Why my experience in California changed my opinion on politics permanently

I had the fortunate opportunity to experience living in California for over 6 years because it allowed me to learn first-hand what happens when you have too many regulations, and taxes in one place. It destroys everything you could potentially love. California is beautiful but it comes at a hefty price and isn't at all worth its cost of living. The cost goes beyond money and restricts freedom like you wouldn't believe even if you just hear about it online.

California is also full of smug people, people that think they are better than everyone because they prefer to drive a Prius and believe in the political nonsense they hear on the local news when in fact it's becoming more dangerous by the day and "green energy" just means buying energy from neighboring states. But it appeases the masses that are working from 5am to 8pm because they don't have time to really care about anything but their self-worth since it's a work-a-holic state. I hypothesize that this type of attitude likely stems from the high standards of living there. However this is a generalization, I have met quite a few people that don't fit within that category but all of them are from either a different country or a different state. I'm unsure about anyone that fits outside this category.

Since they aren't paying attention to real news, they don't realize that their standardized quality of life is at severe risk because the cost is ever-so increasing, the value of employees are reducing, and businesses are either leaving the state or closing down because the overhead from taxes and regulations are far too high. I have tried over and over again to talk to these liberals but they shut themselves in and pretend that it's not happening even with video or news related evidence.

I'm ecstatic to be leaving this cesspool and I have no plans to ever return. California was a great learning experience but it lasted longer than I could have wanted. Unfortunately at this rate, the entire US might end up the same way as California because the average mindset is starting to adopt higher standards of living which are impossible to afford. I hope that it will never come to this, but seeing that certain federally mandated regulations are being implemented, it seems almost impossible for the whole country to be saved from this impending disaster.

At the current rate, the US will find itself buried in debt, overruled by fascism and the eventual descent into third world class. Before I knew anything about politics (when I had first moved in California), I had no idea what people were saying when liberals are going to be the death of this country. I saw it with my own eyes and from the evidence that has been presented over and over and over again that this is certainly true. However, that does not mean the GOP Republicans can do significantly better as corrupt as they are. Good politicians need to come out for the 2014/2016 elections but even if they do come out, the chances of them getting elected is very slim due to what amounts to bribes and "mass mind control" (not as literal as you may think). It doesn't mean that we shouldn't try and vote for those that we believe is the better pick. I think the story goes, Obama won last time because over 2-million registered republicans didn't show up to the polls.

This time around might be the last time you can get your vote counted. The evidence seems to be switching over to socialism more and more every day. While the exact definition is ever being disputed, it doesn't matter what the terminology is, what does matter is that your well being is at risk for what you register yourself as a voter from what we've learned with the whole IRS fiasco. I remembered that the Obama administration during his first year, he wanted to change the way people voted so that it effectively no longer mattered what people voted, rather what the final say on the state representative would say. Take for instance if you vote for a Republican representative and hope for them to cast their vote for the Republican presidential candidate, then they could in theory at the very last minute when they receive the votes, turn and vote Democrat. It was a part of the vote reform thing, but it's hard to search through Google to find it (so if anyone finds info on this, I would like to see this again).

I believe in the USA, I believe in the constitution and like any sane American, the constitution comes before politicians and politicians come after citizens because the government should be working FOR the people, not the other way around. I believed in the USA so much that I took up the oath after 12-years of living in the US to become a citizen for the sake of having my voice heard more than just an anonymous forum. I became a citizen this year because I was tired of the sh*t these politicians are making everyone go through. I'm also tired of people not paying attention to politics in general and saying "I don't care, it doesn't interest me therefore it doesn't matter".

I honestly think it's perfectly acceptable to stand or not stand for the pledge of allegiance, and I think that practicing both is important as a reminder to not only yourself but to everyone that you have the luxury of a right to practice freedom of speech. I've lived in two countries that did not practice this right and in contrast it's a beautiful luxury. So hold on tight to the constitution because as we are right now, the government is rewording it and teaching children how to misinterpret the original meanings.

