Saving the California Dream
It's hard for us Californians to be optimistic these days. Recently, Brazil overtook us to become the eighth largest economy in the world, making us ninth. A decade ago we were sixth. We have the second highest unemployment rate in the country. A recent poll reveals that 82% of California executives would not start a business in California if they had a chance to start over.
The videos below are "Saving the California Dream," a story aired on Studio 11, a local Los Angeles news show. The producer, Heidi Cuda asks California entrepreneurs why their brethren are leaving the state and what California government can do to prevent more from leaving.
Here are the four segments of the story:
(For an earlier story Cuda interviewed me. I asked her to take my Political Quotient quiz. She did and graciously agreed to let me report her score. It's a 30.)
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Comments :
Mar '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
I'm shocked that a State run by smart Democrats is in decline. How could this happen, while stupid States like Texas are thriving?
It's all so baffling.
Edited on Jan 18 at 9:31amSep '10
Re: Saving the California Dream
If the people of California wanted it to be run like a business, they would have elected Meg Whitman.
Jun '10
Re: Saving the California Dream
When I lived in California for a few years (30 years ago) I moved there to play--not to work. I think that's a common reason that people came to California. That's maybe not the best demographic to entrust your state to. And if you're there just to play, you're probably not personally building for the future. You're not planning for when you move from skateboard to aluminum walker. California will take care of that. Paradise is free. No?
Jul '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
I just took your PQ test Tim. I got an 8.9 which made me think for a moment (firstly about how Michelle Bachmann has a negative score). I think your test is very slanted towards ObamaCare questions and the 2009 legislative year. Doesn't that skew the results slightly? (Forgive me if I missed something).
Anywho, back on topic: I have a small business in California and am a registered LLC. If they raise the LLC fees to what the governor has proposed I think I may be done for. In the last three years I have lost 1/2 of my client base to bankruptcies and relocations. I love my home state but boy are we governed by idiots.
Oct '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
You've got to try to screw up a state this great. Lucky for us, we've had many, many leaders dedicated to the task.
Oct '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
I run a small business and I can't count how many of my customers (construction business owners) spent their first few years in CA at the beach, my favorite lived in his van for several years. He now has several tile setters working for him. Coming to California to play is not unusual - most of my friends did just that - but most eventually settled down and got jobs or started businesses.
Don't get me wrong - anyone who wants to be a bum indefinitely should choose CA. But I don't think that's the only demographic that CA attracts.
Apr '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
Nov '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
Is it true that the California Highway Patrol will write you a ticket if one of your stereo speakers is out?
Jul '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
All states that do not allow CCW( conceal carry ) are doomed anyway.
Jul '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
billy
Jan 18 at 10:49am
Wow, impressive. Calculation error perhaps? Or does a negative number indicate you have gone so far to the right that you've started lapping commies? :-)
EDIT: Sorry, slightly inside-ish joke there. In HS we used to think of politics as a circular spectrum with the radical rightists and radical leftists being slow to one another because of their statist/imperialist/controlling beliefs.
Edited on Jan 18 at 11:30amRe: Saving the California Dream
Oh man, I really hope not. My entire stereo system was ripped out of my car by a thief. Getting ticketed for the work of a vandal would add major insult to injury.
Jul '11
Re: Saving the California Dream
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Oh man, I really hope not. My entire stereo system was ripped out of my car by a thief. Getting ticketed for the work of a vandal would add major insult to injury. · Jan 18 at 12:19pm
Well Diane, if the thief hurt themselves stealing it you are liable for injuries.
Jul '10
Re: Saving the California Dream
California Dreaming.
To quickly form a California corporation, the papers have to be walked in (which helps, I suspect, document filing firms like Legal Zoom, and, if so, requires a lot of people to be in California to do the filings). No wonder the Legal Zoom guy wants to keep his business, and his business model, in California.
In Texas, corporations can be formed over the internet in a few hours, complete with all of the ribbons and stamps. I love California and consider it my home (Go Niners), but the state is clueless and disingenuous.
Sep '10
Re: Saving the California Dream
I would say your PQ test may not be wholly accurate, since it plants in the mind how the particular bill was voted on in Congress. Subconsciously (or consciously for that matter), I am likely going to pick the position that the Republicans went with in their vote, especially for issue I may not know much about. You should leave this detail out of the quiz and provide the vote details after the quiz is taken. This would give people a better sense of where they stand with respect to the politicians and maybe help them understand better their own political inclinations. Just saying' :-)