State (CA) has reached 'critical juncture,' major study says

[question everything]

State has reached 'critical juncture,' major study says

By Gordon Smith
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

June 2, 2005

LOS ANGELES – Californians could face a sputtering economy and a numbing increase in traffic congestion in 20 years if population and economic trends continue, according to a major study released yesterday by one of the state's leading think tanks.

(snip)

That's because two underlying trends are going in opposite directions. Fueled by the health, biotechnology and information technology industries, the state's economy is evolving away from manufacturing into a high-tech service economy that demands highly educated workers, Baldassare said.

Meanwhile, "the group that is going to be the dominant population group . . . by the 2020s, Latinos, currently has the lowest college graduation rate of any racial or ethnic group," he said.

The problem, if not addressed, could lead businesses or workers – or both – to abandon California in droves for other states.

More..

Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050602/news_1n2calif.html

[doodadem]

1. I don't buy that

I'm a technical and scientific recruiter, and work mostly in the biotech/medical device/pharmaceutical industries these days. Most of these companies have no problem relocating people here to Calif. Granted, most of these are very experienced, PhD types.
I.T. was booming all thru the 90's, and I made a ton of money in it then. It's been steadily declining thru the Bush administration, due mostly to outsourcing. I only dabble with it now, after 15 years of specializing in it. Like most old I.T. recruiters, I had to adapt to other areas, or go bankrupt.
What I'm seeing go down the tubes in this country is the pursuit of science and technology. I just placed 3 people: a Director in clinical pharma, a senior level chemist/manager, and a structural engineer. One was Chinese, the other two were Indian, all naturalized citizens.
If America wants to remain competitive, and go back to being a leader in science and technology, they better start turning out scientists and engineers again. Knock it off with crap like Intelligent Design, and "there is no global warming", that only makes us look like morons to the rest of the world.

[Al-CIAda]

3. Instead of higher education funding, we want people to believe

that the earth is 6-10,000 yrs. old.

...and the American idiots so far are willing to go along with this bullshit.

[Megahurtz]

2. I wouldn't mind one bit if

people had to move out of this State, it's too crowded already.
One of them just might be me!:shrug:

[AndyTiedye]

5. Where Would You Go?

I know I couldn't live in Jesusland.

Even the other blue states seem pretty red compared to the San Francisco Bay area.

Here the "Bush" stickers you see usually say "Cheated" or "Impeach".

I only know one (1) admitted Bush voter around here.

[wallwriter]

4. It's one of my favorite Republican hypocrisies:

Defense contractors and pharmaceutical companies should get huge tax breaks and guaranteed profits. But schools? They should have to compete for every dollar they get.

Oh, and by the way, Jesus hates science. It's no wonder our technological leadership is going down the tubes.