Splitting California

[howeird]

Once again, a misguided soul in a position of power has proposed splitting California by designating most of SOCal as Southern California. It excludes LA, because LA is too liberal.

I agree California should be divided into two states, but it would make a lot more sense to split off Eastern California, with a jerrymander to include Orange County, because liberals tend to live on the coast, and conservatives inland.

Gov. Brown's office issued a statement that the proposal to split CA was ridiculous. Gov. Brown has his eyes closed. How can he live in conservative Sacramento beating his head against the party lines budget stalemate and not see what the problem is.

I grew up in the suburbs of NYC, and was amazed that the part of  NY which was not NYC was very conservative, but they were so badly outvoted by the part that was NYC there was never a hope to split the state. When I moved to WA, we learned all about why the Oregon Territories were split into two separate states, and it made some sense.

Comments

[didjiman.livejournal.com]

I presume Oregon Territories got split into OR and WA; which one is more liberal and which one is more conservatives.

Or put another way, if I drive up and down the coast shooting photos, which one would likely have some redneck shooting me for one thing or another?

[howeird]

Yeah, the Oregon Territory became WA and OR, split at the Columbia River. It also included parts of what are now Idaho and Montana.

I've driven the coasts of both OR an WA many times, and have never been shot at by rednecks, but when you get into the forests and cattle ranges of either state, you might be. Those are mostly in the eastern part of the states.

[didjiman.livejournal.com]

Thank you, just what I need to know.

[melchar.livejournal.com]

It'll never be done. When the guys in So.Cal realize that their water comes from No.Cal and separate statehoods would put a clamp on their taps, the shout to split the state will dry up ... again.

This comes up every 10 years or so - and dies for the same reason: water.

[howeird]

Splitting east/west fixes the water rights problem.

[unseelie23.livejournal.com]

Splitting east/west still has one of the problems this deal does as well... significant lost of congressional influence for the new state that doesn't include SF, Oakland, San Jose, Los Angeles and (for East/West) San Diego.

Sure, they'll pick up two Senators, but they'll have significantly less Congressmen and less electoral college votes as well.

[howeird]

Does not bother me a bit.

[unseelie23.livejournal.com]

Oh, I agree... if they want to shoot themselves in the foot, I'm all for that. I'm just pointing out that it's one of many reasons why this is unlikely to ever go anywhere. Eventually someone will point out that it's a big mistake and it dies. Wishful thinking at best.

[melchar.livejournal.com]

And then we'd get Long Skinny California and Even Skinnier California? ^_^

I do agree with you BTW that the state should be divided into thirds**. However, many in Congress who might understand North/South [because of Dakota, Carolina] would likely have their brain explode at the idea of thirds. ^_^

**'Jefferson' is my favorite of the possible names for the most northern third.

[yourbob.livejournal.com]

The best solution I've heard is splitting us into three. Jefferson, Northern and Southern California. Southern Oregon might have some noise about that, but they probably need to stay in Oregon.

But yeah, ain't ever gonna happen without some sort of permanent water deal.