And it never will. They are immune to seeing reality.

What do you want, personal responsibility?

@PadraicM I know, that would be asking too much...Personal responsibility is not for Repub pols, only for losers that are not rich or part of the privileged classes. Those people need to just suck it up and pull on those bootstraps..

I sincerely hope he loses. He deserves to lose.

@Dyl1983 I agree. We are not "doing well." We are hanging on to a decent life by the skin of our teeth.

@Dyl1983 Only in your ignorant opinion, which we dismiss immediatly.

@Flyingsaucesir Get out of California and see what the USA is really like.

@Dyl1983 No, I am stating (not saying) that you should get out of CA to see how stupid your remark about the remainder of the country actually is.

What is presently going on in CA that makes you think CA is anything to brag about?

@Alienbeing California has over 40 million residents, so naturally there will be problems. But by and large we handle our difficulties well. We have among the strictest gun laws in the nation. We don't interfere with a woman's health choices. The state has a budget surplus, a thriving industrial sector, myriad small businesses, TWO great state university systems, and a plethora of private colleges and universities. We have diverse natural environments: over 1000 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline; majestic mountains; vast deserts. We also have strong environmental protection laws, and California will be the first state in the nation to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines. We are building out a green energy infrastructure that will one day get us to zero carbon emissions. We have the 5th largest economy IN THE WORLD. We are a reliably blue state, holding true to (small "d" ) democratic values. We are a very diverse state, with people of every ethnicity, creed, and language group living in relative harmony. Best of all, we are NOT in the Bible belt. And the really good news is that as goes California, so goes the USA.

@Flyingsaucesir I don't agree that CA handles its difficultis well. The homless and crime situations in both S.F. and Los Angeles are horrible. Your tax situation is horrible. Your cost of living is horrible.Recently your DA's in S.F. and L.A. acted as Public Defenders, not prosecutors. S.F. voted out their problem, for some reason L.A. does not.

The geography of CA was not the result of anythig CA residents did or did not do. I am aware of the geography, in fact I lived in Huntington Beach for 5 years.

Your Environmental laws are strong, perhaps a bit idealistic. I laugh at you citing the recent laws banning the sale of internal combustion cars. The big problem with that is it assumes you will have the infrastructure to charge the electric vehicles, and that us very debatable.

That fact that CA is the 5th largest ecomony in the world is merely a function of its size and population Rhode Island could have the smartest population in the world but its size would precude it from attaining a high economic position. Therefore the size of your economy is nothing but a reflection of the size of your State. Additionally, due to climate change CA's ability to continue to produce fruits, veggies and nuts is highly questionable.

Your weather is generally very nice, the rest, well it can't be all that good, your population is going down.

@Alienbeing Wherever you have a large population and good weather you are going to have high cost of living and high homelessness. The song a man who is down on his uppers sings goes like this: "I'm going where the climate suits my clothes." What really sucks is that our 40 million people are represented by only two US senators, while the Dakotas, with only 3 million people, have 4 senators.

@Alienbeing Obviously much infrastructure will have to be built to support zero emissions cars and trucks. But that does not necessarily mean just charging stations. I think hydrogen fuel cells will eventually come dominate over batteries.

Having enough water for both cities and agriculture is definitely a challenge. As the drought worsens we will need to set up more reverse osmosis plants (we already have two in SD Co.) And they will have to be powered by green energy. But we have plenty of sunshine; we'll figure it out.

@Alienbeing BTW, I don't think most people on this site would agree with you that I am ignorant, nor would they dismiss my opinions out of hand. Nor would they immediately resort to ad hominem attack. They're better than that. You should learn from them.

@Flyingsaucesir When I used the term ignorant I was referencing your knowledge of actual conditions outside California. If you ar going to moan about how you read insults into what I write, please just go away. If I want to insult you, you will know it, and "ignorant" is NOT an insult, it merely says you don't know, and from comments you have made you do not know actual conditions in at least many States.

Saying good weather encourages homelessness is a totally unsupported statement. NY City has a homeless problem, and no one ever said NY winters are nice weather to be outside. The CA homeless issue is a product of very high real estate prices and taxes.

