California is going to be red

[n2mark]

are you watching? First the groper then .... follow the changes.

[NVMojo]

1. be afraid ...they are pushing Sequoias there too ....

[me b zola]

51. And pushing Dem. SOS Shelly out

It has all the earmarks of being the next Ohio. For those of you who didn't believe that the last election was fraudulent, the forum on election fraud has numerous threads devoted to the pivotal role that Ohio's R SOS played in that debacle.

There were several threads over the weekend that were about California Dem SOS being ousted. If I can find the threads I will post them here, it is very interesting reading. SOS Shelly apparently had been fighting to keep paperless machines from coming to California, it seems as though he was going toe to toe with Diebold.

The thing that alarmed me was Arnold talking about gerrymandering, which always seems to bode badly for Dems.

[Osamasux]

2. It's a state with extremes.

It is not a given. Defend it and we keep it. Take it for granted and we lose it.

[GRLMGC]

3. I agree

Frankly, I think its been taken for granted for awhile now.

[n2mark]

5. If the pukes take it over

we are done for.

[Downtown Hound]

4. Bingo!

There is a GOP threat here. But it is far from taking over. Arnold won because he has star power and because he's a social liberal. If we stop taking CA for granted and start fighting more for it, it will be ours for a long time to come.

[n2mark]

7. I don't live in CA

but I am seeing the writing on the wall. When the groper won, I knew that was it for CA.

[Massacure]

18. Arnold would win whether he was a repub, a dem, or a little green martian.

You need to chill.

[Downtown Hound]

20. Well, that's where you might be jumping the gun a little

No offense, but Arnold actually could be a hell of a lot worse. I'm not saying I like him, in fact he annoys the living shit out of me. But he is pro-choice and reasonably good on the environment, at least in terms of philosophy anyway.

Here's some news to calm you. San Diego is turning blue. Yep, San Diego, which has been solidly Repuke for many years. You may look at the map of CA that shows most of it to be red except for the coastal areas. Don't let that map fool you. Hardly anyone lives in those red areas. The bulk of the population is on the coast. The threat from the GOP in CA comes from the rapid growth in the areas surrounding LA. Those areas are solidly Republican. However, as San Diego demonstrated, when areas tend to grow larger they tend to become more Democratic. So any sort of GOP takeover is by no means guaranteed. Kerry won this state by 1.3 million votes. That's a huge margin, and very difficult for the Repukes to overcome. When you consider that the Dems usually take CA for granted and don't spend any time or money here, then it becomes even more apparent just how liberal this state really is. But we do need to stop taking it for granted. The GOP has its sights set on CA, and we can't just do nothing. But don't throw in the towel just yet, they have a long way to go before this state goes red.

[Liberty Belle]

35. He got an "F" on environmental issues from the

League of Conservation Voters. They just revised Arnold's grade downwards.

The Repukes picked Arnold to run here because they knew they couldn't win with a right-winger. But with Arnold in charge and about to appoint a Repuke Secretary of State, the neocons behind the scenes will be calling the shots, mark my words.

Do NOT trust Arnold. His loyalties are with his masters, make no mistake.

FYI, Ventura is about to buy paperless voting machines. The Repukes are picking us off county-by-county until they can make a clean sweep with a GOP thug intalled to replace Shelly.

[catzies]

52. Ventura County here and livid about that because we were promised

that wouldn't happen. x(

[Liberty Belle]

61. There was a post here earlier on that, I think in the

2004 election results section.

Please, organize a group to show up and protest this at your legislators' office ASAP! Also the Registrar of Voters or whoever makes the decision there. CAll the media--make it a big event.
Google Democrat Clubs + Ventura County to get all the clubs anywhere nearby. E-mail all of them and ask them to support your event.

Hint: Plan some good visuals to get the media coverage. Have the crowd sign a giant declaration of voting rights and deliver it to the politicians in question. Stage a "Black Box tea party" and march a giant black box to the ocean and throw it in (with string attached to pull it out and prevent littering, of course.)

Good luck!

