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Like any typical free marketeer, he and his ilk always forget to mentioned the generous and friendly illegal immigration atmosphere CA had to provide cheap labor for farms and businesses, plus new voters to tip the balance of consumers of govt services versus the ones who must pay for it. It is also the state with the most H-1B and H-2B workers. Who says globalism and free trade does not lower the wage and standard of living of Americans??? CA is the center of free trade with Asia. Look at them now. In 2009 the conservatives will abandon the GOP because the party abandoned them, and the blue collar Dems will slowly learn that the gentry liberal Dems control their party and will abandon them also. 2012 will begin a third party in the US made up of blue collar Dems and truly patriotic GOP. Peace, prosperity, JOBS and common sense. Buy American, hire American, US trade secrets and inventions stay in US, foreign students should not have access to US trade secrets and inventions, and to the hell with the world. Study how ancient China had 500 years of prosperity with the secret of silk. US should do the same with their advanced technologies, manufacturing and economy.

The majority of voters of California are morons, and have a legislature and governor to match. Despite being 40 billion in the hole, just last November they voted to waste 10 billion on a down payment for a high-speed train between northern and southern CA. Even proponents (including Arnold and the Dem legislators) say it will cost at least 40 billion to build, if it ever is at all. Which means figure at least 100 billion in the real world, plus billions more every year to run it, since passenger trains never pay for themselves. All this for something that will take three times as long as an airplane. Oh, but it will create jobs!

Even more rapidly than the rest of the country, California descended from a state with a very small % of “takers” — those who consume more government services than they pay in taxes — and high % of “makers,”

into a state with a huge, dependent class, most of whom vote. And they vote to take more and more and more, driving out more and more makers.

I've lived in California for over 30 years. I've seen the decline and made mental notes of the causes of the problems. These are my opinions but I believe them to be accurate:

1. Way to much immigration (both legal and illegal). There are far too many people who don't understand the responsibilities of being a citizen in a democratic republic.
2. Entitlement mentality. Many Californians seem to think that they are entitled to a lot of freebies. Even "native" Californians have this mentality. It's either taught in the schools or is in the ether.
3. Education. California is near the bottom in K-12 education. The problem is that the school systems cannot absorb the number of third world students that are presently enrolled. Despite increases in funding, it isn't enough. California could triple the amount spend on education and it would not make a bit of difference.
California's higher education system is TREMENDOUSLY overrated. Yes a couple of the UC branches are very good, but after this the quality goes downhill VERY quickly. The CSU system is a joke with perhaps one or two exceptions. There are a few top notch private schools.

4. Democratic Party- The immigration situation has made the Democratic Party the majority forever. The overwhelming majority of these newly minted immigrants will vote for the Democrats. It's in their nature to ask for handouts from government.
5. Population Growth- There has been way too much growth in too short a peroid of time. This type of growth puts stresses on the infrastructure that are too great to manage. Water is going to be a huge problem going forward. California does not have the water for 20 million more people. I don't know what we are going to do.
6. Environmentalism out of control. I could write a book on this. Needless to say so call environmentalists will block anything they can so no other reason than to be obstructionists.

Californians upset with the cultural backwardness of less enlightened Americans used to threaten secession. Sounds good to me; don’t let the door hit you in the keister.

LOL!! The (soon-to-be-defunct) SF Chronicle did a story years ago on the history of California seccession efforts. They wanted to slice it every which way--north-south, east-west, three pieces, etc., but if IIRC it was always about one group of Californians trying to scrape another group off their heel (right vs. left, etc.).