They say that there are two kinds of people:
- The glass is half-full
- The glass is half-empty
Maybe there's a third — "The glass is how it is because God is sovereign"?
I guess that I'm a fourth kind of person: "What idiot poured this glass? Here, give me that bottle!"
I guess that I'm a fourth kind of person: "What idiot poured this glass? Here, give me that bottle!"
Of course, all four positions are correct, aren't they? So here we go.
I could come to you saying that God is sovereign (true), His kingdom is forever (true), only Christ saves and only He is our hope (true), and our main energies should be devoted to serving and glorifying Him, and preaching the Gospel and the whole counsel of God (true, and true). I could say we deserve every judgment God sends our way and much worse besides (true).
But is there a reason why Jeremiah's little book isn't named "Celebrations," or "Giggle Fits"? Does Proverbs 25:20 apply here? I think so. You could say that Jerusalem's fall loomed large because of its theological dimensions, because of what it both revealed and portended — and you'd be right. But if you go on to argue that the prophet didn't love his country, that it didn't break his heart to see it fall, that the resultant human tragedy left him stolidly unmoved in his assurance of God's justice and sovereignty?
There you leave the text, and you lose me.
So, you could tell someone who just lost a child, or got a call on the bone-phone from a "Mr. C," or was betrayed by a spouse, that God is sovereign and all this stuff is trivial on the eternal scale — and you'd be correct. But not necessarily wise, to say no more.
So, this election.
The happy is that the GOP drubbed the Dems in House races pretty well, and dislodged some nasty debris in the process. Also, the Dems' majority in the Senate, if it holds, has been eroded, and their 60 votes are no longer assured. Also, a couple of potential superstars like Marco Rubio have entered national politics. Also, more conservative governors, holding the battle line on the state fronts.
The sad is that the GOP did not handily take the Senate, as it should have. The GOP did not take 100 House seats, as (in a rational country with any sense of its history and defining values) it would have. Obama will have some glimmer to hide behind this afternoon, and be assured that he will.
The ridiculously, tear-your-hair-out-if-you-have-any, slack-jawedly ridiculous is that so many corrupt, miserable individuals were rewarded for their disservice with re-election, many of them over vastly-superior candidates. Bitterest of all to me is Harry Reid. That should have been a cake-walk for Sharron Angle, who out-campaigned him in every honest and straightforward sense of that word. A close second is our execrable embarrassment, the Abortion Queen, possibly both the dumbest and meanest and most ideological member of the Senate, Barbara Boxer. The loss of Christine O'Donnell was disappointing but unsurprising — but, in all three of those cases, the margin of victory for their opponents is depressing.
The California subset of that category is a trifecta:
- National laughing-stock Jerry Brown (D) defeats successful businesswoman Meg Whitman
- Amoral scofflaw Gavin Newsome (D)— who simply broke the law as mayor of San Francisco, because he didn't like it — is next in line for the governorship. So a man who arguably should have been removed and indicted, is instead rewarded and advanced.
- Proposition 25 passed, so that the Dems (who retain control of both houses) can now raise taxes and spending with a simple majority, without even the gesture of pretending to listen to the sane office-holders
Our foulest legislators were returned to office, and would-be rising stars like Star Parker were denied — by huge margins. My Demoborg won with over 70% of the vote. That happened in other states as well: corrupt hack Charles Rangel beat out his bright-star opponent pastor Faulkner, who only got something like 10%; Barney Frank retains power over Marine Bielat. And on and on.
What is griping in these cases often is not simply that the poorer person won; it is that a ridiculously poor person won over a ridiculously superior candidate.
Now, folks in Florida and Pennsylvania and Ohio have reason to be glad. (Loving how Rubio thumped turncoat "moderate" Crist.)
But for me here in California, it's a too-familiar experience: left and right, folks are hauling in big trout, but my line remains still as Pharaoh's tomb.
The thought of getting out before our entire death-wish state collapses entirely, moving to some state retaining a glimmer of Constitutional values, becomes more urgent. But how? The housing market is so bad that our resources are not as planned, and our options are far more limited, barring an act of God.
Your thoughts on the whole shebang?
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99 comments:
Dan, good post. I am struggling this morning. I have had the wonderful opportunity to shepherd a man filled with great integrity who just lost his race to become a judge in my county. His family would easily be described as "faithful" and every pastor would be delighted to minister to them. What makes this so hard is the victory (he lost by only 524 votes) was won by bold face lies. The electorate did not do their homework and the man lost because his character was destroyed. I am truly lamenting. He knows all the great truths of God's perfect control, but..... Pray that I can shepherd effectively.
PS. Thanks for my daily dose of DJP. It usually encourages, often convicts, and rarely disappoints.
OMG - that photo of Sparrow is hilarious as a post wrap up. Sooner or later they'll vote you out of the state and you won't have a choice, regardless of the housing market. So sorry.