[Downtown Hound]

64. I said in terms of philosophy

I don't trust Arnold for jack shit. But when he appeals to many of the sheeple out there, he comes off as an environmentalist. Ventura is already red so paperless voting machines won't do much except maybe shore up their support a little. But like I said, there is a threat. What we have to do is stop taking the state for granted. And if we're worried about voting machines, well, hello, state legislature? They are entirely Democratic. For them to sit back and do nothing is not responsible. The Dems need to start taking action on this issue, and I mean the Dems in power, not the grassroots ones that have been raising this issue for several years now.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

41. Yup! If you ever go to Fresno

all there is is cow shit! No people. Further more, the people wh do live there can't read or write and are very incestuous.

[Booster]

60. It's not the people, it's the voting machines. We could all be

totally blue Dems, but if the machines say a hated Repub won an election, well........California becomes Ohio. Simple.

[SW FL Dem]

21. Ahnuld won because Californians were sick of Grey Davis

and were pissed about the car tax to pay for the deficit.

[mikehiggins]

6. Pal, you need to chill

The GOPukes are NOT going to win, the Commander-in-Chimp is not beyond defeating, and the Social Security ripoff is going to go down in flames.

SocSec is the proverbial "bridge-too-far" for the Chimpazoids and once they begin to founder on the rocks, all of the other chickens will come home to roost as fast as you can imagine.

If you must be depressed, try and keep it to yourself.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. I agree.

n2, chill out. Nothing is "over".

[n2mark]

11. I would like to believe you

but the Chimp has way tooooooo much power and so does his buddies. No one can stop them.

[catzies]

50. He may be right. Those who live here see it. And I'm lucky enough

to live in "Reagan Country." He's decomposing a short ways downwind as we speak.

My county was blue in 2000 and went red in 2004. And blue LA to the south and blue Santa Barbara to the north.

[Hippo_Tron]

56. If we play our cards right, what you have just described can happen

But it's not a given.

[QC]

8. California was quite red until very recently.

People often forget that.

[Debs]

10. I grew up there and lived most of my life there

And I dont believe it for a second. The right republican can win there but he cant be a rightwing nutbag. Its not as ideologically pure as say Massachutsets, but go red? Not while intolerance and bigotry are the mainstream virtues of the GOP. Not while the cities keep getting bigger and growing into the rural areas that support them. It isnt beyond the range of possibility but its not going red anytime soon. Arnold isnt a typical republican he had big name recognition and people were sick of Gray whether or not thats fair, but its far from time to panic. And if Cal goes red, its definitly time for the dems to panic

[n2mark]

13. From what I am reading

you all better panic. I am not reading anything positive regarding
CA. If you live in CA the neocons are going to rise because well, you are all sinners of Hollywood.

[GRLMGC]

15. What exactly are you reading?

that recall election didn't have a high turnout rating. If Arnold had been super right wing, he wouldn't have won. Second of all, Bush didn't win, he didn't even come close to winning. While I agree that it shouldn't be taken for granted, its not exactly a bastion of neoconservatism. We have a Democratic majority in state government and they don't mess around.

[n2mark]

24. Well I hope you are right but...

[GRLMGC]

25. but what?

You're panicking over nothing. CA could go red, god knows there are enough rednecks here, but that's only because the Democratic party is taking CA for granted. During 2004, we got no money to run a campaign. A lot of us did volunteered anyway. It's not like CA is trending Republican, we just need to step up our efforts

[n2mark]

27. What I am saying

is the groper was chosen by shrub. They want to take over Ca.
Are you going to listen are you going to remain compliant? This scares me.

[GRLMGC]

29. That's why Bush spent so much money here

Oh wait, he didn't. Both parties ignore CA in spite of the fact that it is the biggest prize. CA Dems shouldn't remain compliant but it's not an emergency either.

[Liberty Belle]

36. Exactly. They're working to get riggable voting machines here.

Then it won't matter how many of us vote for Dems, out votes just won't be counted.

[charlie]

19. That would be a neat trick

if the neocons got anywhere attacking a prime industry, with a Hollywood governor as the top Republican in the state.

