California could secede from the union and give the remaining US a race for "leadership of the free world". Californians have nothing to be ashamed of.

This is because of the strong corporate power in California and nothing else. If coporations bail out everyone in CA is left with jobs at Wal-mart and Del Taco. The anti-business climate is bringing big companies like Intel to Arizona. But you probably already know of the rapid growth outside CA. Just wait and see, cheaper land and less taxes is a heckuva incentive to base yourself outside the 'Golden State'. When the defense industry pulled out of Southern California the regions took a significant hit tons of jobs in the 50-150k a year zone were lost. All the local businesses then went into a ten year depression 1990-2000 and the Wal-marts swept in like the plague. What's left is a Wal-mart economy with all too few high paying jobs and an outrageous housing costs.

California need not be ashamed. But it will not be golden much longer and will grow poorer with each passing year as QOL goes down for all but the top 2%.

SDAI-Tech1