The Mass Exodus From The Golden State

[jaxjags]

Interesting you mention WV. I have a second home in northern WV. My wife and I live there in the winter and just returned a week ago. WV is not as conservative as you would think. They have voted pretty much Democratic since the great Depression. That only recently changed in the last 10 years. Most of the people we knew were fairly liberal  in their values. But they tend to support their livelihood which includes coal industry, forest products and tourism. Thus during the last 10 years their has been a split with the Democrat's due to their tendency to kill the coal and forest industry. This gave the impression that it is a bastion of conservatism. Actually there is a large group of artisans in WV. It is fairly inexpensive to live there and you can make a living with your art. We had multiple wood carving, glass blowing, pottery, painters, photography and art shops, etc. in the area around us. I may be stereotyping artisans as liberal, but their is some truth to that. also WVU is not far form us, and not unlike many educational institutions these days, fairly liberal. So my impression of WV after living there many time over the last 40 years, it is not as conservative as you might believe.

If you love the outdoors with rafting, kayaking, hiking, fishing, mountain biking and skiing and don't mind little isolation(if you live in WV you are always in "voluntary isolation") it is a great place to live. I would live there full time but "have the same issue as Kerry". My wife likes the amenities of the "big city".

I'm sure that there are small pockets of liberalism within WV, but remember this is the state with all red counties in the 2016 election. West Virginia is about as Republican as California is Democrat (and now literally socialist, since Bernie won there). I'm sure that nearby Virginia's recent very leftist political direction with abortion and guns is only just hardening WV's conservative stance.

I don't want to belabor this, but the reason for red 2016 was the issue around banning coal as a fuel. Also, coal isn't the only issue in WV. If you have been there you realize why they call it the mountain state. Transportation infrastructure is very expensive. Also, loss of population in WV has little to do with politics or cost of living as it does in CA. In WV younger people are looking for more opportunities. Forest products industry is growing but highly dependent on the housing industry. Yes population is going down but not for the same reasons as CA.

If you don't mind a simpler life style it is a great place to live.

[MusicMan]

"banning coal as a fuel".... I don't specifically remember that issue, LNG became way cheaper, less harmful to the planet. China is still burning a lot of coal aren't they?

Also very low birth rate in WV, not enough to replace the dying elderly population.  That's an American issue.

[vicupstate]

California is Democrat (and now literally socialist, since Bernie won there).

Sanders won 35.5% in a multiple candidate field. Biden got 28% and probably would have won if Bloomberg had not jumped in.  Much of the vote was cast early which helped Sanders.

West Virginia voted for Clinton both in '92 and '96 but since 2000 has gotten redder with each cycle. HRC didn't win a single county in 2016 but neither did Obama in 2012.

HRC flubbed the coal issue because she spoke the truth and then reversed herself. Coal isn't coming back and Trump only exploited their fears  and gave them false hope. He also falsely blamed Democrats for the decline in coal when in fact it was more due to other market factors.

[Tacachale]

I guess Joe Manchin is proof of what you say. I appreciate the info from a local. For what it's worth, two families I consider good friends both went to San Fran (separately) on recent holiday (last 2 months). They loved it, had no issues as tourists with any homeless people or feces in the street.
I know it's there (homeless problem) but they had a great time and would go back in a hearbeat. Just so you know.

Sigh....

I canceled the plane tickets today.   I was really looking forward to it, but the PGA Championships has been canceled, my brother's leave has been canceled, and no one knows where we're going to be as a country in a couple more months so me and the Mrs. decided to call it.

Still hoping Portland in October is going to be a go.

That sucks, dude. Sorry to hear it. My wife and I were supposed to leave for Tokyo in April. A lot of tat happening.

[I-10east]

I don't want to belabor this, but the reason for red 2016 was the issue around banning coal as a fuel. Also, coal isn't the only issue in WV. If you have been there you realize why they call it the mountain state. Transportation infrastructure is very expensive. Also, loss of population in WV has little to do with politics or cost of living as it does in CA. In WV younger people are looking for more opportunities. Forest products industry is growing but highly dependent on the housing industry. Yes population is going down but not for the same reasons as CA.