Your objection to Senate representation is an objection to the Constitution. When we were founded the smaller States were concerned that population alone would make smaller States second class States. Hence a compromise whereby there would be two parts of Congress was reached. Since all Bills must be passed by not only the Senate but also by the House your population concern is only a misunderstanding of our government. Remember, at the Federal lever, we are not, nor ever were, nor were ever intended to be a democracy. We have been a Republic, since the beginning.

We'll see how vehicle change over from internal combustion proceeds. Don't get me wrong, I'd be happy to see all electric vehicles as soon as possible. What I question is what is "as soon as possible". Passing a law does not make it so.

I'm not as optimistic as you are regarding your State's future. Water will be a big issue. Electric generation is another issue for all States, but CA and other Southwestern States have a more immediate problem. It is not a remote possibility that Hoover dam may not generate electriticy in the near future.

@Alienbeing Dude, you know nothing of my experiences outside California. But I give you points for presumptuousness.

I don't know what your problem with California is, but since it bothers you so much, feel free to stay the fuck away.

The USA is a constitutional federal republic. The word "republic" comes from the Latin phrase "res publica" which means "public affair." That is, the running of the country is a public affair. We are not under the control of an oligarchy, dictator, or king. The public administers the country through its elected representatives. All of which boils down to the inescapable fact that a republic is a type of democracy.

Saying "America is a republic, not a democracy," is a Republican talking point, and belies a tragic ignorance of civics. (There's that word you like so much.)

People (mostly white males) who are terrified of egalitarian, multicultural pluralism and would happily overthrow our democratic republic in favor of a fascist dictatorship often use the tired trope if denying that we are a democracy. I guess in their minds this will somehow facilitate the descent into the fascism they think they want.

I don't claim California's homelessness problem is due only to its temperate climate. Certainly there are other factors drawing people to the state, including pipe dreams of making it big in Hollywood, at the grandiose end if the scale. New York and Los Angeles have similar problems, in that they are both huge centers of activity, and attract people of all ability levels, including some who are not prepared or equipped to make it here. And yes, rents are very high, and life is full of vicissitudes. A large percentage of Americans are not financially stable enough to weather an unexpected expense of only $500. This is a national problem, not specific to California.

Again, I invite you to stay away if you don't like it here. We will not miss you one bit.

@Flyingsaucesir I feel free to stay away and do, under all circumstances, stay the fuck away from California. The way the population allows its' government to operate is obnoxious.

Saying the country is a Republic, NOT a Democracy is not a talking point (and by the way I am not a Republican) but the absolute truth. The difference is huge. One huge difference between our Republic is exactly what you complained about and that is how States are represented in the Senate. No Senate such as ours is constructed would be in a Democracy.

How about what is necessary to amend the Constitution? Is any of that A Democratic exercise? There are many many differences. To bursh off that fact is probably an indication that you don't know why the Constitution is worded in the manner it is.

Your 3rd paragraph is a recap of political talking points and prognostication. The Jan, 6th events were illegal events, prompted by an egomaniac (Trump) to feed his ego. Put them all in jail. Forget about us going fascist. It ain't gonna happen. Conversely we will not go more Socialist than we are currently.

I know why people come and go to and from CA. However the FACT is CA is losing population. One wonders why

In closing you started the exchange by saying you didn't think we (the USA) is doing very well. Well..... in large part it is because of the way or most populous State is governed.

@Alienbeing Again, the USA is a republic, which is a type of democracy. Is it the best it could be? Far from it. Still, it is a democracy just the same.

In a democracy where only half or two thirds of the eligible voters actually vote, we should not lay all the blame for the way things are on the governmental structure. If people were not so apathetic, so easily distracted, so complacent, so (here it is again) ignorant, and instead had a real sense of civic responsibility, then things might be better.

Should it be easier to change the federal constitution? Probably. But that would not be such an issue were it not for the trend toward originalist interpretation of the document that has increasingly manifested over the last 40 years. For instance, we should not be reading the 2nd Amendment through 18th eyes that never foresaw the evolution of smooth-bore muskets into automatic rifles.

When I agree with the statement that the USA is screwed up, or that it is in deep trouble, I am focusing on the fact that one of our two main political parties appears to he giving up on democracy and turning toward an authoritarian cult of personality. At the same time, I am heartened by the fact that the attempted coup failed, and that we are working towards holding the coup plotters accountable. It is an uphill battle.