I believe that Reid worked his dirty politics once again. I feel like the psalmist who said,"Why do the wicked prosper?" I am the half-empty person I guess. I really, really, really wanted Reid out, Barney out, Boxer out. Sigh.
I am in Florida, which is almost all Republican (it looks like Scott will win) if I open my mouth, I fear that I will add to your distress, so all I can do is sit with you in ashes.
We weep for California, that once great state.
al stout
It is scary how totally fooled the voters can be. I got to vote against Steny Hoyer again only this time I really enjoyed being able to vote for his opponent. It’s sad that it didn’t make a noticeable difference again. On the other hand, maybe it’s good to know that there is still a lot of work to be done lest we be tempted to let our guard down. The National Socialist American Workers’ party, aka the Democrats, are not going to give up and we need to make sure this is not just a bump on the road to their agenda. Good on the Taxed Enough Already folks and may they stay strong and prosper.
Yeah, I don't really have much to add. Glad Rubio was elected, but the current state of affairs in CA makes me sad. Such a beautiful state, and you have San Diego which is one of my favorite cities.
Could you be enticed to come to FL? Church planting seems to be all the rage down here. :)
Sigh...
Results: vote and trust a sovereign God. What kind of person can turn DOWN the glorious Gospel? What kind of person can vote the way many did?
Moving out: aaaahhhh - like getting a whiff of fresh baked bread. But alas I was just driving by the bakery. God has us here. It must be best.
Good post.
And here I thought the bath house express train was a bad deal. This is HORRIBLE.
I'd have taken Brown, Boxer, AND Newsom if I could have 25 not pass.
Prop 25 is really the one that will doom us all. "Oh yes, hmmm, let's see.. we have a 40Billion shortfall? I say we raise taxes by 40Billion"
"I disagree"
"We own LA and SF completely. And that's 51%. Budget passed!"
I honestly don't know what we can do. Likely nothing since our house is so far underwater.
I'd say move to Tahoe and commute but, would that work?
I hear y'all. And I, too weep. I knew, casting my ballots, that they would probably amount to naught. This is California after all. But, I know that I am accountable to the Father for my decisions, and so I cast them the way I should.
As for leaving the state, great idea. However, me & family are from New York. Not overly better there.
You mean the Nevada side of Tahoe, I take it? Where Harry "miserable failure"/"this war is lost" Reid would be your senator?
THROW YOUR HANDS UP, PLAYIN MY SONG...
ITS A *TEA PARTY* IN THE U.S.A.!
Ok...I'm a Dad...got a 4 year old...Mylie is required singing.
But anyway...intereing results, even for this Canadian.
You can move to rural Virginia where I live and there is still some political sanity. The cost of living is reasonable and there are regularly churches in the local SBC association who need pastors.
Also, regarding the glass half full, glass half empty discussion, the management consultant says, you have twice as much glass as you need.
LOL, I like that.
Move to Texas. Good business climate. No state tax. Great homeschooling state. And except in a couple of liberal strongholds, it's still rather conservative.
But it's so ugly.
)c:
Yeah, surprisingly, Angle did not do as well with the Republican base in Nevada and that's why she didn't win. She was never going to get Nevada or Reno. She needed to really do well with the Republican base in theo the other counties, but she didn't.
The Boxer win was a big disappointment. Fiorina was a good candidate but California is just too liberal. I think California should would rather have the right to murder babies even if it means to be without a job. I don't get it. I also know Christians who said they couldn't vote for Whitman because they were afraid of losing their state jobs.
Part of the problem as someone I know mentioned is education. There's a big liberal machine that is deceiving its constitutients. I remember in high school our political science teacher took us to see democrat legislatures in the state, really put Rose Bird on a pedastal, so for one term after I graduated from high school I voted democrat. But thankfully, I had to do my own research and reading and never voted democrat again.
I still will not leave the state, D.V. There is great opportunity to evangelize in this state. I still love this state and the people in it.
So Dan, are you saying that Texas is not your Tarshish?
May as well stay in Nineveh then.
Psalm 82, dude.
"I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
Well....Happy to be in OHIO.
We were disappointed that Harry Reid & B. Boxer will be returning, but perhaps with the Senate in slight Dem control (and many of those Senators up for reelection next time) not much will get done at the Federal level, and in this case - gridlock is good.
Perhaps some of the states will get better with new leadership (cautiously optimistic here) and we will have only 2 more years of this dismal regime.
Trying...not..to..dance...too...happy...it's...a...struggle...
I did hear that Whitman supported Boxer and contributed to her campaign. If that's so, then Whitman deserved to get trounced.
I'm disappointed that Raul Grijalva from AZ7 is returning to Congress. He isn't my congressman (thankful for small miracles), but he did betray his entire constituency, not to mention his entire state all for the sake of being the darling of the liberal media for advocating for the Boycott of Arizona. Shame on him, and shame on those in his district who re-elected him by a 3 point margin to Ruth McClung who decided to run despite the RNC telling her "No, and if you do you'll get no help from us."
