California’s Republicans: Fading into irrelevance

The Economist ^ | 29 June 2012 | Economist

[Cronos]

AFTER weeks of squabbling, California’s politicians managed to get a budget approved this week. Their dispute had followed a familiar pattern. One side, spooked by yawning budget deficits, wanted to make deeper cuts to welfare payments. The other, fearful of the effects on California’s army of unemployed, sought to find savings elsewhere. It sounds like a classic Republican-Democrat ding-dong. In fact, the row pitted one Democratic force (the governor, Jerry Brown) against another (the state legislature). Shut out of the talks, the state’s opposition Republican legislators were reduced to boycotting budget hearings and issuing sulky statements.

..California gave America two of its five most recent Republican presidents. But the state party has fallen on hard times since the days of Nixon and Reagan. After having fallen for decades, the number of registered Republican voters in California now stands at just 30%

...The picture is no prettier when it comes to elections for national offices. Republicans have not won a Senate election in California since 1988. The party now accounts for just 19 of the state’s 53 congressmen. The last Republican presidential candidate to take California was George Bush senior. As the most populous state, California holds over one in ten electoral-college votes. But neither Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, nor Barack Obama will bother to campaign here—although both regularly drop by to raise funds.

..What seems clearer is that the array of fiscal problems California faces is forcing at least some Democratic officials to tilt in a Republican direction. Voters in San Jose, recently approved cuts to pension benefits for city workers by 70% to 30% . Last year liberal eyebrows were raised when Gavin Newsom, the Democratic lieutenant-governor, journeyed to deeply Republican Texas, along with several Republicans, to uncover the secret of the Lone Star state’s job-creation record.

[wardaddy]

Why did you neglect to mention the meteoric rise of the non white population in Kali

That has been far worse than Yankees displacing Okies and ..er...Forty Niners after WWII

[marron]

Where are conservative values taught in California? Where are constitutional principles taught?

In the schools? In the universities? In the media?

The infrastructure of the war of ideas has already been abdicated by our side. Solve that problem and you solve the political problem. Fail to solve that problem and there is no political solution possible.

You can’t depend on passing conservative ideas by osmosis. They are taught and learned. If they are not taught, don’t be surprise if they are not learned.

If the GOP is irrelevant they are doing nothing to turn it around. They need firebrand evangelists and all they have are shrinking violets. They need to be preaching bedrock principle and all they can do is blab on about tax cuts and miniscule reductions in the budgetary rate of increase. If being a Repub means being a Discount Democrat, then of course they are irrelevant.

[dadfly]

cut the disease of lawlessness out. keep your distance. quaranteen us. individuals (outside of ca) need to reassert their soverignity via their soverign states. we continue to humble ourselves and pray for His mercy.

[LibLieSlayer]

Wait for the end... nothing you can do. There are more leftists than Conservatives and no reason for new Conservatives to move there. In fact... there is an exodus of Conservatives and businesses.

LLS

[ScottinVA]

The only hope for that state is to sever a narrow, coastal swath from the bay area south to below L.A. County (Coastal California) and create a 51st state. The interior and all northern counties, still somewhat populated by patriotic Americans, would remain.

Aside from that, the answer to the question, “What can be done” is: “Nothing. Too late.”

[ScottinVA]

Since CA is permanently locked to the floor of the democrats` plantation, there`s no need for the candidates to campaign there, other than to harvest $$$.

[gzzimlich]

What can be done?

****

Hopefully nothing. I lived in CA for 15 years and despite having a beautiful exterior its politics are rotten to the core. Any State where prison guards, teachers, State workers have what is essentially veto power over legislation through the influence their unions buy is doomed.

My thoughts for conservatives trapped there are to get the heck out or go as Galt as is possible and prepare for the end.

Many need to see the collapse of a progressive “paradise” before they’ll reconsider their views.

Its a shame because it is a stunningly beautiful place, especially if you’re an outdoor type.

Unfortunately its full of Californians.. (present company excepted)

[Vision]

California’s Republicans: Fading into irrelevance

California is fading into destruction. Debt that will ruin them, massive and entrenched illegal alien population, a war against God, worshiping nature, legalize pot to make it all feel better, and homosexual "marriage". What could go wrong? lol

[commonguymd]

Collapse still does nothing. Detroit as an example. Plenty of other examples.

[Forty-Niner]

“Why did you neglect to mention the meteoric rise of the non white population in Kali.”

Because California, from it’s earliest days, has had a signicant native Hispanic population, much of that as conservative as the rest of California prior to 1970.

Race has nothing to do with it as your question implies. Shame on you.

Since the late 1960’s when the emigration of east coaster, through Democrat Party politics, began to exert their influence on state governance, the rise of illegal immigration, hispanic, asian, and european has taken a huge jump.

San Francisco, home of east coaster (Maryland) Nancy Pelosi, declares itself to be a “sanctuary city” for illegals. Without the influence of east coast socialists much of this would not have occurred.

Los Angeles is the new Mexico City, just ask her Mayor Villarosa, promoted and lauded by east coast transplanted Democrats, who know how to keep the peasants on the farm.

The Democrats, never a force in California politics untill the great emmigrations of the 50’s and 60’s, use identity politics to maintain and increase their destructive power over California.

To them, using the illegal immigrant and related issues to influence and increase that power is OK. Mexico is a socialist country and it’s transplanted population, economic refugees, will all naturally vote, legally or not, for the socialists in the Democrat Party......all brought on and sanctoned by the east coast dominated California Democrat Party (and their east coast RINO Republican emmigrant friends.)