[ultraist]

23. 5,114,795 Republicans in CA! DAMN! Y'all have a LOT of Repukes

There are a lot more Repukes in CA than in NC! I guess I should not visit CA, there are too many REDnecks. Kidding, just had to get my point in about the over simplified Red State Blue State model.

CA Election Results
Kerry
6,250,561 54%
Bush
(Incumbent)
5,114,795 45%

They probably WONT run a Religious right winger radical next time. THAT'S the scarey part. They will run someone more moderate, they're not stupid.

BUT, I highly doubt the Democrats will lose a full 10% margin in one election. It could happen, although I don't think it will in one election, it will take two to swing it. CA grassrooters better get busy and prevent any erosion from happening.

[Liberty Belle]

38. Wake up, please! When they get a GOP Secretary of State,

he will buy Diebold voting machines, or some other paperess easy-to-rig system. Then you can get the machines will give Repukes victories in CA, regardless of what the real vote count may be.

[toymachines]

12. i was hoping it would stay blue, i just dont get it

i am from san diego, which went for kerry this year, not to mention donna frye as mayor. so from down here it seems like things are improving for the progressives. this is hard to say with the whole arnold thing, and shelley resigning. i hope to god you are wrong, but i fear you may be right.

[n2mark]

16. I am so scared

California is my one hope for progressives to survive. Is religion that big a thing is Ca? Thank you my one time favorite actor Mel Gibson, forget you! You are now on the bottom of the list, actually garbage pick up is Monday I put your name in there.

[SnoopDog]

14. You know, most Americans know what the f*ck is going on...

and if they push it - the Revolutionary War and Civil war will look like a cake walk...

Don't you hear it? The silent rumble of Millions of Americans is deafening..

America is under siege... We will defend it. We will defend our Constitution.

[n2mark]

22. Sure, sure, right....

people are going to sit in front of FOX TV and go Dah! The people who watch FOX and CNN are drinking the Kool Aid. There is nothing wrong with th US except those damn dems/progressives.

[SnoopDog]

26. You mean, there is nothing wrong with the US except

those f*cking conservatives - the intellectual challenged - those who cannot think for themselves - those who want to destroy the earth - right?

[SnoopDog]

34. Your point?

There are always better ways of doing things.

This president invaded a country for no reason. We could have easily waited to get the results the world was after. This president relaxed pollution controls, underfunded education, is responsible for our massive debt, sends jobs overseas, goes into our pristine lands for oil, disrespected in the world - basically pissing into the 'waters we drink'.

I equate this bush administration with all things evil.

And it is evident that the 'right' side - the so called conservative side is full onto this bullshit killer agenda.

Liberals, the left, you know - Democrats are the more intellectual, more accepting of individuals, people of this country.

Conservatives can easily live in out world - we cannot, cannot live in their world. We want our world to survive.

[n2mark]

28. Do you really believe that most Americans believe

what is going on? I don't think so. Remember, shrub got reelected, and his cabinet, well, no problem.

The silent rumble is so quiet all I hear are the dogs outside.

[mattclearing]

17. Nah. We need to defend it, but it is liberal by nature.

Of course, I used to say that about the entire country during the Clinton years, and two buildings later...

[n2mark]

33. Sorry

to tell you, you are about to have the rug pulled out from under your feet. The Neocons are working to take over California.
All I can say is be alert.

[mattclearing]

66. Actually, I'm in DC, so not really. There is no rug here.

We don't even get real reps or senators.

We are taken over by whoever controls the federal government and its budget.

[n2mark]

30. Who will be your new Sec. of State?

Isn't this the person responsible for counting votes? Do the names Harris and Blackwell ring a bell? Wake Up please.

[n2mark]

31. It will never happen to me

those words run a chill up my back.

[LeftyMom]

32. Demographics say otherwise

California's population growth is mostly Latino and they vote Dem here and that's unlikely to change soon since the Republicans blame Latinos for everything from crowded schools to rainy weekends.

