For decades, California has epitomized America's economic strengths: technological excellence, artistic creativity, agricultural fecundity and an intrepid entrepreneurial spirit. Yet lately California has projected a grimmer vision of a politically divided, economically stagnant state. Last week its legislature cut a deal to close its $42 billion budget deficit, but its larger problems remain. Full Story »
Posted by Derek Hawkins
Kotkin shows equal contempt for all perspectives but his own, without acknowledging any of the very serious factors facing his idolized State of California. Kotkin recalls fondly the 1960s under then Governor Pat Brown's unfettered water-wars and freeway-development, and the good old days of the cold-war munitions industry, without taking into account the long-term results of unrestricted suburban sprawl in an arid, drought-prone coastal savannah--which is how the state got to the crisis it is in. Beyond using gratuitously insulting descriptors for individuals and groups--left, right, and green--Kotkin denounces as "narcisistic" anyone with whom he disagrees. Devoid of reasonable alternatives, he only presents as a possible ... More »
Depending on whose statistics are accurate, California's economy ranks as seventh-to-tenth-largest in the world. The global economy is collapsing, US economic assets have been systematically 'offshored' for the last 30 years, and jobs are as scarce as hen's teeth. The state is unsustainably over-populated and agriculturally over-developed for its arid savannah and desert climate. Growth is unequivocally not the answer. Kotkin may be on to something with his idea of small-scale local ... More »
To many longtime California observers, the inability of the political, business and academic elites to adequately anticipate and address the state’s persistent ... More »
A fairly good analysis of what's wrong with CA where I lived for 40 years. He romanticizes latinos who are generally poorly educated and a dubious base for a rebirth of California.
The failure of California boils down to left wing politics that brings high taxes, anti-growth, stupid green measures and a terrible business climate. The housing bubble is a consequence of restricting the building of houses in the name of controlling growth.
The story presents a new fresh perspective that is often overlooked in the issue of California's budget and economic crises. I appreciate the use of non-traditional sources such as the Cardenas family and looking a large population of California that is usually overlooked in stories like this. However, I would not call this article fair in anyway; there was a clear bias and agenda projected by the author. I felt that the language used by the journalist was too harsh and strong, it became a turn off for me and I assume for other readers who may be more neutral to the topic. Also I felt that the "green liberals" were over generalized by the author. Many other people who consider themselves "green-conscious" believe that ... More »
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