If you don't mind a simpler life style it is a great place to live.

I never correlated California's and West Virginia's problems as "the same"; two totally different situations. I said that both are beautiful states, the only correlation that I made between CA and WV. Good point about WV's expensive transportation because of the terrain; I can imagine that I-77's tunnel tolls through WV is very important for the state.

[I-10east]

California is Democrat (and now literally socialist, since Bernie won there).

West Virginia voted for Clinton both in '92 and '96 but since 2000 has gotten redder with each cycle. HRC didn't win a single county in 2016 but neither did Obama in 2012.

The nineties, back when Democrats were much more moderate, and the party's foundation wasn't solely divisive wedge issues. True Democrat moderates being afraid to push back against the radical fringe left is one of the DNCs biggest problems. Many many within the Walkaway movement (yes it's real, don't listen to the fake MSM) say that "They haven't left the Democrat Party, the Democrat Party left them".

[Tacachale]

California is Democrat (and now literally socialist, since Bernie won there).

West Virginia voted for Clinton both in '92 and '96 but since 2000 has gotten redder with each cycle. HRC didn't win a single county in 2016 but neither did Obama in 2012.

The nineties, back when Democrats were much more moderate, and the party's foundation wasn't solely divisive wedge issues. True Democrat moderates being afraid to push back against the radical fringe left is one of the DNCs biggest problems. Many many within the Walkaway movement (yes it's real, don't listen to the fake MSM) say that "They haven't left the Democrat Party, the Democrat Party left them".

Moderate candidates have outperformed the more left wing candidates in nearly every state primary so far. That trend looks likely to continue. And even a few weeks into the COVID-19 outbreak, voting was up over 2016.

[MusicMan]

"The nineties, back when Democrats were much more moderate, and the party's foundation wasn't solely divisive wedge issues. True Democrat moderates being afraid to push back against the radical fringe left is one of the DNCs biggest problems. Many many within the Walkaway movement (yes it's real, don't listen to the fake MSM) say that "They haven't left the Democrat Party, the Democrat Party left them".

I find many of your comments, including this one, strange.  I guess you missed how the Dems "walked away" yet placed the first Senator into an Alabama seat in how long? And that swing in the House (2018), boy did they ever 'walk away'. I can only assume you believe Trump to be a Moderate, who beat out all the extremist Republican candidates for the nomination. I wish you well.

[BridgeTroll]

I guess Joe Manchin is proof of what you say. I appreciate the info from a local. For what it's worth, two families I consider good friends both went to San Fran (separately) on recent holiday (last 2 months). They loved it, had no issues as tourists with any homeless people or feces in the street.
I know it's there (homeless problem) but they had a great time and would go back in a hearbeat. Just so you know.

Sigh....

I canceled the plane tickets today.   I was really looking forward to it, but the PGA Championships has been canceled, my brother's leave has been canceled, and no one knows where we're going to be as a country in a couple more months so me and the Mrs. decided to call it.

Still hoping Portland in October is going to be a go.

That sucks, dude. Sorry to hear it. My wife and I were supposed to leave for Tokyo in April. A lot of tat happening.

Yep... canceled a Vegas trip in May...

[Adam White]

I guess Joe Manchin is proof of what you say. I appreciate the info from a local. For what it's worth, two families I consider good friends both went to San Fran (separately) on recent holiday (last 2 months). They loved it, had no issues as tourists with any homeless people or feces in the street.
I know it's there (homeless problem) but they had a great time and would go back in a hearbeat. Just so you know.

Sigh....

I canceled the plane tickets today.   I was really looking forward to it, but the PGA Championships has been canceled, my brother's leave has been canceled, and no one knows where we're going to be as a country in a couple more months so me and the Mrs. decided to call it.

Still hoping Portland in October is going to be a go.

That sucks, dude. Sorry to hear it. My wife and I were supposed to leave for Tokyo in April. A lot of tat happening.

Yep... canceled a Vegas trip in May...

We've got tickets booked for Jax in August. Seems so far away, yet it appears we might not be able to go. It's strange living in a world of uncertainty like this.