Ironically, Caesar Chavez, an icon of the left, hated the illegal immigrant, who he saw as a destablizing force undercutting his attempts to “organize” the farm worker.

[fifedom]

The article is wrong. So long as Republicans keep more than 1/3 of the votes in either the assembly or the senate, they are EXTREMELY relevant. With this, they can still block tax and fee increases. Otherwise the Rats have to try to get the voters to pass the taxes with initiatives and they have a terrible record of it. The odds are about 50-50 that they will fail with their attempt to raise taxes this way this November. And that is despite non-stop propaganda from the media about the horrible consequences if we don't pass it.

The Economist is a leftist rag. They are just trying to suppress the CA Republican turnout in Nov. Well, screw them. I will vote at least once ;-)

[Pelham]

“These are but symptoms of a demographic problem which is about to erupt out of California like a virus.”

That last sentence of yours is absolutely true.

[LibLieSlayer]

I agree... the most beautiful State in the Union is lost to satan... which is why satan wanted it in the first place.

LLS

[wardaddy]

Race has nothing to do with it as your question implies. Shame on you.

Oh what BS...the decline of California has everything to do with the rise of the latino population there

almost every minority flavor in America votes leftist...to claim the fact they are minority has nothing to do with it is wishful thinking for those who cannot handle the truth about how particular groups of people both behave a vote

I will ping two Cali freepers...one former...one current and ask them if the fact the latino population as a percentage in California has nearly doubled since 1990 is the major factor in why the state is now lost..and further...their continued rise nationwide bodes just as poorly if only by their voting stats alone

even with a poor candidate like McCain, white men in Kali voted nearly 50/50...49 to be exact

latino men voted mid 70s percentage for Obama

that would have killed us even by their 1990 population

GOP has lost Kali every major election since 1988

California, which rapidly gained population during the Gold Rush of 1848, joined the union in September, 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850. With the exception of 1920 and 2010, the state has gained electoral votes from every census since its founding. In 1972, California reached 45 electoral votes, passing New York for most in the country. With 55 currently, the state has more than 10% of all available electoral votes. While growth in the Latino population has helped make California a reliably Democratic state today, this was not always the case. In fact, from 1952 through 1988, Republicans won every presidential election except the landslide loss of Barry Goldwater in 1964. In 2008, Barack Obama defeated John McCain by 61%-37%.

[nascarnation]

Anchor babies born before 1994 are now able to vote Democrat.

So are all deceased Democrats.....

[Travis McGee]

"Race has nothing to do with it as your question implies. Shame on you."

What utter, sanctimonious, head-in-the-sand mierda del toro.

Yeah, the immivasion has NADA que hacer to do with Cali's problemas. Nada!

Now, go ahead and call me a racist, because I believe my own reading of history, examination of current events around the world and life experience, and choose not to drink your multi-culti-uber-alles PC Koolaid.

Yawn.

(Try harder with a real argument next time. Your "Race Card" has expired.)

[Jane Long]

Kali is a look into the future of this great nation...unless we can stop the contagion.

[Osage Orange]

Agreed!

[Forty-Niner]

Wow! Just wow!

Couching the illegal immigration problem in racial terms only plays into the leftist’ hands, They will have no problem casting YOU as a white hooded bigot. The average Joe Six Pack will, even while deploring the illegals, agree with them.

To win this arguement we need to control the language used in discussing it. No matter what the ethnic bloodlines, country of origin, ect, an illegal, be he from Ireland, Hong Kong, or Mexico is just one thing...an illegal invader.

Couching your objections to the Fed’s lack of border enforcement in racial terms is a losing proposition, and you know it.

The US should follow Eisenhower’s example and wholesale deport illegals.....no matter what their origin. As I said “race has nothing to do with it, following the law does.

Posting provocative photo’s and using spanish, doesn’t do much to advance your case.....( yep, I speak some spanish)

“Now, go ahead and call me a racist....”

I don’t have to, you’ve done a good job of it yourself.....

Growing up in Southern California, I had many Hispanic friends whose family ties in California predated my own pre-1849 American pioneer/scout ties. (ever hear of Kit Carson??) You’re painting with a broad brush there sailor, and splashing your bias on others is NOT helping win the arguement.

SEAL huh???? LOLOLOL I remember training SEALs in the late 60’s....

[Forty-Niner]

Wow! Just wow!

Couching the illegal immigration problem in racial terms only plays into the leftist’ hands, They will have no problem casting YOU as a white hooded bigot. The average Joe Six Pack will, even while deploring the illegals, agree with them.

To win this arguement we need to control the language used in discussing it. No matter what the ethnic bloodlines, country of origin, ect, an illegal, be he from Ireland, Hong Kong, or Mexico is just one thing...an illegal invader.

Couching your objections to the Fed’s lack of border enforcement in racial terms is a losing proposition, and you know it.

The US should follow Eisenhower’s example and wholesale deport illegals.....no matter what their origin. As I said “race has nothing to do with it”, following the law does.

Posting provocative photo’s and using spanish, doesn’t do much to advance your case.....( yep, I speak some spanish and know BS when I see it.)

“Now, go ahead and call me a racist....”

I don’t have to, you’ve done a good job of it yourself.....

Growing up in Southern California, I had many Hispanic friends whose family ties in California predated my own pre-1849 American pioneer/scout ties. (ever hear of Kit Carson??) You’re painting with a broad brush there sailor, and splashing your narrow minded bias on others is NOT helping win the arguement.

SEAL huh???? LOLOLOL I remember training SEALs in the late 60’s....

Yes, indeed .....Yawn.....