California into 6 new states? On their 2016 ballot!

[JasonPratt]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/07/15/six-californias-tim-draper/12661161/?csp=fbfanpage

[besilarius]

Of course you know, this would mean TWELVE senators from California.

[Sir Slash]

And 5 new Democrat Governors.  :P

[bayonetbrant]

Of course you know, this would mean TWELVE senators from California.

Yeah you might think that.
But if you don't know California, then you don't know that you're going to get right-wing conservatives from North, Central, and South. 
Right now, it's LA and the Bay Area that overwhelm the rest of the state in statewide races like governor/senator. 
Central California on that map is farms, cattle, and oil.  It's more Texas than it is Baywatch.  The rich folk in Northern California tend to be more pro-business conservative than their hippie brethren on the south side of the bay, And wine country has always been conservative (plus there's Travis AFB there). Southern California - as drawn on the map, not as discussed in pop culture - has about 14 major military bases, and they tend to lean right.

SF/LA dominate statewide politics by sheer dint of numbers.  Segregate those two out into other states and you've got a very different landscape out there.  Jefferson will still be kind of granola-hippy, but might only have 1-2 house seats at most, since no one lives out there.  Central California, with Stockton, Bakersfield, Fresno, and Modesto has some serious population to draw on, and it's all old-school ag families going back 5-7 generations on the same farms.

[Steelgrave]

Yeah, the idea of dividing Texas into five states has been around as well, back since Texas was first admitted to the Union. It's fanciful and makes for fun conversation, but I don't see either happening anytime soon.

[BanzaiCat]

Same thing with talk of Texas seceding from the Union. I doubt Cali will split up but will be very impressed if they do vote for it.

[Sir Slash]

Heavens No! Can you imagine the people in San Francisco taxing themselves to pay for their own Social Utopia? The Horror!

[bayonetbrant]

What would really be fun under that breakup are the cross-border water wars. 
When West CA has no water b/c Central CA keeps it all for their farms, and when the Silicon Valley do-gooders try to limit water coming out of rivers they no longer control because they prefer taking care of fish over take care of crops, and they can't b/c the water actually belongs to other people, it'll get really fun.

[mirth]

[BanzaiCat]

Central Cali is already gearing up to hoard the water...

[Sir Slash]

LA Will have the Breast supply... I mean best supply, of silicone. No, I do mean Breast supply.  ^-^  Getting to it could be a 'Tough Titty' though.

[airboy]

Yeah, the idea of dividing Texas into five states has been around as well, back since Texas was first admitted to the Union. It's fanciful and makes for fun conversation, but I don't see either happening anytime soon.

Unlike California, when the Republic of Texas was admitted into the United States the treaty gave Texas the power to divide into smaller States.  But since the Supreme Court no longer follows the law, this may not still be possible.

[Steelgrave]

Yeah, the idea of dividing Texas into five states has been around as well, back since Texas was first admitted to the Union. It's fanciful and makes for fun conversation, but I don't see either happening anytime soon.

Unlike California, when the Republic of Texas was admitted into the United States the treaty gave Texas the power to divide into smaller States.  But since the Supreme Court no longer follows the law, this may not still be possible.

It comes up in Texas every so often, I know. I think it's more likely Texas annexes Oklahoma than splits into five states 8)

[mirth]

No one wants to annex Oklahoma.

[Staggerwing]

No one wants to annex Oklahoma.

Even after a few too many beers, and Oklahoma all dolled up, Saturday Night like?