Fight for what is right, believe in the good of the USA. It has gone through many ups and downs, and it wasn't always for-the-people like the days of slavery, but evolving as a nation does not mean to adopt the Liberal agenda and knowing this, is why I will voting as a patriotic American to get my voice heard. You can talk all you want over the forums or blog comments but the most important thing is to vote. Without that vote, you're all talk, but if you can't vote yet, being informed is certainly a good start.

You have the right to not vote, and not get informed, but for the love of what is best for the country, inform yourself and take it to the polls. If you genuinely believe that Liberals are correct, I have nothing against you for voting after spending a considerable amount of time researching the subject. But whatever you decide to vote for, make it count.

Your one and only job in your life that you're required to do as a citizen is to protect the Constitution. That is your duty. You don't have to work, you don't have to care about anything, but you have to protect the constitution as an American citizen. I may not be born in the US but I sure as hell want to do whatever I can to protect the second most beautiful thing in the world (first being my wife).

I hope this enlightens some people in some regards. I don't really mind if you disagree, I just hope that more people will be ready to vote. I'm not sure if this topic deserved to be in the political madness or rant but I figured since I became more involved due to the political madness, it deserved to be here.

California is really two states, or even three. I agree there is a lot of people with self righteous attitudes but im noticing this trend everywhere lately. Ive lived all over the country and people are so self absorbed these days its crossing all lines.

Hang in there it has to change otherwise this nation isn't going to be able to hold itself together.

I have never been to California, and to be quite honest I don't see why people flock to Cali.

With that being said, I live in the second or third most regulated state, Illinois.

Everyone has bought into the "American Dream". Thats all it is to me is a dream.

Politicians are out of touch and people are out of touch.

I feel it is long gone and to have anything is to have debt.

Good luck in your journey, it's only going to get worse as people fall more out if touch.

My ole lady wants a big house. I want small and efficient.

Brainwashed masses. It will be the downfall.

California is the future of the rest of the USA. Now is that does not give you nightmares nothing will. I work in a small engine repair shop and I see the sticker "Not for sell in California" very often. The Briggs tech told us at the update school that in California it is hard to even find a small engine repair shop because of all the EPA crap going on there. Briggs said they have a growing tech shortage problem in California. Actually he there was a small engine tech shortage all across the US but that California was far worse. He said the 'backyard' and 'shade tree' repair shops where popping up all over but the truth of the matter the work they were doing is not legal in a lot of cases.
OK, enough on the small engine bit. I have never been to California or even know anyone from there but from all that I hear and read about it I find it a very scary place.

I spend a lot of time in California on business and yes it's competitive, filled with arrogant aholes, thieves and charlatans. But if you want to play in the big leagues in almost any competitive business, then you better bring your A game to California because that's where it all takes place. I'm fortunate to be able to live in a state that's 1hr away by air but still everything from software to cutting edge designs come out of Cal.
The games you play, the TV you watch, the crap you consume ultimately comes from someone in a glass and chrome office in California. The internet and computers, the technology you are using to vent your crybaby attitudes came from California silicon valley.

If you can't run with the big dogs....stay on the porch!!

ATS has turned in such a festival of whining.

reply to post by Em2013



California has been the final destination of wanderlusts and gold diggers in our nations history. Most that live their now are the ancestors of hillbillies, migrating criminals and general deviants of one sort or another. LOL

Thank you for your kind responses. The reason why I went to California was basically to live "the American dream". I was ready to go pro and I had no real-world experience in the software/web development scene. What better way to go pro by going to the land of the nerds? Silicon valley was a great dream and it gave me a lot of experience that I wouldn't have otherwise experienced in the state I came from. I got to enjoy a lot of things, even the high life as a director for a company. Every now and then we'd go out, ballin' and just live life to the fullest in VIP rooms and all. But, I grew tired of it pretty quickly because it was changing my personality for the worse. My boss (president) was telling me to live the Tony Stark life because it's the best and showed me the benefits of it. I was doing R&D and I really did feel like Stark. But then a lot of stupid things started happening.

