California gridlock to reach national politics

Just a thought - massive stupidity by the California Republican Party has relegated it to permanent second-class status. They alienated Hispanic voters, retreated to a conservative white base mostly in Central Valley, and advocated that base politics exclusively to further alienate moderate whites and ethnic voters. However, California requires two-thirds votes to approve budgets and raise taxes, so the Republicans can do nothing constructive but can stop things from happening.

National politics might be going the same way. Republicans retreat to conservative white base voters in the South, advocate those types of policies exclusively, and can never win the legislature (but might win the executive branch with an exceptional candidate). Senate supermajority rules let the Republicans retain enormous power to block action though.

It could go this way, or the Democrats could ram some decisions down the Republicans' throats, or a few Republicans could do the right thing. And eventually I expect the Republicans will follow the British Tories that they used to admire, but I think they'll have to lose at least two more presidential elections in a row before they become a responsible opposition party.

Other random California thoughts:

• New Jersey corruption shows the problems of a one-party state. This will happen to California too if the Republicans fail to reform themselves. I have trouble imagining ever voting for a Republican for national office, but I have voted for Republicans at the local and state level. If I were from New Jersey, I'd be thinking about doing the same there.

• Great news on establishing no fishing/no abalone diving marine reserves in California. National parks were established a century ago for the same reason: no hunting areas allowed animals to proliferate and spread out to where they could be hunted.

• Finally, the Aptera will soon be available, but only in California. This is the first vehicle I ever really wanted just for its looks, in addition to being electric. Not sure when or if that will happen though.