Otherwise, I'm happy. We in AZ trounced the liberals solidly.
And across the nation, though the worst stuck around, they are now more or less powerless or at least far less powerful than they were. TEA Party congressmen now control the purse strings as of January, 2011. May they pinch every penny,
I sympathize with you, Dan, especially about California -- it is disappointing.
Remembering the political hype and voter discontent in '94, two years into Clinton's term, and how that time the Republicans won both the House and Senate, I expected more this time. With even greater economic unrest now (as compared to '94), and the great Tea party interest, and they still couldn't win the Senate. This simply tells me that the Republicans in the House will be unable to do anything, with opposition from both the Senate and the President -- they won't even be able to override presidential vetos.
Then again, I also saw the massive failure of the Republicans in the years after '94 -- even when they did get the full Congress, they missed their opportunity. All of this has me resting my hope in God's sovereignty, understanding even more so the wise words of Phil Johnson in his message at the 2008 Shepherd's Conference. But yes, like Jeremiah, we can all weep for the country, and for the terrible effects of sin that so hardens a nation and leads it toward its own demise.
Ugly is as ugly does :)
Where I live is very similar to the southern hills of CA. But there is everything from desert to rolling green hills to deep piney woods.
"not much will get done at the Federal level, and in this case - gridlock is good. "
Yes indeed -- with total gridlock, the economy and stock market will likely limp along for the next two years -- but that's the only way to get rid of Obama in two years. It's sad but true, from previous elections, that the incumbent will get reelected if people are generally content (good economy), and only get voted out if the general economy is bad.
Gridlock is good IF the GOP has the brains to explain, persuade, get over ALL the media and overwhelm the opposition.
Otherwise Oblahblah will paint them as the Party of No and the Do-Nothing Congress, and waltz to Dem dominance.
“Also, regarding the glass half full, glass half empty discussion, the management consultant says, you have twice as much glass as you need.”
Very good! And in California they would have a couple more management studies done (at tax payers expense) to confirm the analysis and then… order more glasses! Probably rainbow colored.
Quickly, as I'm off to Bible study (this week's discussion - a word study on "salvation" - how good God is to time these things :) )
I had an interesting discussion on Facebook last night with an entrenched Hispanic Democrat friend of a Pyro reader last night - he was bewailing the election of a conservative in his district. My Pyro friend noted that in the Hispanic community, to be Hispanic is to be a Democrat. End of story.
So, the short version of where that thought too me is - we have an ideologically entrenched population - wealthy liberals who are insulated from the problems they create, and an enormous number of recipients of their "generosity" who can't see any other way to live or think, and who pay zero taxes. The only way for the conservative movement (as opposed to what passes for the Republicrats here (hello, Arnold)) to prosper is a intentional, stubborn in the midst of stiff arming, pursuit of minorities and the poor. And I think the only people in the conservative movement who can, and must, do that, are the church.
And not first for the sake of our state, but for the sake of the souls in our state. If we bunker up, or flee, who is going to be left to be the Jeremiah? When there are no more earthly saviors left, who's going to be there to point to the real Savior? When the poor look around and all they see are liberal hands offering them someone else's money, instead of the opportunity to make their own, what else are they supposed to do? Conservatives in this state tend to bunker up, to hide, or to leave.
Maybe God is saying something to all of us who couldn't up and sell our houses and move even if we wanted to?
Sorry if that's long and ranty. Off to Bible study to reorient my utterly frustrated, downcast thinking.
The comparison to Jeremiah is a good one. It, indeed, is a time for bit of melancholy. It just doesn't bring one much pleasure to watch the Captain of the Titanic ignore your advice while you are still onboard.
But did we really think we'd overturn generations of liberal brainwashing in a single election?
In 2005, my wife and I faced the same decision that you do now. We lived in Southern California where both of us had been born and raised. And despite what Biblical scholars claim, I believe the Garden of Eden was actually in CA. But alas, I was commuting over an hour each way to work, commuting 20 some miles in sometimes heavy traffic to church, and taxes were only going to go up. Homeschooling was (and still is) under heavy attack and private Christian schools weren't close or affordable. I didn't think we could raise children the way we desired in such an environment, so we made a decision to leave our home, the wondrous beauty and weather of CA, and to move Eastward to Texas.
God was gracious to me. We made a lot of money on our house in CA and now make more money in Texas than we did in CA (and pay less taxes). Houston isn't very pretty, but we are close to forests, lakes, hill country, and suprisingly, very nice beaches. So there is beauty and things to do if you are willing to look for it. And now I've stepped down and given up other opportunities so that I can remain here.
California will get worse. It must. You really have three choices. Leave now with few resources. Leave later with none. Or you can do as Carlo is proposing live as a missionary. Frankly, the second option is unwise, so you really have to choose the first or the third. Whatever you choose, you have people all over the country who love you and will support you however we can.
"Your thoughts on the whole shebang?"
What's the bright side to California?
