There are some things in the works in CA that will lead to some bigger changes down the road.

The legislative districts are now being done by an independent commission. Not the legislature themselves, so say goodbye to many of the safe districts. Something that will make districts more competitive bringing in more moderates.

The next is the primary system change that will have the top 2 vote getters in the primary whatever the party be the ones on the ballot with the exception of the presidential primaries.

There is still far more venture capitol in CA than any other state. People have said gloom and doom on it many times before. Now if we can just fix the crazy 2/3 requirement modify prop 13 and stop making the tax system so regressive we might do better.

Having more Venture Capitol firms in your state doesn't relly mean anything... afterall not much of that venture capitalism seems to be used.

As for the more taxation angle... that generally seems to be the issue right now doesn't it?  California is losing buisnesses to other states at a rapid pace as it is.

I'm not sure how raising taxes fixes that.

As for regressive taxation... that's just what happens when you have more stuff.  All told the USA actually has a way more progressive taxation burden then you'd think comparativly, people just never think it is because all the numbers look lower so the rich pay less and then europes rich and that's all anyone pay attention to.

State government taxes pretty much HAVE to be regressive, because the national government has one of the most progressive tax rates in the world.  Not much more to "mine" from the top end.  So any spending will have to come from the bottom.

I think it's a good start.

I would think that the USA would be greatly improved by splitting back into the Union and Confederacy, with the conservative part of California mentioned in this thread joining the confederacy.

Even the federal isn't that regressive because of all the payroll taxes that have maximums.

What I was getting at with the statewide is from the sales tax that cities and counties often add to.

Taxes need maximiums....? 

Outside which, yeah... they need to add those taxes because government wants to pay for too much.

Just as pointless as the people bothering to try to create East Washington.

Revisionists always try to weasel their way out of the status quo like this, and it bothers me, and yes, i would say that if, say, North Virginia tried to secede (to create a liberal zone)

I live in California, in one of the border counties. I completely agree with the idea, though I think they should do the split a little more evenly.

I hate how people like (arrogant liberal douchebags) that always think themselfes superior to everyone that votes for republicans and how thier opinnion is correct and more important,alays ridicule and persecute everyone that doesnt share thier political views. Arrogant as*holes

I think it's a fantastic idea. The main problem, really, as Kasz pointed out, is how they will do parts of the splits, such as the debt split.

Is this idea picking up any kind of traction? Or is it another Johnson?

I think it's like Scottish Independence.

In otherwords, an idea that's unpopular but scores you points with the right audience.

The only difference is the secessionsts might have an economic boom rather then bust.  A Southern California country probably would steal a lot of the Norths  buisness.  (Like the rest of the country, but you get to still live on the beach.)

Espiecally from LA.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124718265362620253.html