear CA and NY: re: Your state and economy. You broke it, you bought it. Pay for it yourselves. We aren't giving you any more money. If you want to learn how to fix it ask Texas. Signed, Flyovercountry, especially Texas |
| Posted by: No I am The Other Beldar 2010-11-05 14:09 |
| #2 My new congressman, for whom I volunteered, walked precincts, poll-watched and gave money, understands that I won't be there for him next election if he votes to bail out Laficornia in any way, shape or form. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2010-11-05 13:57 |
| #1 Below is the text of an e-mail I sent out two days ago to my conservative friends here in California. I included one friend who used to live in CA and moved to NY. Go figure. I guess when you read the article above I was just stating the obvious. Everyone is probably familiar with the Democrat habit of electing Live Politicians with Dead Voters in such strongholds as King County Washington and Cook County Illinois. In a role reversal Los Angeles Live Voters re-elected Dead Democrat State Senator Jenny Oropeza with 54% of the vote. That shows just how blue California is when the Republicans can't even pick up a seat against a corpse. Many are aware that George Soros was a big Prop 19 (Marijuana Legalization) supporter including financial contribution. Did you know Mexico opposed the proposition? por qué Most don't know Mr. Soros threw his financial support behind Prop 27. This would have abolished the State Commission on Redistricting and given the task back to the Politicians. Miért. (Hungarian for por qué) Both Propositions lost. IMHO Meg Whitman was on an ego trip running for Governor. Had she prevailed she could have only been effective on the margins given the makeup of the State Legislature. Governor Moonbeam needed the job, but come on Jerry, after being Mayor of Oakland this is a step down. As Governor, Brown created the Public Employees Unions the last time around, now he's going to have to feed that monster. Given the annual $20 billion deficit and the tens of billions in unfunded liabilities he's going to have to go to Washington with his 55 electoral votes and hat in hand for money. One only has to look at the vast expanse of Red states in between the coasts and deduce that ain't going to fly. If you can't hide your money in Curacao like George Soros get ready to open your wallet, especially since Prop 25 passed. It only takes a simple majority now for the state to pick your pocket. Speaking of Governor Moonbeam, it looks like his high beam is burned out and his low beam is dim. Take a look below at lowlights of his Victory speech: Stand on the X Moonbeam! That's the ticket, renewable energy and education. I wonder where he got his campaign money? Is he washing windows like air guitar. |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2010-11-05 12:46 |