I dunno. The liberals will rapidly drive the state to moral and fiscal bankruptcy, so then the state can rebuild itself properly?
Such a sentiment is analogous to the Obama victory in 2008. He does such a bad job that the voters repudiate his agenda in 2010.
My main beef with this line of thinking is that so much damage can be done by both Obama and the California liberals to the U.S. and California respectively, so much damage!, that it will be just about impossible to recover from.
Reality is that it's bad news for California conservatives. Just serving as both a remnant and a witness.
@Carlo:
This really is the problem with many people including many Christians. In the end, people care about themselves more than what is right.
I'm a federal employee. I don't vote for what brings me a raise, or saves my job. I vote for what's right and trust that God will take care of me. And if He doesn't, then I'll praise God anyways for blessing me with both the wisdom to know what's right and the desire to actually do it.
@Rachael: maybe your right. On the other hand, better to leave Sodom before God shows up and says leave with just the clothes on your back.
@Mikeb:
The beaches in TX aren't as nice as CA, but they are suprisingly accessible. I regularly go to a beach where I could park in the water if I so desired. If camping is your thing, it's a great place for that too.
The Alaska race is very interesting.
Dan, the glass is always full. . .
of air and water. Only the mixture changes.
Deep thoughts for the day.
Dan,
"The sad is that the GOP did not handily take the Senate, as it should have. The GOP did not take 100 House seats,"
A reminder that only 1/3 of the Senate runs any given election year (supposed to bring stability per founding fathers).
There would have been many more Republican gains if the whole Senate ran.
If the Republicans can stand up and articulate their way out of a paper bag (alas, questionable), they could easily go over 51 in 2 years.
P.S. If you're serious about migrating, Tennesse now has a Republican Governor, two Republican Senators, and 7 out of 8 Republican US Reps, no State income tax, low housing prices, a strong Homeschool movement, and the Tennessee Titans.
David, wow.
That was just... just really....
You'd better sit down, catch your breath.
Rachael,
Excellent post about pointing out how so many conservatives bunker up, hide or leave the state. I don't think they're thinking big picture - which is the kingdo
of God. Whose going to be left to proclaim the gospel if not us.
Also, I have a friend who lives in South and it is not as peachy as people want to make it there. Sure it's the bastion of conservatism but there is a lot of dead orthodoxy in the South. Churches are racially segregated.
What are the 5 best red states for a conservative Christian to live in?
Fiscally sound, opposed to gay marriage and abortion, friendly to Christians....
Oh...if you had just stopped at a strong homeschool movement...LOL. Honestly, I encouraged my parents to move from CA to TN when my dad retired. They did and seem to like it there.
Let's put Texas and Tennessee as 2 of the top 5 best red states.
What other 3 states would people add?
People who know I follow political issues are e-mailing me, thinking I must be absolutely ecstatic about the victories in Ohio. Not so much. Sure, I'm happy that the GOP won almost everything here, but what they forget is that we lost a lot of the truly good conservative candidates in the primaries. The state GOP bosses manipulated the process to make sure their chosen candidates were in place for the general election and their strong-arm tactics prevailed. So while Ohio elected a lot of Republicans last night, I'm not convinced we elected a lot of conservatives. Most certainly, we elected a lot of establishment GOP types who had paid their dues to the party. Half empty, I say. : )
I hope that scenario has not been played out around the country. Or, if it has, I hope that the message of the TEA parties was so unequivocal that the moderate Republicans feel compelled to move to the right.
If it makes you feel any better, Dan, it was 20 degrees here at 7 a.m.!! Brrrrrr......OTOH, there's a nice house for sale right down the street from us (nicer than ours - haha!). Low taxes - the school levy failed - YAY!!
Terry, Tennessee is a beautiful state. Dear wife and I loved our visit there in '08.
TUAD,
What are the best states for a Christian to live in, in order to reap a field white for the harvest?
I know.
I wanted to come hear you preach, but it was too many hours East from me.
I only had to drive an hour to hear MacArthur a couple of times, so I settled for second best :)
David,
Excellent question.
There are no states where there isn't a huge field. But how "ripe" they are is another matter.
"California voters appear to have migrated to Fantasyland, at least when they entered the voting booth yesterday. They even elected a dead candidate. But electing Jerry Brown, who more than anyone else, wrecked the state government by allowing unionized state employees to donate to politicians and strike -- thereby triggering the fiscal meltdown -- and who was an ineffectual mayor of Oakland, is insane. Inflicting the vile Barbara Boxer on the Senate and the nation ought to be grounds for litigation from the other 49 states.
But two other propositions more or less sealed the economic doom of the Golden State -- which ought now to be called the Brown State. The state legislature will no longer require a 2/3 majority to pass a budget, thanks to Prop. 25. A simple majority will suffice, which could unleash a torrent of spending and taxation under the Democrats. Jerry Brown has promised to take any tax increases to the voters, but he also admitted that a previous campaign for governor was based on "lies."
