State of Jefferson: California representation and the argument for statehood
Kayla Nicole Brown, Guest Editorial
In 1879, fewer than 1 million people inhabited the State of California. But that is the same year in which our cap of 120 representatives in the house and senate were set.
Today, California has close to 38 million people.
This change from the rural way of life to city centers has created a lack of equal representation and led to the obliteration of livelihoods.
The city of Los Angeles alone boasts more than 3,500,000 people, greater than the entire population of the proposed State of Jefferson which is approximately 1,850,000 residents.
To simplify these numbers, in 1879 the ratio was one representative for every 7,206 people. In 2013, the ratio is one representative for every 317,012 people.
This leap in population is a testament to the fact that California stood as the beacon of prosperity, but today unemployment as well as underemployment, unsustainable debt and skyrocketing taxes are forcing Californians to flee the state en masse.
John Avlon of the Daily Beast raised fundamental questions regarding deficit verse debt as well as California’s tax policies in January of this year. But what price is a balanced budget if the wealthy and businesses leave and the tax base erodes?
For many Californians in the north state, the fight or flight instinct has led to the renewal of the State of Jefferson movement as a means of survival. But the argument for splitting the state in half or even in thirds is not a new one in California history.
The Compromise of 1850 kept the state whole.
In 1854, the State Assembly proposed the State of Shasta, which held nearly the same parameters that the proposed State of Jefferson is today.
In 1941, the most influential of the movements took hold and it was with this movement that the Jefferson State moniker was implemented. Despite the 159 years that have passed since the State of Shasta, the idea of multiple states is still strong.
For the people of Northern California, the argument is not whether the State of Jefferson could succeed. The argument is how long will the State of California drag us down with them and us not being able to do anything about it?
How many more taxes or fees will California impose on us in order to pay off a debt that as of 2:45 pm on Nov. 6, 2013, was at a staggering $418,860,675,107?
Northern California is roughly the size of Kentucky with a population nearly identical to West Virginia or Idaho, but the latter two states have the same say on the national stage as NorCal does in California.
To the people of Northern California, the State of Jefferson is a way to level the playing field. They want to be heard. They want their plight to be eased and their livelihoods to be spared.
Many of those living in the north state are third, fourth and fifth generations of people who worked the land.
They want what any other American takes for granted. They want what the people of southern California already enjoy.
Why does one city in California make decisions for a third of the state’s land mass?
Something is broken.
“The argument is how long will the State of California drag us down with them and us not being able to do anything about it?”
Are you being dragged down? I would be interested to hear, seriously.
I mean, if paying your state taxes makes you miss a mortgage payment … that’s bad.
But if paying your state taxes means you have to drive the six-year-old truck for seven years … that I would not call a hardship.
Soon California will be 1/2 trillion on debt thanks to Democrats and Libby.
The last thing Californians will put up with is the Tea Party taking over. Blaming everybody but their own elected who have preformed sedition in Congress, spread gate everywhere and today announced they are taking over the republican party. game on boys!
The koch brothers will not win without a Bloody battle. tea party politicians destroy everything they touch. Their low information Sheeple have not a clue they just repeat.
I believe Sacramento is in Norcal. jealous of LA?
Pure and Simple no The people in this part of california do not have what it takes. The work force is weak. there are no work ethics. The kids walk around with blank stares. The level of education is very very poor.
LOL
Dewey what do you really know about the Tea Party that doesn’t come the Socialist Party aka Democrats?
Have you ever once been to a Tea Party meeting, do you have any clue what they really discuss at their meetings?
Let me give you a hint…I did your homework and unlike you, I actually looked up the Tea Party core values. Tell me which one of these you are against:
Preamble: The Tea Party Movement is an all-inclusive American grassroots movement with the belief that everyone is created equal and deserves an equal opportunity to thrive in these United States where they may “pursue life, liberty and happiness” as stated in the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.
No one is excluded from participation in the Tea Party Movement. Everyone is welcomed to join in seeking to achieve the Tea Party Movement goals, which are as follows:
1. Eliminate Excessive Taxes – Excessively high taxes are a burden for those exercising their personal liberty to work hard and prosper as afforded by the Constitution. A fiscally responsible government protects the freedom of its citizens to enjoy the fruits of their own labor without interference from a government that has exceeded its necessary size, scope and reach into the lives of its citizens.
“Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.” –Calvin Coolidge
“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.” –Thomas Jefferson
“Any tax is a discouragement and therefore a regulation.” –Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
2. Eliminate the National Debt – By implementing fiscally conservative policies at all levels of government, progress can be made toward eliminating the U.S. National Debt. Massive increases in the National Debt have created and continue to create a huge burden for the next generation of Americans, thus imperiling the country’s short-term and long-term economic health and prosperity.
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” –Abraham Lincoln
“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” –Thomas Paine, 1776
“As on the one hand, the necessity for borrowing in particular emergencies cannot be doubted, so on the other, it is equally evident that to be able to borrow upon good terms, it is essential that the credit of a nation should be well established.” –Alexander Hamilton, 1790
Tea Party Platform continued:
3. Eliminate Deficit Spending – All deficit spending must be eliminated immediately. We insist that government representatives at all levels maintain a fiscally responsible budget and balance the books as would be expected of any American business.
“Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.” –George Washington
“A penny saved is a penny earned.” –Benjamin Franklin
“Tomorrow, every Fault is to be amended; but that Tomorrow never comes.” –Benjamin Franklin
Tea Party Platform – Home of the Tea Party Movement Platform continued:
4. Protect Free Markets – America’s free enterprise system allows businesses to thrive as they compete in the open marketplace and strive toward ever better services and products. Allowing free markets to prosper unfettered by government interference is what propelled this country to greatness with an enduring belief in the industriousness and innovations of the populace.
