'I'm done': Fed up with California, some conservatives look to Texas

[Azgraal]

The US should just go ahead and become real life's Hunger Games... It'd be fun to watch. My bet is on MN!

[Elegiac]

Fun fact: The major cities in Texas have mostly Democratic mayors.

Not to mention that, ironically, Texas is getting bluer and more urbanised because of a lot of Californian migrants.

[tss]

LOL they're really showing those dammed liberals!

#Bye_Felicia

Yeah, it's so silly that they're sacrificing things like declining schools, neighborhoods, and public safety just to show up those sensible liberals!

[Elegiac]

Yeah, it's so silly that they're sacrificing things like declining schools, neighborhoods, and public safety just to show up those sensible liberals!

Hey, maybe California would have greater ability to fund these things if it didn't have to spend such ruinous amounts of money propping up the leech states in flyover country.

[callipygoustp]

Yeah, it's so silly that they're sacrificing things like declining schools, neighborhoods, and public safety just to show up those sensible liberals!

Yep, that's exactly what they are doing. I repeat: #Bye_Felicia! Watch out for that back swing on the door as you leave the building.

[Zelk]

Why are they running away instead of fighting for their home?

[ranzino]

Why are they running away instead of fighting for their home?

on local level for sure, but cali turning red seems a bit far fetched.

[Elegiac]

Why are they running away instead of fighting for their home?

That would involve actual political effort and not just screaming talking points.

[kidstechno]

Would be interesting to see trending of political parties in Texas. While it is overwhelming Republican (or seems that way), the only reason they maintain control is due to EXTREME gerrymandering and voter ID laws. Lots of liberal leaning cities are seeing huge populations booms (i.e. Austin) so if they manage to keep fighting extreme measures by Republicans to hold on to their majority representation, I could see Texas becoming purple in the next 5-10 years. Easy.

[Elegiac]

Would be interesting to see trending of political parties in Texas. While it is overwhelming Republican (or seems that way), the only reason they maintain control is due to EXTREME gerrymandering and voter ID laws. Lots of liberal leaning cities are seeing huge populations booms (i.e. Austin) so if they manage to keep fighting extreme measures by Republicans to hold on to their majority representation, I could see Texas becoming purple in the next 5-10 years. Easy.

Therein is the amusing factor. America is undergoing another wave of urbanisation as manufacturing and other industries that propped up small towns decline; states like Texas, Virginia, and North Carolina are becoming increasingly urbanised and increasingly bluer. The solid red states are generally declining in population.

[I Push Buttons]

That would involve actual political effort and not just screaming talking points.

Did you even read the article...? One of the three people referenced not only tried to stir up political participation, he himself ran for congress twice.

If literally running for office isn't political effort then what the fuck do you consider political effort?

[delus]

Not to mention that, ironically, Texas is getting bluer and more urbanised because of a lot of Californian migrants.

Yeah, although I would give more credit to the burgeoning Hispanic population for that. Generally, Republicans win at the state level because they are set up to do that. The republican controlled districts with a smaller population get more representation because they were drawn up that way. Gerrymandering is a real thing here.

[EliWallach]

If they don't want to live here, they don't have to live here. Not sure what the fuss is all about. California's doing exceptionally well at the moment. That won't last of course, especially with the inevitable collapse of CalPERS and associated fallout, but for now, it's all good. Heck they're even considering state funded single payer. Unlikely due to cost, but possible. Now if only we could print our own money.

[Elegiac]

Did you even read the article...? One of the three people referenced not only tried to stir up political participation, he himself ran for congress twice.

If literally running for office isn't political effort then what the fuck do you consider political effort?

I was referring to the other people listed in the OP, not the failed politician. But even then, the screaming talking points criticism applies.

These people are motivated solely by contrarianism, and quite frankly California and the rest of the blue states are better off without them.

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah, although I would give more credit to the burgeoning Hispanic population for that. Generally, Republicans win at the state level because they are set up to do that. The republican controlled districts with a smaller population get more representation because they were drawn up that way. Gerrymandering is a real thing here.

Of course it is. We all know the Republicans are not in favor of democracy.