For one, I started thinking humans as ants and it's a dog eat dog world where you have to be at the top to enjoy life. I clearly don't believe this anymore... The second thing that started happening was the shady business practices. We were working on software that would eventually be pitched to the government, insurance groups Kaiser and Stanford to monitor everyone's health and create live diagnosis without a doctor being present. The concept would be masked by telling people "universal cure" would be achieved through so many analysis, but the back-end would just be money flowing into our pockets. The government initially objected to this and said that they didn't want to hear anything else about it until it was proven. Stanford and other hospitals said that they weren't interested but eventually we got hearing. The insurance groups were of course all over this because it would benefit them quite a bit, but refused to fund it right away.

When I snapped out of it I realized how shady this whole thing was and quit. I didn't want any more part of it because it was bad for the people and people deserve better. I also convinced the board of directors to quit as well, which left the president with only low-tier staff. Needless to say he shut his doors, so I think. This was many years ago, about 5 years. But you can see how corporations can easily involve themselves into politics with crooked incentives and the government will bite. People are easily screwed by the big guys or the small guys with big ideas to convince investors to do something shady.

Some wise bearded fellow once said "By the people, for the people". I think we should all follow that philosophy because we become divided without it.

reply to post by olaru12


All you are saying is that the high stakes and pressure game out there has turned the place into a lawyers paradise, allowed the scum to rise to respectability and has become a hustlers paradise. When bringing the A game means you need a battery of lawyers you can just flush it as far as I am concerned. See you down in Arizona bay. And don't take my word for it just look what people that make it big in the "entertainment" industry have said about it.

reply to post by Em2013


You don't have to work, you don't have to care about anything, but you have to protect the constitution as an American citizen. I may not be born in the US but I sure as hell want to do whatever I can to protect the second most beautiful thing in the world (first being my wife).


WTF..? So, is your rant directed towards the Golden State, or the USA..? You don't have a clue, do you..?


Regardless, it would appear your weak ass generalization forgot the quality of higher learning available to anyone willing to go above and beyond, or the beautiful state parks, or a hourly wage rate the dwarfs most other states, or the wide range of demographics that contribute to the melting pot that is the back bone of what can only be considered a petri dish no one else had the balls to create...


So, ya, hit the road and don't let the door smack ya in the ass on the way out.

reply to post by Em2013

/honestycheck your lasr post seems like a conspiracy.

Sure, PRIONs are contributing to more SMOG and air quality deterioration than petrol cars.

Sure, Californians have to match what they're carrying via paper receipts to mandatory police searches on their way to/from work.

Sure, California police have international headquarters in 11 other countries, and are evolving into a global anti-terror operation with military capability.

reply to post by facelift


That was a very ignorant statement to make, I honestly don't even know where to begin to counter that... Well I suppose I'll begin by saying that raising hourly wages means nothing because it causes the prices of everything to go up, so if there are people struggling to make ends meet and they make $8/hr but then the solution is to make it $11/hr. they will still have to pay the same amount in the end if not more because businesses will want to raise the prices on everything and what happens when the prices go up? People shop less. This reduces the number of jobs and what happens when it gets too much for a business to operate? It closes down, not because they weren't doing a good job but because the state killed the business. The only corporations that can afford things like hourly raise increase and needless regulations are big corporations and even then they are now having issues but because they are everywhere, they can be more okay to do this or that.

As for race diversity, this is everywhere in the US. The only reason it's so diverse in Silicon Valley is because of it being the center of attention for compute related stuff, but what happens when businesses move elsewhere because they have been for the past few years? Silicon valley starts to shrink and a new one is create elsewhere.

"Regardless, it would appear your weak ass generalization forgot the quality of higher learning available to anyone willing to go above and beyond"

What higher quality of learning? You mean the universities? There's just Stanford and Berkeley and last I checked, good universities are everywhere in the US. I have friends and family in the education biz, and I know without a doubt that California is failing their students but they are changing the standardizations to make it seem like they are doing better. Public schools just aren't doing any good in California, but I can't say much about elsewhere as well because it is being federally regulated.

