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Two Californias
National Review Online ^ | 15 December 2010 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 12/15/2010 12:31:51 PM PST by ScottinVA

Abandoned farms, Third World living conditions, pervasive public assistance -- welcome to the once-thriving Central Valley.

The last three weeks I have traveled about, taking the pulse of the more forgotten areas of central California. I wanted to witness, even if superficially, what is happening to a state that has the highest sales and income taxes, the most lavish entitlements, the near-worst public schools (based on federal test scores), and the largest number of illegal aliens in the nation, along with an overregulated private sector, a stagnant and shrinking manufacturing base, and an elite environmental ethos that restricts commerce and productivity without curbing consumption.

During this unscientific experiment, three times a week I rode a bike on a 20-mile trip over various rural roads in southwestern Fresno County. I also drove my car over to the coast to work, on various routes through towns like San Joaquin, Mendota, and Firebaugh. And near my home I have been driving, shopping, and touring by intent the rather segregated and impoverished areas of Caruthers, Fowler, Laton, Orange Cove, Parlier, and Selma. My own farmhouse is now in an area of abject poverty and almost no ethnic diversity; the closest elementary school (my alma mater, two miles away) is 94 percent Hispanic and 1 percent white, and well below federal testing norms in math and English.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: aliens; broke; ca; california; debt; entitlements; immigration; invasion; spending; thirdworld; vdh; welfare
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To: Deb

KAL-EEE-FORN-EE-A and VDH ping.


41 posted on 12/15/2010 1:45:06 PM PST by Servant of the Cross (I'm with Jim DeMint ... on the fringe!)
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To: Blue Ink

You make excellent points.

We have de facto open borders and it has been that way for a long time while the political elite in both parties has winked and nodded at the invasion, which makes them traitors in my book.

However, don’t be so hard on the rest of America, because the politicians in the middle of the country are basically saving us from a wholesale amnesty and a complete sell out of our national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The sad thing is it might be too late for America.

Once the liberals have finished destroying California, all the illegals will flock like bandits to every other part of the US and dilute and change the demographics forever. Because once the demographics change to the point where both parties have to pander to the Mexican fascists and Latino lobbies, the floodgates will be wide open and instead of de facto open borders we will have de jure open borders.

We will become Norte Mexico and we have nobody to blame but ourselves when we become a corrupt, 3rd world hellhole.

Guess what? There is no place for us to go and colonize.

Americans don’t have the luxury of colonizing by the millions like the illegals do, because if we did do it, the international outcry would be fierce and they WILL shoot us at the border.

In the final analysis, you are right. We have handed our country over to foreign criminals on a silver platter in the name of diversity, political correctness and cheap labor.

But don’t worry, we got troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany and Japan to save them from the foreign hordes.


42 posted on 12/15/2010 1:46:54 PM PST by radpolis (Liberals: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy)
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To: AFreeBird
Can’t be stated enough.

No fear...This is California is doomed: Thread #9,573.

43 posted on 12/15/2010 1:49:11 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit.)
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To: GeronL

Hell man ... this is why we need open borders. Such a success story in California.


44 posted on 12/15/2010 1:53:56 PM PST by WilliamHouston
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To: Ranger Warrior

I have a good friend who moved with her husband when they closed his practice about five yrs ago. They are very happy living here. Their children live in GA. All is well.


45 posted on 12/15/2010 1:55:25 PM PST by ncpatriot
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To: MrInvisible

No, you would probably fly into either Bakersfield, Burbank or Santa Barbara airports (all small, but Southwest goes to Burbank) and drive up the coast.

Burbank is part of Los Angeles, in the San Fernando Valley and only a quick ride to Pasadena or Hollywood, if you want to “see” that part of the world. Frankly, LA is a pit, and you really aren’t missing anything, unless the wife wants to see Brad Pitt’s house in Beverly Hills or something like that...LA is famous for pockets, so you can literally be blocks from criminal gangs and never know it...Toluca Lake, Santa Monica, parts of Burbank, Malibu, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Old Town Pasadena are decent...Hollywood is mainly tattoo parlors and the Chinese Theatre, although they did build a mixed-use development there...

Anyway, get a rental car and drive to Cambria, it’s a pretty drive, and not scary at all...Cambria is probably 75% white and very safe. You can play golf, go to vineyards, the beach, restaurants, shops...it’s a quiet town, and cool at night when the fog rolls in.

I hope you have fun, let me know if you need suggestions on any place, FRiend.


46 posted on 12/15/2010 1:58:53 PM PST by wac3rd (Somewhere in Hell, Ted Kennedy snickers....)
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To: ScottinVA
Atlas Shrugged coming to us all, courtesy of DemonRats and RINOs.
47 posted on 12/15/2010 2:01:10 PM PST by libstripper (uite eff)
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To: ScottinVA
This is a sad account of how socialism, unbridled third-world invasion and gross mismanagement have destroyed California.

Yep. Maybe I will turn out the lights when I am finally able to leave the state.

48 posted on 12/15/2010 2:10:30 PM PST by Mark17 (California, where English is a foreign language)
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To: MrInvisible

RE: “This is becoming somewhat of a problem for me. As my wife keeps wanting me to take her to California. Is it really that dangerous like I keep hearing? She wants to go to Cambria.”