[callipygoustp]

If they don't want to live here, they don't have to live here. Not sure what the fuss is all about. California's doing exceptionally well at the moment. That won't last of course, especially with the inevitable collapse of CalPERS and associated fallout, but for now, it's all good. Heck they're even considering state funded single payer. Unlikely due to cost, but possible. Now if only we could print our own money.

Its coming. Once again California, that major failure of a state, will lead the way.

[Elegiac]

Its coming. Once again California, that major failure of a state, will lead the way.

Single payer is difficult at the state level because there's the hurdle of people from places like Nebraska trucking over for cheap healthcare and leeching off the state's tax pool.

A good way of going about it would be qualifying that a person has to be an active Californian resident for at least two-three years or whatever. Helps draw people to the state and keeps them there.

[I Push Buttons]

Single payer is difficult at the state level because there's the hurdle of people from places like Nebraska trucking over for cheap healthcare and leeching off the state's tax pool.

A good way of going about it would be qualifying that a person has to be an active Californian resident for at least two-three years or whatever. Helps draw people to the state and keeps them there.

Difficult for a whole host of reasons, that is probably the least difficult aspect.

Right now 2/3 of medical costs in California are paid by the government, but huge portions of that, if not most of it, is federal money... Medicare is entirely federally funded and medicaid (in California) is 50/50 federal/state.

They can't just take that federal medicaid/medicare money and spend it on their single payer system... It is earmarked for specific things (written into federal law that it be spent on specific things, IE: medicare and medicaid). So what happens there? Do they lose 50% of their state's healthcare budget? Chances are they would need special dispensation from the federal government to keep getting that money and spend it on their own system... Do you think a Republican congress, Republican President, and right leaning Supreme Court is going to oblige them? I highly doubt it.

Not to mention Californians would still pay things like federal payroll taxes for medicare... While no longer receiving that funding.

Its a lot more complicated than just "lets vote for single payer!", at least on a state level. It would be much simpler nationally since they could just change federal law regarding these various taxes and healthcare systems, but the way it looks for California now is that they would lose all of that funding AND still have to pay the taxes for that funding in their proposed system.

IE: Their proposed system is dead on arrival until Democrats control the federal government again and are willing to give them the previously mention special dispensation.

[Elegiac]

Difficult for a whole host of reasons, that is probably the least difficult aspect.

Right now 2/3 of medical costs in California are paid by the government, but huge portions of that, if not most of it, is federal money... Medicare is entirely federally funded and medicaid (in California) is 50/50 federal/state.

They can't just take that federal medicaid/medicare money and spend it on their single payer system... It is earmarked for specific things (written into federal law that it be spent on specific things, IE: medicare and medicaid). So what happens there? Do they lose 50% of their state's healthcare budget? Chances are they would need special dispensation from the federal government to keep getting that money and spend it on their own system... Do you think a Republican congress, Republican President, and right leaning Supreme Court is going to oblige them? I highly doubt it.

Not to mention Californians would still pay things like federal payroll taxes for medicare... While no longer receiving that funding.

Its a lot more complicated than just "lets vote for single payer!", at least on a state level. It would be much simpler nationally since they could just change federal law regarding these various taxes and healthcare systems, but the way it looks for California now is that they would lose all of that funding AND still have to pay the taxes for that funding in their proposed system.

IE: Their proposed system is dead on arrival until Democrats control the federal government again and are willing to give them the previously mention special dispensation.

There is a viable alternative in setting up a state funded public insurance option to insure for the gap between Medicaid and Medicare. Or just nationalise Kaiser Permanente, lol.

[Allerius]

Being able to live somewhere your political ideas are accepted/practiced is a great thing. Being a political minority can cause social isolation and you have to live under laws you don't agree with. It's a good thing the states are different and I'd like to see more of it with more law being created at the state level. Little other than the military is important to be controlled at a federal level.

[Blizzhoof]

Please leave. Bring your outbreak in waiting somewhere else.

That's BS slant from a lefty newspaper. They probably found one letter. If you look at the polls of anti-vaxxers, they are overwhelmingly left leaning.