California Residents...What is it like living in California and are the politic as as bad as I think?
550491
California, like anywhere else has benefits and disadvantages to living here.  San Diego politics are a mess, Duke Cunningham was just hauled off to jail, we have a huge pension problem, several of our city council members were indicted in a strip club scandal and it seems like our city governement is unresponsive to the people who live here.  The state is no better, remember we recalled our governor and replaced Davis with the girlie man terminator.  \n\nWe have a huge problem with illegal aliens who use services like education and health care to which they don't contribute.  As a result, most of our schools are over crowded and under performing.  Our public hospital emergency rooms can have 6-8 hour waits, are inefficient and rate poorly for service.  We are always faced with some new school bond, hospital bond, library bond or increase in the sales tax because of it.\n\nIt is really expensive to live here.  Traffic conjestion is a fact of life.  Owning a home is out of reach for a lot of middle income people.  \n\nBut, it is a beautiful state to live in, as well.  Miles of beaches, mountains, deserts, forests, and there is always something to do.  Where else can you go from the ocean to the mountains in the same day?  The weather is generally comfortable throughout the year.  \n\nWe have an election coming up and Californians aren't afraid of change.  Maybe some fresh faces will change the course of our future!
422495
I'm from California. It was a mess. Because of the special election, there were no primaries, meaning, anyone could run. Among the real politicians running, there were movie action stars, porn stars, and black midget child TV stars. It was insane.\n\nI'm proud to say I voted against recalling Davis and voted for Bustamante as a replacement, a real politician. Basically, the rest of the California population figured a washed up former Mr. Universe could govern a state.
721339
Yup, it's expensive here.  But as a result, people get paid more here, too.  People who earn $50,000/year here usually get less than $40,000 in the midwest.  But they would get $60,000 in Manhattan!\n\nAnd there are many areas that are some distance from downtown LA (as much as 80 miles) where homes are much cheaper (1/3 or 1/4 the price for much bigger houses!) and work is still plentiful.\n\nI think, that the weather better in Southern California then anywhere else in the USA.  The temperature rarely drops much below freezing, and hot summers are generally easier to deal with than snowy winters so common in other parts of the US.  Our hot summers are dry, which is more comfy than the 90 degrees/90% humidity so common in the South.  If you like it cold, we've got mountains.  Like it hot, we've got deserts.\n\nSouthern Cal has a great mix of stuff.  Big city life, with plentiful jobs, culture, activity.  But also natural activity - many people have outdoor and natural hobbies - surfing and skiing is usually under 100 miles away from each other!\n\nNorthern California offers much of the same, but I'm not as familiar with it.  But it also is a great place to live, work and have fun.\n\nIt's not worth it to everyone - it's a lot more crowded than it used to be, and that makes traffic a real bear.  Immigration has torn up some areas.  But I can't see myself living anywhere else as nice.
993143
I have lived in TX my whole life and I have never heard of anyone having a beef with Californians in general...
895353
I was a Navy sailor and I never ran into the problems you are saying you ran into and this was in the 70's.   \n\nGangs are generally made up of people who stay together to reinforce their own way of thinking by hanging out with people who share their beliefs, most of them wrong.\n\nQuestion, how much of California have you seen to be able to tell people that it is not safe?\n\nAlso how old are you?  If your age is typical of most people in the military you are probably quite young and haven't seen that much of the world yet.  California is more than San Diego, Imperial Beach, National City and Chula Vista.
461893
Scenic vistas and friendly people aside, Tennessee sucks.  HIGH TAXES (I live here) @ 10% sales tax.  Medical program for the old and poor has been cut to the bone with the intentions of killing em off.  New Lottery System is as corrupted as anywhere else.  High drug use for being able to cope with the heaped-up corruption.  It has a high density of millionaires whom in general won't pee on a poor person whom is on fire; even if their bladder is full and you lie blocking the toilet's door.  It is an I'm up and you're down culture and thievery abounds.  Need know more, e-mail me.  It's just better than living in Detroit Michigan.
763296
Even though I am more conservative, I like being on the coast so the blue states.  BUT if WildThing thinks this is where the sane people live, try living here in San Francisco.
616871
I love living in USA. Government may suck, but living in this country is not that bad.
