Friday, December 02, 2016

Too Much Granola?...

As someone who grew up and lived in the Philly area for 30 years, then moved to near-coastal southern CA in 1994, I can say that there are pluses and minuses living here. And the –'s are starting to outweigh the +'s. First, there's this ongoing drought, where the El NiƱo effect (which normally comes every 12-14 years, and was several years late this time around) bypassed this area. The lake that supplies the residential water in my part of town (along with ground water) is down 70%. We don't get any of that water which is diverted from NoCal to L.A. The lack of building modernized de-salinization plants, nor building more and better systems for containing/storing and delivering whatever rain/snow runoff the state does get, makes it all the more insane. Thank you enviro-wackos!
Add the bipolar need for having vehicles to get you anywhere, but regulating the S#!7 out of the industry to such an extent that people complain about the tar seeping up from their precious beaches but refuse to do anything about it (like drilling it out of the ground so that it DOESN'T seep onto the surface, rather than having to always break out the mineral oil and cotton balls to get it off of your feet and your dog's paws/fur after a walk along certain coastlines). And the Bullet Train to Nowhere boondoggle is a friggin' joke that would make anyone laugh if it wasn't so bankrupting of the state financial system to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. And, of course, nuclear energy plants are still a no-no.
The higher cost of living, and the guaranteed to soon-reburst housing re-bubble, where in four and half short years the homes in my housing tract increased in prices by 50% (right back to 2006-2007 levels all over again). This is happening in key segments of the state (as well as in key sectors of the country). Where property taxes may be reigned in by Prop 13 to 1% plus a tiny fraction for local issues, but other state, local, gas, sales and other taxes continue to get out of control. And let's not forget about the burden of regulations out the wazoo.
And don't get me started on 2nd Amendment rights issues out here. Or the fact that it has (in the last 20 years) become a hard-core 1-party state, politically. Or the insane legislation-by-four-dozen-Propositions every election.
One of my very first posts in my RedState Diary two and a half years ago was about CA and the insane proposal at the time to split it into six separate states. In that post, I did an analysis of the 2012 presidential election by county and found that L.A. county along with eight San Francisco/Sacramento area counties are what tilts the state so heavily liberal/progressive (I called it Marxifornia). Take those nine counties out, and the remaining state of California becomes much more moderate overall (and that includes keeping the liberal Silicon Valley (Santa Clara) and northern Wine Country (Napa & Sonoma) regions in the larger state sans those nine counties).
The weather (aside from the current drought) is gorgeous (Mediterranean). The state geographically is huge and diverse: coastal, mountains, valleys, wine country, tech industry, agriculture, high & low desert, redwoods in the north, state and national parks, etc. But the people are like a gigantic bowl of granola: ⅓ fruits, ⅓ nuts, ⅓ flakes (with an unhealthy smattering of hemp-related products tossed in).
Not able to make the change now, but seriously considering moving to other parts of the gorgeous southwest, e.g., the Albuquerque/Santa Fe areas of New Mexico, or the Prescott Valley areas of Arizona (both are 5000'-7000' in elevation, giving some semblence of season changes, and avoiding much of the blistering summer heat).