And there are other problems too, including a blood-sucking military industrial complex propping up a planet-wrecking fossil fuel industry, and pipelines of dark money feeding armies of lobbyists and flooding the media with propaganda, for starters.

Unlike Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, West Virginia, and other big fossil fuel-producing states, California is taking the lead in renewable energy and zero emissions vehicles. And as climate change bites harder, I think we will see that movement accelerate. And more states will follow our lead. They had better; climate change is the number one threat to our national security.

@Flyingsaucesir We are NOT a Democracy at the Federal level, and if you ever read Federalist papers, you would know we were never intended to be a Democracy, at the Federal level. We are at State levels. The hallmark of a Democracy is one person, one vote. The Sentate does not represent one person one vote. The Constitution can only be ameded by a 66% vote in the Senate and the House, and then 66% of the States must ratify an amendment. NONE of that procedure is Democratic. Eash State is guaranteed one House member. Wyoming gets one House seat even though its population does not equal the amout every other State must have for a seat. That is not Democratic.The Electoral College is not Democratic, ask Al Gore and Hillary Clinton if they think the Electoral College is a Democratic institution. How can you say a our Federal Republic is a type of Democracy? Clearly it is not.

When you recite the pledge, is it to "the Republic for which it stands" or to the "Democracy" for which it stands?

California does have many air pollution standards other States do not have. That is not bad, but since China is building coal burning energy producing plants faster then you can spell "coal" I'm not too sure it will make much difference.

Maybe one day California will vote for better representatives, and by that I don't mean Republican representatives, I mean better reps.

@Alienbeing A republic IS a form of democracy. Representative democracy is a form of democracy.

I agree that the electoral college is outdated and anti-democratic. But that is not the whole government. We live in a constitutional federal republic, aka a type of democracy.

@Flyingsaucesir You miss the point, and you mix up term. Read history, you will see that if we were not formed as a Republic we would not have been formed at all. At the time VA and PA argued for a Democratic form of Federal Gov. The smaller states said they would not support representation via direct election. Eventually a comprimise was made by forming two houses (Senate and House) one not based of # of people represented, the other population based.

You can reply forever saying a Republic is a form of Democracy, but it is not, in fact for the numerous anti-democratic Constitutional provisons I listed yesterday prove that beyond a doubt.

More important is what was discussed at the Constitutional Convention. Those discussions clearly show our Founding Fathers were generally very much against direct election based on population. The President was elected by an Electoral College. For many years Senators were not directly elected. The facts don't lie.

@Alienbeing This is from Wikipedia:

"While not all democracies are republics (constitutional monarchies) and not all republics are democracies, common definitions of the terms democracy and republic often feature overlapping concerns, suggesting that many democracies function as republics, and many republics operate on democratic principles, as shown by these definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary:

Republic: "A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives..."[1]
Democracy: "A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives."[2]"

The key term here is "elected representatives."

The USA is a type of democracy; an imperfect one, but a democracy nevertheless.

@Flyingsaucesir You keep on avoiding the facts that I presented. Irrespective of how many definitions you post you ignore how the government actually operates, and it is NOT like a democracy, and as I said , if you read about the Continental Congress would fine NO evidence of the Founders seeking a Democracy. Actually at the start of the Congress the suggestion was for only land owners to have a vote.

You will be disappointed when the popular vote is ignored in favor of the Electoral College. You will be disappointed when you remember that CA have no more Senate representation than Wyoming. You will be disappointed when Constitutional Amendments fail because they need Super Majorities in both Federal Houses and all State houses.

Of course in a Democracy none of the above would have failed, but you ignore that. Believe as you will, but your belief that our Federal Gov is a Democracy is clearly wrong.

@Alienbeing I am perfectly aware of the shortcomings of this democracy. I can see it is a democracy because I take a nuanced view, whereas you have more of an all-or-nothing approach. Too bad. Your rhetoric is exactly what the fascists want to hear. And it's not the first example of off-kilter thinking we have seen from you. So no great surprise.

