Democrats Could Pursue Liberal Principles Over A Cliff (California Democrats Suicide Watch Alert)

Los Angeles Times ^ | 12/14/04 | George Skelton

[goldstategop]

They're of particular interest after the presidential election, when the Republican red tide continued to spread across the American heartland and into California's interior.

For many voters, the Democratic brand name has become increasingly synonymous with the label "liberal." If not for the fear of liberalism, why would nearly 61 million Americans — including 5.5 million Californians, 44% of the state's electorate — vote to reelect a president who had so mismanaged both a war and the national treasury?

[goldstategop]

The Los Angeles Times liberal Sacramento Bureau Chief George "Slumberin" Skelton gets it. The Democrats could go over a cliff with their pushing liberal philosophy. Nearly 5.5 million Californians, including me, don't like where Blue State California is going. The California Democrats are on suicide watch - if they take a wrong step to offend Californians with illegal alien drivers' licenses, gay marriage, tax increases and big spending.

[BillyCrockett]

." If not for the fear of liberalism, why would nearly 61 million Americans — including 5.5 million Californians, 44% of the state's electorate — vote to reelect a president who had so mismanaged both a war and the national treasury?"

That's because "the dumb ones" in the Red states have a better memory than the superior libs in the Blue states, and we can remember the collapse of wallstreet from the dot-com bubble and the following recession...we can remember 911 and the financial toll it took from the US along with the emotional toll...we can remember Saddam's history very clearly and knew he had to go before there would be any chance of REALLY going after terrorists around the world...and we remember the cost of going to war. THAT is why 5.5 million Californians, 44% of the state's electorate — voted to reelect a president who had managed both a war and the national treasury in very difficult times!

[goldstategop]

Skelton can't overcome his snide liberal contempt of red state Californians like me. If it weren't for San Francisco and Los Angeles, this would be a solid Red State.

[goldstategop]

The Golden State's old North-South division has been supplanted with an East-West division. All the counties each of the coast are turning redder with every election and all the counties, with the exception of Ventura, Orange And San Diego Counties, are turning more blue. Right now the political math favors the Democrats for their voters live in heavily populated SF and LA Counties but that's gradually changing. With 44% of the population, Red State Californians could be a majority in a decade or two. That's why the Democrats push with radical schemes here at their political peril.

[Viking2002]

Hang in there. Red State dominance is only one good earthquake away. LOL

[Sybeck1]

Virginia split, maybe Cali could.

[Viking2002]

I'm all for it, if I can't have the earthquake. LOL

[bkepley]

He's right about one thing...the national treasury. Bush doesn't seem to know how to say no IMHO.

[Clive]

Don't expect the Dems to drift away from the liberals. They are the party's activist core.

What they will do is change the label. Note that the term "progressive" is coming into more frequent use.

[sevry]

If it weren't for San Francisco and Los Angeles, this would be a solid Red State.

Mostly LA county. You saw the projection maps. How LA projected. Only Chicago did better, by going right up into outer space.

In Norcal, a lot of that Asian money seems to be going to mortgages. You don't often see Asian faces at the Home Depot, or even Costco, and so on, where you'd expect to see home owners. But they own many of the homes up and down the peninsula. So, either there is a network of Asian-owned businesses which they frequent, or they are spending a fair amount of the budgeted monthy income on an over-priced mortgate. But that's just anecdotal, and a proper study would be needed to really conclude this.

At any rate, people are moving out of these areas. If the Asians don't support local businesses, if the peninsula starts to become more like a retirement community, then people will move to the GOP counties. Of course, does that mean that formerly GOP counties start to go Dem? That's also something that could happen. The 'blue' could start to spread, like a . . . well.

[RJL]

For many voters, the Democratic brand name has become increasingly synonymous with the label "liberal." If not for the fear of liberalism, why would nearly 61 million Americans — including 5.5 million Californians, 44% of the state's electorate — vote to reelect a president who had so mismanaged both a war and the national treasury?

A few questions Mr. Skelton:
Which war was managed better?
Which war had fewer US casualties?
Which war had fewer innocent casualties?
Which war was completed faster?
Which war protected more of the national culture?
Which war destroyed less public infrastructure?
Which war rebuilt and improved the public infrastructure faster?
Which war returned sovereignty to a defeated country faster?
Which war enabled, indeed demands, free elections faster?

Again Mr. Skelton, when has it been done better?