badgenome said: I was hoping this was about California seceding.

This is what I assumed too, like how Texas began as an independant nation. The Republic of California. Now that would be awesome..

By right audiences, I assume you mean "the English"

What would the means be of a creation of a Southern California state? I'm assuming a referendum in the involved counties, followed by some kind of bill going through the Californian legislature (though, if the referendum was successful, that will bring up questions about the authority of Sacremento over the counties)... and then Congressional/Presidential approval? Or will it also require the approval of the other states?

I'm assuming the Dems will oppose this in Congress, as Cali is normally a blue state, and now some of its electoral college votes will be going to the GOP.

I literally have no idea.

I don't think it would require the approval of the other states, but would requre the approval of congress due to it effecting congress.

Democrats might not be as upset about it as you think though...  While California has voted for Democrats the last 5 times... the 5 times before that they voted Republican.

As far as balancing who gets how much debt: just off the top of my head, the best combination of "easy" and "fair" might be to distribute it in proportion to the population of each new state.

Other thoughts: HappySquirrel said, "In many ways the most liberal portion of California believes in state run capatilism or communism". Is that supposed to be an "either-or" statement? because I would have thought that state-run capitalism is more socialist than communist. Also, really? I had no idea their beliefs went that far.

Largely because of the shifting focus of the parties, though. I mean 80 years ago pretty much every state (except New York) voted the opposite of the way they do now, if we just draw it on party lines. The Democrats had the Solid South, the Great Plains, and the Interior West, and the Republicans had everywhere that had really been industrialized, and those trends endured for a while (even Jimmy Carter got most of his support from the South, and that was well after the Democrats had shifted from a more folksy Populism that still had room for traditional Southern views to a straight Social-Democrat style)

In my state, Utah, we are booming as well.  One of the few relatively healthy economic states during this recession.  I live in the Southern part of the state where we've seen a massive influx of new residents, particularly from California where they are fleeing the state.

I suspected Utah would likely do well, given that you have arguably the best education system in America with a competitive system that costs nearly 1/2 of my State (Ohio).

I wonder: Are the Californians coming to Utah of a political persuasion that is different than what you currently have? I've always worried that when peoplf flee the state, they will bring their job-destroying ideologies with them.

I agree with the bolded.  I think it would interesting to see which sections policies would prove better at improving and sustaining an economy/budget.  I very doubt the liberal section would allow it to happen, though.  That would mean the loss of many taxable dollars and power in the electorate.

it would never happen cause the fed would't allow it.

all we really need to do is look at the states with the highs budget deficit and wht party is leading it and that would tell you which has the better plan

Total late reply incoming!  It's a mixed bag.  Some do indeed bring their terrible political disposition with them while others come here because frankly, their political and social backgrounds fit better here.  You are right about the education thing though.  Some people dog my state for spending less per child, but the results aren't that different from high spending states.  One thing you have to consider is that there are a lot more children per capita in Utah than many other states which offsets the balance to a degree.