Who is this "Martin Luther King" and why does he have his day off today?

[Ben Kenobi]

The same way top 5, top 9, or top 11 would be. You're looking at a subset. Why not pick, bottom 10? Oh, because that would hurt. As in "squeal like a pig" hurt.

Everyone goes by top 10 lists. Even Letterman. I don't see him doing any top 11 lists.

Nope, prop 13 does a bit more than that. When the state is in boom mode and could run a significant budget surplus, the surplus can't be retained in reserve funds, or used to retire other indebtedness except through convoluted accounting games. Prop 13 creates a use it or lose it situation that hamstrings sound management.

CA's a long way away from 'running a significant budget surplus'.

When you actually live here and aren't wet behind the ears lapping up propaganda, then come talk to me. Believe it or not, despite what you read out there in redstateville, we don't have state funded taco carts giving free meals to the hordes of wetbacks lining up for free no-questions-asked 50k a year lifetime welfare benefits.

That's not what the numbers are showing. You guys spend way more per capita (about 6x), what we spend. You also have a higher proportion of folks on Welfare. Also, as I'm sure you're aware, it's not the hispanic folks most likely to be on welfare in CA. Cutting back to Texas levels would do CA a world of good.

Why is it when I read your posts, I hear Rod Serling's voice in my head?

Obama would never sell you to Mexico. We'd have to wait for another Republican.

[Ben Kenobi]

Driven by demand from people from your neck of the woods tired of looking at five thousand cow asses out their front yard. It's called "supply and demand."

So you're bragging about ex-Texans who couldn't hack it here while land the best of Cali? Good deal.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/economics/item/13723-latest-u-haul-index-shows-californians-leaving-for-texas

Renting a 20-foot truck one way from San Francisco to San Antonio, Texas, for example, costs $1,693. Going in the other direction, however, costs only $983 for the same truck.

I rest my case. Look at that. Actual Supply/Demand statistics that verify my point.

Now that some of our "red state refugees" are "self-deporting" we should see some normalization of housing costs.

Oh, you must mean the California natives who actually make money and want to keep it. Yeah, we get plenty of those.

And it's working just fine. Typical San Diego winter weekend - girls in bikinis on the beach. Typical Texas year 'round: Dead armadillos and cow patties on the road.

Swap 'beach' for 'pool'.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Everyone goes by top 10 lists. Even Letterman. I don't see him doing any top 11 lists.

We do top 10 lists because as a standard design feature, we have ten fingers. Letterman apparently doesn't count on his dick.

The "bottom 10" is what you'd pick if it was all blue states - you're be "look who's underperforming blah blah ****in' blah" You know it.

You can look at all 50 states, It's not that tough, except it supports the notion that red states as a whole are economic laggards.

CA's a long way away from 'running a significant budget surplus'.

It's had them in the past (and outside the general fund, still does, but can't touch that money). The past ones post-13 had to be rebated or spent down in arbitrary ways, rather than allowing debt paydown, reserves, etc. which would allow for more sound long-term management.

That's not what the numbers are showing. You guys spend way more per capita (about 6x), what we spend. You also have a higher proportion of folks on Welfare. Also, as I'm sure you're aware, it's not the hispanic folks most likely to be on welfare in CA. Cutting back to Texas levels would do CA a world of good.

It's white trash transplants from the deep south.

Obama would never sell you to Mexico. We'd have to wait for another Republican.

Well, at this point, that'll be a long wait. The GOP is marginalizing itself into irrelevancy on the national stage. That's why they have to look at playing games with the electoral vote, to disenfranchise voters and win by manipultion.

[MichaeltheGreat]

So you're bragging about ex-Texans who couldn't hack it here while land the best of Cali? Good deal.

No, I'm lamenting all you people coming here and messing things up for the rest of us.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/economics/item/13723-latest-u-haul-index-shows-californians-leaving-for-texas

Good! They're finally moving back. Maybe we should all pitch in and cover the rental costs on condition that they take one more with them?

I rest my case. Look at that. Actual Supply/Demand statistics that verify my point.

About why people are willing to pay more to live here?

Oh, you must mean the California natives who actually make money and want to keep it. Yeah, we get plenty of those.

I'm sure you do. I have yet to meet a California native who wants to live in Texas or anywhere else in the south.

Swap 'beach' for 'pool'.

Why would I? Pristine ocean for water with armadillo turds, kid piss and ten times too much chlorine?

[Ben Kenobi]

The "bottom 10" is what you'd pick if it was all blue states - you're be "look who's underperforming blah blah ****in' blah" You know it.

Why do that when I can pick on California being the worst performing state of the past 5 years? Know your audience. Do you think people really give a **** about Michigan? Nobody cares about Michigan.

It's had them in the past (and outside the general fund, still does, but can't touch that money). The past ones post-13 had to be rebated or spent down in arbitrary ways, rather than allowing debt paydown, reserves, etc. which would allow for more sound long-term management.

True, that's the sad thing. California used to be awesome. Now it's not.

It's white trash transplants from the deep south.

Hey! You're getting closer. One more guess.

Well, at this point, that'll be a long wait. The GOP is marginalizing itself into irrelevancy on the national stage. That's why they have to look at playing games with the electoral vote, to disenfranchise voters and win by manipultion.

