[Scott from the Left Coast]

People from other parts of the country (and many who live outside the cities on the West Coast) have a hard time understanding how completely the socialists (actually to be perfectly accurate: euro-greens) have won the war of ideas out here. Hopefully, their victory is temporary -- but it was a generational victory and the time it will take to create a new victory is not appealing.

No candidate, not even a celebrity as big as Arnold, can talk about cutting social programs openly and get enough support in the urban areas they need to win overall. The numbers just aren't there. He must couch his words and use misdirection and euphemisms like "business climate" (much like RATS have to fool the voters in other parts of the country). Out here, a Republican needs to trick enough voters into voting for him, because their natural position would not be to support anyone calling for government cuts or lower taxes. In fact, on the west coast, it is something a radical statement to support a better "business climate". Business is seen as the fount of all evil out here.

The entire west coast is a greener-commie-anarchist mess. The entire coast has gone insane. Sanity and reality will need to be delivered and re-entered into the public sphere in measured doses. The west coast public at large will not give up their cozy utopian haze that easily.

[Poohbah]

Good discussion. We managed to completely lose the war of ideas (partly with our own fratricidal shenanigans--the "base" and the "grass roots" in CA are the ficklest bunch of weasels I've ever seen). Now we're going to have to restart the war--one piece at a time.

[u-89]

>People ... have a hard time understanding how completely the socialists (..euro-greens) have won the war of ideas out here.

I have friends out west who are pretty good conservative/libertarian thinkers till it comes to the environment (they're all outdoor sports types). Your comment rings true to me from my exposure. The green propaganda is so effective, to give you one example that this one fellow was convinced clear cutting was all the fault of evil Republicans and greedy corporations. The area of concern was under local Democrat control as was the state and at the time the Dems controlled congress. Yet it was all the fault of the Republicans - and he deeply believed it.

[ought-six]

"The entire west coast is a greener-commie-anarchist mess. The entire coast has gone insane. Sanity and reality will need to be delivered and re-entered into the public sphere in measured doses. The west coast public at large will not give up their cozy utopian haze that easily."

That's true. Washington is sooooo far to the left it's almost docking at Vladivostok; Oregon, although not as bad as Washington, isn't that far behind. And California? Irreparably damaged. California is on its death bed. It will die, but perhaps it will rise from the ashes like a Phoenix, but when it does, it will either be a Mexican protectorate or a new frontier. I pray its the latter, but my bets are on the former.