Even worse, in my eyes, Prop 23, which would have suspended that state's draconian carbon emissions regulations, was voted down by a large margin, based on a campaign slogan, "Say no to Texas oil." The coming regulations will strangle the local economy. Small businesses will face huge expenses, not to mention larger scale industrial facilities, which will simply have to downsize or close. This is economiuc suicide, imposed to fight an imaginary problem. The only beneficiary will be U-Haul, which will rent trailers to productive Californians fleeing the economic wasteland being imposed by state government."
Read the rest and read the comment thread at California Dreaming.
David:
That's two for two deep profundities now. Did you just come down from a mountaintop or something?
TUAD - there is still a 2/3 requirement to raise taxes even under prop 25.
Dan said: "But for me here in California, it's a too-familiar experience: left and right, folks are hauling in big trout, but my line remains still as Pharaoh's tomb."
I'm right here with you, Dan. Think how I felt when I went to the MSNBC site last nite and saw that Whitman was only about 2 percentage points behind Brown, and the votes were only 28% in at the time, and all of a sudden MSNBC pronounced Jerry Brown to be the projected winner??
California is a great state to live in...but we have horrendous politicians and blind constituents, for the most part. :(
And ya'll in CA can't even legally smoke pot to ease your....ach...never mind..
...although....if you heard Brown's victory speech, you'd think maybe he hadn't heard Prop 19 didn't pass. It was a rambling, incoherent mess.
New Hampshire elected Republicans last night, has the freedom movement, its state motto is "Live Free or Die', and my husband is from there. :)
We have considered moving back there, and even more so after yesterday. We just have to find jobs.
I have too many friends in California to not feel your pain. California is possibly already too close to being a failed state to overcome this election. Disaster awaits.
On the national scale, I tried hard not to over-imagine the outcome of yesterday. It was a good day, and looked at from the perspective of 2008 it was far beyond all we could have hoped.
One more thought: I appreciate what you say about Pennsylvania and Ohio, but with all respect I cannot imagine anyone happier on a regional level than those of us here in Wisconsin:
1. We just elected the tea-partiest senator in the nation. Ron Johnson wasn't involved in politics until he attended a tea party the other year, and now he's our senator. The execrable Feingold is thus retired.
2. Our modest 8 member house contingent just flipped from 5-3 Dem. to 5-3 Rep. That contingent still includes Paul Ryan.
3. Both houses of our state assembly were controlled by the Dems, and both turned to significant Republican majorities last night. The new assemblymen and state senators from my part of the state are all slobbering, red-meat conservatives.
4. We elected a Republican governor who has been a near miracle-worker in his time as Milwaukee County Executive. He has promised to declare an economic emergency the same day as he is sworn in, so that he can call an immediate special session of the assembly to roll back taxes and regulations as well as re-structure torts in the state. He stood under a banner reading "Wisconsin: Open for Business" last night, but his first words were: "I want to thank God tonight - not for this election, but for His abundant grace to all of us." (Yes, he's a Christian with a solid testimony, too.)
Now I grew up in Pennsylvania, and I understand how excited my friends there are, but I challenge any of them to be as happy as I am today.
Except that I lived in California, too, and my worry for it tempers my joy to some degree.
Paula, I guess the rejection of Prop. 19 is the silver lining in this dark cloud. :)
@David:
If that is my criteria on which I should decide to live, why don't we move to say...Norway or Iran for that matter?
@CR: Yeah, thatis what is require to raise a "tax." It's not what is required to raise fees, fines, or tolls. I suggest you make sure you don't have too much state income tax withholding next year. IOU's wont pay for groceries.
So it sounds like Tom is pitching Wisconsin for the top five red states. ;) I hear the CA cows are moving back there.
Tuad:
I read that commentary and the comments. One commentor recommended we sell CA to the Chinese. I was thinking that sounds like a pretty good idea...
P.S. There was some discussion about Prop 13 having a big target on its back. I'm just waiting for Californians to overturn that one.
So, Chantry — are you saying that Wisconsin is a whole state?
I'm hoping the east most counties succeed from CA and join NV. Sorry Dan, Reed is better than a Value Added Fee of 90% and income taxes of 95%.
?
If you mean "whole" as in "healthy," I'd say we're extraordinarily sick but we just got in touch with the right specialist and he has a very hopeful treatment plan.
But I don't think you meant that.
If you mean that no matter how good it is at the "state" level the larger "nation-state" in which we live isn't out of the woods, I agree. It's why my heart is still heavy for California.
If you meant something else altogether, I'm sorry, but I'm a little obtuse. Staying up watching returns until midnight can do that to you at my age.
When Obama won in 2008, conservatives reaped what they did not sow. Conservatives everywhere had to bail out the liberals.
Analogously, California conservatives are going to reap what they did not sow from the election of 2010. (It's a matter of when, not if) Kalifornia is going to "Greece" the rest of the 49 states. If Lehman Brothers, the Banks, and the Auto Industry are too big to fail, what about California?