Or you can just sell California. Pay off a chunk of the deficit. Mexico is happy and the US is better off as a whole. Win, win.

[Ben Kenobi]

No, I'm lamenting all you people coming here and messing things up for the rest of us.

Deaf people? Midgets?

Good! They're finally moving back. Maybe we should all pitch in and cover the rental costs on condition that they take one more with them?

You're having to pay people to come into CA, not the other way around.

About why people are willing to pay more to live here?

That more are leaving California for Texas than leaving Texas for California. Clearly Texas > California.

I'm sure you do. I have yet to meet a California native who wants to live in Texas or anywhere else in the south.

They can own guns here too!

Pristine ocean for water with armadillo turds, kid piss and ten times too much chlorine?

Pristine ocean? Right. Not in Cali.

[molly bloom]

Letterman apparently doesn't count on his dick.

Given his candid confessions I'd say he counted on it for some things...

[MichaeltheGreat]

Why do that when I can pick on California being the worst performing state of the past 5 years? Know your audience. Do you think people really give a **** about Michigan? Nobody cares about Michigan.

California "worst performing?" Only in the Beniverse where we cherry pick data. And Michigan? Every GOP candidate for President seems to care every four years, trying to flip those electoral votes.

True, that's the sad thing. California used to be awesome. Now it's not.

30 plus million people disagree with you, but we're glad a lot of you choose to stay away.

Or you can just sell California. Pay off a chunk of the deficit. Mexico is happy and the US is better off as a whole. Win, win.

Yes, there'd be demand for California. We'd have to pay someone to unload Texas, especially if we tried to sell it with the Texans still in it.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Deaf people? Midgets?

It was a play on Robt. E. Lee's reference to yankees as "those people"

You're having to pay people to come into CA, not the other way around.

Nope, self-deportation of another couple of million of immigrants from failed states would stabilize a lot of things here. New housing wouldn't come back, but it's grossly overbuilt.

They can own guns here too!

No shortage of guns in this state. Just not as many gun nuts who equate having 50 guns with steel viagra.

Pristine ocean? Right. Not in Cali.

You obviously don't know the coast here. The majority of ocean here is awesome.

[Dinner]

The people leaving the state all pretty much fall into one of two categories. The first is elderly retired people who are cashing out their home equity and looking for some where dirt cheap to spend their few remaining years while the second is poor people who can't afford to buy a house because they've been out bid by wealthier people. Those poor people are moving to less desirable (from a supply and demand standpoint) locations which they actually can afford because fewer people with money are there to drive prices up.

Neither poor people nor pensioners tend to be very dynamic economically or start that many new businesses so I fail to see why this is a bad thing economically. They can go "enjoy" having swamp ass in the horrible Texan weather and feel good about buying a $20,000 house in Lubbock but just remember there is a reason those houses are practically being given away and it's not because people who have any other option really want to live there.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Don't forget Midland-Odessa. Lubbock is heaven in comparison.

[Ben Kenobi]

The people leaving the state all pretty much fall into one of two categories. The first is elderly retired people who are cashing out their home equity and looking for some where dirt cheap to spend their few remaining years while the second is poor people who can't afford to buy a house because they've been out bid by wealthier people. Those poor people are moving to less desirable (from a supply and demand standpoint) locations which they actually can afford because fewer people with money are there to drive prices up.

Someone who's unable to afford a half a million+ on an apartment is 'poor'? I thought Obama considered these people the 'rich'. Odd how you can be 'rich' to Obama and 'poor' to Oerdin.

Neither poor people nor pensioners tend to be very dynamic economically or start that many new businesses so I fail to see why this is a bad thing economically. They can go "enjoy" having swamp ass in the horrible Texan weather and feel good about buying a $20,000 house in Lubbock but just remember there is a reason those houses are practically being given away and it's not because people who have any other option really want to live there.

Horrible Texan weather



Horrible Texan weather?



Yeah, ok, sure!

[Ben Kenobi]

It was a play on Robt. E. Lee's reference to yankees as "those people"

Like the confederates, my people were persecuted by Yankees. Look up 'loyalist'.

California "worst performing?" Only in the Beniverse where we cherry pick data. And Michigan? Every GOP candidate for President seems to care every four years, trying to flip those electoral votes.

In relative terms, yes. They've dropped 10 places in just 3 years. No other state has declined by this much. This is the worst California has been since at least 1992.

You obviously don't know the coast here. The majority of ocean here is awesome.

Likewise.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Someone who's unable to afford a half a million+ on an apartment is 'poor'? I thought Obama considered these people the 'rich'. Odd how you can be 'rich' to Obama and 'poor' to Oerdin.

There aren't a lot of 500k+ apartments or condos here. Only in major downtown high-rises, or high-end zip codes.

Horrible Texan weather



Horrible Texan weather?



Yeah, ok, sure!

You may like it. Houston weather sucks ass. El Paso weather sucks ass. Dallas weather sucks ass.

[MichaeltheGreat]

In relative terms, yes. They've dropped 10 places in just 3 years. No other state has declined by this much. This is the worst California has been since at least 1992.

Relative terms are meaningless.