Possibly Texas, but it's tough trying to find the right locations in that Lone Star state. I've "looked" at Corpus Christi (seasonal hurricanes, anyone?), suburban San Antonio (e.g., New Braunfels?, but it's flat with hot/humid summers and even humid winters like most of the southern portion of the state), Austin-area (cost of living there has gone through the roof, and is as highly liberal as key pockets of CA). Maybe the western mountain areas of Texas, but that tends to be either El Paso (nowhere near ideal) or a bunch of tiny towns of 2000 people or less. Plus the fact that western TX is notorious for constant high winds and dust. Not interested in big cities like Houston/Dallas/Fort Worth/Plano/San Antonio proper etc. And, no, I don't want to live in tornado alley up in the panhandle region (Lubbock, Amarillo).
All three of those states (AZ, NM, TX) are strong 2nd Amendment states, too - which is a big plus. TX and AZ are conservative, while NM is actually overall fairly moderate (having elected for governor since 1987 GOP Garrey Carruthers (the last governor to be limited by law to a single term only as governor), GOP Gary Johnson twice, fiscal conservative Dem. Bill Richardson twice, and now GOP Susana Martinez twice - and who may challenge Dem. Senator Udall in 2018. They also had GOP Senator Pete Domenici for many years.).
I'm about a good 8-10 years away from making the move (will definitely miss the coast and the Mediterranean climate when I do), but I think it will be done. It needs to be done, for my sanity, my security, and for my wallet. Although my family is all back in the PA area, I just don't see myself going back there. I'm biding my time, and doing my research until the time is right to make the move. I just wish that a good chunk (3-6 million) of conservatives would "move" here temporarily for about 4-6 years to help turn this state around - getting it back to the Reagan/Deukmejian style of governance.

One can only hope. But I'm not holding my breath... not even with the sudden now-legalized increase in Acapulco Gold wafting in the air. LOL

Monday, October 10, 2016

Can Trump Be Replaced? Yes. These Are The Rules…

Originally posted over at RedState on October 8. You can read it here.

Thursday, September 08, 2016

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Color Me Unimpressed...

Regarding the announcement of Evan McMullin getting in very late as an independent candidate for president. Read my analysis here at RedState.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

A Little Reminder from May 3, 2016...

Let's remember what Ted Cruz said back then, shall we?

"Donald will betray his supporters on every issue. If you care about immigration, Donald is laughing at you. And he's telling the moneyed elites that he doesn't believe what he's saying, he's not gonna build a wall - that's what he told the New York Times, he will betray you on every issue across the board."
-- Ted Cruz (May 3, 2016)

Read my post here at RedState.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

40 Years Ago Foreshadowing a 2020 Vision...

A very recent polls show that 40% of Bernie voters would vote for Trump in November if it's between Trump and Hillary. What Beck is saying is that if a large portion of that is true, even if conservatives stayed home or voted 3rd Party/Write-in, that block of Bernie voters could pick up the slack. There is debate as to whether it'll be a low voter turnout (because Trump and Hillary are both so bad as candidates, that it'll suppress turnout), or whether it'll increase turnout (because while the conservatives and socialists may sit out, new-low-info-frustrated-with-both-parties voters will go to the polls to either choose Trump because "outsider" or Hillary because "NOT-Trump, besides... Bill did 'ok' in the 90s despite his personal slime, so why not another Clinton for a second go-round").
Personally, although I'm #NeitherTrumpNorHillary (and will write-in Cruz on Nov 8), it won't really matter which of the two "wins" because the country (as well as other nations: Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, China, Japan, the EU) will economically and financially implode making the last 8 years look like a walk in the park. Along with that will be increases in radical islamic terrorism and international military strife (Iran, North Korea, China, Russia, Turkey, etc.).
Whomever is president these next four years won't be able to fix a gosh darn thing, and will most likely make matters even worse.
Cruz stated in his concession/suspension speech:
"But hear me now I am not suspending our fight for liberty. I am not suspending our fight to defend the constitution, to defend the Judeo-Christian values that built America. Our movement will continue and I give you my word that I will continue this fight with all of my strength and all of my ability. You are extraordinary and we will continue to fight next week and next month and next year and together we will continue as long as God grants us the strength to fight on."
This next line tells you everything:
"For one thing remains as true today as it was 40 years ago in Kansas City. In this fight for the long term future of America there is no substitute for victory. There is no substitute for the America that each and every one of us loves with all of our heart, that we believe in with all of our heart and that together we will restore as a shining city on the hill for every generation to come. Thank you to each of you and god bless you."
What was 40 years ago? What's this "restoring that shining city on a hill"? That was the battle for the GOP nomination between Ford and Reagan in 1976. You know what happened next. Ford won the nomination. Ford then lost to Carter. Carter was a complete disaster (domestically with the economy and internationally with foreign policy). Reagan ran again for the nomination, and then went on to win big time against Carter four years later to "restore that shining city on a hill".
Cruz just announced today that he will run for re-election for TX Senate in 2018. He's going to continue to fight and be the leader & mouthpiece for constitutional conservatism these next four years in the Senate, and will run again for President in 2020 (learning from his mistakes, and having an even bigger, stronger, more organized and effective campaign... against either Trump or Hillary... doesn't matter... the end result of either administration will be the same... a total and complete disaster).
Hopefully, God willing, this nation can survive until then.