Sure, there's going to be a lot of anger and resentment about bailing out Kalifornia, but at the end of the day, Kali will receive bailout money from taxpayers everywhere.
I hope I'm wrong and that Californians won't have to reap the election results that have been sown, but it seems like wishful thinking to think otherwise.
Businesses will accelerate their exit, unemployment goes up higher than it already has, foreclosures abound, existing businesses struggle, people leave, the state gets bluer and bluer, and then Jerry Brown goes to Washington with his hand out and palm face-up: "We need money."
Wyoming.... repub everything but blind spiritually. Need reformed preachers badly.
Here in Washington State due to the good citizens of Seattle, Patty Murray will get a 4th term (hey, I did my part to no avail).
Amazingly though, even Seattle voted against imposing an income tax on "high-wage" earners! I'm stunned, we've never met a tax we didn't love. Except the espresso drink tax.
My sincere condolences on the return of the Moon Beam. :( May God be with you.
Only a static-thinker would wonder whether the glass was half-full or half-empty.
Think dynamically! Whether the glass is half-full or half-empty depends on its previous state. So was the situation more full or less full before the election? No, it was definitely less full before, so I pronounce the political glass half-full. Which is better than half-empty.
Mark Steyn appeared on the Dennis Miller show today and said that if Brown et al. end up bankrupting the state ( a real possibility) and the Feds tell the other states they have to bail Cali out, there will be a viable secession movement in the country.
It will be interesting if the Republicans refuse to deal with our fiscal problems in Washington then they may go the way of the Wigs. The old Secession movements and the downfall of the last major political party both occurred in the 1800's. Anything else happen in the middle of that century?
Bueller? Bueller?
al sends
Another interesting development is Congressman Mike Pence's resignation as Chairman of the House Republican Conference, fueling speculation that he may run for president.
Pence gave an inspiring speech at Hillsdale College this fall about the role of the presidency:
"Without proper adherence to the role contemplated in the Constitution for the presidency, the checks and balances in the constitutional plan become weakened. This has been most obvious in recent years when the three branches of government have been subject to the tutelage of a single party. Under either party, presidents have often forgotten that they are intended to restrain the Congress at times, and that the Congress is independent of their desires. And thus fused in unholy unity, the political class has raged forward in a drunken expansion of powers and prerogatives, mistakenly assuming that to exercise power is by default to do good.
Even the simplest among us knows that this is not so. Power is an instrument of fatal consequence. It is confined no more readily than quicksilver, and escapes good intentions as easily as air flows through mesh. Therefore, those who are entrusted with it must educate themselves in self-restraint. A republic -- if you can keep it -- is about limitation, and for good reason, because we are mortal and our actions are imperfect."
We could do a lot worse.
"if Brown et al. end up bankrupting the state ( a real possibility) and the Feds tell the other states they have to bail Cali out, there will be a viable secession movement in the country."
I think there'll be talk of secession, but I don't think it'll be "viable".
TARP got shoved down people's throats. Gay marriage got shoved down people's throats in California. Obamacare got shoved down people's throats.
A Kali bailout will get shoved down people's throats too. They won't like it, of course, but there'll be no civil war.
But if you combine nationalized same-sex marriage and a Kali bailout... you probably still wouldn't have a civil war.
BTW, on behalf of my Dear Wife and myself, thanks for all the invites to your states! nice to have everyone wanting us to move out to them, no one (so far) saying "Stay away!"
I'd be most tempted by Tennessee, Montana, Wyoming, or (which no one's mentioned) Idaho. And maybe Florida. Show me the part of Texas with pine trees, mountains, clear cool water and trout fishing, where the temp never gets above 80 or so, and I'll be interested.
The deal is money. I just don't see how we can afford it at present. There'd have to be an act or acts of God making it possible.
But again, sincerely, thanks.
And I really am happy for all of you whose votes went better.
I heard a clip of Boxer saying she was grateful and humble. To which I say, "HA! I don't believe that coming from somebody demanding to be called senator instead of ma'am by somebody who has actually earned respect from people instead of just assuming it.
I am sorry that the conditions there are so poor. I fear that the whole country might drift back to the left if the economy pick up around 2012, Lord willing. Obama will still be President and people will credit him for the improvement.
I agree with Aaron that Texas is pretty nice. Although this is coming from somebody who grew up in Louisiana.
Dan,
I don't know about the temperature requirement, but the cost of living in Texas (at least Houston) is cheaper than it was when I lived in Louisiana...and that's cheap!
Did someone mention secession movement?
I read "succession." I think it was a Roman Catholic.
Thank God you voted down legalizing weed. I live 6 miles north of the CA state line. All that crap would have spilled across the boarder. Keep the faith.
Yes, Dan, in FL (NW FL specifically) we are enjoying a bit of a embarrassment of conservative riches.