And as for your beautiful state parks remark, you have never been outside of California have you? The US is FILLED with beautiful state parks. I would suggest getting out more, you would see that California is not as high and mighty as you make it seem to be. Each state has something to offer, get off your high horse and have respect for those that live outside of it will ya?

facelift
reply to post by Em2013

 

Regardless, it would appear your weak ass generalization forgot the quality of higher learning available to anyone willing to go above and beyond, or the beautiful state parks, or a hourly wage rate the dwarfs most other states, or the wide range of demographics that contribute to the melting pot that is the back bone of what can only be considered a petri dish no one else had the balls to create...

Petri dish is right. Perfect for growing bacteria. In fact its more like one of those big spore fungus dust bags, exporter of nearly every bad idea that rest of the country has had to tolerate via politics and media. Any good persons out there are more like poor Lot in the gates of Sodom and Gomorrah. LOL! California is the reason folks had to demand parental warnings and X,R and G ratings on movies and video games. LOL!

Take NY and LA.....they are like the two arms pits of the nation, one on each side.

As someone born and raised in So. Ca. who moved a year ago, I have to say to classify all californians as A-holes, is unfair, the percentage is more like 70/30 with most of the 70% being in the southern area.

I have never been as Happy as I am which I attribute largely to getting the heck out of that hell hole.


But nice weather...

olaru12
I spend a lot of time in California on business and yes it's competitive, filled with arrogant aholes, thieves and charlatans. But if you want to play in the big leagues in almost any competitive business, then you better bring your A game to California because that's where it all takes place. I'm fortunate to be able to live in a state that's 1hr away by air but still everything from software to cutting edge designs come out of Cal.
The games you play, the TV you watch, the crap you consume ultimately comes from someone in a glass and chrome office in California. The internet and computers, the technology you are using to vent your crybaby attitudes came from California silicon valley.

If you can't run with the big dogs....stay on the porch!!

ATS has turned in such a festival of whining.

edit on 10-11-2013 by olaru12 because: (no reason given)

Thats absolutely true, I cut my teeth selling to Hard Asses in Cali.

Where I moved to, I feel like a shark in a very small pond , I have to tone down the competitiveness and generally slow down.


Constantly have to tell my self "don't be an A-hole"

reply to post by benrl


I'll agree with what you said. They are not all aholes, but the ones I've been around the most tend to be. I have heard that the more country-side of California is much more tame. But regardless of the matter, the culture grows and infects others over time. You could almost say that smug is a disease and I think South Park made an episode of this at one point hahaha

reply to post by benrl


As a Californian (specifically an Los Angeles resident) I kinda believe you cuz I confess I am a hole at times although I wouldn't say that to other people cuz many are nice though but I do get wat you mean like Beverly Hills for example (Though I find certain people nice and friendly though there too)

reply to post by starwarsisreal


One of my first major sales jobs was in Century City, (right near bell air, Beverly hills, etc) SO my experience may have been tainted.

All I ever seemed to encounter where smug entitled people, crap like "Oh I just gave my 12 son his own Black Amex" Like thats a bragging right your that negligent of a parent...

Dont get me wrong, 30% of those people I dealt with where some of the nicest friendliest people, you just have to wade through a lot of crap to meet the good ones.

reply to post by Em2013


Yipee - more for us that are here in the 7th largest economy in the world. Yipee Taxes and Regulation work. Not even Ronald Reagan (of sainthood fame) nor Enron nor Da Arnold could bring us down.

Usually it takes a good earthquake to chase the out-of-towner outs.

Sorry you didn't like the place - it is expensive but always interesting.

FyreByrd
reply to post by Em2013

 

Yipee - more for us that are here in the 7th largest economy in the world. Yipee Taxes and Regulation work. Not even Ronald Reagan (of sainthood fame) nor Enron nor Da Arnold could bring us down.

Hay that's cool. Saint Reagan Hood. Its cool man cause the rest of us ant letting Mother Nancy, Barb, and Final-stine run the rest of us out of the USA either. In fact I just got my Nancy bobble head in the mail and am going to collect the hole set. Gona turn them into those little voodoo dolls. Sept I ant gona try to stick pins in them, just smash them with a sledge hammer.