[gumby]

> CA could do a-lot more given its ... desire to be seen as "thoughtful".

Uhh, what? The state that produced Nixon, Reagan, Prop 13; the capital of NIMBYism and the state that had more Trump voters than any other?

Sure, California is wealthy and spends a lot on its citizens, especially the needy, but it also has strong countervailing pressure, more influential than you might think given the makeup of its legislature.

A state is a big amorphous group and can't hardly have a "desire".

[spacecadet]

Sure. We are saying the same thing. But from my experience actually talking to people, they fancy themselves a thoughtful lot.