CA - a land of political paradoxes?

[freepcrusher]

One thing I've always heard is that California is a poster child for left wing policies gone amok. But I've read magazines like Forbes or Money that often do a compilation of The Most Miserable Cities in America or the Least Educated Metro Areas in America.

Areas like Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Tulare, Fresno, Stanislaus, San Joaquin - all marginal or GOP leaning counties, tended to be the worst in terms of education, unemployment rates and in general well being. Even though the population grew exponentially faster than counties like San Mateo or Los Angeles, they overall had a worse quality of life. Bash areas like South Central LA all you want. There are parts of Inland CA like Moreno Valley, Baca's district, East Bakersfield etc that are just as bad.

So I take two things away from this
- high population growth does not make an area attractive
- an area's political background does not always coorelate with the state of the economy

[freepcrusher]

"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe so long as the Legislature's in session."

Obviously California needs a government more like Texas'.  Here's how to start:  Prevent the Legislature from meeting more than a few weeks every couple of years, give it almost no power to change anything without voter approval, and pay the members a pittance.

1. what is so special about Texas?
2. wouldn't making it meet fewer times make it even more dysfunctional?
3. the idea of no power to change anything without voter approval already exists in proposition form
4. Pay the members a pittance? Term limits are bad enough, but you want to attract the best and brightest to the legislature.