The California Republican leadership is a bunch of idiots who don't have any idea how to shut up thier extremists and sell thier more benign policies to the centrists.

Bear in mind that this is a state that didn't have a single Repub in a statewide elected office until recently, so a slight upswing for the Repubs would hardly turn us into Alabama anyhow.

I do think the voting machine concern is a valid one, but if the things start churning out Republican wins here, I doubt anyone would believe it.

[catzies]

37. True but watch for the redistricting effort about to gear up. It's going

to be an ugly spring.

[GRLMGC]

42. Now that's something to worry about

The good thing about CA is that the Democrats here know how to fight.

[DemDogs]

43. Arnold said he wanted to do non-partisan resdistricting

We'll see, I guess. The big issue will be minority districts, which have been Democratic.

[GRLMGC]

44. I don't really trust him

I'm going to work hard to get rid of him. He hasn't done anything for our state. He's only made things worse and things sucked under Gray Davis.

[catzies]

45. That's what he's calling it, but that's not what it is.

Last year virtually all incumbents were returned in the election, which means a continued Democratic majority until the next census. They're not waiting that long. Arnold's going to say he needs new people to get things done, and the mostly-blind will swallow that and vote for him to get what he wants.

This isn't all Arnold, I wonder what the rest of the brain trust gets out it. Follow the money.

[Hippo_Tron]

58. We can do non-partisan redistricting in Cali when they try it in Texas

If ahnuld wants non-partisan redistricting, he needs to start convincing other members of his party.

[napi21]

39. I doubt that. Arnold is loosing his following.

Sure he's got the star impact, but lots of people are seeing that he's not the super star they thought he was going to be.

I doubt Ca will EVER be Red!

[ultraist]

46. I still can't over that CA elected Arnold. How did that happen?

I watched part of his recent interview and I had to turn it off. He referenced movies he had been in one too many times.

[GRLMGC]

48. Low turnout

Star struckedness (I made up my own word)

It was a low moment in CA history. I'm still embarrassed

[ultraist]

54. That and Ronnie

[GRLMGC]

55. Sigh

Yes :hangs head in shame:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

62. On Ahnold as governator:

Very simply, he got in because he's a MOVIE STAR! And we were star-struck. But no more; he's doing things he said he wouldn't do. Try not to worry about CA going red. We Dems know how to fight. We treasure our beautiful blue state and we won't let her go!

[helderheid]

40. This is related

PLEASE check out this thread and stop this madness before the 2006 elections

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x319305

HAVA does NOT require we go electronic! Send to all election officials

[Democrat Dragon]

47. Is anyone here in a mainly liberal college\university in California?

I wonder what would happen if you told this so a mainly progressive college\university like UC Berkely....

[GRLMGC]

49. I do

In fact, Berkeley has a far stronger Republican presense (in terms of loudness) than in my school. But yeah, most young CA voters don't do Republicans

[Democrat Dragon]

53. good...this may be one of those issues you can take to the streets

Let's not forget that the Gropenator goes to a blue county frequently.

[rehema]

57. Calif is the next Ohio

I have said for months now. No one talked about voting problems here in Calif.

[ultraist]

65. I read somewhere the Repukes are going after CA in a big way now.

Watch out for the voting machines and the Hispanic population vote as others mentioned. IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU TOO.

10% is a big margin, but after reading the posts about the voting machines and Hispanic vote, I really wonder.

[Gloria]

59. And it may be for demographic reasons, too.....I heard a report

on the BBC about California's burgeoning Hispanic population and how their "values" might be swayed by the GOP; and how in a lot of areas, there is already a shift toward the GOP.

It's downright scary.

[begin_within]

63. They will never get the San Francisco Bay area, but they are working on

the inland areas (central valley, Inland empre, Orange County, etc, which are Republican strongholds). The biggest cities and the coastal counties are predominantly Democratic. However, the rest of the state is leaning red, and the Rs hope to tilt the whole state slightly to the Red. Installing Scharzenegger was a big step in that plan, and deposing Shelley was another step. If the Democrats in Calif. don't start doing something soon, it might just go the Rs way.