Staff Editorial: California - Not so green, not so liberal

WE SAY the stereotype of California as a liberal paradise needs to be re-examined in light of a recent ballot initiative to negate the effects of a climate change bill

California has created a name for itself as the place where the sun always shines, the girls are utterly unforgettable and the people are as liberal as Americans come.

People constantly talk about California as this beacon of the most
radical liberalism in America.

Yet, in recent months, we have been left wondering what happened to all the liberal ideas that has made California so famous.

Last week, it was announced that a new ballot initiative has been funded in an attempt to suspend the Global Warming Solutions Act in California.

This push began with the donation of $1 million by the Koch brothers, Kansas billionaires who helped to finance the Tea Party movement. This donation was made in an attempt to repel the act in the interests of oil companies.

Suspending this act would have grave consequences for the state of California and beyond. It would show that global warming is no longer a priority for Americans and cause further damage to the environment.

However, the far greater issue is that it would show that rich people have the ability to pay their way toward changing legislation. This sends a message that capitalism has trumped democracy, and that surely is not the kind of message California needs to send the world.

Maybe we should reconsider the way we view the political ideology of California. Historically, California was a red state. It wasn’t until Bill Clinton ran for president in 1992 that California turned blue.

Also, California is a huge state with a lot of different people with very different ideas. Northern California is known for its extremely liberal, save-the-world ideas due to the presence of college towns such as Berkeley and cities like San Francisco. These places are primary breeding grounds for liberal stereotypes of all Californians as hippie, vegan and politically progressive.

However, Southern California is a far more conservative place. There are many places, such as Orange County, that possess a lot of wealth and would like to keep it that way. There are also many other people who align themselves with conservative political beliefs for a variety of other reasons.

California is a far more diverse place than we typically give it credit for.

There have also been a series of other markers that question the liberal ideology California has come to exemplify. The two key indicators being the treatment of gay marriage as an issue and the upcoming state elections.

The passing of Proposition 8 indicated a strong shift in the political ideology of the state of California. This decision makes us question just how progressive California really is and whether or not it is invested in the protection of homosexual individuals’ rights as Americans.

The upcoming state elections also show telling signs that the Democratic Party has lost a lot of its pull in California. With all of the contests matched up pretty closely, it remains unclear whether Californians will opt for Republican change with a lower case “c” or the progressive ideas of the Democrats.

California’s shift from progressive to conservative mirrors a large movement around the country toward something different. California, along with the rest of America, is growing impatient. No one seems to like his or her options in the coming election.

They don’t know to whom to give their support, but what we currently have isn’t working.

It seems California, similar to the rest of America, is becoming willing to try anything that is new. We can only hope this exploration doesn’t come at a cost that stifles our civil rights and faith in democracy.