@Flyingsaucesir Your "nuanced" view, is smiply wrong. Every history book I ever read (and I have read many as it is a hobby) says we are a Republic a the Federal lever. You comments such as "Your rhetoric is exactly what fascists want to hear" and "off kilter thinking", and previously "we are a Republic is Republican talking points" vividly shows you are highly prejudice in your analysis. You cannot correct a single thing I said that proves we are a Republic, so it is you who resorts to insults. "Off kilter" "what fascists want to hear".

Thank you for proving you do nothing except project you own ignorance (you prove you don't know so you are ignorant, but what is worse is you prove you have too closed a mind to learn).

If you can ever correct a single thing I said in proving we are a Republic, please do so. I won't be surprised when you can't.

@Alienbeing Ha! I never said that we are not a republic. I wrote:

"The USA is a constitutional federal republic. The word "republic" comes from the Latin phrase "res publica" which means "public affair." That is, the running of the country is a public affair. We are not under the control of an oligarchy, dictator, or king. The public administers the country through its elected representatives. All of which boils down to the inescapable fact that a republic is a type of democracy."

It's amazing to me that someone who claims to read so much can have such difficulty with the idea that not all democracies are "pure" democracies.

Which leads me to wonder why you parrot the talking point that Republicans with fascist ambitions so often trot out.

But then I should not be surprised. It is not the first example of off-kilter thinking I have see from this source.

You started off here talking rubbish about a state you don't live in. News flash: 5 years in Huntington Beach does not make you an expert on California! Again, you are invited to stay away.

@Flyingsaucesir Stop with the word games. You are saying our Republic is no different than a Democracy. I proved that is FAR vrom correct. We are not a "type" of Democracy at the Federal Level. To say that ignores fact. Your "pure" Democracy agrument is only correct in as much as we are FAR from a "pure" Democracy. So that argument is simoly weak.

Please cite what "parrot" talking points that have "fascist" underpinnings you are talking about. I doubt you even know what a "fascist" is.

I know pleanty about CA. Do you deny high taxes? A large homeless problem? A crime problem in major population areas? A very serious water problem? Perhaps you are unaware that CA is losing population. Is that a measure of a satisfied population?

No one has to live in a place to know about it.

The real truth is you ignore fact and resort to talking points, "anti-fascist" talking points.

There is no need to reply, I see you are in favor of overlooking fact if it conflicts with your political position. That is usual in CA and many of your elected officials prove it.

Don't fret about me going to CA. I value my life much more than that, besides, I have warm water at my ocean beaches, unlike the cold water that hits CA.

It is hard to understand how Walker was nominated.

The poll I recently seen has walker leading right now. I don't know how that's even possible except the repubs don't care about policies any more just "owning the libs" even though they are really owning themselves.

@Alienbeing Magats.

I am writing postcards to Georgia to encourage voting.

@KKGator Oooooo, I like what you are trying to achieve, but I'm afraid it is unfair to maggots. How about maga-hatters = mad hatters?

@Flyingsaucesir Magats isn't my idea, but it's what they're being called.

Since you live in CA I easily understand why it is a wreck.

@Alienbeing Actually California is one of the bright spots. It's Texas that we have to worry about.

@Flyingsaucesir California is a bright spot??? In what manner. Possibly taxes? Possibly a leader in homelessness? Maybe the probability that CA will run very short on water in the near future makes you feel good?

I agree with you about Texas. It is not worth a nickle. However CA is only worth about a dime.

The guy is an idiot. Plain and simple, an idiot with no concept of what leadership entails. If elected, he will follow orders and do no more than necessary to collect a paycheck.

@Beowulfsfriend On the bright side, It looks like he's going to lose this election.

@OldMetalHead It's absolutely both, among other things.

And a recent poll I seen has walker leading right now. Smh.

@GrooshStar The in-state polling I've seen says different.

@KKGator I just did a quick search and there are many outlets saying that Walker leads and also that the margin is so thin that there could be a run-off. I never understood how the republicans could get away with Trumpism, but it is even harder to understand today than it was a few years ago.

@MyTVC15 The stupidity of the republicans in this state, and country, really pisses me off.

@KKGator Don't let the bastards get you down

@KKGator I hope they're right.

@MyTVC15 the repubs don't care about policies anymore. Just culture wars and "owning the libs".