812716
I've only been there once, (for the January 2003 anti-war assembly in Frisco) but I must say Berkeley is well worth a visit.  The city is just north of Oakland on the east shores of the San Francisco Bay.  Much of the university is built on a hillside overlooking the bay.  There are several quaint co-op student houses on the eastern, uphill side of the campus.  \n \nBerkeley's climate is temperate and moderate all year round, with spring- and fall-like temperatures even at the peak of summer or winter.  Berkeley also gets slightly more rain than most other Bay localities.  The moisture and summer coolness allows for a somewhat greener landscape with a mix of eucalyptus/palms, conifers, and deciduous trees.  As a resident of western Oregon I felt quite at home in the mini-forest on Berkeley's hillside.  \n\nThe downtown has a lot of shops and small businesses.  There's also, from what I've been told, a ton of independent and alternative-type radio and music in the town.  Berkeley, of course, has a reputation for radical politics due to the 1960s student movements, but in reality this stereotype is overexaggerated.  The political balance is liberal but no more so than any other liberal city.  (UC Berkeley did, however, have a fairly strong chapter of the International Socialist Organization in 2002-03.)  \n\nBerkeley is well worth a visit, and I hope I get to visit again someday, but I'm not sure if I'd want to live there.  It probably is a pretty good place to live if you can afford the slightly higher rents than you'd find in Oakland (but in Oakland the culture is less enlightened and far less idealistic).  I never understood why affordable housing and leftist politics don't geographically overlap more than they do.
837227
Do not uphold the housing restrictions. It will create massive chaos and only make California communities less safe.\n\nJessica's Law is a political vehicle for Sharon and George Runner, not a thoughtfully written initiative. There are reasons why the California Assembly and Senate repeatedly declined to adopt laws with housing restrictions - because there is no proof that they have anything to do with public safety.\n\nThey're feel good laws designed to lull the public into a false sense of security. That's because the majority of child sex abuse is committed by someone the child already knows - not a stranger. \n\nAnyway, if you're asking this for JG's requrest, I already did it. If not, please consider what I have said. \n\nI am not a sex offender, although I know one. This law is a turkey and the housing restriction is totally unconstitutionaMF\n\nOn Wednesday, Nov. 15th, the attorney general filed a brief stating that the housing restrictions won't be retroactive. Maybe now that can be used as a precedent in other states that have housing restrictions. All the experts say housing restrictions actually make society less safe, not more. These restrictions are just designed to punish, not keep children safe.
64837
I moved to the SF bay area from Wisconsin last summer and I am totally loving it out here.\nWeather here is not as nice as southern CA, but never gets below like 40.
1132190
It HASN'T affected ME negatively....but I can only speak for me.\n\nbut some comments....because I always have comments\n\n1.   I am undecided on the tax impact.  Believe me taxes are no joke in this house BUT I have often wondered how all the "welfare receipients" in this country pay "good honest to goodness taxes"......oh and then get kickbacks....a check for just being them at the end of the year.  I believe that no HONEST, Hardworking person appreciates that too much.\n\n2.  Education is the key......PERIOD.\n\n3.  A criminal mind is a criminal mind, I would never color code deviant behaviour and personally get offended when people do.\n\n4.  OH someone mentioned gangs.  Well while I haven't lived in CA for quite some time.  I was born and raised and left to join the Army.  When I was there my mom worked for the Riverside County DA for close to 30 years at that time.  She came home with HORROR stories but most of the time BACK THEN it was concerning "bloods" and "crips" and no mention was ever made of the powerful gangs that everyone says has the CURRENT grip on CA.  \n\nTo end we have lived damn near everywhere......and oh wait someone mentioned border states.  Yep.....live in a border state and was raised in a border state.  When stationed in El Paso...I found the community amazing, beautifully painted homes, amazing aromas drifting out of well taken care of diners.  See how perceptions are SO different for people.  We made amazing friends (yes locals) and we would go back in a heartbeat.  \n\nTo end...now......doesn't affect me......then......didn't affect......even BACK then......wouldn't have affected me.  \n\nPeace
156077
California is a pretty unpleasant place. Why are you so THICK you can't spell "fascist"? You make me vomit.
22735
Depends on how long you plan on being here and if you can afford it.  In the bay area, houses are still SO expensive...we pay 700,000 for small 2 bedroom homes here!  Southern CA isn't as bad though and out in the middle, it's still reasonable.  \n\nIf you're only here a couple years, renting might be best, but if you're here long term, it's a good investment.
700702
I think there are some pretty heated issues dividing the state - and people are fighting for the representation that represents those ideals... so it just goes to show how Californians really feel. Strongly on both sides!\n\nMore specific to your question, Californians have their presonal extreme views and that will create a balance at the top - as they flex their voting power.  And that is the funny thing about watching the rest of the country say California is "Democrat".... because we usually have such a strong show from both sides.
1077989
I would just as soon leave if I had a good reason to do so.\n\nThere are better places to live but most of them do not allow bums to become resident or citizens.\n\nMy primary complaint is being associated with a gang of ignorant bigots who value superstition, bigotry & ignorance more than advancement, tolerance & enlightenment.\n\nNeither major political party represents me or my interests, they are equally corrupt and there is little anyone can do about it because they both cater to the extremists. And the middle divides, which leaves the extremists in control. \n\nAmerica is a nation in decline and the extremists are steadily drilling holes in her hull while she sinks.
1099451
California has people of every state and most any country.California has about any kind of person.\n(you don't like okies).