Rubio waxed a cowardly Crist. In the most satisfying race (for personal reasons) Steve Southerland waxed blue dog Allen Boyd for our House seat. For the sake of mere drama, business man Rick Scott (I have some "wait and see" reservations there) won a dead heat over Sink for governor.
My condolences to my conservative Christian brethren in states like Cali!
My Christ continue to be our only hope.
Can I ask—because I really don't know—what exactly happened to California? I mean, it seemed like 10 or 20 years ago, it was the economic powerhouse of the country. The Economist had a cover article years ago on how it was the 14th largest economy in the world or something. There's still all that Silicon Valley industry, agriculture, defense contractors, etc. So what made it become such an economic basketcase?
By the way, things can change. In 1970s and '80s, Canada ran huge federal deficits, and it was overall a country with an unhealthy climate for business and investment. But finally in the early '90s, the (Liberal!) government of the day realized this was unsustainable, and began a concerted program of eliminating the deficit—which they did. We've been steadily paying down our national debt, as well.
The current Conservative government (yes, Canada is currently more conservative than the States, in some ways—stop laughing!) has continued that program of fiscal responsibility, although there was some deficit spending in the last couple of years, though nothing on the scale of the stimulus money south of the border. We're still rather too fond of taxes, but we got through the recent economic crisis more unscathed than any other country.
You could move here.
Universal health care with the choice to top it up with private cover to speed up elective procedures, dental, physio etc.
A minimum wage that actually provides sustainable income.
Strong social welfare with 'mutual obligations'. Job agencies and training activities aligned with this are run by private enterprise.
Freedom of religion and tax breaks for churches.
Free education to the end of high school with many independant schools with fees varying from a few hundred dollars a year (mostly catholic) to many thousands per year.
Do you need more?
And Rupert, you don't have to tip at restaurants either!
We also have a very low unemployment rate, a low defecit as a percentage of GDP and got through the recent financial crisi better than any other country - even canada ;-)
Hey!
Yeah, well, re employment, I guess the demand for crocodile wrestlers and Abba impersonators never really goes down.
I'll concede that you have Aussie Rules Football and Rolf Harris; on the other hand, we have ice hockey and better beer.
Rupert,
Oz is so very tempting! (I spent a year in Perth, long ago, when they brought home The Cup in '83.) Lovely, lovely place.
Dan, Washington isn't - sadly - a red state, but there are some very red pockets :D
Montana looks better and better. Or Idaho. Even Utah.
Wisconsin.... meh... spent a few months there, and let me just say that -40F is beyond cold. And in the summer, well, the state bird is the mosquito. ;D
Still watching a couple of races in our state. Dino Rossi has been cheated before, and is just barely falling behind the reprehensible Patty Murray, but John Koster may yet edge out Rick Larsen. Still hoping...
We all (almost all) vote by mail, so the counting goes on for days.
Stefan: Can I ask—because I really don't know—what exactly happened to California?
Great question, Stefan. It's essentially a few factors. Big immigrant population, entertainment industry, entitlement population and the young.
The immigrant population % wise was not as large as it is now as it was when Ronald Reagan won California in 1984. Most young people and liberals like to live on the coasts rather than the heartland. The entertainment industry is huge here and many people have a sense of entitlement. You have a 250,000 or so CA state workforce. I know some professing Christians who said they could not and would not vote for Whitman, e.g., (not that she was a great candidate, she wasn't) - why? Because they were afraid what she would do to the workforce and pension.
So, there you have it.
Dennis Miller on his feelings on being as a Californian: "Everyone else got a GI Joe and I got a beige sweater with a chocolate brown dickey." and "Losers like to vote for losers. There's a lot of losers out here."
Mr Phillips move to PA!! it's beautiful there :D and in philly there is much need of sound preachers :)
Rupert,
But have they figured out how to get hot and cold water to flow out of a single tap?
Not yet? ah well. :)
And I just felt led to note that today, at 6:30, I drove my girls home from soccer practice with all four windows down and the sunroom open. It was glorious.
Until the evil Dems figure out a way to tax the weather, that's still a pretty good reason to be thankful to be here vs. ohhhhh, Minnesota.
Dan, in less than two years we will pass the 100th anniversary of the loss of the Titanic.
You are living in the geographical/political equivalent of that great ship. November 2nd was your sailing date. So, "Bon Voyage" but you know what is coming. You may not be happy with your property values but what is going to happen when you can't pay your taxes?
Come to upstate South Carolina. I left LA 20 years ago and have been here most of that time. We have some very good churches here and always a need for faithful pastors to replace retiring shepherds.
We have four seasons and none of them are too harsh. Hot summers, Cold winters but nothing like the Mid-West.
Politically, we have one Democratic House Representative (out of 6) and not a single Dem in statewide office. Other than the Mark Sanford Debacle and RINO Lindsey Graham, Republican politics are about as good as you get in a fallen world. Plus you get to vote for Jim DeMint again in 6 years.
Think about it.