[I-10east]

I find many of your comments, including this one, strange.  I guess you missed how the Dems "walked away" yet placed the first Senator into an Alabama seat in how long? And that swing in the House (2018), boy did they ever 'walk away'. I can only assume you believe Trump to be a Moderate, who beat out all the extremist Republican candidates for the nomination. I wish you well.

I don't understand what the Alabama Senator has to do with anything (like paradigms dont shift, and Doug Jones didn't faceoff against a weak Republican candidate with a bunch of controversies) but okay.

Trump is the most moderate candidate running; he is an old school New York City business Democrat with a "R" in front of his name.

Nope, the other Republican candidates (of the near past and present) aren't extremist, they are gutless sellout open borders Romney-ite RINOs; they are too busy trying to appease the far left wing, while Trump doesn't give a crap about that.

[vicupstate]

I find many of your comments, including this one, strange.  I guess you missed how the Dems "walked away" yet placed the first Senator into an Alabama seat in how long? And that swing in the House (2018), boy did they ever 'walk away'. I can only assume you believe Trump to be a Moderate, who beat out all the extremist Republican candidates for the nomination. I wish you well.

I don't understand what the Alabama Senator has to do with anything (like paradigms dont shift, and Doug Jones didn't faceoff against a weak Republican candidate with a bunch of controversies) but okay.

Trump is the most moderate candidate running; he is an old school New York City business Democrat with a "R" in front of his name.

Nope, the other Republican candidates (of the near past and present) aren't extremist, they are gutless sellout open borders Romney-ite RINOs; they are too busy trying to appease the far left wing, while Trump doesn't give a crap about that.

Trump is a fraud and a conman that doesn't give a damn about anything or anyone but himself.  He has no philosophy or morals or guiding principles except enriching himself.  He is a failure at business but that has been masked by his father's money, taxpayer giveaways, and payoffs by Russian oligarchs.

[Snaketoz]

I find many of your comments, including this one, strange.  I guess you missed how the Dems "walked away" yet placed the first Senator into an Alabama seat in how long? And that swing in the House (2018), boy did they ever 'walk away'. I can only assume you believe Trump to be a Moderate, who beat out all the extremist Republican candidates for the nomination. I wish you well.

I don't understand what the Alabama Senator has to do with anything (like paradigms dont shift, and Doug Jones didn't faceoff against a weak Republican candidate with a bunch of controversies) but okay.

Trump is the most moderate candidate running; he is an old school New York City business Democrat with a "R" in front of his name.

Nope, the other Republican candidates (of the near past and present) aren't extremist, they are gutless sellout open borders Romney-ite RINOs; they are too busy trying to appease the far left wing, while Trump doesn't give a crap about that.

Trump is a fraud and a conman that doesn't give a damn about anything or anyone but himself.  He has no philosophy or morals or guiding principles except enriching himself.  He is a failure at business but that has been masked by his father's money, taxpayer giveaways, and payoffs by Russian oligarchs.

How true!  Donald Trump is beginning to act like benevolent Uncle Donnie of late.  What a boring, poor reader he is.  Every other word from his "press conferences" is a political ad.  "Due to my/his leadership, we are going to beat this unseen enemy".  Didn't he call Coronavirus a hoax from the liberal media and the Dems?  He and the repubs are acting so nice now.  They want to help the American people, but want it to all go thru them.  What they can't stuff in their pockets will trickle down to the working class.  They want all money to go to them and their corporate comrads.  Trump will funnel millions into his businesses.  So many are fooled by this orange jackass.

[I-10east]

Durr #OrangeManBad. Because the Dem leadership is SOOOO competent, putting the climate farce, illegal aliens, and other leftist crap ahead of reeling US citizens within the coronavirus outbreak. Finally the Dem buffoons at the helm passes the biparasian relief package, but it's too late, because the Dems fraudulence has been exposed.

[Snaketoz]

At least the Dems held out for the working people and this:  https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/trump-businesses-barred-from-getting-coronavirus-stimulus-money-schumer-says/ar-BB11Gi86?ocid=primedhp