California Today: A Proposal to Split California Into Three (YES!)

NY Times ^ | 8/30/17 | Mike McPhate

[Libloather]

In contrast to the so-called Calexit movement, which aspires to secession, these proponents see California’s salvation in greater local autonomy within the union.

A few years ago, a bid to create six states out of California drew wide media attention but ultimately fizzled.

Now, the architect of that effort, a tech billionaire named Timothy C. Draper, is back with another idea: three Californias. He submitted paperwork that would put the question before voters in 2018.

[Libloather]

The three Californias would have roughly equivalent populations and wealth. A state of Northern California would include almost the entire upper half of the state, including San Francisco; a Southern California would contain most of the rest. A third state, called simply California, would fold in Los Angeles and extend up the coast to Monterey.

I would place San Francisco in the southern portion with the other deranged folks. Leave the north out of all that mess. This could have great potenial!

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Are there enough conservatives in the north to make at least one red state, or would this just be 3 blue states, just slightly less blue than California as a whole?

Not that it's going to happen, anyway.

[Not A Snowbird]

When I was a kid growing up in the Bay Area the proposal was for two states, but I see three. Northern California has nothing in common with Southern California, and Central California has nothing in common with either.

Except water. That’s where the fight is.

[laplata]

ping

[Sacajaweau]

And NYS in 2.

[Grampa Dave]

I would placeGay Frisco should be with the other deranged folks. Leave the north out of all that mess. This could have great potential!

The great valley should be in the new State of Jefferson. Good conservatives live and work there like the Robinson Clan.

[kosciusko51]

This plan sounds like 3 smaller blue states instead of one large blue state, giving the dems 4 more senators. No thanks.

[umgud]

Not sure what the promoter thinks this would accomplish. Looking at the new 3 state map, northern CA would remain blue due to having SF and Sacramento. California, which isn’t as big, would be strongly blue due to having LA and coastal cities. I like Southern CA and it sure looks to have a chance at being red.

[palmer]

The great valley should be in the new State of Jefferson. Good conservatives live and work there like the Robinson Clan.

That's nice but they are outnumbered. If we split up CA we would end up with two blue states and one marginally purple state.

[hanamizu]

No, it won’t happen—it would require permission of Congress. And it looks to me as if the way they are proposing it, you would get three blue states and an extra 4 Dem senators. If it were Northern, Southern, and Central, you might get one red state.

[okie 54]

California at one time was a great place for opportunities. Many in the 1930’s went there after starving out in the mid West. Now almost 90 years later is has become a bastion of perversion, liberalism, socialism, and atheism

[okie 54]

California at one time was a great place for opportunities. Many in the 1930’s went there after starving out in the mid West. Now almost 90 years later is has become a bastion of perversion, liberalism, socialism, and atheism

[blueunicorn6]

Nope.

They need to become their own nation.

Then they can attack the coasts of Oregon and Washington.

The purses will be swinging then!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

A state of Northern California would include almost the entire upper half of the state, including San Francisco;

Inclusion of SF means two Democratic Senators and all-Democrat House representatives.

a Southern California would contain most of the rest.

"Most of the rest" - if this includes San Diego, this is likely to be two Democratic Senators and mostly Democratic House representatives.

A third state, called simply California, would fold in Los Angeles and extend up the coast to Monterey.

If it includes Los Angeles, this is another two Democratic Senators and overwhelmingly Democratic House representatives.

This idea is only good if it gives a true voice to the people of inland California, who are as red as those of Texas. Forcing these people into groupings with either San Francisco or Los Angeles will keep these people unrepresented and will hand Senate and House control over to the Democrats. The new states described in this article would be a disaster which would lock the Democrats into control over Congress.

The partition needs to put SF, Los Angeles and San Diego in a single Coastal California state, put Northern California (north of SF in a single state), and put the interior in a Central California state. Otherwise, this is a wish list for Democrats.

[Morpheus2009]

How much of the state of CA would be willing to go out and fight, assuming secession actually happens? I question how much. The only problem is that it would likely become even more ultra liberal because the middle class and poor people would be sent out to die for their country.

[grania]

If it were two Democratic states and one Republican state, it would give libs a two-Senator advantage. The best thing would be for CA to become an independent nation. Then perhaps if there’s any sane part of that new nation left, they’d be Republican and join the US as a conservative state.

[pfflier]

They could get six senators instead of two out of this. What’s that do for you?

[blueunicorn6]

I’m sure that Jerry Brown would be in the front lines swinging a mean purse.

[TomGuy]

Just what we DO NOT need — 4 more Senators from Cali.

==

Dems will never allow Calexit to happen.

Right now, the House has 53 seats from California — 39 Dem and 14 Repub. That is a net difference of +25 Dem seats.

Losing California would drop the House ‘majority’ requirement from 218 to 191. Losing California would give the Repubs [247 current - 14 Cali R’s] 233 and the Dems [188 current - 39 Cali D’s] 149.

Dems would need 42 new electees to regain majority without California.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

Actually, five states would work -

Coastal California - The coastal counties from Mendocino to SLO and inland to pick up Yolo and Sacto.
Jefferson - Humbolt, Del Norte and all the counties north of Yolo and possibly parts of Oregon south of Lane County.
East California - Inland counties from Nevada County south to Kern.
Los Angeles (or something) - Santa Barbara, Ventura, LA and the southwest corner of San Berardino bordering LA County.
South California - Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Imperial and that portion of San Bernardino that doesn't commute to LA.

That would give us three conservative states and two leftist states and would shift the political balance further west in accordance with population patterns.