****************

I have been in L.A. since the early fifties and traveled most of the state over the decades. Is it all different in CA since the good old days, yes, and in mostly “not so good” ways.

But... there’s a lot left to like, still. You would be visiting, not moving — so go ahead and take your wife to Cambria — a charming little town and area north of San Luis Obispo —

While you are at it, drive north on Highway 1 past Hearst Castle (you could take a tour!), see the incredible beauty of Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey. Do not miss that Monterey Peninsula. Have a burger at Nepenthe in Big Sur and gaze out over the Pacific.

Are the coastal areas leftist bastions? Yes! But it’s not dangerous to visit, for heaven’s sake.

If you want a slightly more conservative experience, head south from L.A. into Orange County, tour around Newport Beach, then go south thru Carlsbad and into La Jolla, San Diego, etc. Hey, tour the Midway ship in S.D.! Lots of military people around SD County and don’t miss the Del Coronado Hotel on isle of Coronado — lots of retired military living there — gorgeous. Have lunch at the Del.

Mountains? Try a trip from L.A. up thru the Owens Valley, first passing thru Red Rock Canyon into charming Lone Pine (take a peek at Mt. Whitney), Bishop and up to Mammoth — Owens Valley/Inyo/Mono counties fall into the red-state style and I got into a great conversation with the guy who owns the fishing boat rental business at Lake Mary, the largest of the Mammoth Lakes. He informed me that the area is, aside from some of the rich leftists who own homes in Mammoth, decidedly ‘on the right.’

I like CA — always have — to this day am happy to return to Ca/L.A., as bad as it can be at its worst, when coming back from a trip elsewhere.

Again, bring your wife to CA, visit Cambria and everything else that appeals — you’ll be fine.


49 posted on 12/15/2010 2:13:25 PM PST by CaliforniaCon
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To: theDentist
Is this the area where the jackwagons turned off the water to the fields because of a frikkin’ fish?

Si.

50 posted on 12/15/2010 2:21:18 PM PST by muleskinner
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To: dragnet2
California is doomed..Thread # 9,573

LOL!
I agree with your sentiments - - when in God's name will the toilet finally stop swirling and make that tell-tale gurgling noise already?
Sheesh.. it's excruciating.

51 posted on 12/15/2010 2:28:55 PM PST by Lancey Howard (Pray for 3/5.)
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To: CaliforniaCon
Have a burger at Nepenthe in Big Sur

We were touring the Monterey peninsula a few years ago and I took my wife to Nepenthe because I remembered it from the Elizabeth Taylor movie many years ago. I remarked to my wife that we were sitting higher above sea level than the highest point in Louisiana, about 11 miles from our place near Driskill "Mountain", and it turned out that the lady at the next table had relatives buried on Driskill Mountain and went to their annual reunion there . . . small world.

52 posted on 12/15/2010 2:33:08 PM PST by 19th LA Inf
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To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm; ..

Ping!


53 posted on 12/15/2010 2:33:11 PM PST by HiJinx (I can see Mexico from the back porch...)
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To: sanjoaquinvalley

Beware! Cambria is a notorious center for art galleries and gift shops. Run away!


54 posted on 12/15/2010 2:33:17 PM PST by GunsAndBibles
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To: Lancey Howard
...when in God's name will the toilet finally stop swirling and make that tell-tale gurgling noise already?

Let's see how Jerry handles the plunger.

55 posted on 12/15/2010 2:36:01 PM PST by muleskinner
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To: CaliforniaCon; wac3rd

Thank you so much for your information!


56 posted on 12/15/2010 2:39:43 PM PST by MrInvisible
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To: CaliforniaCon; wac3rd

Thank you so much for your information!


57 posted on 12/15/2010 2:39:55 PM PST by MrInvisible
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To: Califreak

Excellent turn of the phrase.


58 posted on 12/15/2010 2:41:54 PM PST by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: Blue Ink

Are you nuts?
Did you not follow the election last month and notice how the people of Kalipornia voted? Who they elected?
And you want sympathy?

Yikes..


59 posted on 12/15/2010 2:42:10 PM PST by Lancey Howard (Pray for 3/5.)
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To: Blue Ink
What I don’t understand is the continued hostility of my fellow Americans. Why isn’t any of your invective reserved for the invaders? And why isn’t your impulse to help us rather than deride us?

Because you sleep in a bed of your own making. For 30 years illegals have been invading California in vast numbers while businesses and Americans leave. Your instinct has been to allow and encourage reconquista while voting for the most liberal politicians you can find. I honestly don't care what happens to California or Californians. I just don't want them to leave the state and go ruin somewhere else.

They just chose to invade us first, not Rhode Island or Kansas or Georgia. Do you think your state would have reacted any differently?

Three words: Arizona's Immigration Law.

And it’s your responsibility too, Rhode Island and Kansas and Georgia. You aren’t living in a sovereign country anymore. Wishing us out of the union because we’re the Mexican invasion Ground Zero so don’t have to do anything about it doesn’t change the fact that you’ve lost YOUR country, too.

There's still hope for us if we quarantine you.

What would you have done differently? And what would you do about it now? I’d really like to know. Build a wall, militarize the border, deport them all, make English the law of the land.
60 posted on 12/15/2010 2:43:57 PM PST by Yet_Again
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