“That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.” –Abraham Lincoln
“You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence.” –Abraham Lincoln
“The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” –Ronald Reagan
Tea Party Platform continued:
5. Abide by the Constitution of the United States – The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land and must be adhered to without exception at all levels of government. This includes the Bill of Rights and other Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and their provisions designed to protect states’ rights and individual liberties.
“A general Dissolution of Principles & Manners will more surely overthrow the Liberties of America than the whole Force of the Common Enemy.” –Samuel Adams, 1779
“The Constitution is the guide which I will never abandon.” –George Washington
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” –Abraham Lincoln
Tea Party Platform continued:
6. Promote Civic Responsibility – Citizen involvement at the grassroots level allows the voice of the American people to be heard and directs the political behaviors of our representatives at both the local and national level so they, in turn, may be most effective in working to preserve the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of this country’s citizens.
“The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.” –Patrick Henry
“To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.” –Abraham Lincoln
“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light” –George Washington
“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.” –Thomas Jefferson
Tea Party Platform – Home of the Tea Party Movement Platform continued:
7. Reduce the Overall Size of Government – A bloated bureaucracy creates wasteful spending that plagues our government. Reducing the overall size, scope and reach of government at both local and national levels will help to eliminate inefficiencies that result in deficit spending which adds to our country’s debt.
“My observation is that whenever one person is found adequate to the discharge of a duty…it is worse executed by two persons, and scarcely done at all if three or more are employed therein.” –George Washington
“If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy.” –Samuel Adams, 1802
“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” –Benjamin Franklin
Tea Party Platform continued:
8. Believe in the People – The American people, given their guaranteed freedoms, will thrive in a democratic, capitalist environment which allows individuals to strive toward ever greater achievements, innovations and the efficient production of needed and valued goods and services.
“Industry need not wish.” –Benjamin Franklin
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” –Abraham Lincoln
“The people will save their government, if the government itself will allow them.” –Abraham Lincoln
Tea Party Platform continued:
9. Avoid the Pitfalls of Politics – American politics is burdened by big money from lobbyists and special interests with an undue influence on the peoples’ representatives. The Tea Party movement is seen as a threat to the entrenched political parties and thus is the continual target of smear campaigns and misrepresentation of its ideals. We choose not to respond to these attacks except to strongly and explicitly disavow any and all hate speech, any and all violence as well as insinuations of violence, and any and all extreme and fringe elements that bring discredit to the Tea Party Movement. We are a peaceful movement and respect other’s opinions and views even though they do not agree with our own. We stand by the Tea Party beliefs and goals and choose to focus our energies on ensuring that our government representatives do the same.
“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.” –Abraham Lincoln
“Honesty is the best policy.” –Benjamin Franklin
“Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.” –George Washington
10. Maintain Local Independence – The strength and resilience of a grassroots movement is the ability of citizens at the local level to determine their own platforms, agendas and priorities free of an overriding central leadership. Exercising the clearly stated message of the Tea Party movement by its nature involves discourse about which policies and candidates best hold to our stated principles, and these various opinions should flourish and evolve at the local level.
“Here sir, the people govern.” –Alexander Hamilton in a speech to the New York Ratifying Convention, 1788
“Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories.” –Samuel Adams, 1781
“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.” –Abraham Lincoln
Nicely said Kayla.
It’s incredible that on Post Scripts who think it is taxes alone, rather than gross mismanagement of tax monies and lack nof representation…or that some dark entity…a boogie man, so to speak, is intent on controlling them and the state are so against this. You would think they would take a good riddance approach.
Interesting too that they are the same people who want more government (or union…nearly the same thing) control and fight for it tooth and nail!
i am so sick of these fools what does the koch brothers have to do with the jefferson state ,
liberals stop with this we are borg mentality it shows your ignorance or dishonest .
btw i know more people who support the jefferson state then who don’t
oh gee these people are not tea party hell they are not even conservative yet they support it
http://youtu.be/q8T5FZVwwc4
Matt that’s very interesting. I’m glad you and your friends support the idea. Thanks for sharing this information with us.
Ditto on that, thank you Matt.
All that is propaganda, Like I said the elected Tea party is the party not a bunch of low info voters
So Throwing out the elected leaders of a city and appointing a manager with unilateral power with the gov is constitutional? Explain that?
LOL you can dream about going back to the 1700’s but the world can not do that
The world is in the streets, The banks and Global corporations are taking over. The corporations want small gov so they can do as they please and humans must obey
Tea Party writes that crap but does not practice it
Where in the Constitution does it say only extreme right matter?
The right for all to pursue happiness not bow down to the lower IQ population
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20084409-245/tea-party-leader-arrested-on-piracy-charges/
http://www.examiner.com/article/tea-party-hypocrite-arrested-for-cocaine-possession
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/18/10739907-former-tea-party-spokesman-michael-kobulnicky-arrested-in-sex-assault-case?lite
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/07/16/michelle-bachmann-aide-arrested-on-theft-charges/
http://macombpolitics.blogspot.com/2013/12/tea-party-activist-charged-with.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/tea-party-member-brings-gun-nyc-airport-arrested/story?id=15165432
Yea your on the ground leaders are the model I want my kids to grow up to…
tea party is anti democratic period
Blame everyone else
Why is it that Fox viewers know less about world affairs than those who watch no tv at all?