I recently moved to California. Before i moved, people asked me “why are you moving there, its so bad?”. Now that I’m here, i understand it less. The state is beautiful. There is so much to do.
I know the cost of living is high, and people think the gun control laws are ridiculous (I actually think they are reasonable, for the most part). There is a guy I work with here that says “the policies are dumb” but can’t give me a solid answer on what is so bad about it.
So, what is it that California does (policy-wise) that people hate so much?
It’s a left-leaning, progressive state. Everyone who talks shit about this state in anything other than the cost of living generally doesn’t have an answer because their actual reason for disliking the state is that it’s not a republican state.
Fwiw there are more Republicans in California than most red states it’s just a matter of having an enormous population. Hence OP’s coworker.
To drive your point home: More Californians voted for Trump than Texans.
And they all seem to be in the Central Valley; The worst region of the state.
Also 8% of US agricultural output by dollar value. Let’s not forget that we need conservatives as much as they need us.
Who’s doing the work in the fields?
Immigrants, mostly from Latin America.
Even the worst valley republican is better than the best Bay Democrat
Largest number of electoral votes for presidential elections, too, which drives 'em nuts!
And it still isn’t enough to be representative. A vote in California is only worth about 1/4th of a vote in Wyoming.