Bob McKenna
I'd be most tempted by Tennessee, Montana, Wyoming, or (which no one's mentioned) Idaho. And maybe Florida. Show me the part of Texas with pine trees, mountains, clear cool water and trout fishing, where the temp never gets above 80 or so, and I'll be interested.
See: this is exactly why you should consider moving to the real OZ (Kansas). We're practically an 0-fer when it comes to your list of requirements (the exceptions being, believe it or not, clear cool water and trout fishing).
Blizzards and ice storms in the winter (and I mean the kind of ice storms that destroy 40 - 50 year-old trees), near "hottest in the nation" temps in the summer. Just a few years ago, we had something like 70 days of 100 or higher temps during the official summer period -- and this ain't no dry heat neither. It's also not that unusual for us to have 100+ temps well into September. Seeing a thermometer read 99 degrees at midnight in the middle of September is something everyone should experience at least once.
Just think -- every day would another opportunity for you to show your flock what "die to self" really means. ;-)
And if you move to Wichita, I can take you to see Phil's boyhood home (I drive by it regularly), which is on the same street as mine, just a couple of blocks down.
How can you possibly resist? :-)
Dan,
Very busy.
We are apparently going to re-elect our governor, as liberal as President Obama, and now wants to borrow an additonal $3.7 billion to pay off our state's retirement fund. Believe it or not, it's cheaper to do that and tank our state's credit rating than to break state law and keep it unfunded.
Well, that's the "good" new. The bad news is, we're spiritually, morally and fiscally headed for California.
Waiting for the email from God about getting outta here before He turns the place to burnt toast. Sola, we can carpool...
3GD, your "hot summer weather" offer isn't too appealing to a CAn, I'm afraid. Just this past summer I was in KS City (MO) for work, and the moment I stepped out of the airport I was overcome by the hot, humid air. It would just "sit" on us, if you know what I mean. And this is a SoCal girl complaining here! I can't even imagine what a NoCal person like Dan would say....
(I do have to admit one thing, though: Midwestern folks just seem nicer and friendlier in general.) :)
3GD, your "hot summer weather" offer isn't too appealing to a CAn, I'm afraid.
Oh, all right. But the incredible views make up for it. ;-)
the hot, humid air...would just "sit" on us, if you know what I mean.
I'm afraid that I do. {gasp...burble...blub-blub-blub}
We'd love to have you here in Indiana, but I would like to remain friends. Sorry, great for homeschooling, relatively conservative (compared to CA), they cannot stand our neighbors in the Chicago political machine and it is warmer here than in minnesota. Downs are the state is mostly flat, we have a short stretch of coastline and no mountains. Yet, I remain, a proud hoosier who won't live anywhere else.
San Francisco is legendary for how far to the left they are but people forget about the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. According to Wikipedia more than half the land mass of Los Angeles is in the San Fernando Valley and almost 2 million people live there. Besides the things that CR mentioned, which also apply to “the Valley”, just type “porn capital of the world” into goggle and you’re see that that title belongs to the San Fernando Valley. So when you think of the entertainment industry of Southern California as being offensive to God because of all the liberal leanings their movies and television promote… that ain’t the half of it!
John MacArthur, whose Grace Community Church is in the San Fernando Valley, has a great sermon entitled, “A Nation Abandoned by God”. John is right-on about the things he says and, IMO, he could have easily entitled it, “A State (as in California) Abandoned by God”.
"It's also not that unusual for us to have 100+ temps well into September."
Dan lives in the CENTRAL valley of California. He is used to 100+ temps. Central Ca. is that evil place I drive through on my way to the cool coast.
I would invite you here Dan but then I would be aiding and abetting one more Californian. :P
Just kidding. The way we are going, we will be Calif. in a few years.
Dan lives in the CENTRAL valley of California. He is used to 100+ temps.
Oh. I guess I mistook his comment about looking for a place where the temps don't get over 80.
"is used to" ≠ "likes"
No, of course not (although, unimaginably, some people here do). I thought it might be something you weren't even accustomed to. Shows what I know about California weather.
You're not alone, 3GD. I didn't realize that Sacramento isn't really that close to SF, where it's cold and windy in July. Guess KS will suit you just fine, DJP. ;) (Is it actually humid in Sacramento, though?)
Compared to the rest of the country, no, it seldom is unpleasantly humid, thank God.
The only good thing about where Dan lives is it's proximity to nice places. Sacramento, in and of itself, isn't a very nice place. I'm thinking we should pay to move him to Alaska after whining about wanting to leave CA then being so picky about where he winds up.
@Rupert: You have me convinced. I'm moving to Australia. I hope you have enough room for my family at your place. Just think how much fun it will be! I'll even promise not to proselytize to you while I'm sleeping!
I'd recommend Oregon to you, there is a lot of beauty and varied geography, but in everything else we are just like California.
I'm open to Alaska. Not so sure about Dear Wife, though.
Oregon and Washington are both beautiful states, and nutty as bedbugs.
I've spent extensive time in Portland. It's tough to get used to the constant overcast skies.
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