Meanwhile, read author Brad Thor's FB post regarding Trump & Hillary.

Wednesday, May 04, 2016

#NeitherTrumpNorHillary

In a 12 hour span on May 3, 2016 we heard the unvarnished truth about Trump from Ted Cruz, and then Ted Cruz gave an impressive and inspiring concession speech.
Will be voting for Ted Cruz on June 7 in CA.

Will write-in Ted Cruz on Nov 8.

Will change my political affiliation from GOP to Undeclared on Nov 9.

Will search for (or help start) a new American Common Sense Constitutional political party.

#NeitherTrumpNorHillary

#NeitherHudgeNorGudge *

#GoodbyeGOP

* Hudge and Gudge was G.K. Chesterton's term for the 2-headed beast of Big Government and Big Business.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Who Are The Trumpettes?

The core of Trump's base of supporters (a small %, they are), and who have remained in his camp even after all these months of exposure to the real DT - not his false persona, can be some up as follows:
After 15 years of witnessing a porous border, of witnessing the rise of radical islamic terrorism, of witnessing the destruction of the economy and of the loss of jobs and income association with that, and seeing the likes of both sides of the political establishment being responsible for either allowing these things to happen, causing these things to happen and/or perpetuating these things to happen... what you get is an angry set of citizens who are looking for scapegoats. Three in particular: DEEZ, DEMZ and DOZE. "Deez Mexicans, Dem Muslims, Doze Establishment Politicians".
Then someone comes along who has a lot of built up name recognition, who is not a politician, who comes across as a successful businessman, who happens to stumble upon saying the right things about DEEZ, DEMZ and DOZE.
He may be (as I said way back in August of last year) nothing but a self-promoting carnival barker. A snake oil salesman and con artist with a long history of bad business practices, insider deal trading, and leftist policy positions, beliefs and support. (I have well over 500 links available from over the last 6 months that go into the details of these facts - not opinions, FACTS.)
But that doesn't matter. Why? Because DEEZ, DEMZ and DOZE.
It's only slightly more than one third of the GOP primary electorate who are voting for him. Factor in many who are just going along with the leading dark horse candidate, but are not true believers in him or who just want to stop Hillary. Factor in the open primaries that allow Democrats and Independents to vote, most (not all, but most) doing so to muck up the system by doing their own "Operation Chaos" (because they're happy with either Hillary or Bernie, doesn't matter to them, let's just help to get the weakest and worst opponent to run against the D candidate so that they'll win in November).
And what you really have is maybe 10% of the overall electorate (if that) who are angry, low information voters who are projecting their anger, frustrations (valid as they might be) as well as projecting their idealized image of a "leader" onto Trump without realizing it (and not really caring about it). Because if they actually listen to reason they get MORE angry and lash out. Why? Because they vested so much in him that they can't handle the fact that he could actually be such a weak and pathetic and dangerous and phony straw-man and empty suit.
Because then the mirror has to turn back onto themselves.
And they can't handle that, neither emotionally nor psychologically.
The MSM? All they care about are two things: (A) Ratings (aka, Money) and (B) getting Hillary elected president. They are just along for the ride to help accomplish (A) and (B).
And where do low information voters, who don't follow political news and issues on a regular basis (and who couldn't be bothered to do so) and who have been educated in an indoctrinating public education system, get their information from?
The MSM