One could analyze things at great length is response to your question, but there’s not much to be gained by overthinking it.
In the 60’s and early 70’s San Francisco & Berkeley culture was “quaint” or “cute” in its way... and existed in confined little petri dishes. SF hippies exulted in the city itself (which as you may or may not know is a TINY city of ~~~600K inhabitants that you walk across in a long day) but a mere 45 miles down the peninsula was a gigantic, unfathomably rich and creative and productive computer and chip and hi-tech industry and aerospace web that might have been 5% of US GDP right there. That business/those businesses are still there, but massively reduced.
Over the 40 or years I have lived in CA, about half northern, and about half southern, the left just won out, by relentless, incremental erosion of what was once a rather conservative state EXCEPT FOR SF & Berk. Where there were once hippies, there are now hordes of illegals, one form of uselessness having been replaced by another. (Racist comment alert!!)
But by bit, diversity by diversity, new math textbook by new math textbook, recylcing bin by recycling bin.
On SF: I had the experience of seeing a SF City Council ballot (or was it Supervisors - don’t remember) — but the number of factions both fascinated and disgusted me — the City is Ungovernable in my opinion. Every faction gets a piece of the pie and they DO hand it out for voter support.
the Yes on Prop 19 people said they will bring this back every year until it passes. And during a Presidential election they will probably win. If they’d done it in 08 it would be law with all the youth vote.
But I am most concerned about Prop 13 (70’s Prop tax initiative) — Brown has already said he is going to attack the Commercial property side of it — and if he succeeds in making any inroads to Prop 13 — you know what is next.
Another good post. I’m just taking note of the good writing here today.