Frustrated at California’s woes, voters are sharply pessimistic about whether the next governor will be able to move the state in the right direction, and most believe California is in the midst of a long-term decline, a new Los Angeles Times/USC poll shows. Against that grim backdrop, next year’s political contests loom as potentially volatile, but Democrats start out holding the upper hand, the poll found. President Obama retains his popularity in a state that gave him a landslide victory one year ago, with 60% approving of his tenure as president. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican struggling in the last year of his term, won the support of only a third of voters.
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California’s best years have passed, voters say — latimes.com
Twenty years ago, you could go to Texas, where they had very low taxes, and you would see the difference between there and California. Today, you go to Texas, the roads are no worse, the public schools are not great but are better than or equal to ours, and their universities are good. The bargain between California’s government and the middle class is constantly being renegotiated to the disadvantage of the middle class.
Joel Kotkin of NewGeography.com in The Golden State isn’t worth it — latimes.com
Shipments of semiconductors are on the rise. Some companies are hiring. Tech stocks outperformed the market all summer. And U.S. exports to China, including technology products, have climbed 33% since January. That’s good news for California, home to hundreds of companies that make the software, chips and switches that power many of today’s bestselling computer and electronics devices.
Tech firms are enjoying their economic stimulus — latimes.com
